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Hello fellow competitors! For all of you taking part in September I just thought I'd drop a quick note to say I hope your training is going well!!



I have to admit I'm sh*tting myself - I managed to sprain my ankle (bad one - ligament anchor point ripped out of Tib! Ouch!) in the South Cerney classic 4 weeks ago and have only just returned back to full training - the demons have definiately descended - but it seems to be holding out ok. So apart from missing 3 weeks training, work constantly hampering training, the UK roads gradually destroying my beautiful Felt DA and only 5-6 weeks to go, my preparations couldn't be better!!!



I took a trip to Sherbourne recently to bike the course - drove it first (it's bloody hilly!) and then half way round a torrential downpour erupted turning most of the course into a lake - you'd have turned your nose up even if you'd been armed with a mountain bike, especially the single track loop near the end of the circuit! More perfect preparation!



But anyway, despite all of that I still can't wait for the 7th Sept. if for no other reason than I get my life back on the 8th!!!



Hope you're all having a more relaxed run up to the race than I am! I'm hoping the August orientation weekend will alleviate the nerves!



Cheers,



Simon







Comments

  • Hey Simon,

    Sorry to hear about the injury....Touch wood, I'm hanging in there on the training.



    Definitely agree with you on getting the life back on Sept 8th. I have found the last month or so of long cycles and runs hard. This weekend see me go up to 5 1/2 hours on the bike followed by 1 hour run. Will be pleased when its done!



    Yep, am bricking it too! Trying not to focus too much on a time, but to think of enjoying it and getting round in one piece.



    Best of luck with remaining training - only 45 days remaining!!

    Paul





  • Forgot to say....Orientation weekend...





    Didn't know about this - based in Ireland, so don't think there is much chance of me making it, but if you do receive any good tips would you put them on the board.



    Cheers.

  • Free WillyFree Willy Posts: 63
    I agree with both of you the last month has been a bit of a struggle. initially for IM it always seems so far away and then suddenly it's just around the corner, this will be my 3rd IM (first UK) and I still have not managed to get enough training done despite what I told myself I would do this time.



    Now my excuses !

    Work - Let's face it work just gets in the way!

    Weather - here it has been very wet and very windy so most training on the bike has been on an indoor trainer, so we will see how much good that has done, the swimming is a bad as normal and running well hopefully I will be able to get a run in soon!



    This will be my first IMUK so I am interested in seeing what the support is like, I did IMNZ in March and the support from the whole community was brilliant on an appalling day(rain and wind all day) but there were supporters on the run out there cheering and encouraging everyone to get them home and for me it was a late night!



    Not sure if you guys have done IM before but if not a small piece of advice

    Enjoy the day!

    You have done the hard work in training, if you add up all the hours and compare against the maximum time you could take for IM you will see how small a part the actual IM day is compared to the whole IM experience (20 week plan for most). I generally treat it as a long fully catered training day!.



    I am a 'back of the pack' triathlete and although I do not have great times I have a great time! Sure at some stage (for me normally around 140km on the bike) you may think why, but just remember all the 'dodgy' training days you have endured and what you will feel like when you cross that line.



    See you in September, Good Luck and ENJOY THE DAY!



    FW







  • jon_gjon_g Posts: 318
    Nice thread guys. i too am training for ironman (there seems to be alot of us on this forum!). i'm really struggling with getting enough sleep at the moment, feel constantly tired! i know nothings wrong as my performance in training is fine, and i have no problems getting to sleep, there just arent enough hours in the day to train, eat, sleep and that boring inconvenience work. my trainings going ok, not really done enough long time/distance stuff on the weekends, but think/hope i should be ok on the day as i did a hlf ironman and finished way faster than i was hoping and i wasn't pushing at all, felt completely fine afterwards. what times is everyone aiming for? i'm hoping to do it under 12 hours, but would be happy with just finishing[:)]
  • SimonBSimonB Posts: 12
    Guys, thanks for the replies, glad to hear I'm not alone (I kind of thought there must be at least 1500 other nutters out there!).



    Glad it's not just me who's struggling to fit everything in as well - how the hell does anybody do this kind of thing with a family in tow!? Hats off to them!



    I'll post up any useful info from the orientation weekend for us 1st timers.



    I agree completely with the just 'enjoy it' ethos - especially the 'fully catered training day' concept!



    My target is to finish! but I'm harboring ambitions for a time starting with a 12..... enough said......right now my bike has broken another set post clamp in only 100 miles since the last one went... so anything could happen!.....to be honest I'm regretting buying the Felt, the support from the distributors thus far regarding parts has been worse than crap.



    Hey ho just one more of the challenges in the Ironman journey.



    Have a good weekend guys - I guess we're all on long sessions this Saturday & Sunday - Keep in touch as the day looms larger!!



    Cheers,



    Simon



  • Free WillyFree Willy Posts: 63
    Hi jon_g



    General guide line to convert HIM time to IM time is double + 1hr, but I do not think that is realistic for me as my bike training (when it is not raining) has been on pancake flat roads around Perth. If I have an absolute blinder I can only hope to 13 - 14 hours, but wth the hills I would imagine that I will take up as much time as there is allowed.



    Yet another wet day here, so eliptical training today and hopefully a group ride tomorrow, it looks it will be 5 degrees in the morining, positively balmy compared to Sunday when we went and it was 1!



    FW
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