I had to work bloody hard on the bike in Lanzarote, which was really good for me. I think to be a good cyclist you need to like pain – or at least to be able to hurt yourself for extended periods of time. And I don’t do pain.

But I’ve been doing Audiofuel’s Chrissie Wellington bike work outs recently. And one of the things Chrissie tells you while you’re doing a 10 minute interval at 92rpm is “understand that your limits may not be where you think they are”. So I decided to stop looking at my heart rate monitor and panicking when I saw it climb towards my maximum heart rate. I didn’t die. And I felt totally exhilerated afterwards.

So when I ran the Salisbury 10 mile race a few days after I got back from Lanzarote I decided I’d put all that into practice. I didn’t set out to bust a gut, but I did want to finish feeling that I’d worked. I think I often give myself the excuse of not running hard because “I don’t do any hard running sessions for Ironman” and “all my races are just training runs”.

Again – I didn’t die. I didn’t look at my Garmin, just ran to feel, but made sure I was working comfortably hard all the way round. And when I wanted to slow down I let Chrissie tell me my limits might not be where I thought they were. I stayed in the moment and concentrated on relaxing and keeping good form.

Thankfully I got a 3 minute PB which I’m really chuffed about. It’s made me really excited about continuing to train hard. Man suit well and truly zipped up.

I’ve just returned from a training camp in Lanzarote. Organised by Ian Corless of RunWildRunFree and Martin Yelling of Yelling Performance, it was a friendly, small-scale camp for runners and triathletes of all levels, based at the famous Club La Santa.

One thing that made it particularly good this year (apart from the hotter weather which meant lounging round the pool was an option to even out the silly tan lines) was that loads of people that were there last year returned this year which gave it an even more holiday-like feel. And I persuaded my good friends Wendy, Eleanor and Lisa to come, too, which made it perfect.

Actually, lots of things made it good. Turns out I am probably fitter (or at least stronger) on the bike than I was last year. I was in the medium bike group which meant mainly biking with a load of blokes (but also the amazing Ellie Barnes sometimes – watch out for her at the European Triathlon Champs in April). Which meant I got dropped a lot. On the long hills at least. But with support from the other lovely riders in the group, I did manage to work hard and stay with the pack on some awesome efforts including a leg-melting, lung-bursting through and off session through the volcanoes.

I’m under no illusion that they often went a bit slower to accommodate me but they did show me that I can work harder for longer than I thought I could. That lesson alone got me a huge pb at the Salisbury 10 mile race three days after I got back. Happy days. Martin Yelling led that bike group and he and lovely Scottish Chris looked after me and towed me back to the group on more than one occasion. Martin – last year I thought of Nick Ripley’s bum while I was racing hard at Ironman Regensburg. This year at the Outlaw it’ll be yours!

Managing to sort out – almost – my wierd flicky hands in my swim stroke was worth all the two hour swim sessions that started in the dark at 7am. Many, many thanks to coaches extraordinaires, Dave Fletcher of Loughborough University and the legendary Dave Granger for all the help and time. I have already practiced the dragging finger tip drill since getting back. It was a key drill for me. Let’s hope it gets me a PB in the swim at Outlaw.

Running, again, wasn’t a priority for me at La Santa. Biking is my limiter so I was there to bike my legs off. And why wouldn’t I swap a crowded 25m pool in Basingstoke for a glorious open air 50m pool with top level coaching in the sun? But I can run anywhere. In fact I prefer running when it’s cold and it just takes too much out of my legs. So when my legs are battered from cycling alone, I didn’t want to increase the chances of them giving out on me on the bike by running too much. (That meant I didn’t get to be coached by Liz Yelling – again – but I know I was right.)

However, on the last day, it was just tooooo windy to bike enjoyably or safely for much more than about 5 mins. I’m sad about that because I know Martin had something wicked up his sleeve (definitely not a tissue ) for our last day and I know that, even if I burst a blood vessel doing it, I’d have benefitted.

So on that windy day I went out for an easy long run along the wild, empty, sand duney, rocky coastal trail to Famara. No pressure. Just me and my ipod. It was really hard going out against the wind and I used a run 9 mins walk 1 min which is what I tend to do in an ironman marathon. But on the way back, with the wind behind me and Mumford and Sons in my ears I morphed into Lou Walker, running goddess and flew back without stopping, feeling strong all the way. It was one of those special runs and I’ll treasure it.

