Been a funny old week, very short! However, great for training and getting out and about.
Back into a bit more running now the ankle is slowly mending. Still some soreness and I am working on improving flexibility, but inspite of this I was running better yesterday, a bit more freely. 1 hour to cover 8.5 miles, not at all speedy, but the focus was just to get out and run for an hour and it felt good. Started to tire in the last 5 minutes but that's just down to a lack of run fitness which I am sure will improve over the next few weeks.
I'm looking at a possible venture out to Antwerp for the 70.3 in August as there are some places still available. And Weymouth middle distance tri might be one to have a go at. My biking is pretty solid and I just need to get some more run miles in off the bike and it might be a chance to pull out some decent performances. 50 mile TT in 3 weeks on 22nd May and I will wee how I feel after that. Might even squeeze in a short 30 minute run afterwards to see what happens to the legs!
As for today, 2 Forest Fit sessions and a gentle bike to and from. I will bike for 2 hours tomorrow before Monday's 27km time trial. Sea swim on Monday afternoon might be in order as well!
Saturday 30 April 2011
Wednesday 27 April 2011
Forest Fit
The training sessions in Wareham Forest are going from strength to strength and they are great fun and offer everybody who comes a great workout. And that includes the trainers, myself and Charlie Tipper.
We are adding another session to the 3 that we already do. Monday evenings at 6:30pm, Sika Trail car park, Wareham Forest.
For more information please get in touch via this blog or my website. http://www.stevebpt.co.uk
Look forward to seeing you all soon!
Monday 25 April 2011
30 mile TT
1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds.
Tough ride, some quick riders out on course, 7th overall, 3rd Poole Wheeler. Very pleased with how my biking is going seeing as I am doing pretty much nothing in the way of any serious training and just spinning a bit on the bike every couple of days or so. Signing up for a 50 miler on 22nd May so I will now start to do some more serious work, I'll need to!
Tough ride, some quick riders out on course, 7th overall, 3rd Poole Wheeler. Very pleased with how my biking is going seeing as I am doing pretty much nothing in the way of any serious training and just spinning a bit on the bike every couple of days or so. Signing up for a 50 miler on 22nd May so I will now start to do some more serious work, I'll need to!
Saturday 23 April 2011
Latest News
Back into some sort ot training pattern, although very unstructured. But feeling in decent shape.
I rode Poole Wheelers's evening 10 on Wednesday, a lovely warm evening and I went reasonably well. I had a bikefit earlier int he day which didn't go so well as I found out the bike is too small for me and I am not able to generate enough power in the position I am in, too low and not engaging the glute muscles enough. The unfortnate problem is that on the Plasma I can't get the seat any higher as the seat post is one of those cut off jobs and there is no more room for the bracket to push up. So I'm stuck. New bike is going to have to happen soon.
Back to the Club 10 and I rode a 22' 05", course best for me, but I was left just feeling a little jaded as I could feel I wasn't riding comfotable and was moving around loads on the saddle trying to get into the right position. There's more speed in my legs, now need to get the right machine to help get it out of me! I ended up 4th behind Gary Dighton, Leighton Girling and Terry Icke, 6 seconds separating those 3 and I was a further 30 seconds back. Hopefully when I get my position and bike sorted out I can make inroads into that 30 seconds.
Forest Fit this mornign in Wareham Forest, then some gardening, long bike tomorrrow and then 30 mile time trial on Monday morning, I should be able to go well and hold form over the longer distance, regardless of bike. And what about this weather!!! Loverleeeeeeeee!
I rode Poole Wheelers's evening 10 on Wednesday, a lovely warm evening and I went reasonably well. I had a bikefit earlier int he day which didn't go so well as I found out the bike is too small for me and I am not able to generate enough power in the position I am in, too low and not engaging the glute muscles enough. The unfortnate problem is that on the Plasma I can't get the seat any higher as the seat post is one of those cut off jobs and there is no more room for the bracket to push up. So I'm stuck. New bike is going to have to happen soon.
Back to the Club 10 and I rode a 22' 05", course best for me, but I was left just feeling a little jaded as I could feel I wasn't riding comfotable and was moving around loads on the saddle trying to get into the right position. There's more speed in my legs, now need to get the right machine to help get it out of me! I ended up 4th behind Gary Dighton, Leighton Girling and Terry Icke, 6 seconds separating those 3 and I was a further 30 seconds back. Hopefully when I get my position and bike sorted out I can make inroads into that 30 seconds.
Forest Fit this mornign in Wareham Forest, then some gardening, long bike tomorrrow and then 30 mile time trial on Monday morning, I should be able to go well and hold form over the longer distance, regardless of bike. And what about this weather!!! Loverleeeeeeeee!
