Ewan Tri's Hard

4th April- Brick session- 30 min run by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-04-06T12:03:00.000+01:00

4th April- Brick session- 30 min run by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

4th April- Brick Session- 60 min bike by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-04-06T12:01:00.000+01:00

4th April- Brick Session- 60 min bike by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

3rd April- Top of Rest and Be Thankful and back by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-04-06T12:00:00.000+01:00

3rd April- Top of Rest and Be Thankful and back by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

Turbo session by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-04-01T16:38:00.000+01:00

Turbo session by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

Painful Long Run to Garelochead and back- 1st April by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

2010-04-01T16:37:00.000+01:00

Painful Long Run to Garelochead and back- 1st April by thegingerprince at Garmin Connect - Details

illness= no training or blogging!!!!

2010-03-30T17:03:00.002+01:00

Been down with a chest infection for about ten days now so training has not really been happening.

Did get Alec at the bike shop in Helensburgh to fit my aero bars and went for a bike fit at The Tri Centre in Edinburgh.

Feeling a bit better so biked over the weekend, two hours on Saturday and four on Sunday.

Spent both rides mainly on the aeros and actually felt little discomfort, so fingers crossed i have actually found a comfortable and aero position. Did feel like my power generation wasn't as great but maybe thats due to the unfamiliarity of the position? see how things go over the next month with a few slight tweaks should be okay.

Bike ride saturday was on my own getting used to aeros, usual route out to Coulport and back, nice day, bit windy.

Craig from the tri club and I went out on Sunday for a long ride. We covered a reasonable distance (85k) in aroud 3.5 hrs but were out for about 7 hours due to our leisurely cake stops. First one at the Knockderry out past Cove where we had scones with clotted cream and jam, sat on big leather chairs in front of a roaring log fire. There was a huge te mptation to settle in for the day with a few beers and the sunday papers but we persevered on. 90 mins later we got to Luss and proceeded to have soup, sandwiches and coffee in similarly salubrious surroundings. The 15k back to Rhu was not pleasant on such a full stomach but al in it was a great fun day, reckon i probably put on a couple of kilos!

Ironman prep is coming together (other than the actual training). Got hotels , flights etc.. booked and my bro and his girlfriend are coming out for support and to hand me out drinks etc... on race day which is great.

Kit wise, got most of the stuff I need, although I am being severly tempted in to getting a set of aero wheels, the favourites at the moment being HED Jet 4s, mmmm.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Tea and Scones Bike Run- 28th march

2010-03-30T17:01:00.001+01:00

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Tea and Scones Bike Run- 28th march

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Coulport Loop- first aero bar run of year- 27th march

2010-03-30T17:01:00.000+01:00

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Coulport Loop- first aero bar run of year- 27th march

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for 18th March- Long, steady run for 90 mins

2010-03-18T15:12:00.000Z

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for 18th March- Long, steady run for 90 mins

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for 17th March- 2hr bike ride to peaton hill and back- flat

2010-03-18T15:10:00.000Z

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for 17th March- 2hr bike ride to peaton hill and back- flat

Training week- 8th-14th March

2010-03-15T12:39:00.004Z

Um, what happened last week? Struggling to remember...

Monday was a rest day which was much appreciated after a painful brick session on the Sunday. Tuesday morning, couldn't get out of bed for early swim, so that turned in to another rest day as I was working late- not the best start to my Ironman prep.

Things started to pick up a bit as I sneaked out work on Wednesday afternoon and got in a solid 3k swim around 50mins. Felt like my arms were coming back after Lanza for the first time.

Thursday, got in an early run which was hellish. Running early for me is not a pleasant experience, no fuel on board, half asleep and within the first 5 mins of the run there is a big mother of a hill to ascend (see hill house loop run stats). Made it round significantly slower than usual.

Friday was another swim set at Scotstoun. 2.6k, lots of 100s, felt good and even resisted my usual fish supper on the way home in favour of a belly shrinking chicken stir fly.

Saturday, went out on a group ride with GTC folk- Craig, Ian, Seb, Gavin and Brian- for a steady 4hr effort (stats below). Good weather, banter and an excellent coffee/toastie/cake stop at Aberfoyle. Took in a couple of cheeky climbs, Crow Road and Dukes Pass.

Sunday is Brick session day and my legs did literally feel like bricks getting out of bed after Saturdays ride. Still, Seb was waiting so of we went for a staedy ride round the peninsula from Rhu. This included the killer climb up Peaton Hill- it has to be as hard as Femes in Lanza. I urge you to try it if you don't believe me. Seb wimped out on the run and left me to go solo for an hour, managed about 11k, which is exactly as I planned, nice and steady actually felt good and controlled breathing well. If I can stick at that pace for the marathon off bike in Austria it would be about a 3hr 40min effort which I'd be over the moon with.