And then, I went and ran again, the next day before jumping on the plane. It was lovely to run with Eleanor along trails I’d not been on before. Ironically there was no wind at all. And we got rid of our hangovers.

If anyone would like info about the camp, do get in touch. Or go to:
www.runwildrunfree.co.uk
www.yellingperformance.com

The Sunday Times carried an article this Sunday (11 March 2012) explaining mounting evidence from numerous studies that suggests that endurance athletes may endanger their hearts through accumulated intense exercise.

Essentially, according to Matthew Wilson of the research institute for sport and exercise sciences at Liverpool John Moores University, it looks like “lifelong repetitive bouts of arduous endurance exercise may result in fibrotic replacement of the myocardium [heart muscle] in susceptible individuals, resulting in … the development of arrhythmias.” As we get older our bodies naturally tend to fibrose which means that our joints and connective tissues ‘dry out’ a bit which makes them a bit stiff. It looks like in susceptible individuals, the same thing is happening to their hearts so they don’t work as well. This research is just the latest of many compelling studies.

Sadly it seems that club runners are also at risk, not just the elite and ultra endurance athletes like pro road cyclists, ironmen and ultra runners. Poor old (or not old) Abdala Rafle, 38, of Herne Hill Harriers was running 40-50 miles per week when he had a series of heart attacks last October.

So what to do? Not worry, I suspect. But it goes to show again, that the ‘everything in moderation’ is still a good maxim. I don’t think it’ll change anything I do… after all, although I do some big weeks as my ironman race approaches (well, big for me – say 15 – 18 hours), it’s not year in year out. But if you were worried it’d be worth getting hold of a copy of the article and taking it along to the GP to see what they say.

This article was in the New York Times yesterday – 7th Feb 2012.   It’s only short so do read it.

The research investigated how massage could help restore and revive muscles immediately post-exercise, but I guess we can assume that some of the same mechanisms may still apply if you have a massage several hours or even a day later.  Nice to have some science behind what athletes and massage therapists knew all along – ie massage helps.

Interesting to see that they say taking ibuprofen reduces inflammation, but can reduces healing, too. I’ve been told this by various physios and doctors so have always suggested to people who have injured themselves that paracetamol might be the optimum pain killer for the first 48 hours post injury.  The non-technical argument is that the body is very good at healing itself and it’s best not to swallow drugs that may interfear with this brilliant process.  My info is that after the inital acute inflammation phase, it’s ok to take ibuprofen to help reduce inflammation along with RICE, MICE etc.  (By the way, this is not what every medic believes…).

There’s also good info on why taking prophylactic ibuprofen is not a good idea in endurance events, especially when it’s hot and you may be sweating even more than usual. It can affect the way the kidneys work – and therefore affect your fluid balance.  I’ll find the link to a very interesting article which I’d urge all endurance athletes to read.

Please remember I’m not a doctor and am not medically trained and I shouldn’t  prescribe or recommend any drugs to anyone.  (But I can tell you what I’d do under the same circumstances…)

I had a busy racing weekend recently.  I marshalled at our club’s excellent cross country event on the Saturday then ran a half marathon the next day.

The cross country was a great event with races for juniors from under 13 right up to the vets where I don’t think there’s an age limit.  I was stationed up in the woods at the highest part of the course.  When they got to me the runners had been climbing for almost half a mile so I got to see many knackered people striving hard to stay strong hoping their legs would carry them round the rest of the course…. until they had to go round again and up the hill for the second, third or fourth time.

I was struck how amazing the older people were.  All these ladies in their 50s, 60s and possibly more were a) still running b) still racing and c) still racing cross country which is So Tough.  And in the men’s race there were even more older chaps.

What was even more gob-smacking was the number of people, including some of the older people, who then raced the half marathon the next day. Who says running’s bad for you?! I really hope I’m still racing when I’m in my seventies.

Oh, and the chap (one of the older ones) who brought up the rear in the mens race in the cross country was out spectating and cheering at the half marathon. He was the most energetic and noisy spectator out there!  His wife was out cheering, too.  Wonder if she was racing in the ladies’ team?  They were awesome and clearly not tired after the exploits of the day before.

