So as most of you will know, this weekend just gone was 2 week’s before my trip to Wales and racing at the Snowdonia Slateman Triathlon.

On reflection I have just had a big weekend of training!

My original plan from some week’s ago had suggested that this weekend was going to mimic the Slateman triathlon with back to back brick sessions. As the triathlon will be back to back on a Saturday and Sunday. So the plan was to go big on Saturday and then ease off a little on Sunday. This decision was more so in case I picked up any injuries along the way and could only get through the Saturday. Although my knee has been a little tender post some run’s lately and needs a good looking at once the season is over. I was invested in the double brick sessions.

This time last week I had lunch with Dean at work, that’s when the plan started to go out the window…

The gym we both go to, Fit House in Chalfont St Peter were all entering the Henley Tough Mudder on Sunday. Dean tends to go to more classes than me at the gym there so was getting pressured into entering. He said to me, he would love to do it but would need me to pull him through it! Can tell he is in sales as I started to get the pitch, discounted entry, don’t have to do the electric current obstacle, be a laugh, and so on. So I had a little think, reviewed the site as never entered a Tough Mudder before. 9 mile course and 25 obstacles, now I guess I shouldn’t have really entered as I could have picked up an injury from the obstacles. However thought to myself I could mix up the training for the weekend and still fit it in. That distance of a run was going to be longer than I was planning to run in the brick sessions, so why not.

So I updated the plan, go out for just a ride on the Saturday, mainly so my knee would be fresh for running on Sunday. Tough Mudder on Sunday and then a mini brick session on Monday. Wanting to do about 40 miles on Saturday on the bike, then around 20 miles and 3 miles for bike and run respectively on Monday (if in a state to run).

Saturday Ride

Camilla (my bike) got a well overdue full body clean on Saturday morning. For those of you that remember an earlier post, I revealed that I now use baby wipes on the frame (fragrance free). I went for a full deep clean on the cassette, derailleur, disc brakes and all other areas. As I was doing this, the weather was taking a more and more turn for the worse. At this point I was also planning to head over to my parents and see my nieces, so took the judgement call to shorten the ride to 30 miles and skip the coffee stop in Henley.

This ride was horrendous, I mean my average mph was ok, not the best. It was cold, windy, slightly damp, for those that know me, I am such a fair weather cyclist that this weather pains me! I even got caught up in hail at one point, where a large hail stone caught me on the lip, so much so I had to check that it didn’t draw blood!

Time to recover for Tough Mudder

Tough Mudder

My first ever Tough Mudder, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had entered and run in Nuts Challenge and Brutal runs, but nothing with obstacles like you see at Tough Mudder. I genuinely really enjoyed it! It didn’t start that way, I must have drunk too much liquid pre race as I was busting for a wee before we started and no toilets in sight! About half a mile in we hit the woodland and I jumped off track to have a toilet break! It was a long one, so much so that I then had to run pretty fast to catch the rest of the crew up! I felt better straight away!

Tough Mudder has a mixture of obstacles, all with a variety of toughness, some allow you to level up, which basically just means it’s harder. You were wet through within the first 3 miles, which mean’t you then had a long old time recovering, trying to get dry. Then every time that would materialise, bang, back in the water to cool you down! Some of the group we were with were a little bit lower on the old body fat than me. They were shivering to such an extreme that I almost felt bad enough to shiver with them. The puppy fat I have kept me warm enough, well not really warm, I still had to slide into an ice bath at one stage!

I came out of the race with bruises and scratches on my arms and legs. My knee’s felt battered! My upper body was also aching a lot from all the hang tough style obstacles. My hands were ripped to shreds with one of the hanging obstacles, so decided to drop off it and save some skin whilst I could.

Monday Brick Session

Monday brick session went near enough to plan, would have preferred to have a little more higher average mph for the ride but again, weather played a part, as did a couple of hills. Managed to get out on this ride with John (friend from Wycombe who also rides). We managed to have a good catch up whilst cycling for just over an hour. At some stages during the ride I was contemplating knocking the run on the head. Wasn’t sure how the knee would feel. We managed to talk lots about cycling in Majorca, somewhere John has been a few times and somewhere I am going on a family trip in August. Looks like I am definitely taking some cycling gear with me and hiring a bike for a few days! Apparently it’s like a ski resort for cyclists.

I took the run as easy going as I could, again, slightly windy so was bitterly cold out. Managing to get out for a couple of miles and at an ok pace. Knee was feeling pretty good actually.

Weekend Summary

So all in all, a pretty decent weekend of exercise. I think the change up of the plan worked out well in the end.

• 50 miles cycled
• 10.5 miles run
• 5768 calories burnt

Some pretty good numbers to reflect on, getting through a new event and also coming through unscathed, well just minor scratches and bruises. Voltarol is now being applied post exercise to manage any potential swelling on the knee. I managed to get to see friends and family for some good company, good food and some laughs. A couple of nights I didn’t have the best sleep, but something I will learn from moving forward

Slateman Savage

So I thought it was about time I had a little look at the bike and run profiles for Slateman at the weekend. As you may know by now, the weekend will be back to back triathlons on the Saturday and the Sunday. Saturday is a little shorter than the Sunday but both have some pokey hills to climb during both bike and run sections.

The weekend starts with what they call a sprint triathlon, 400m swim followed by 12 miles on the bike and 3.5 mile run. As you can see below the bike route is a straight out and back again, so long climb, short descent followed by short climb, long descent.

The Sunday is the classic distance which is a 1km swim, followed by 30 miles on the bike and 7 mile run. This also starts with a sharp climb, then after that a gradual increase before a majority downhill ride. The run on the classic looks to be a long climb of about 2 miles before it starts to descend again. Really looking forward to that one!

With profiles like that I can almost guarantee the cider waiting for me Sunday night will be very well earned!

The next couple of weeks will see me taper off a little from the training, will be swimming a lot more as it has less of an impact on the joints and will allow the body to recover. Another brick session on Saturday at a higher race pace, followed by my first and only open water swim session on Sunday. Been delaying it for as long as possible, waiting for the weather to pick up. However I need the distance, the practise and also to test the new wetsuit I treated myself to.

Thanks all

Sam