All in all a slow start to the week then pretty heavy training toward the end, i think this will be how most weeks will end up going.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Brick Session. Sunday 14th march. Run to faslane and back

2010-03-15T12:38:00.001Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Brick Session. Sunday 14th march. Run to faslane and back

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Brick Session. Sunday 14th march. Bike ride with Seb round Coulport

2010-03-15T12:38:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Brick Session. Sunday 14th march. Bike ride with Seb round Coulport

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Sat 13th March- GTC Ride, incl. Crow Road & Duke's Pass

2010-03-15T12:37:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Sat 13th March- GTC Ride, incl. Crow Road & Duke's Pass

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Hill House Loop

2010-03-12T11:29:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Hill House Loop

Glasgow Tri Club Lanza Trip- 25th Feb-4th March

2010-03-11T11:43:00.006Z

Just about a week after getting back and I'm finally up to writing something. I think it took this long for my brain to re-engage after the brutal final days training/ drinking.

Was a great trip, brilliant location(Club La Santa) and awesome company (special mention to Team 55B!).

Thanks for organising everything so well Jo, although I am a bit disappointed about the fact you can actually sing!

All the bike rides done over the week are logged below if you want to see the details.

Early Ryanair flight from Prestwick got off to a good start when the baggage guys let all our bikes through without weighing them, then turned not so good as we sat on the tarmac for an hour waiting to go. Eventually we were off and myself, Kendo and Vicky squashed in and read shitty magazines etc for the 4 hour trip out. Mental note, avoid Ryanair flight in future if you value any level of comfort.

Off flight and met up with most of the rest of the Glasgow Tri Club members that had flown out from Glasgow International, bit of chat, collect luggage and then outside to start the skin frying process. Load the luggage on to our awaiting buses, slather on the factor 50 and 30 mins later we arrived at La Santa.

I was allocated apartment 55b with fellow studs Ken, Bruce, Brian and Neil- the Gentlemens apartment. Reassuringly, the banter and ginger abuse started flowing straight away.

Got the bikes together and headed out for a test ride, back tyre popped within 5 minutes, big rip down it, so a rather unglamorous clip clop walk back to la Santa in bike shoes for new tyre. Checked out a pros Argon bike being built while I was there, looked rapid. Absorbed the rays.

As luck would have it Neil, a friend from Uni, had just arrived from London, so we went back out on the bikes for a canter and then convened with the rest of the guys for a bit of dinner and early to bed in readiness for an early start the next day.

Alarm clock...6.30am????...on holiday! Not a good feeling. Much moaning and groaning, cereal bars, bananas, squeeze into the old wettie, then down to the pool. We were a bit late so told off by Maisie then in to the water for a steady 1hr swim set, bout 2.5k. Pool was excellent 50m open air, swimming as the sun came up. Hanging on to Ele and Jo's feet for most of the session, most of the week actually, much to their unamusement! (was cheating a bit in the wetsuit mid you). The swim sets built up over the week, early rise each day and culminated in a 1.5k time trial. I came in around 22mins something which is a pb.

Breakfast was usually at the Buffet or apartment before we all got together for bike rides. First day was a steady affair, about 60k i think, only real climb being up Timanfaya then the awesome descent down it.

Rest of the week saw a gradual increase in bike ride lengths and intensity, up to 6.5 hours on the final day for the (slightly short of) Ironman Lanzarote bike route, still nearly killed me. Was great to get so many miles in on brilliant roads and with excellent company along the way. Definitely the hardest climb for me was Femes, it didn't take long compared to something like Tabayesco but it gets super steep- up to 22%. Heart rate was going crazy and it took me about an hour to stop shaking in the cafe we stopped at at the top.

Afternoons post bike were spent with a dip in the pool to cool the legs off, a lie down in the sun by the pool then a Burger and milkshake at the pool bar. The burger fillings never stayed the same twice but they tasted good. Always a bit of good banter, catching up with the other groups stories from the day and perving at the pro athletes dotted about.

Chilled out evenings were the order of the day, although we had a little blow out midway through to celebrate David and Elizabeths engagement, congrats, hope you enjoyed the lollipop.

The last night was an experience to say the least! I was completely spent from the bike ride plus numerous nurofens. With the help of my team mates though I managed to pull through and down plenty of beers, sing a beautiful duet in my skins with Jo, throw some horrific shapes on the dance floor and assist in carrying a rather heavy, inebriated Irish man back to 55b where he proceeded to....no, thats for another blog.

