Jackie D - Week 33

Week 33 - starting Monday 30 April 2007

Scheduled hours: 14hrs 30mins
Actual hours: 14hrs 49mins

I feel good! I feel that if the Ironman was next week I’d be able to do it! Hope that isn’t false confidence. I haven’t quite trained the distances yet but on both my long bike and long run this week felt that I could have gone further.

I really enjoyed my long bike this week. It was 5 hours and I went out on a new route with another IMLP co-trainee. It made a really nice change and she has some lovely surfaced roads around her place with very little traffic. I am calling it my “Lakes and Mountains” ride as we rode to Bristol Mountain and back and then up to Lake Ontario and back. BUT the best part of this workout was that I think I have nailed the bike nutrition. I had a gel every 30 minutes (previously I had tried 45mins), plus 8oz Gatorade plus water each hour. Plus a jaffa cake and salt tablet on each 45mins. No energy ups and downs at all and could have gone further. Getting enough water could have been a problem but our ride was a very civilised one that took us past gas stations for refills when needed - not to mention potty breaks! I have consciously made a decision to keep off the protein (after reading “Nutrition for Endurance athletes” ) and think Jaffa cakes for top ups might do the trick. Very little protein, lots carbs and cals, tangy taste and soft so easy to eat. Only problem was they got a bit crumbly by the end but think if I keep them in (or taped to) my bento box instead of back pocket this might help with that problem.

My 3 hour long run was nearly as good - on a sunny Saturday afternoon and I purposely went along some roads with some hills as it is far too easy for me to usually stick to flat canal path. I think I am nearly OK with nutrition here. Again gels every 30 minutes plus Gatorade and water. I was a bit gassy (bit too much detail???) but once I upped my water intake that seemed to get much better so will try that next time. I just need to remember to plan my training routes around places where I can refill my water bottles as I was rationing water a bit.

My swims were done on my own this week during the day as Fred was out of town on business. I did the masters workouts though and all went fine.

All in all a good week and the schedule repeats next week so I hope I am feeling this good at the end of it.

11 WEEKS TO