Training over the past few weeks

I am finally recovered from my 6 hours trail race and super excited about my season ahead which starts this weekend with Castle Combe Duathlon.

Well its certainly been a cold few months, I know its winter but still I dislike the damp and cold days. I don't mind training in the cold if its dry and sunny but not when you get soaked within the first mile of a bike ride or a run.

I am not going to lie, I am really finding the training on the bike a struggle, yes I can turbo if its really bad but I don't have zwift like others do, so can get easily bored when I don't have a structure to my session. I think everyone has the lack of motivation at some point in their training, and I hope if I am having it now I will be fully focused for the season ahead.

Other than worrying about my bike training, I am loving my new swim sessions with Swim Podium and the people that go. I wake up at 4.15am Mondays and Wednesdays, I get to the pool by 5.15am and I am in the pool by 5.30am. Most the swimmers are crazy triathletes like myself that love waking up super early to train, to be fair its nice to get the session done and then have the whole day to work or day for more training.

Steven Cryer and Donna are the coaches, and they are amazing at motivating you at that time in the morning, even if I am half asleep at the start of the session I am certainly awake before I start thanks to Stevens lively jokes!

I noticed that when I started swimming with Swim Podium at the beginning of this year I had a lot of work to do, I have found I have lost a lot of upper body strength and my technique had gone to pot. I wasn't sure if it was from the last 3 years of just riding my bike or perhaps when I broke my elbow last year. Either way I am having to work hard on my technique and strength, I know it will come back at some point. Its so inspiring to watch all the swimmers whether they have been swimming for years or just starting out, they are all so dedicated to their sport.

I am finding I am more dedicated than I have ever been, I am so focused on my training at the moment, but there is also more to life than training, well I think there is......

I admit and probably others will agree, training can take over your life and you forget that you have family, friends and relationships.

I have always struggled to juggle them, I am very selfish sometimes, well most the time.

One of my goals this year was to work out a balance between family, work and training, see I managed to put them in the correct order!

I get very passionate about any sport I compete in but especially triathlon. I really enjoyed bike racing but I love triathlon, I love pushing myself to the limit and only having to rely on myself to get the best result possible. I have always dreamt that one day I would be good enough to race at a professional level, I might not but I am not going to give up trying.

This year I am willing to give it my best shot and hopefully learn lots along the way, plus spend more time with my family along the way.

Anyway I best stop boring everyone and get back to work, happy training everyone and remember to enjoy it!