Thursday 21 April 2011
http://www.stevebpt.co.uk
At last, it is now up and running, my very own website, which is there to advertise my services as a personal trainer.
http://www.stevebpt.co.uk
http://www.stevebpt.co.uk
Tuesday 19 April 2011
Legs
They are slowly returning to some sort of shape.
50 minute run yesterday, a little slower than the effort felt it should be but still not flexible enough in the ankle department and hips and lower back stiff after a long day at the London Marathon, with a 6 year old on my shoulders for large chunks of it, and driving up and down in a day.
50 minute to and from work today on the bike and then a late afternoon solid tempo ride for 43k in 70 minutes on the old training bike. Felt in good shape. Was going to swim this evening but gardening took over!
Time trial evening tomorrow and if the weather holds I feel it should be a quick night. Hopefully I can start finding some form. I will fit in a swim at lunch and will run back from the Sika Trail after Forest Fit, nice and easy off-road jog home.
50 minute run yesterday, a little slower than the effort felt it should be but still not flexible enough in the ankle department and hips and lower back stiff after a long day at the London Marathon, with a 6 year old on my shoulders for large chunks of it, and driving up and down in a day.
50 minute to and from work today on the bike and then a late afternoon solid tempo ride for 43k in 70 minutes on the old training bike. Felt in good shape. Was going to swim this evening but gardening took over!
Time trial evening tomorrow and if the weather holds I feel it should be a quick night. Hopefully I can start finding some form. I will fit in a swim at lunch and will run back from the Sika Trail after Forest Fit, nice and easy off-road jog home.
Monday 18 April 2011
London
Well done to my fantastic wife Tracey. Awesome performance in her first marathon. 4 hours and 34 minutes. She had a great race from start to finish. I managed to get through the crowds to see her just after Tower Bridge and at 12.5 miles she looked in really good shape, going through in about 2:10. The next viewpoint wasn't until 23 miles as it was mad busy and just unable to get anywhere quickly. And at that point she was still running very well with a bit of a spring in her step. In fact, her splits showed that her last 5k was quicker than her first 5k! She was right on schedule all the way round and I think if she hadn't had so many people to weave in and out of she would have gone quicker. What is great news is the fact she wants to keep up with the running and thoroughlyt enjoyed the whole experience, despite very sore legs this morning!!! New York later this year perhaps?????Still chance to sponsor her at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TraceyBirtwistle
Friday 15 April 2011
London Marathon
2 days to the 4th biggest day in the life of Mrs B. I'm counting giving birth to our two boys and our wedding day as the other three. I think she is probably more nervous about this race!
Here is her sponsorship page, raising money for Ovarian Cancer Action.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TraceyBirtwistle
Here is her sponsorship page, raising money for Ovarian Cancer Action.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TraceyBirtwistle
Tuesday 12 April 2011
bike miles at last
And about time. I rode to work this morning, 25 minutes, rode home, got changed and went out again for a 60km ride. It felt good to ride up some hills and feel some air, and not just the hot and swaety inside of a garage! How I have missed riding. So 3 hours in the legs today and I have to say they felt in good shape. Will do another hour tomorrow and then the Poole Wheelers evening time trials begin tomorrow evening. It's a 10 tomorrow, so will ride out and give it a bash and see what's in the tank.
Swim this evening, just to try and maintain some feel for the water. I am going to plan some sort of structure to my own training now, and see if I can find a triathlon to have a bash at in July or August. Nothing heavy, possibly Weymouth middle distance, although I have a feeling that's in June. Be interesting to see how I get on with that one. Did it last year and had a reasonable race, with a bit more biking and running from now til then, you never know, I might do alright!
Swim this evening, just to try and maintain some feel for the water. I am going to plan some sort of structure to my own training now, and see if I can find a triathlon to have a bash at in July or August. Nothing heavy, possibly Weymouth middle distance, although I have a feeling that's in June. Be interesting to see how I get on with that one. Did it last year and had a reasonable race, with a bit more biking and running from now til then, you never know, I might do alright!
Monday 11 April 2011
Tri Purbeck Duathlon
Beautiful day in the Forest for this race. I was in some doubt as whether to do it as I am not in any sort of shape at the moment. But I rode over and felt alright so I decided to sign up for a go, and treat it as a good training session. I really wanted to see how my run legs were shaping up and how my ankle would respond to 6 miles of off-road running, with 2 of them being after an off-road bike.
