01 February 2010 (Fitness)

 

For all intensive purposes I'm a bit of a lazy bastard. That might sound strange coming from someone who writes a health and fitness blog, but I really won't do something, activity wise, until I'm damn well forced. Sometimes that can come by way of vast curry consumption, but these written pieces here are also a way of motivating/making me do something. It certainly helped me to a personal best half-marathon time of 1.32, and to complete my first Dublin Marathon in October in 3.35 - a time those in the know tell me to be proud of. So, what is my latest masochistic endeavour? An Ironman 70.3 in Germany this coming August.

 

Thinking that partaking in a full Ironman with just over six months is complete and utter suicide, and being that I like my life, I went for its little brother. The 70.3 is exactly that; a triathlon that adds up to 70.3 miles via a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. Registration alone for this event is 250 clams, so it wasn't a decision I took lightly. Okay, I lie, I signed up on a whim, but surely my level of fitness complimented with some extra biking and shitload of pool work courtesy of personal trainer David Cunningham of One Escape and Be-fit will see me right? If you recall I had previous aspirations of taking part in a triathlon last year. I even attended a few of One Escapes tried-and-tested swim classes with David, but they take place on a Wednesday, and I'm otherwise engaged with my stint on RTE 2 reviewing movies for Two Tube at that time. Alas Mr. Cunningham has kindly obliged me, and I'll instead hit the pool on another day under his tutorial. I think he may have been worried about me drowning in a river in Southern Germany and somehow feeling partly responsible.

Getting back on the bike after some awful weather has also proved surprisingly enjoyable. Previously my bike rides were purely pragmatic excursions to and from work, totalling at about 30 kilometres a day, 3 - 5 times a week. On top of that was my usual pavement pounding of between 40 - 60 miles per week (I know I'm mixing them up, but the metric system confuses me... I'm a simple creature). All the running stems from that feeling that I haven't actually done a workout unless I've ran for 70 odd minutes, be it on a treadmill or outdoors. Sunday was my first 2 hour plus cycle, as I tackled Howth Summit and, just about, won - clocking up 33 miles from my apartment in Kinsealy and back. I now must mix and match my training and hopefully see some benefits in time for a shorter test-triathlon in the early summer. Sunday is now my long-bike day that will soon morph into long-bike-run day as I attempt to kick the arse off some brick training. Saturday will be a swim in Oneescape and a 13 mile, or so run, while the rest of the week will be a couple of swims and a bunch of treadmill work - incline and speed.

I've bought a couple of books; I'm in the process of getting a decent Triathlon bike (I say decent, meaning it comes with Triathlon Bars and I can actually afford it), and I've signed up for swimming. All that's left is getting stuck in. I really do hope some people find these blogs helpful, as if I can learn to open water swim 1.2 miles in six months then anyone can. My social life has just been hit with a pause button, let's hope it's worth it...

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