Post 41 - Recovery/tapering

Training done this week:

Monday 1^st September 2014: Rest
Tuesday 2^nd September 2014: Rest
Wed 3^rd September 2014: 40 minute turbo, 20 minute run
Thurs 4^th September 2014: Swim 1.5km
Friday 5^th September 2014: Rest
Saturday 6^th September 2014: 1 hour turbo, 20 minute run
Sunday 7^th September 2014: Swim 2.5km

Totals: Swim 4km, Bike 36 miles, Run 6 miles

This was intended to be my first week of tapering, but in reality it was more of a recovery week. The previous few weeks had been really tough, and for most of this week I felt very fatigued and listless, with low energy levels. The toning down of training has meant that I’ve been able to get to bed early every night this week (some nights as early as 9pm), which has been a benefit, although I haven’t been sleeping quite as well as I’d like. I’ve been doing a lot of foam rolling to try to iron out my muscles. With training less, eating well and being in bed for longer, my body has been recovering.

Towards the end of the week I felt some energy coming back. I had a couple of tough, painful sports massages. My back and legs were really tight and painful to poke and prod, so these massages were painful but necessary evils. I’ve learned lessons from the last time, so the leg massages were much shorter in duration, avoiding the prolonged hair follicle irritation and hospital stay that followed my last massage. Maybe if I continue into next season I’ll shave my legs. We’ll see. I have to say, my legs and back do feel a bit looser and fresher than they did at the start of the week.

I hope that next week will be a good week, in terms of feeling good, rested and fresh. I hope there are no unexpected problems. I’ll be heading down to Wales on Friday morning. I’m keeping a close eye on the weather forecast, although it is difficult to predict what the weather will do as we are still a week away. The weather for the next few days in Tenby looks good, but the forecasters seem to be hedging their bets for Sunday next week – there is a little cloud symbol, with some raindrops, and a sun peeking out. 4 seasons in one day. It wouldn’t surprise me, we had scorching sun, wind, cold and rain last year. I hope it’s nice this time around.

I’ve made a few more purchases this week. Loads of energy gels and bars, some waterproof clothing, new swimming goggles, and a new wetsuit. In France a few weeks ago my wetsuit seemed to be letting in a bit more water than usual. It’s a Blue Seventy Helix, a really good wetsuit, very fast and buoyant. But the better (and more expensive) the wetsuit, the more fragile, and the time has come to replace it. I don't want to be puling it on an hour before the race in Wales, and have it rip or something. I want to keep as warm as possible in the swim, and have as fast a swim as possible. So I need a new one... I got another Helix, but a 2012 model rather than a 2014 model. For this reason, I got a 40% discount, which was a bit of bargain, but still an expensive purchase. Hopefully it will seal really well, keep the cold water out, and help me to a decent swim time next week, leaving me in good shape to get on the bike.

 

I’ll also try to put on some lower gears on the bike (a compact with a 28 rather than a compact with a 26). Last year I went with a compact/26 and it was a tough push up some of the later hills. I’d rather spin easily up the hills and keep my heart rate as low as possible. It is a hilly bike course, and I know this year to make sure I don’t expend too much effort too soon. I need good legs on the final 30 miles of the bike, and I need to get off the bike with a bit left for the marathon. And it’s a tough marathon too.

 

There isn’t much flat anywhere on the bike course. Parts of it are really exposed and windy. Parts of it are narrow and twisty. Some of the road surfaces aren’t great. Some of the descents are dangerous, especially if it’s wet. Suffice to say, it’s a challenging bike course. The run course isn’t much better:

 

Basically, the run course involves running up a hill for about 5km, running back down the hill, and then touring almost every street in Tenby, before heading back to the hill and doing it all a second time. And then again for a third time. And finally for a fourth time. Then you can cross the finish line, where there may or may not be a Kona slot waiting…

I’m due to talk to the cardiologist tomorrow about the results of my 48-hour heart monitor, but I don’t expect anything other than, “You’re fine, carry on.” The bike will be serviced again. I’ll be foam rolling and stretching. I’ve got 8 bags of ice on order from Asda Home Delivery, so I’ll be having an ice bath. There is a pond out the back of the house, so I’ll be donning my new wetsuit and getting in the pond to splash around. I need to wear it in the water to break it in. Ideally I’d go to swim in it, but I don’t have time to take it to a lido or to the sea. So the pond will have to do. I’ll be sleeping as much as I can, and doing a few training sessions. In 7 days, triathlon will be all over for 2014.

During this week, I rediscovered a brilliant song. There used to be a sports programme on TV that I watched when I was maybe 7 or 8 years old. 22 years ago! This particular song featured on the opening and closing sequences. Despite the fact that I was just a youngster, I remember that it was quite an inspirational and evocative song, even though I could never make out the lyrics. It wasn’t particularly mainstream, and I haven’t heard it since. But in over 20 years, the tune has never left my head, and I’ve often wondered what on earth the song was.

It turns out that it’s a song by Enya called “Book of Days”. The Book of Days is a history/science book, first written in the late 19^th century. I put modern technology to good use and found out the song lyrics. They are no less inspirational and evocative than the tune was. It’s a great song. I don’t think, in my current situation, that anyone could possibly have written me a better song. Needless to say, it’s been on an endless repeating loop all weekend. The lyrics, and the song, are below:

Book of Days:

One day, one night, one moment
My dreams could be tomorrow
One step, one fall, one falter
East or west
Over earth or by ocean
One way to be my journey
This way could be my Book of Days

 

An Irish interlude:

Ó lá go lá, mo thuras, An bealach fada romham. Ó oíche go hoíche, mo thuras, na scéalta nach mbeidh a choích'.

From day to day, my journey, The long pilgrimage before me. From night to night, my journey, The stories that will never be again.

No day, no night, no moment
Can hold me back from trying
I'll fly (or “flag”, both work), I'll fall, I'll falter
I'll find my day may be Far and Away
Far and Away

Instrumental

One day, one night, one moment
With a dream to believe in (or “be leaving”, either/both work)
One step, one fall, one falter
And a new earth across a wide ocean
This way became my journey
This day ends together, Far and Away

This day ends together, Far and Away
Far and Away