Great holiday! Bring on the Ironman.

IM Austria 2010- what have i done

2010-03-08T18:51:00.002Z

Well, you can rip up most of my races I had planned for this year as I have got a last minute spot at IM Austria on 4th July. Oh god!

Been thinking of doing this next year but, having put in a really solid 3 months training over the winter and with another 3-4 months to go, i reckon I can be in good enough shape to get round and tick the IM off the list before other commitments get the chance to take over.

let the punishment begin!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Part 2 of brick session

2010-03-08T13:25:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Part 2 of brick session

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Peaton Hill Loop with El Presidente (part 1 of brick session)

2010-03-08T13:22:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Peaton Hill Loop with El Presidente (part 1 of brick session)

Back from Lanza

2010-03-06T14:33:00.003Z

Team 55B at the top of Femes.

Made it back from Lanza alive (just). Combination of nearly 300 miles on the bike, early morning swims and the mother of all hangovers made it quite a trip. I'll try to post a review of each day as I remember it from the start of next week, when my brain will have hopefully reengaged.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Ironman Lanzarote Bike Route

2010-03-06T14:32:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Ironman Lanzarote Bike Route

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Team 55B round lanza (incl. Femes)

2010-03-06T14:31:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Team 55B round lanza (incl. Femes)

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Harry and me splinter group bike ride

2010-03-06T14:29:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Harry and me splinter group bike ride

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Tabayesco ride- ouch

2010-03-06T14:27:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Tabayesco ride- ouch

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for First ride in lanza- group ride

2010-03-06T14:26:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for First ride in lanza- group ride

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for GTC ride- Crow Road- 20th Feb

2010-02-22T12:08:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for GTC ride- Crow Road- 20th Feb

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Hill House Loop- 18th Feb

2010-02-18T11:59:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Hill House Loop- 18th Feb

13th, 14th and 16th Feb

2010-02-16T09:09:00.004Z

Armstrong...Indurain...my hero Djamolidine Abdoujaparov...Mckerracher...

These were the names to inspire we to greatness over last weekends cyclefest.

For a chap who hasn't really spent longer in the saddle then 2 hours (other than the living nightmare of Augusta), the weekends total of about 7 hour was significantly longer than usual alas, the greatness i aspired to had gone awol.

Things did get off to a promising start on Saturday when the generous staff at The Kirkhouse Inn made me a lovely cup of coffee. Once we got riding though things took a turn for the worse as my flimsy gloves and scrawniness of build meant the sub zero temperatures were hard to bear. My fingers got so cold I was close to vomiting. Fortunately my cycling PA Charlotte was on hand (!) with a warmer set of gloves. These, paired with Duggies wise call to take a coffee and cake stop at Aberfoyle, allowed me to get some feeling back in my hands. The rest of the ride was great, pretty leisurely and scenic, lots of fun and good banter. Photos from the ride are two posts down. Thanks to everyone present for making it such a fun ride and to Duggie for some excellent cycling tips.

Sunday was another bike ride (first time I've cycled two days in a row, legs felt fine although bum was a little touchy on first contact with saddle), accompanied by my faithful PA Charlotte, this time responsible for getting my overshoes on. Some would regard this as an easy task, i'm not one off them. Once Charlotte explained I didn't need to unscrew my cleats to put them on things did speed up and we got out on the Coulport Loop.

Lovely morning, sunny and still, good steady pace, nothing crazy. Got out close to Coulport and the road was closed so our only real option was to climb the dreaded Peaton Hill (17% gradient). Much moaning and groaning ensued, washed down with gels, before we commenced the assault on the hill. It was tough, think my heart rate stayed in check but the legs were going. Both made it to the top unscathed, great sense of euphoria before Charlotte kamikazed back down to the loch side, followed gingerly by me. Followed the route back round to Faslane, up in to Glen Fruin (which didn't seem half as hard as usual after Peaton Hill) and back to Rhu. Garmin stats are in post below.