I’m thrilled that Strictly Come Dancing has started again.  Over the years the sequins have gradually sucked me in to the point where I can’t miss an episode and will even try to watch It Takes Two on weekday evenings at 6.30.

One of the aspects of the programme that fascinates me is the athleticism involved.  In the first few weeks the celebs always say how exhausted they are from the training (although some of them are continuing full time jobs as well which must be an enormous challenge) and it’s obviously very demanding.  Then, as the weeks progress, they get fitter and stronger and increasingly able to deal with the training load.  They all lose loads of weight too (Rory Bremner lost two inches off his waist by week 2 this series).

The judges give feedback about the celebs’ posture and if you listen carefully they often make comments about how their core strength needs boosting.  I have to say, I could really go for some dancing lessons to boost core strength instead of pilates. I love my pilates sessions and am certain that it helps me stay much more niggle-free than I used to be, and am constantly recommending it to clients with a variety of postural or sporting problems.  But the idea of combining it with another form of movement really appeals. Ballet, for example.

I ought to try Zumba, too,  to see what all the fuss is about.  I understand that gives a good core work out – I’m sure all dance-based exercise classes do.  But there’s something about the control required for ballet and ballroom which appeals to me as a core-building thing.

If you’ve never tried pilates or any sort of core strength training I urge you to find a class double quick.  I think it should be compulsory!  Buy a DVD if you can’t easy get to a class.  Or splash out on a few one to one sessions to get to grips with what you need to do so that you could work safely and effectively on your own – or that DVD.  It’ll help improve (or remove) all sorts of musculo-skeletal problems, keep you upright and tall (which helps to make you look younger, slimmer and more confident) and keeps you supple and strong well into the later decades.

I saw a TV programme recently featuring a marvelous 100-and-something year old lady from New York City. She was terrific – sprightly, energetic and youthful. And they showed her morning routine – about 20 mins of exercises which looked very like many of the exercises and stretches we do in Pilates and yoga.  I must say, if it can help that lady move around as brilliantly as she did at her age… it has to be good.

Well, shock horror – I’ve been doing some quality running sessions!  I’ve never been a fast runner – especially when I compare myself to my esteemed club mates at Winchester & District AC – but whatever speed I ever had from training for marathons has gone, since I’ve been training for ironman races.  And yes, you do do speed training for marathons!

Anyway, after about six weeks off to recover from Ironman Regensberg in August, I’ve been putting in some effort to run harder over shorter distances rather than constantly churning out long slow runs.

And it’s started to work I think. I did the Solent Half Marathon yesterday and did my fastest time for a couple of years… although it’s still a time I’d have been horrified at three years ago.  It wasn’t a completely flat course and I felt fairly comfy all the way round so the ‘good’ result has encouraged me to keep up the shorter, sharper stuff to see if I can do a half decent effort at the Lordshill 10 mile race next month.  I might even dip my toe into the muddy waters of cross country racing…  now that’s really great training all round.

So far I’ve done a couple of hill sessions at Farleigh Mount, a couple of  tempo pyramids  (a continuous pyramid of jog, steady, threshold, steady, then jog) and a couple of threshold sessions.    It’s quite nice going out and knowing that the payback for working hard is getting back home earlier.

My next challenge is to try to make my training a bit more efficient and see if, over the winter, I might be able to participate in the sessions I coach on a Tuesday night.  They’re tough, but all on grass which means my knee will have half a chance of behaving itself.  But it means I can’t offer the same level of coaching to club members if I’m running rather than timing and encouraging.  We’ll see.

I will do a proper post about this when I get back from holiday, but for the time being – on 7th August I completed Ironman Regensburg in 13 hours 41 minutes.

I just scraped a PB by 5 mins.  Not a lot, but a PB’s a PB. The swim was 5 mins slower, the bike was 15 mins faster and the run was 10 mins slower.  So a mixed bag.  But lots learned so number three – the Outlaw in Nottingham on 1st July 2012 – will be the best yet.

Earlier this month I did a week’s training camp in Lanzarote.  What an eye opener. And what a great week!