Start came and I toddled off and got into a small second group of 5 behind a front group of the same number. After 1 mile I felt reasonable and stretched out a bit and started making ground on the lead group, pulling away a little from the group I was in. At mile 2 my hips and calves decided they weren't playing and I felt very stiff. Just not able to run at pace. So I settled into a gentler pace and got into transition feeling ok, a little tired but looking forward to a nice easy bike. How wrong I was.
Now I don't really do off-road and I only have a hybrid bike, and with road tyres, so I was not really prepared for what lay ahead. For a 12 mile off-road bike I had a guess at about 45 minutes, as I thought it was mostly trail riding. Well, yes, it was trails but my bike was not equipped for the terrain and I had a nightmare! On the sandy sections I was all over the place, had to get off and walk on a few occasions, very slow on the turns, and the downhills I went down like someone learning to ride a bike for the first time. There was one steep climb which would not normally be a problem, however, I just couldn't get any grip on the gravel and as I neared the top for each of the 4 laps I had to get off and walk up the last little section! How embarrassing, as people looked on and must have thought, he's not very good!!! Actually the last time I went up I did manage to get up all the way, miracle! My right cleat broke as well on my shoe and I spent the second half of the bike with only one shoe clipped in. But I still went round with a smile on my face and chatting away to fellow racers en route and reminded myself that I was only here to see how my legs were.
I felt alright biking round, but to be honest off-road riding is not for me, and I can quite happily say that I will save myself lots of money as I do not want a proper off-road bike! Not the most enjoyable experience, and I bobbled into transition feeling that I had done an extra lap I was that far down the field, and wanted to throw my bike over a hedge!
I set off on the second run feeling relaxed and in good shape apart from ridiculously tight calves which were on the verge of cramping but never did. I finished well and felt good riding home. As I write this the following morning, I'm now pleased that my ankle is holding up to an off-road run, and I had a quick nosy at the results. My times are well down on what I would have normally done in a race, but that's ok. My bike looks dreadful! Not the normal position for me. Fully fit and strong and with the right bike, I would have been there and thereabouts but that's not where I'm at and I am very happy that I can resume some quality training now, and once back into my running I should improve quickly. I've got good base fitness and strength as my second run time shows.
Results are here
http://www.tripurbeck.com/blog/provisional-results-for-the-sika-duathlon-10th-aprill-2011/
Huge well done and thank you to Fran and Ade Bungay and their team at Tri Purbeck, they put on a great event and hopefully this will become a regular fixture in the event calendar in the area. I won't be participating in another off-raod event, not for me. However, I highly recommend it for anyone, the run is good underfoot for off-road and the bike is technical and challenging( even more so if you do it onthe wrong bike!). The other good thing for me is that I managed to stay upright and didn't fall off!!! My bike handling must have improved!
And well done to all Forest Fitters who were there racing, Barry, Rik, Kat, Gail. See you guys next week when we are back to lifting heavy logs!
Start came and I toddled off and got into a small second group of 5 behind a front group of the same number. After 1 mile I felt reasonable and stretched out a bit and started making ground on the lead group, pulling away a little from the group I was in. At mile 2 my hips and calves decided they weren't playing and I felt very stiff. Just not able to run at pace. So I settled into a gentler pace and got into transition feeling ok, a little tired but looking forward to a nice easy bike. How wrong I was.
Now I don't really do off-road and I only have a hybrid bike, and with road tyres, so I was not really prepared for what lay ahead. For a 12 mile off-road bike I had a guess at about 45 minutes, as I thought it was mostly trail riding. Well, yes, it was trails but my bike was not equipped for the terrain and I had a nightmare! On the sandy sections I was all over the place, had to get off and walk on a few occasions, very slow on the turns, and the downhills I went down like someone learning to ride a bike for the first time. There was one steep climb which would not normally be a problem, however, I just couldn't get any grip on the gravel and as I neared the top for each of the 4 laps I had to get off and walk up the last little section! How embarrassing, as people looked on and must have thought, he's not very good!!! Actually the last time I went up I did manage to get up all the way, miracle! My right cleat broke as well on my shoe and I spent the second half of the bike with only one shoe clipped in. But I still went round with a smile on my face and chatting away to fellow racers en route and reminded myself that I was only here to see how my legs were.
I felt alright biking round, but to be honest off-road riding is not for me, and I can quite happily say that I will save myself lots of money as I do not want a proper off-road bike! Not the most enjoyable experience, and I bobbled into transition feeling that I had done an extra lap I was that far down the field, and wanted to throw my bike over a hedge!