Swam this morning with Mr Forbes. 2.5k set, lots of short, fastish stuff, arms felt gubbed as they generally do for some reason in the morning. Girls had a morning off, tut tut tut!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Peaton Hill Loop- ouch- 14th Feb

2010-02-15T13:55:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Peaton Hill Loop- ouch- 14th Feb

The Lanza Cut

2010-02-13T16:32:00.003Z

you'll need to catch me at training to see the quality end result

GTC Bike Ride- 13th Feb

2010-02-13T16:17:00.002Z

dougie and gemma approach top of the world

craig and ewan successfully attempt the gayest pose ever

charlotte and david pretend they are not tired and cold, great views

this makes it all worthwhile- coffee and cake

Jacket Off- Jo vs Ewan

2010-02-13T16:13:00.003Z

Start your votes for who is wearing this seasons bang on trend mens jacket best- Jo vs Ewan.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Group Ride with GTC- Aberfoyle, Top of World- 13th Feb

2010-02-13T16:02:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Group Ride with GTC- Aberfoyle, Top of World- 13th Feb

11th Feb

2010-02-11T18:31:00.003Z

Another beautiful morning run, freezing cold (bout -2 at kick off) but clear blue sky and quality sunrise, i felt almost inspired at the top of the hill climb a couple of k's in. Said hello to my new friends around the same spot, two Shetland ponies and a squad of dirty sheep, while taking the pic above.

8k all in, usual big climb at the start then flat or down hill the rest of the way. Check out the Garmin stats in the previous post. Felt pretty tired considering I've come off a rest week and had two rest days this week- boo.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Hill House Loop- 11th Feb 2010

2010-02-11T15:07:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Hill House Loop- 11th Feb 2010

4th - 9th Feb

2010-02-09T10:29:00.009Z

Pre-swim ginger afro in good order.

Thursday was the supposedly recovery week at running, the time spent running was down but the tempo certainly wasn't with Big Brian and another gunning it off the front and the rest of us scattered along the pavement in the distance. Heart rate sneaked in to the 180s i reckon, possibly not ideal for recovery?

Friday was a swim session that looked like it wasn't going to happen when a group of us met at the Glasgow Uni pool, got changed and poolside only to discover it was closing in 15 minutes for the canoe club. Back in to civilian clothing, in the car, minus one, on to Scotstoun for, roughly, 3k swim set, the bulk of which was 300 reps. Good squad out with Ken 'Gambrino' Owen, Chris 'i don't swim down the middle of the lane, honest!' Hay, Brian and I left in Ele's wake as usual.

Post swim we had a farewell dinner for our good friend Chris, who is heading out to sunny Australia for the next year. He should be in good nick when he gets back what with the weather and training conditions out there. He's also got a few tasty races lined up- the Perth to Rottness swim and the Busselton 70.3 that I know of.

I reckon we gave him a solid send off, excellent food and drink, dodgy banter and some vintage storytelling from Kendo.

Saturday was some rest.

Sunday, Gemma and I went out on the Coulport loop (see garmin below). Nice steady pace, relaxing ride. Gemma was not loving the climb up in to Glen Fruin mind you, but she made it. I kept telling her after, next time will be easier.

Rest on Monday.

This morning was a surprisingly comfortable swim session with the girls and Bri, some 100s, 200s and a 1200 thrown in for good measure. Getting fitter and faster, bring on open water and the comfort of a bit of neoprene!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Coulport Loop- 7th Feb

2010-02-08T14:05:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Coulport Loop- 7th Feb

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Rhu to Helensburgh and back- 7th Feb

2010-02-08T14:04:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Rhu to Helensburgh and back- 7th Feb

funnny

2010-02-04T10:52:00.001Z

31st Jan + 2nd and 3rd Feb 2010

2010-02-04T10:06:00.004Z

Howdy fans. Completed the last session of a pretty hard week on Sunday with a bike ride on actual roads, outside, in the fresh air. A lot of my detractors will not believe this but it is true, i did cycle outside and I did go up a couple of wee hills (check the Garmin stats below). Photographic evidence will follow when I work out how to get pics from phone to pc (no green screen involved).

Weather was beautiful for the ride on Sunday, blue skies, not much wind and mild compared to what its been like for the past month (and even the last couple of days for that matter). Adorned in my new keep warm kit- thermal tights, arm warmers, thermal mid layer, swanky gore jacket (which Jo PM had the audacity to copy me and buy one, I am her muse i think!), hat etc.. ladeda i headed out all alone and had a fun ride. Still shit at cycling but suppose I can only get better, those gentle slopes of Lanza should be a good test.

All in was about 60k, which for me is a long one, done in about 2.5 hours. I will hope to see some fellow club members and fans join me at some point.

Rest day Monday.

Tuesday. Early morning swim session with the super fast girls and the big Irishman, exclusive Menswear consultant, Brian Forbes.

(Brian was a Tuesday morning swim virgin and was therefore ill prepared for the challenges that faced him that morning. Firstly being chased out of one lane by territorial locals (two middle-aged woman and a man sporting a rather fetching cock duster) for unsportsmanlike behaviou, then having some argy bargy with a little Glaswegian man in the open swim area. All in all a typical introduction to swimming at Scotstoun).

