Float like an anvil, Stinger like a ...

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BY: Matthew Lewis

Published: 14th February, 2012

For some reason both Niall and I have felt the lure of triathlon this year. With this in mind I thought it would be a good idea to enter the Stinger down in Devon and today I made the horrendous mistake of giving one of these brick sessions a go.

I started off with a session on the turbo trainer. My turbo trainer has proved invaluable over the past couple of years, time for me (like many of us) has become increasingly a rare commodity and the acute boredom of sitting on one of these things has actually made me become a little structured. Looking at numbers with the ipod thumping works wonders for me and I can actually hammer out a fairly useful session. Today I thought I'd really bury myself and did a 3 x20minute session with each interval around about the 330/340 watt output. (there is a power meter on the tacx but accuracy is not it's strong point- as long as my numbers keep going up then who cares). I try to keep my heart rate between 144ish and 157ish bpm. I'm working but not killing myself. 'Killing myself' intervals are in the diary for Thursday this week.

This session was always going to be tough one since I turned 36 years old yesterday and quite rightly indulged in the booze. As soon as I'd finished my 3x20min ( I have 5 minute recovery in between) it was on with the running shorts since there is no way I'd run through school with a pair of cycling shorts on, that wouldn't be fair on anyone and then I 'charged' up this.

The first 30 metres were ok, it was the 31st metre when I started running as if I'd been shot in the arse. My legs seized up, it is a scramble to the top of the Kymin at the best of times but this was terrible! I kept blaming it on the booze from the night before but I was in a right old state running up there. Those of you that know me, know that I am not a runner. I don't look like a runner, I don't look like a cyclist either mind. As I like to remind Martyn each year as he is ordering the team kit, I'm big-boned.

It turned out to be quite a tough session. I can't help thinking that I should've done some more of these sessions in January! At least I'm not cheating like Phil, Phil has drafted in the team boss to do the running legs for him. The Stinger should be quite a tough one but I'm looking forward to it! Something different and good training for my attempt at the Blaenavon Tri in May. I'm also aiming for a good show at the Bristol Bikefest in June, it'll be my first 12hour solo and there is a bit of running at the start of that isn't there?!

All I have to do now is learn how to breathe whilst swimming and I should survive my first triathlon in the summer.

 

Matt Lewis

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