Ironman Copenhagen

I finally got around to writing up my Ironman Copenhagen race – only two months late. It’s posted on the GreenlightPT squad website which you can access from the link below:

IM Copenhagen – 2017

As for what’s next – I’ve no idea! I’ve now ticked the IM box so to speak so in theory I don’t need to do another do I? (Although it would be nice to get some decent finish line pictures!)

Swim course at Amager Beach

Mixed day predicted!

Early morning enroute to the start

Nearly time….

Swim start

Leaving T1

Approaching T2

 

 

 

 

The reward!

Swings and roundabouts

It was all going so well, got rid of the lurgy, knee was starting to feel good, was only 1 second off my 400m PB in our squad TT and had a solid race at the Southern XC Champs at Parliament Hill. Buoyed by this I booked my London marathon travel, a warm up half marathon and a post London 5km. It all looked like it was finally starting to come together. Midweek miles were stacking up and the weekend mileage about to start. I had a great 70 minute run on Wednesday followed by squad swim, then boom, penultimate rep, last length and cramp in my calf. Tried to kick it off but ended up hanging off a lane rope trying to avoid getting mown down by the boys behind me.

It’s not the first time I’ve had cramp swimming and normally by the time I’ve got out the pool it’s subsided except this time it didn’t. Next morning I struggled to walk and my swim on Friday was mostly completed with a pull buoy. So off to the physio I hobbled and it turns out I have managed to tear my calf swimming. That’s me with no running for two weeks, will miss the final Chiltern XC League match for my club and may well put my London place in jeopardy.

But foregoing London would not be the end of the world. In all honesty it’s not my A race.  It is a ‘nice to have’ and I would really  like to go sub 3:30. It would be a great confidence boost going into Copenhagen but at what cost? The time I need to spend running costs me time on the bike and to be honest this year I think I’ve only ridden outside once and when you’re supposed to concentrate on your weakest element of the race it just doesn’t add up. So as annoying as it would be missing London, it would mean I get more time to get some miles in on the bike and might even pass a few people come Copenhagen!

So, the next few weeks will dictate what happens over the next few months – I’m still gunning for London but it wont be the end of the world if it doesn’t happen as there are benefits to be gained by not doing it – as they say, ‘swings and roundabouts’…

Countdown to Copenhagen – 30 weeks to go…

Thirty sounds like quite a big number so there’s no nervousness yet. It’s a long way ahead and plenty going on between now and then. Although with plenty going on, I know thirty will become twenty, then ten and then we’ll be into single figures and then I’ll really start to worry!

The lurgy has now passed and the knee is starting to feel a bit better so training last has been back in full swing. After a relatively easy week last week, this week it ramped up a little bit, not much but the most training I’ve done since well before Christmas. Last weekend was the penultimate Chiltern Cross Country League match. I’ve not really done much running at all since the Winter Half marathon so was a bit nervous about it. Especially as it was a flat and fast course and I had raced really well there last year. As it happened, it wasn’t too bad considering! Got some good points for the team, had two rather cold runs through a water jump (it was held at an equestrian centre) and although not at my best felt like a solid run so good news from that point of view.

The main focus now is London. With just over 12 weeks to go there is plenty of time yet. I’m in better shape at this point that I was last year which is good. Still a couple of niggles but nothing to worry about at this point. Just need to stay healthy and keep the miles ticking over…