The actual swim set proved a bit easier to negotiate with Brian and I being left in the wake of the girls. Ele, the one armed bandit, even claiming to have passed us while doing single arm drills (we were using both arms!). The main part of the sessions was 600s, tough going, especially with being lapped on numerous occasions, please let it pay off come the summer.

Last night was a killer circuits class at GHK. I was separated from my usual partner in crime, Lewis, for the session and instead had to work hard to avoid total humiliation as my new partner was young and fit and enthusiastic. Ouch, squatting running, burpees, press ups and side planks, one after the other, could barely lift my arms to the wheel as I drove home through the snow afterwards.

This is supposed to be an easy week as well!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Coulport Loop- 31st Jan 2010

2010-02-01T11:02:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Coulport Loop- 31st Jan 2010

27th - 30th January 2010

2010-01-30T11:03:00.003Z

As my mentor Soden pointed out at a recent session, sometimes it is quite a challenge to pad out a blog like this with funny anecdotes etc...mainly because sometimes the training is actually quite serious (boo) and there isn't that much to say other than what the sessions actually were.

This week has fitted in to that category, my hardest week of training so far this year, two swims, two runs, a circuits class and two bikes still to go, all at, by my standards, a high intensity. Fortunately next week is recovery as my back, shoulders and pecs are still aching from Circuits on Wednesday.

My finger is also aching as some clever guy in the lane next to me on Tuesday morning decided to do some mad breaststroke kick as I was pushing off the wall and booted my middle finger, snapping it back and causing much pain and underwater expletives. My ability to extend my middle finger for any sort of gesture or exercise has been hampered all week. Maybe thats why I'm still getting my ass kicked my a couple of girls? (Please come along next week Brian!!!).

I have also been reliably informed by said girls that I did not in fact cover 2.8k, more like 2.5 (?). It definitely felt like more but I'll blame it on post-swim blog writing exhaustion!!!

Wednesday was the usual circuits class at GHK. Easily the hardest session so far, as my still aching limbs are testament to. The usual mix of press ups, squats, planks, tricep dips and some sort of calf raising exercise where my partner and I developed trembling leg syndrome within about 10 seconds. Reckond its doing some good, must be up to a one pack by now on my conquest to eight. The post training recovery of Mccoys Flame Grilled crisps (awesome) and a chocolate milkshake may not be helping me reveal these shy toned abs though.

Thursday was interval running with active recovery with one of the biggest groups I remember seeing out on a club session for a while (25-30 hardened-ish athletes). This big group is great for the club but not so great for trying to pinball through on narrow pavements, i suppose it just adds to the challenge. Great session, one of those that i really felt a lot of benefit from and worked hard during, especially when you've got one young and one old!!! (you know who you are!) guy to chase and a couple of cheeky girls threatening to keep up. Good atmosphere amongst the group as well, very relaxed and motivated. Big thank you to fellow flame haired athlete Alistair for his support during my weekly abuse at the hands of fellow club members!

Out of bed early on Friday, peak pain time from circuits, so swim was pretty uncomfortable. 2.7k, definitely did it all this time, mainly 25s and 50s, trying to build up some speed, strength and higher cadence, did revert to my trusty leg float/ security blanket on occasion as swimming seems alot easier with it. Trying to incorporate more tumble turns in to my sessions, fine in the warm up but as soon as I start to push it a bit I ain't got the breath for them- here be the problem of 15 years of cigarettes and asthma!

This morning was a 5 mile run with a big hill at the start, check out the details from my Garmin in the post below. Was hard, cold and scenic.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Hill House Loop- 30/01/10- am

2010-01-30T11:03:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for Hill House Loop- 30/01/10- am

26th January 2010

2010-01-26T09:54:00.003Z

swim set at sunny scotstoun (7am!!!!!!) (minus Forbes + Napier, tut tut tut)

3k all in, of which i probably managed around 2.8. not bad really and only got lapped once off Ele which is a new record. the real reason for this of course being its hard to get lapped over a bunch of 50s.

As much as Ele's swimming may impress, i think her early morning dress sense will struggle to make the catwalks of Milan, this mornings ensemble consisting of trackies and a rather fetching pair of heels- classy. Jo was rocking a pair of old skool MACKENZIE trackies (wannabe ned me thinks) and was hidden somewhere beneath an oversized baseball cap. I meanwhile looked like an elegant (ginger) milk tray man (apparently).

The track and stadium at Scotstoun, rebuilt I think in preparation for the Commonwealths in 2014 (?), is looking awesome, can't wait to get some sessions on it, just not as early as these damn swim sets, alarm calls at 6 are not good for my beauty sleep!

