This week has been all about getting some training going and some balance with work not taking over. This is quite tricky when it is still windy rainy spring time in the deep south! Still, I have figured out a way to fit in swimming without it being a pain in my ass so that must be a good thing, right?
As you know, I have been struggling to find focus in my training lately, and thus engaged in the virtual world of zwift. I also happened upon this interview with Alistair Brownlee which struck a chord with me too.
So, to remove as many excuses as I can from my own training, here is what I have now done:
- Put the swimming in gaps in my working day, when I am already in town and the pool isn’t far away
- My bike is always on the trainer and shoes at the ready: for whenever I have a wee bit of time – I can ride without much prep needed.
- Make my long ride on sunday afternoon, at the end of the day: indoors it doesn’t matter if it goes dark and I don’t feel like I lost an entire day to training.
I am doing my best to find hilly routes on zwift so my legs get used to the constant pounding. I am starting to feel like my right quad is engaging better, the hamstrings are still lagging behind though. I am and always have been very motivated by stats, that is why zwift works so well for me: little (and not so little) sprints and timed hills all the time regardless of what route I choose.
Zwift QOM 
My Zwift QOM stats 
My volcano climb stats 
Volcano QOM
At the moment, my cycling is averaging 100 – 150km a week. This is way better than it was and I can see my hill climbing is gradually getting better. I am trying hard to have a faster cadence and lower gear but this is opposite to everything I have done up till now, so it will take a while. That said, today’s ride (which was meant to be 90km and 1800m of climbing) was one I totally underestimated. after climbing up two KOM, the second one a whole hour long, by the time I got to the start of the loop for (supposedly) the second time… my legs had totally run out of juice, despite 2 cliff bars, three bottles of water and half a bag of jelly babies!
I am quite keen, though, to get out on the road too, see how that is improving.
First though, I need to go back to the opticians and get some updated contact lenses because I haven’t worn them (or even needed to wear them) for over 6 years.
I am starting to remember the satisfying feeling that comes with pushing yourself to the point of hurt. It has been many years since I could do that without being dominated by knee pain!
Melanie Magowan 