Rookie Goes for 3 in a row at Ironman UK – Week 3 of 40
Areeet?….
As you know, I have enetered Ironman UK for the third time in consecutive years because I am addicted to it and i’m writing a weekly blog for a bit of light reading along the way.
As you also know, I’ve been having a bash at trying to get my IMUK bike loop time down recently.
Throughout 2018, my circuit time has been peppering the 3:20 mark, but yesterday, I got that down to 2:39.
To put that into perspective, a 3:20 effort would currently rank you #250 out of 352 for the 2019 IMUK bike loop on strava.
Not bad….
But a 2:39 circuit ranks you in the top 50….
And that is fukin excellent as far as I am concerned.
And you know the best bit?
I feel as though I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface with this yet…..
On that basis, I have deceided to share with you exactly how I was able to get that time down via this blog over the next few weeks….
In my opinion, if you want to improve your loop time, you require a total of ten ‘keys’ in order to do this….
***Please note this is not aimed at ‘Kona wannabes’ …..this is aimed at those that are currently hitting 3:20 loops and want to learn how I took that down to 2:39 so wind yer neck in ‘big dog’….Cheers***
Last week, we looked at how ‘battling your demons’ is so crucial, I made it key #1/10
So here is key #2 of 10….
Key #2 : You need to lose the fat
Or do you?…..
As they say, in life, everything happens for a reason….
So please allow me to share something that happened to me the other week….
My car was off the road which meant I had to walk my little girl to school instead of driving her.
Of course, I fired up strava for this new mission, like you do.
But on analysing my performance, I noticed something strange…
On the way way there, it took me 20 minutes…
But on the way back, it only took me 15.
Why was this?
I tell you for why…
On the way there, my little girl was on my shoulders.
That’s why.
Cute eh?
But once you have dried your eyes, there is a point.
The point is my little girl weighs about 3 stone.
So if you ever wanted a crystal clear example of the effect that excess bodyweight has on your time, then there it is.
Also, Let’s have it right, you won’t see many ‘wide loads’ racing at Kona now will you?
But wait….
Its not as simple as that.
Here’s the thing….
I currently weigh 14 stone 3 and whilst I ‘carry it well’ – i’m at least 2 stone over ‘peak’
Despite the extra weight, yesterday, I rode a 2:39 IMUK loop…
But do you know something?
I weigh exactly the same as when I was riding 3:20 loops….
So it would be wrong of me to say that losing weight is one of the keys to getting my time down.
The truth is, it isn’t.
My weight has remained exactly the same.
In fact, I wonder sometimes if the extra weight actually helps to some extent.
What are you on about Rookie?
Look….
If you put a fat bastard in a go-kart, stuck an aero helmet on him, then pushed him off the side of a hill, he would roll down it a lot faster than if you did the same thing to someone built like a mop handle….
Am I right?
Simple physics would make that happen wouldn’t it?.
In a similar vein, I will often freewheel past people that are pedalling on the descents.
Freewheel past them…
Why?
Because I am a fat bastard that’s why….
Sorry, make that a ‘slightly aero’ fat bastard, but more on that another day…
Also, on the flat, I am sure the extra weight helps carry my momentum sometimes.
But make no mistake, its up the hills that you pay the price for carrying the excess lard.
Big time….
And as we all know, the IMUK course is constantly up and down with some absolute stonking hills thrown in for good measure, multiple times.
Its a complete no brainer that Your poor muscles, heart and lungs are going to find it way easier lugging 12 stone up Hunters than 14.
Way easier.
Yes, I was able to move my loop time from 3:20 to 2:39 despite my weight statying the same by using the other keys in this series which I will reveal over the coming weeks.
But there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if I am to achieve my ultimate goal of a sub 2:30 loop, then one of the major ‘keys’ to this is to lose about 2 stone of fat whilst maintaining my power.
And this is why I feel like I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface with this yet.
Lose the fat but keep the power.
If you can do that, you will fly on the bike my friends.
Fly…
Here is how my training went this week….
Monday = Pool Mile…Wanted a nice gentle swim after further debauchery last night 🙄… As I studied proceedings to pick my ‘spot’ One lad very kindly invited me into his lane….His words?…”You will be a lot quicker than me with that Ironman hat on”……..FFS here we go…….certainly put me through my paces…To be fair he turned out to be a cracking bloke and we had a good chat post mile….Make friends not war in the pool
Tuesday = Weights session in the Gym
Wednesday = 10 mile bike TT ….It’s only when you get out onto your local TT circuit of a Wednesday that you fully pay the price for abusing your body at the weekend….😳…That said, 28:43 which was only 11 seconds off a PB… Told you, I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface yet…. www.strava.com/activities/1910815806
Thursday…Pool mile in Derby
Friday….Weights set in the gym
Sat….. 2:39 IMUK loop with Gaz www.strava.com/activities/1916694019
Sun…..10k ish run sub 55… www.strava.com/activities/1918154215
Don’t miss Next Sunday…KEY #3 of 10 to how rookie got his IMUK loop time down
Like this article? so will your mates – feel free to share it and don’t forget to ‘add’ me on FB where you will find my daily training log for 2018/19 updated daily, as it happens
By the way, hve you heard about this book? its nearly 500 pages crammed full of hints and tips detailing exactly how I was able to go from zero fitness to completing an Ironman triathlon and covers super sprint, sprint, olympic 70.3 & full iron distances all from a ‘first timer’ perspective – please take a moment to read the reviews on amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Ironmen-Iron-Rookie/dp/1974002322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529099273&sr=8-1&keywords=iron+rookie
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