It was a triathlon/running camp organised by Martin Yelling, Liz Yelling and Ian Corless.  Liz obviously focussed on running (she’s in her pre-London phase so was training hard, herself), Martin and Ian focussed on the bike with the help of pro ironman triathlete Joel Jameson, and Loughborough Uni-based swim coach and Olympic team psychologist Dave Fletcher led the swimming, again helped by Joel.  The coaches were top notch – all so good at what they do, but also supportive,  inclusive and generous with their time. And they all had a sense of humour and made even the most gruelling sessions … less gruelling.

There were two runs, a swim and a bike each day which we could all dip in and out of as we wanted.  My focus was on the bike as it’s my weakest tri discipline, but with  such a good swim coach on hand  I’d have been mad not to swim every morning, too.

My routine went something along the lines of wake up, banana, swim, breakfast, bike, food/rest/food/sleep, wake up, banana, swim, breakfast etc etc. By the end of the week I’d trained for almost 30 hours – more than double my previous max week total. That might be a normalish week for an elite triathlete, but for us campers such big volumes were extraordinary and not sustainable for much more than a week.

Most people’s focus was on working hard to make the intelligent most of the camp’s offerings, then relaxing and eating properly to recover from one session and gather energy for the next. With no normal household or work responsibilities it seemed normal to do at least two sessions a day.  After a couple of hard days I had an ‘easy’ day – although I’d already swum for an hour and biked for two! The ‘easy’ bit was a whole afternoon and evening off with no session planned. I begun to wonder how on earth I ever thought one session was enough back at home.  But of course a training camp’s not normal and, unless you’re very lucky – or a professional full-time athlete – it’s hard to fit that level of training and recovery into a regular day.

In fact I was over-reached by the last day.  Over-reaching is the first stage of over-training.  Heart rate can be erratic, mood temperamental, sleep impaired.  I’d been unable to sleep well at all for the whole week which certainly didn’t help my recovery but on the last day I was experiencing a few tell-tale signs.  My heart rate was stratospheric during the easiest of warm up drills in the pool. Then I threw a strop on the bike when it was too fast for me (well… it was meant to be an easy recovery session and it was proving a tad faster than that).

To avoid over-training I thought I’d been very careful: picking my sessions, not doing the run sessions (because I know I take a long time to recover from them and I wanted to have energy to do the major bike sessions properly)… but I’d obviously done just a bit too much.  Alternatively, perhaps I got it right, but the lack of sleep meant I didn’t get the full recovery my poor body so desperately needed.

Luckily over-reaching is fully reversable with a few days off and it was obvious to us all that the week following the camp needed to be an easy one to help us recover and let the training bed in.  If the camp had been one day longer I would have exploded.  Martin was very nice and said it meant that I’d got it about right.

Now, having been back for just over two weeks, I’m starting to feel the benefits.  My energy levels are returning and I mashed through a long bike at the weekend in a much shorter time than it would have taken me this time last year – at the same sedate perceived exertion level and heart rate. And that was at the end of quite a big week.

So. I’ve  booked for next year. I’d recommend a training camp – but make sure you get one that has the right level of activity and ethos for you.  I’m so glad I went on this one rather than a cycling-specific one – I just don’t think I’d have coped. Club la Santa in Lanzarote is a mecca for this type of activity and I can see why. And the silly tan lines for 2011 are coming along nicely.

Just in case you’re reading this and you live in or around Winchester, you might be interested in this.

I’m an endurance running coach at Winchester & District AC (WADAC) and we’re about to make a real effort to attract a broader range of runners to the club. We want to make sure everyone feels they have a place there – whether they’re beginners or if running for 30 mins is their limit.

The great thing about being part of a club is the camaraderie (and WADAC’s very good at camaraderie!).  It’s wonderful having someone to run with around the dark streets in the winter or over the downs on a balmy summer evening. If you enter races it’s lovely to travel there with friends or at least see some friendly faces on the start line. And if you’re wavering about whether to go out for a run at all, knowing that you’ll see your friends there or not wanting to let any of your friends down, is a great motivator. And we all feel better after a run however rubbish we felt before!

We have some amazing runners that help us to win local cross country and road running leagues.  We’ve got national and international team members. But there’s lots of room for ‘normal’ runners who just want some company or new routes to run… and if they eventually decide they’d like to train more seriously or do a 10k or half marathon… or a marathon… they’ll be in the right place for lots of help along the way.

So – if you know anyone who runs a bit and who you suspect might like to run a bit more … tell them to email me.  We’ll make sure they’re looked after.