'So how's the training going...?'

I've been asked the question a few times lately: 'So how's the Celtman training going...?'.  And every time my answer has been 'Well, it's really hard to tell; it's so weather/ course specific... But... Ok, I think'.  

So it's probably time to do a little round up: how's it really going?  

This coming Saturday will mark 12 weeks to go.  So close, and yet so far! 

A couple of little - but also big- reflections first:

I stopped weighing myself at the start of this year.  I have no idea whether my weight has gone up or down, but my clothes appear to fit me the same as they did at the end of last year.  But I feel stronger, and psychologically more robust for deciding not to stress about how much weight I need to carry up each hill. 

This winter has been incredibly challenging in terms of fitting in training.  A family bereavement, the wettest winter on record, and shift work are just some of the challenges; and I won't pretend I haven't occasionally thought 'Why on earth am I doing this?'.  

But it's also been an adventure into my own potential- both mentally and physically.  With twelve weeks to go, days lengthening and the weather improving, outdoor training sessions should now have a much higher percentage of Type 1 fun. 

Progress so far...

Swim: 

I had my latest coaching session last week, and we've got to the point of working on what I've nicknamed (in my own head anyway!) 'dip & drive'.  When I really focused on that in the pool, I averaged around 2:20/100m.  

I'm currently averaging around 2:30/100m in open water- but the water is still only about 6-8 degrees, depending where I'm swimming.  I feel crunched up & rushed; I'm expecting I will speed up naturally as the water gets a bit warmer and I feel more relaxed.  

When I started learning front crawl in 2022, I could barely manage a length of the pool.  Now I'm planning for a swim time of between 1hr10 to 1hr30 depending on wind/tide conditions.  

Bike:

It's still winter in the Highlands, so I'm still riding my winter bike.  It weighs around 11kg compared to my Carbon bike's 7kg, and I've been riding with food, water, a jacket, tools, lights etc; on race day I won't be carrying most of that!  

Looking back to 2021, the year I started riding on Zwift and decided to do Struggle Moors... At this time of the year I was riding the same bike as I've been training on this winter, and in that time my average speed on an 80-100km ride has increased by about 2kph.  My average power has gone up in tandem to that, and I'm taking less (basically no) breaks on my rides whereas back then they were extensive.  I'm a better cyclist by far. 

Run:

I've been working hard on my efficiency over rough terrain, and on extending my run distance.  On tired legs we covered an approximation of the 'T2 to T2A' run section last week, and I now have a reasonable idea of how long it will take me to cover the ground. 

Logistics & Planning: 

Celtman isn't like your average long-distance triathlon.  You can't do the race without a support crew: it has more in common with an Ultra in that respect.  So over the winter I have been finding, buying & testing kit I'll need for transitions & on the course; nutrition & hydration options for the bike and run, and kit I'll actually wear.  I mostly have what I need, and over the next 12 weeks I'll start testing transitions from one discipline to the next. 

Where do I go from here? 

Celtman hinges on the bike leg.  It's 202km, and forms by far the largest proportion of the time on the course.  So from here on in, my training is going to do the same.  I'll keep swimming and running, keep working on improving, but my focus will move to the bike more than the other two disciplines.  I'll start increasing the distance (for swim and run, too), and doing back-to-back distance days.  Training tired will be useful, but I'll also need to keep a very close eye on fatigue, and make sure I rest and recover enough.  

So, three months to go.  I still don't know if I can do this thing; but I have more confidence in it than I did when I signed up. I'm still working on simply making it through the cut-off times, and most importantly the cutoff at T2A, that will allow me to continue to the finish.  I probably won't know, even when I stand in that field at Inverbain just before 5am on June 15th... But I do know I will be doing everything I'm able to make it to the start line with the belief that I can make it to the end.