I set off on the second run feeling relaxed and in good shape apart from ridiculously tight calves which were on the verge of cramping but never did. I finished well and felt good riding home. As I write this the following morning, I'm now pleased that my ankle is holding up to an off-road run, and I had a quick nosy at the results. My times are well down on what I would have normally done in a race, but that's ok. My bike looks dreadful! Not the normal position for me. Fully fit and strong and with the right bike, I would have been there and thereabouts but that's not where I'm at and I am very happy that I can resume some quality training now, and once back into my running I should improve quickly. I've got good base fitness and strength as my second run time shows.
Results are here
http://www.tripurbeck.com/blog/provisional-results-for-the-sika-duathlon-10th-aprill-2011/
Huge well done and thank you to Fran and Ade Bungay and their team at Tri Purbeck, they put on a great event and hopefully this will become a regular fixture in the event calendar in the area. I won't be participating in another off-raod event, not for me. However, I highly recommend it for anyone, the run is good underfoot for off-road and the bike is technical and challenging( even more so if you do it onthe wrong bike!). The other good thing for me is that I managed to stay upright and didn't fall off!!! My bike handling must have improved!
And well done to all Forest Fitters who were there racing, Barry, Rik, Kat, Gail. See you guys next week when we are back to lifting heavy logs!
Thursday 7 April 2011
Return to Ironman
This is more of a note to self. Next year is Ironman year for me.
Last year I was in for Challenge Roth and trained hard to try and get a 9 hour finish. But I got ill the day before and had to pull out. Was laryngitis. 4 weeks later I raced the Outlaw triathlon in Nottingham; I was coughing up green stuff on the start line and was not feeling at all well. But I did it in 10 hours 33 mins after suffering on the run. This year is about building myself up stronger and then going long distance next year. For nothing more than the personal challenge, I want to get the best out of myself, and put in a performance which I know I am capable of. I will do what I do and as well as I can do it. No excuses!
Last year I was in for Challenge Roth and trained hard to try and get a 9 hour finish. But I got ill the day before and had to pull out. Was laryngitis. 4 weeks later I raced the Outlaw triathlon in Nottingham; I was coughing up green stuff on the start line and was not feeling at all well. But I did it in 10 hours 33 mins after suffering on the run. This year is about building myself up stronger and then going long distance next year. For nothing more than the personal challenge, I want to get the best out of myself, and put in a performance which I know I am capable of. I will do what I do and as well as I can do it. No excuses!
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Forest Fit
Great session in Wareham Forest this morning, the weather was fantastic, sunny and warm with a cool breeze and everyone was in great shape. I must say these sessions, even though I am running them with Charlie, they are certainly helping to maintain and even increase my fitness levels> my core strength has improved massively and this should transfer well to swimming, biking and running. I rode out there this morning and rode back, all off-road, lovely through the Forest. And then once back I did a shorter harder run session with 1km of 5k race pace in the middle. Running is definitely coming back to somewhere near where I was back before the ankle injury. Another month of regular shorter running and I will be able to up the effort and distance with confidence. I am swimming again tonight, after a good swim session yesterday, and once again, my feel for the water is returning and my swim fitness is improving, back to somewhere near the times I was doing last year. Generally getting leaner and stronger and feeling very good about where I am, in terms of my own fitness and performance. Happy Days!
Monday 4 April 2011
New website
Well, almost there with my new website for my personal training. SOme news and a few pics to add and it's done. Here's a sneak preview.
http://www.stevebpt.co.uk
As for training, I am getting back to some form now. I reckon another 3 weeks and I'll be ready to put together some quality sessions. Ran for 30 minutes today at a comfortable 6' 40 min/mile pace. It felt pretty good, running freer and only a mild ache in the ankle area. I then did a solid 1 hour turbo session this evening, able to push a big gear and generating some power. Not enough miles in the legs though and still feels a bit sluggish and legs not turning fluidly. But all improving, and no time trial til next Wednesday evening, so a few more bike rides this week will hopefully get my legs moving a bit easier.
But very positive to be able to get out and run. I may even eye up a triathlon to have a go at over the summer, just to keep my hand in!
http://www.stevebpt.co.uk
As for training, I am getting back to some form now. I reckon another 3 weeks and I'll be ready to put together some quality sessions. Ran for 30 minutes today at a comfortable 6' 40 min/mile pace. It felt pretty good, running freer and only a mild ache in the ankle area. I then did a solid 1 hour turbo session this evening, able to push a big gear and generating some power. Not enough miles in the legs though and still feels a bit sluggish and legs not turning fluidly. But all improving, and no time trial til next Wednesday evening, so a few more bike rides this week will hopefully get my legs moving a bit easier.
But very positive to be able to get out and run. I may even eye up a triathlon to have a go at over the summer, just to keep my hand in!
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