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for 22/01/10

2010-01-25T17:29:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for
22/01/10

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for 23/01/10

2010-01-25T17:28:00.000Z

Garmin Connect -
Activity Details for
23/01/10

Ginger Prince Omnibus

2010-01-25T12:29:00.004Z

Following in the footsteps of other (great) dramas today I am writing my first omnibus edition blog. This is due to the fact I have been in deepest Perthshire for the past few days, where internet access is about as easy to come by as a pair of cycling legs for me.

Plus points of Perthshire were quiet roads for running and cycling, stunning scenery for inspiration and, at the hotel we were at, the Ardeonig, beautiful food, accommodation and top whiskey and wine.

Training over the days away was mainly running, a 45 min hilly effort with bro and his girlfried from Rhu to Helensburgh on Thursday and another hilly one (60 mins) along Loch Tay early doors on Friday.

Part of the weekend was spent in Aberfeldy and Kenmore , where I recreated the Aberfeldy Half Ironman highlights of last year for Bro, Girlfriend and Parents. Those highlights being me missing the swim start, mainly due to a fuzzy head after the previous nights champagne and

donner kebab combination, Chris Hays dishevelled finish to the Bike Leg and Brian Forbes vomiting for most of the afternoon after his run.

Back home on Saturday, an hour on the turbo, not exciting, some shit programme about dancing, though Cat Deeley was looking good.

Sunday was a short lived turbo and a 30 min easy run to round off a fun week. Better get some swimming in next week or I'm going to be getting even more hammered than I am at the moment.

Post-walk ankle injury, only way to fix it- Aberfeldy whiskey!!!

I have acquired a Garmin forerunner from a generous club member. I've started to work out how to use it and will start to add maps and stuff to blog once software is installed. Some will be shocked to hear my heart rate hit 184! on Thursdays run.

19th January 2010

2010-01-20T18:16:00.003Z

don't fear fans, i'm still here in case you were worrying about me. Been pretty busy so no time to entertain the masses. Managed to squeeze in a couple of minutes now though to tide you over until i'm back from Perthshire on Monday.

Swam yesterday morning, kicked Ele and Jo's ass (not), developed a number of new nicknames, something to do with a splinter??? and decided to call Jo Joanne, she prefers it apparently.

Session was about 2800m, i prob managed about 2600 due to lappings by the girls, main set was 4 x 400m, they were swimming them in bout 5.3o i was more like 6.30...very tiring but felt great for the rest of a very long day at work.

Circuits tonight, time to get a core

16th and 17th January 2010

2010-01-18T10:43:00.003Z

Training wise not much of great excitement to report- 1 hour turbo on Saturday night (12 x 4 min steady, 1 min hard), 45min tempo run in the hills Sunday morning and another turbo on Sunday night (6 x 8 min steady, 2 min hard).

The run on Sunday was pretty good fun, sun shone, starts with a killer hill for the first 10-12 minutes, absolute agony but then the rest is fairly flat or downhill. Runs on a trail from Rhu to Helensburgh, coming out at Charles Rennie Mackintoshs Hill House.

Did manage to faceplant at one point on the run due to an icy stile, feet went from under me as I clambered over it and went face first in to what was a shit/mud/ice combo, not a good look as I ran back through Helensburgh.

Trail shoes are predominantly living up to my expectations, comfy, good stability and good grip (other than on icy stiles)- their Adidas Riot 2's.

Great to see a Scot winning on the 70.3 circuit over the weekend- Fraser Cartmell in South Africa.

Rest of weekend was spent assembling my new bike workstand (elite something off wiggle) and then putting it to good use, cleaning my road and mtb bikes, they are sparkling. The workstand is great, not expensive but really sturdy.

15th January 2010

2010-01-16T13:29:00.002Z

Contrary to my initial thoughts, the swim session yesterday was actually hard. This may be something to do with the company I was keeping. You see, Ken, Vicky and David actually seem to train in a disciplined manner with short rests where as I have a tendency to allow myself leisurely breaks between reps if i'm a bit tired. Needless to say, by the end of the warm up yesterday I was hanging.

Session was 2300m, something like the following-

8 x 50m

4 x 100m

6 x 150m

8 x 50m

8 x 25m

4 x 50m.

General feedback from fellow swimmers being that I'm swimming at the same pace all the time and should be pushing harder on short stuff, think their right!

Double Whammy- 13th & 14th January 2010

2010-01-15T13:08:00.004Z

The pressure to produce an entertaining and informative blog is increasing in line with my growing number of adoring fans. The word seems to be spreading about this humble diary of mine and I'm honored to be putting across my (true) stories.

