Day 127 - All Clear To Go

Went for physio today and got the all clear to start running again. She did finish off with the classic words "take it easy" - yeah right I feel like I have my licence back and ready to go and run like a mad man all over the place.

So I celebrated by going for a swim. As I had a good weeks training and my legs had just been worked on I decided to us a pull boy and give them a rest. But then this question popped into my head and I was wondering if anyone knows the answer. Do you swim faster with a pull boy or slower? My initial thought was faster, as you are more stream lined but then I thought by kicking you're providing propulsion but your legs hang down more and therefore cause more drag. Anyone got any ideas. (I'm taking endurance swimming not sprinting here) Answers on a comment below please.

Day 126 - Running Again

Another sunny day so got really pi**ed off with this lack of running so decided to go for it. Took out the big double buggy and bribed Freya with the promise of chocolate when we got to the shops to get in - and it worked! After a very quick shop decided to come home via the woods.

To start with the knee was awfully tight and felt like it didn't belong to me and I had no control over it but slowly the old oil started to get in the joint and it loosened a bit. However the biggest fun was pushing the buggy through the woods and the the hearing the girls laughing their heads off whilst being bounced around. Freya was leaning forward and shouting "faster daddy faster" and Millie spent most of her time being bounced and her feet above her head. At one point we hit a big root and the three wheels of the buggy and myself were all airborne like the car park attendants in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Loved it, it was like a big shot of happiness to my heart hearing the girls laughing and strangely during the moments of panic with buggy bouncing around I didn't feel the knee once.

When I got home Nicola was there with the cousins and took the girls for a walk so I could go on a run. Three miles later I dragged my very tired legs back to the house but it was fantastic to get out there and run.

Day 125 - The Magical 84 days

Today is the start of the magical 84 days to go until the event. According to the article (mentioned in previous blog) this is the critical phase for training for endurance events. Susan was away tonight so I hitched a lift to where she was going and decided to cycle back. It was really windy with it swirling around all over the place but mainly came from the side.

It was really good to be out on the race bike and certainly felt the difference. It just felt so easy cycling this lovely bike. However, I stupidly put a race head on and started really hammering it around the roads. 60 minutes in to the ride i had covered 21 miles!!! No wonder my legs were screaming at me. But boy was it good fun to be zipping around the lanes of Maldon. I decided, no absolute lie there my legs decided, that enough was enough and headed for home. By the time I got home I had been out and about for just over 2 hours and covered just under 36 miles.

I didn't stay out as long as I wanted but with Grandma baby sitting I really needed to get back.

Tomorrow I am going to try and run. Put the girls in the double buggy and off I go.

Really enjoying my training again and can not believe only 84 days to go.

Day 124 - Fri-didly-day

Got to Friday and training has been going well for the week really pleased. Went to the allotment this morning. We hadn't been there for ages so there was about 2 hours worth of digging and it doesn't look too shabby now - well 1/3 of it isn't.

In the afternoon we went for a walk to Bradwell to the beach and have a look at this ancient church, which was origionally a Roman place of worship from 625 AD.

Was so tired when we got home with all that digging over the last 2 days I was almost asleep by 8pm!

It's good to have break every now and then.

Day 123 - Swim like a brick

Well I had a tough day in the garden today. What was meant to be a little digging and change to the garden turned out to be a full on monster dig the took almost 5 hours. No need for core exercises tonight then!

I basically discovered a pond that was complete running under the flower bed and lawn. It measured about 3m x 2m and was at least 1m deep. The problem was the concrete sides were still intact and they had to be knocked out and the cover was intact as well which meant the soil was very wet and the stink was horrific.

I really wanted to swim 3k tonight but my back and shoulders were so tired from all that digging I could only manage 2k. Managed in 44 mins so happy with that all things considered. Had my new pool counter on but I know on a few laps I had switched off so much I forgot to press it and then over compensated and pressed too hard causing the device to pause! arhhh

Lesson learnt and feeling good with how all the training is going so far this week.

