It’s difficult to believe that I’ve already come to the end of week 3 of my 10 month training plan, in preparation for competing in the Welsh Ironman being held on the 11^th September 2011. The time has flown and now I’m in the routine of visiting the gym or swimming pool, every morning AND evening, it is becoming easier. My plan is to gradually start increasing the swimming, cycling, and running times to hopefully improve my stamina, although the running is still causing me a few problems. I’m not build for running with my shape and weight, and if God wanted me to run he’d given me longer legs. This was last week’s contribution:

Cycle Ride – 1 hour on a cold frosty morning

Exercise Bike – 150 minutes

Run – 40 minutes in the rain

Treadmill – 65 minutes

Cross Trainer – 10 minutes

Light Weights – 30 minutes

Rowing machine – 10 minutes

Swim – 3,200m      

Swim Drills - 65 minutes

Sauna – 30 minutes

Jacuzzi – again, as much as possible

Last Tuesday I enrolled in a local swimming club and had my first lesson. I want to improve my stroke so to use less energy when swimming, but we’ll see how it goes. I’ve paid for another 8 lessons so will hopefully see some progress before Christmas. As you can see, I’ve started to introduce some rowing into my schedule, just to vary the sessions and use muscles in a different way. I still haven’t got to grips with my diet yet, but will have to start looking at it.

Last week I broke a spoke on the bike while cycling, and the same thing has occurred this morning. I’ll have to do a bit of investigating to find out why this is happening. My first thought was that I’m too heavy for the bike and it’s trying to tell me, but surely I would have got that message last year when I used the same bike to cycle form Lands End to John O’Groats. As you can see from my last Blog, I’d lost 8lb in the previous 2 weeks. Tomorrow is my fortnightly weigh-day so fingers crossed I’ve lost a little more. When I get under 16st, psychologically I’ll start to feel better.