Training on the 13th was a circuits class at GHK led by Guvnor McKay. It consisted of 3 sets of around 12 exercises, one minute on one minute off. Exercises included tricep dips, planks (my particular favourite), side planks, press ups, sit ups, shuttle runs, burpees (agggony!), bridges and skipping. Decent turn out and quite good fun. Still sore from it today.

Special mention must go to debutant Gemma K for her effort in trying to beat me at the plank and for taking the piss out of Lewis and my feeble attempts at press ups on the swiss ball,

serious disco bellies as David W would say.

LETS TARGET THOSE ABS, YEAH!

Back to the comfort zone last night (14th)- running speedwork, again with Guvnor Mckay at the helm. Good turn out again and a good session for keeping the group together. 3 x 1k loop around the icy streets of Knightswood, split in to 30/ 60/ 90 sec efforts with the same time to return back to the group before the next rep. After the speed work a few of us also put in a cheeky 30 min steady run.

We're up to about 10 athletes for the national relays, another two and we've got three teams to enter, wicked.

I'd also like to honor fellow blogger Fiona with a mention after reading her excellent article on the best middle distance tri's for the coming year in 220 magazine, good job (think you'll need to buy a copy as I couldn't find article on the website).

12th January 2010- Ginger Phelps

2010-01-13T10:23:00.005Z

Bleary eyed and with empty (flat) stomach I had a swim session this morning with Ele and Jo. Jo was well pumped up for it and went flying off with Ele in hot pursuit and me labouring along behind.

Can't remember the set too well, suffice to say it was about 2.5k with 2 x 400 in the middle, some 50s and 100s at the start and 6 x 50 kick at the end.

Once I was over the usual shock of being out of bed at 6am, enjoyed the session, these will definitely be of benefit in the summer. My physique is improving dramatically as you can see...

Spoke to the girls about doing National Relays in the Summer, which is supposed to be a great event. So far looks like we should have at least 2 or 3 teams from Glasgow Triathlon Club going, with a bit of a boys vs girls theme, we'll kick their ass!

10th January 2010

2010-01-11T18:06:00.005Z

Motivation to run on my only day off is a challenge. When there is a thick blanket of snow and ice the challenge increases exponentially and logistically. In Scotland it has been coldsnowice a lot recently so one i had to employ my herd (?) of wild horses to get me out the door to Glen Fruin, near Helensburgh for my usual long Sunday run.

I think it is about 10 - 12 miles from the start at Glen Fruin, just above Helensburgh, right through the Glen coming out at the bottom of Faslane Naval base and then back to the Gucci Suite in Rhu. Fairly comfy run with a few hills thrown in, especially at the far end of the Glen, legs were like concrete by the end 1hr 40 plodding along does that to me.

8th and 9th January 2010

2010-01-09T17:08:00.005Z

Friday night does not equal alcohol, dodgy dancing and kebabs anymore. No, it entails finishing work late, getting home and sweating on a stationery bike for an hour, without even anything exciting to watch on TV, unless you thrive on watching a bunch of z-list celebrities prancing around in mankinis (although i did have a penchance for the pink one). I think The Wire boxset could be getting purchased very soon.

The upside of no alcohol, dodgy dancing and kebabs on a Friday night is that I can actually function at a reasonable level on a Saturday. Therefore I had the pleasure of a swim set at the Glasgow Uni pool this morning with a bunch of other folk from Glasgow Tri Club (Vicky, Ken, Brian and our soon to be exiled Chris). Was a long set by my standards, 3400m all in, going something like this-

4 x 100

1 x 800

8 x 100

4 x 50

8 x 25

4 x 100 warm down

Sauna'd and showered we recovered at Ketchup in Aston Lane. Was great for burgers and milkshake- chocolate and banana mmm

This is my bike

2010-01-08T17:20:00.004Z

This is my bike. There are many like it but this one is mine. My bike is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my bike is useless. Without my bike I am useless. I must pedal my bike true. I must pedal harder than my competition, who are trying to beat me. I must overtake him before he overtakes me. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my bike and myself are defenders of my ego, we are the masters of our competitiors, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until there is no season left, but peace. Amen.

7th January 2010

2010-01-08T12:58:00.006Z

Me and my fellow Glasgow Triathlon Club members took part in a nice ice speed skating session around GHK last night. Amidst treachorous road conditions we were contained to the rugby pitches, the actual rugby players were conspicious by their absence. Triathletes are obviously tougher!?

8 x 2-2.30min reps off 3.30 with active recovery, fairly rapid and slippy with strange frog marching exercises and ali g impressions between, as recommended by the Tommy Mckay.