One last funny thing was reading my friend Sophie's blog and decided to post a comment on it, check out the classic verification word I had to type. Mad me laugh loads. hee hee

Day 122 - Bratt 21

So due to the much talked about running problems so decided to turbo again. Had to put the turbo in the kitchen as the disadvantage of having solid walls is the baby monitor doesn't work in the garage. But my god it was hot in there and there was almost a swimming pool on the floor after I finished. I decided to take it nice and steady today so put it in gear and just pedaled. Still managed over 18 mph so happy with that.

What I wasn't happy with is I turbo'd longer than the battery on the lap top so the film I was watching just cut out. Gutted. Once that had gone I lost all motivation and climbed off. Job done and felt good about it.

Day 121 - Turbo time

Back on the old beast with the ipod. It is amazing how much rubbish I have on that. I was going up a gear every time the song changed, did this for 3 gears and then on fourth went back down for one. I was chinned but needed a hard session to get my arse back in to gear again and blow some cobwebs away.

Felt good and had a good hard talk to myself about the whole Ironman project whilst I was doing it. Honestly before this set back i really wanted to break 12 hours but no I'm just going to be happy to get around the course.

Read an interesting article in 220 last night about how the last 84 days are the most important for an endurance event. This really helped me regain my focus as well.

Lets go Jona lets go!

Day 120 - Runing in the pool

Managed to get to the pool this morning. Swam a few lengths first and then ran 50. Looked like a complete turkey going up and down. Started in the slow lane but was lapping people swimming!!! So moved to the fast lane where I kept my place and wasn't lapped.

I started off by pushing my legs back and sliding my feet on the ground. This was ok but didn't feel correct so ended up almost vertical like the Pose method of running and found this was great apart from the odd time when my foot slipped and head almost went under. Much to the amusement of the teenage lifeguard and a few people swimming lengths. Stuff them they don't have an Ironman to train for.

Felt really weird but good to get going and training again. The knee felt good as well. I remember that my achilles was sore and only stopped hurting in Feb after two months of training on it so really tempted to go and run but I am going to wait until after Monday next week and physio to see what outcome she says.

Day 119 - Blooming Weather

I know this should not make a difference but it does and yes i didn't go out. The reason was I needed to get new tubes and fix others and we got home late last night so didn't get act into gear ready to go in morning.

Lesson learnt = get act into gear and stop mopping around and get training!!

Day118 - What the f***

Well you know what they say - Red sky in the morning (whatever job you want to say) warning. Did I heed the God's warning - no. Despite saluting every Magpie I saw disaster struck again when I was only 40 mins into my ride. Another bloody puncture!!!!


I'm really starting to believe that there is someone somewhere telling me to stop, don't carry on just give up your dream of doing IM AUS and go back to bed. I have since realised that Boardman bikes are fantastic the tyres they have are crap. So after a quick spending spree at Wiggle and two Contador Grand Prix 4 Season 700 x 28 tyres ordered at nearly £60!!! my wheels should be bomb proof. In the mean time I now have my off road cycle cross tyres on and what a difference that makes to the friction on the road. On the plus side I will hopefully fly when it comes to riding my race bike with 23 ml slicks on. It will be like running with racing flats after training with lead boots!

Day 116 - 117 - Still oiling the old knee

Well Thursday didn't manage to get out as was running around and getting stuck in a lot of traffic. Last day of term and all. Happy days love the Easter Hols. However the weather was awful. On Friday I was trying my hardest to get out and do something. I was itching to go for a run I don't know if this is a sign of the knee at last getting better or just frustration. Really tempted but waiting to get to physio on week Monday before getting the all clear.

But I have packed my stuff and set the alarm for another early start on Sat morning to go and get the 3.5 hour cycle. I planned my route and was really looking forward to it, but not the 5.30 alarm!

