heaviest snowfall in 50 yrs, long runs & bike rides and new injury b4 marathon...again!

We got hit quite badly recently with heavy dose of snow, a lot worse than January. worst in 50 yrs in northern ireland http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/small-risk-of-snow-flurries-as-freeze-goes-on-1-4955095

The morning after the Friday heavy snow I only got about 3.5 miles done and really struggled with my heart rate racing throughout occasionally having to stop as th snow was up to my knees despite running on the roads minus any cars which was a bit strange. The weather was so bad most roads were impassible with cars abandoned and virtually no one on the streets. The next day was a little better but still pretty bad and I managed a bit more with a 4 miler this time with mcgregor , my training partner.

 

 

Since the thawing out of some of the snow, iv been clocking up more milage with both long runs and long cycles. Tried to follow the plan whereby I do a long cycle say 60 miler, then next day do a long run of 15 miles. Done a couple of these but because of recent crazy snow we have had and family commitments I ended up doing all four long workouts in the space of 6 days!

27^th March – 60 mile bike,

28^th March  - 15 mile run

31 March – 65 mile bike

1^st April – 13 mile run

My run pace average is 9.15 my bike pace average is about 12.5 mph. I have been mapping out new routes along the ards peninsula area.this is an example of one which I have done in the past

Today I tried to go running today for about a 4 miler but didn’t make it out of my parents cul de sac. Since last long run I picked up an ankle strain which I think is due to overuse so I have strapped up and hopefully will be ok in week or so. Come to think of it I think I end up getting some kind of foot injury every year just before the marathon and they all seem to heal up ok, som im not so worried about it this time, especially bearing in mind it was only just over two weeks ago I did a 20 miler so I know I can do the distance.

Suppose the injury will force me to ease off the running and cycling and focus on the swimming as the swimathon due end this month and so far I have done didly squat training as Im not so keen on the swimming anymore. Anyhows I must get back into it if I am to complete the 200 lengths.

 

 

Still loving the long bike rides. last week i got anti puncture tyres fitted to my training bike. Iv had them fitted to my commute bike for some time, but about a week ago I discovered a slow puncture on the madone after the long training ride so I took it to my cycle shop and asked them to fit both tyres with the anti punctures. I decided this because I didn’t fancy being stuck about 30 mile away somewhere around the ards peninsula trying to fix a puncture! Call me lazy but im willing to pay for the expensive tyres if it saves me the bother of being stuck somewhere, iv had a couple of hairy momements with punctures before stranded and it definitely isn’t fun, especially in colder whether.

The other thing I did recenlt is register my trek bike with bikeregister.com. hopefully if it is stolen then if found r attempsted to re-sell then I might be able to reclaim it.

 

Iv also been tring to retune my hydration and nutrition for the longer work outs. The camelbak bottle I discussed in previous blog entry is really working out well for long runs and initially I was just buying protein bars or flapjacks for long rides but I have now been able to make my own flapjack / protein bars

 

Ingredients include – oatmeal mix, peanut butter, honey, raisins, crushed nuts, cherrys, crushed gingernuts, choc chips, vanilla essense, water. The bars are cooled overnight and cut into small bitesize pieces and put into small sandwich bags. This enables me to eat them from my bike jacket pocket/powerbar bike energy bag without having to stop; I can eat and ride at same time, normally eating every half hour. I have also ordered up some hammer nutrition perpetuem capsules.

These chalky tablets (described by one reviewer as mini ice hockey pucks) are very hard and difficult to chew and digest when used on a long workout (eg over 2.5hrs) but they work well releasing slow energy for your body, although they leave a residue on your teeth. Doest sound too user friendly but I will give them a go.

You will never guess what I saw the other day coming through dundrum – a stag having a swim in the bay.

 

Until next time......