Peter Soden made a last minute bid for a place on Dancing On Ice with his triple plie on the penultimate rep, unfortunately there was no cameras there to capture it but I have it taped to memory- classic. I'm sure Peter will have words with his agent though and try to sort something out!

Good effort for as many club members as there were being out as I reckon it must have been in the region of -5?

Felt good during the session, fitness is definitely improving- beware.

6th January 2010

2010-01-07T12:06:00.005Z

Not perhaps the most exciting session of my life tonight- 1 hour on the turbo, plodding along with the odd bit of effort and perspiration- until The Worlds Strongest Man came on Bravo, awesome.

Derek Poundstone vs the diminutive Jimmy Marku from England (although he sounded suspiciously Eastern European). Those guys do some crazy stuff, pulling lorrys and carrying cars, so when i see them straining uinder the weight of a citroen saxo it makes the mild flutter from my heart scaling the hights of maybe 150 seem quite insignificant!

Compare and contrast photos- i've got a long way to go for muscle mass, bet he's rubbish at swimming though!

5th January 2010

2010-01-05T12:11:00.005Z

Well, it was an early start today! Decided that I should start swimming at 7am on a Tuesday morning as I'm rested after Monday off.

After a long drive through the non-gritted, mean streets of Glasgow I arrived at Scotstoun to be greeted by a cold pool but warm company- in the name of Elie Haresign and Jo Parker Morgan.

Unfortunately for me their pace during warm down was faster than my 50m reps, got a long way to go before summer!

So, 2500m done, of which there was 32 x 50m thrown in, the quickest was about 35 secs (not!).

Can I keep getting up this early I say to myself as I nod off at the keyboard zzzzzzz.

oh yeah, my girlfriend came along as well, check her out!!!

Augusta '09 Memorabilia

2010-01-04T17:44:00.004Z

Yes, it is true, i did get my name published in The Augusta Chronicle (a wonderful example of quality journalism) and yes i did complete a half ironman there, half dead but i completed it- yee haa! I nearly beat Daniel Kowal from Florida but I did beat Tim Hayse from Chatanooga, result!

Heart Rate 169- oh yeah!!!!

2010-01-04T17:36:00.003Z

for all the non-believers that say I don't ever gett my heart rate over a 100, check it out!!!

2nd + 3rd January 2010

2010-01-04T17:19:00.003Z

pretty boring training to report. 2nd was an hour on the turbo watching vintage Worlds Strongest Man- the days of Geoff Capes and John Pall Sigmarsson. They were in New Zealand and got all the traditional ceremonies performed in front of them, including the haka- its the first time I've seen Maoris look a bit scared as they faced off against 8 seriously big guys, including Sigmarsson who spent the whole routine taking the piss out of them. Anyway, pedal, pedal, pedal, sometimes fast, sometimes slow and it was over. I sweated a lot so I guess it was doing some good.

3rd Jan went for a run from Rhu to Helensburgh, up Station Road, across the hills at the back, which was more ice skating than running as pic demonstrates, two falls later, one in front of a couple of attractive females and I was out at Hill House and on my way back through Helensburgh to Rhu, 5 miles in aboot 45 mins, jesus, I'm screwed for Nigel Barge 10k

1st January 2010

2010-01-01T14:08:00.009Z

Hi, its the start of 2010 and also, coincidentally, the start of my blog. Not really sure why i'm going to write this, apart from the fact I like the sound of my own voice!, but it should be fun.

As often as I can I'm going to post about my training for triathlon, leading up to a number of races in the summer, those most likely to be:

Stirling Sprint Triathlon
Lochore Sprint Triathlon
Strathclyde Standard Triathlon
Gullane Standard Triathlon
London Triathlon
National Relays
A half ironman somewhere warm toward the end of the year if I'm feeling ok, maybe aberfeldy if i can develop biking legs.

Thrown in with these will be some running races, the first of which, Nigel Barge 10k, is on the 9th January in Glasgow, open water swims, Great Scottish at Strathclyde park, and possibly even some cycling events!!!

2009 was a good year for me, with improvements in all the events I entered.

The two main ones being The London Triathlon and my first (and at the time I believed to be only) half ironman in Augusta, USA. At London, I improved my time from 2:25 to 2:17. If I go this year I'd like to go around 2:10 to 2:12.

The plan at Augusta was to just get round, which I did in apprx 5:20- it was tough, extremely hot and humid and i realised pretty soon in to it that the training I had done was nowhere near enough. The heat can be exemplified quite clearly by my burning flesh on the photo on the right, taken at some point during a rather uncomfortable and slow 13.1 miles.

Anyway, lets get on with this year, I'm Ewan aka the Ginger Prince, Glasgow Triathlon Club member ready to do some exercise