Day 115 - Turbo time

Back on the turbo today and it felt good. Managed to bash out an hour of training and even managed to run from the garage to the back door a massive 5 metre brik session!!! - mammoth!!
I don't know how I managed a three hour turbo session before because they are so so boring.

It felt good to be back on the race bike down on the tri bars and pushing a 85rpm and over 20mph. The sweat was dripping down and it did feel good but was ready to climb off by the end of the hour.

All in all good to be back and knee felt really strong.

Day 114 - On the bike

I rode to work today to get myself in gear - literally! The ride in was lovely and really enjoyable but as the day went on the rain came down which made my ride home a mud pit. I decided to skip Graces Walk on the way home and come via the ford. Ha what a mistake! the waters were high and the little path to get over it was further in the water than I expected so i decided to ride in and risk it but it got past the point of no return and suddenly when i was on the down stroke of the pedal my foot was going under the water. Cold feet and still about 2 miles from home.

On the plus side my knee was good and I also did a bit of running today as I had to referee a football match at school. I could feel it but it was far better than it was but not good enough to go for a proper work out yet.

Day 113 - Day off

Feels odd writing this as i feel that I haven't trained that hard to deserve this. I was planning to get up and swim but I haven't been sleeping all that well but this morning there was no hope of getting up early. I was zonked, out for the count, wasted, in the land of the nod. So no hope of swim.

Day 112 - Bloody BST

Got up and out on my bike real early - or was it? The answer is of course no. I thought I was starting at 6 but it was really 7am. Not so much gutted about that but Mum and Dad were staying the night and were wanting to go to my sisters for 9.30ish and I knew my mum would have remembered about the clocks so my planned 3 hours had to be cut to 2 hours.

All in all looking back it was a good ride but the first hour + was bad. I thought my chain needed oiling, my brakes were catching all the the classic blames rather than just poor legs! I was convinced I was cycling into a strong head on wind but couldn't see any trees move when I looked. It wasn't until a was by the side of some fields and I saw the wind chimes spinning like mad and realised there was a breeze and it was a strong one and it was in my face most of the time. This became all the more evident when I turned off and was protected by high hedges, suddenly I was zipping along. But there again I had just downed a packet of sports beans so maybe that was the cause of the good legs and not being out of the wind!

So I know I haven't trained all that hard but it is good to get back out there and ride and as a Brucie bonus absolutely no pain in the knee today at all. Try some running next week and start to build it back up again - slowly slowly does it.

Day 111 - Late Night = No Chance of Early Morning

Today I was all set for an early morning ride, but since I didn't get to bed till 1.30am there was no hope of me waking at 5.30 for a quick breky and be out by 6am. However, Freya started to wake at 5am and climbed into bed and started to move about. This was me being booted out really. But boy was I so tired there was no hope of donning the lycra and getting my arse on a saddle. By 6 I was wide awake and so was Millie.

So all in all no bike riding but an early morning all the same with the girls!

Day 110 - Feeling Better Every Day

Man alive do I feel so much more positive than I did this time last week and the week before that and the week before that! Haven't done any running on solid ground or any biking but have been swimming again and also ran in the pool.

The swim was the best one I have done so far and feel so much more fitter for it. Felt like I was gliding and each stroke was a glide with a hard pull rather than my usual splashing windmill and collapse under water.

Am really looking forward to getting out there on the bike early doors tomorrow. It's meant to be a sunny day so fingers crossed. Got spare inners ready and bike got cleaned on Thursday night so ready to go.

Feel so happy as I really have to think hard of when I had pain in my knee rather than trying to remember what it was like to be pain free.

Just noticed on the countdown clock that under 100 days to go and I'm on day 110!!

DAy 107 - 109 - On the mend

Physio on Tuesday turned out to be a major turning point in my knee problem and my attitude towards he injury and getting better.

