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Hi,

Just thought I’d start a blog to record my last month of training for Ironman Austria on July the 4th 2010.

I’ve competed in triathlons for almost two years now mainly doing sprints and just the one Olympic distance so this is quite a big step up.
Like most people who enter a triathlon they’re left wanting more…. How can you shave a few extra minutes off here and there? You finally convince yourself you need all the trick gear to compete and your trusty old racing bike gets replaced with an expensive TT bike accompanied with (gay)aero helmet, wet-suit, tri-suit, elastic laces and Uncle Tom Cobbly and all. Ok, you still don’t win (well I don’t) but you at least look the part.
The holy grail for most triathletes is the Ironman distance race which includes a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and finishing off with a full marathon run. Once you get your head around the enormity of the task you then start to look at expected times! The arrogance of not being satisfied to do it in the allocated 17 hours but to do it in a reasonable time is the variable that sends you into panic training………this is where I’m at! Despite training reasonably well over the winter the reality of the task has started to hit home now the calendar shows just one more month remaining!! Looking at the text book training manuals I don’t seem to be doing anywhere near enough miles in the pool, on the bike, or on the run!!
Hopefully this blog will encourage me to put in a last gasp effort with my training. Nearly all training bibles speak of a 2-3 week tapering period where you ease up on the training as the big day nears. Unfortunately I’ve got to ignore this excepted piece of advice as I need all the days I can get. So my tapering period will have to begin as I board the plane for Austria, 3 days prior!

I’ll try to update my progress daily, Steve