It turns out that when I stand naturally my left foot turns slightly to the left and is not straight and this turning out problem increases when I've been doing the effort sessions at the club and has caused the knee pain. Apparently lots of the quads, ligaments and tendons all attach just below the knee join on the inside of your knee. There is also a small 'pad' called a bursar there as well. If I have understood this correctly due to my increased speed on efforts which causes my foot to stick out has caused a twist in my shin bones which is causing a pulling of the muscles, tendons, ligaments etc away from where they are attached on the inside of my knee. Now this is not a problem but the problem arises from me not stretching out these muscles properly and therefore they have been getting tighter and tighter and tighter, hence the pain every step, every hour, every minute in my leg for the last 2 weeks. So once CJ (the physio) worked her magic in some key, and very painful, places the muscles began to relax and within the hour I was walking pain free for the first time in 15 days!

Since then I have been concentrating on keeping my foot aligned and and gently exercising the knee. On Wednesday I went swimming and even managed to have a good run in the pool. It is not deep enough to do proper vertical aqua running so I had my feet on the floor and pushed and slid my feet backwards. Running lengths of those soon got the lungs gasping for air and the heart pumping.

Today, Thursday, I was going to turbo but didn't instead I took the opportunity to fix my puncture and clean the bike ready for an early start on Saturday to get out there for 3 hours.

Tomorrow I'm going to swim straight after school and run even more lengths for trying tentatively to run on soft ground on Sunday.

So all in all a good positive approach. I'll just keep telling myself that this lay off has done me good and not bad. Time to pick it up again next week though and then keep it going till the end.

Day 103 - 106 - Getting there but slowly

Friday started with a non pupil day but more importantly was my knee was in agony with every step and and every angle it seemed to hurt. A driving pain on the inside of the knee. However, throughout the day it started to loosen and work better. I went for a lovely long swim in the evening and tried to do a bit of aqua jogging it felt ok but whenever I go to lift my knee up that is when the pain started it felt really tight all through the inside of my knee.


Saturday morning and got up at 5.30 breakfast, change and out on the bike by 6am. Riding nicely I really enjoyed it at 52 mins i hit the 15 miles mark and was out towards Good Easter. The wind was driving me sideways and the light rain was lashing into my face but I loved it. My knee was strong and no pain and my cadence was good. Then the ride felt not as smooth as it was a quick glance between my legs confirmed my suspicions - a puncture.

A quickish change latter and after checking the tyre and pulled out loads of glass and a quick squirt with a canister the tyre was ready to go. I decided to text Susan, just to let her know that I would be a bit longer after fixing a puncture. All of a sudden their was a massive bang and a puff of talc came from my tyre. My initial thought some farmer had not liked seeing a bloke in lycra and shot my tyre. God knows what had happened but the inner tube had blown up and shredded, shooting the tyre off the rim. I couldn't believe it. So from texting to two seconds later to being on the phone to come and rescue me.






It was freezing waiting there, but the cavalry came and the soon I was in the car with the heaters on full.

So that's it for me - two weeks enforced off but plus side really enjoying my swimming and it is fine on the bike. Down side no running and before this knee went I was really enjoying it.

Physio tomorrow so we'll see what they say.

Day 94 - Day 102 - Knackered Knee So Frustrated

Well I have been so slack with the updating of my blog but i have also been so so so frustrated. The night of the last efforts session the inside of my knee started burning and getting really hot. Even the sheets knocking my foot sideways slightly caused masses of pain shooting in my knee. The next day it was so sore when ever I tried to lift my leg, I had to use both hands behind my leg to lift it up without shooting pain.

Basically all I have managed to swim and swim. But this weekend I am going to try and get out on my bike and see what it is like riding. Hopefully it will have recovered enough for that. But I did run the sports relief mile today in school and it hurt non stop all the way around.

If it is still bad on Monday then physio it is then. Trying to think positively but finding it hard.

Hopefully another good swim will do the trick and cheer me up tomorrow.