Coming to that conclusion meant that I needed to become a coached athlete, again. After considerable thought, I decided to contact Jason Battle, at Performance Coach Me and seek his help.
The reason I went to a new coach, was no fault of my previous coach, but based on the fact that Jason is local to me, and, with the amount of new challenges I have ahead of me, en route to my first Long Course event, it makes sense, to have someone I can interact more with.
So, I am now 18 days into my new training plan, and, after a sticky start (shitty cold), I feel that I am progressing well.
An unexpected surprise dropped in my lap a few days ago, due to a late cancellation, I once again had the opportunity to return to Easton & Otley College, to undergo a VO2 Max test on the treadmill, to give us figures to assist with my running training.
A great pleasure to meet up with Russell Board again, and a few of his students.
Once the information has been received it will be absorbed into the plan and I'll just keep at it.
This is the first season that I have been given strength sessions at the gym. Now, I use dot love the gym and weight training, prior to my cycling started, and I greeted this opportunity with great enthusiasm, so much so, that the following DOMS stopped me training for three painful days!
I am also doing 'voluntary' upper body/ core development, too, as want to maintain a balance of strength throughout my body.
Another recent surprise was my complete disregard for my own safety, when I entered Round 2 at G8 Events MTB Winter Series!...
This saw me dragging myself out of bed on a drizzly 13th December, last Sunday, for a (thankfully) short drive to Santon Downham, to compete in the 2 hour Grand Veteran category.
A very muddy race. I managed to slip, slide and slither my way around for 4 laps, with just a couple of 'offs', caused by others falling in front of me.
More worryingly, I think it has rekindled my love of MTB riding/ racing, which can only mean more expense ahead!
I have also just about finished entering all my chosen races for next season (with the exception of one!)
I may well add a few more, as yet. But, they'll be 'C' races, used to check fitness, or break monotony.
So far, we have:
BAM Nutall Freethorpe 10 RR - 31/01/2016.
Broadland Half Marathon - 13th March 2016.
Manchester Marathon - 10th April 2016.
East Coast Triathlon - 17/04/2016.
Grafman Middle Distance Tri - 22/05/2016.
Fritton Standard Triathlon (Eastern Champs) - 19/07/2016.
Gosfield Sprint Tri (Eastern Champs) - 3/07/2016.
Outlaw Full - 24/07/2016.
Ely Monster Middle Tri (Eastern Champs) - 21/08/2016.
IM Wales - 18/09/2016.
Hopefully(!), I may be adding a marathon in the first quarter of the year, too, but we'll see how that pans out...
Then there's also the newly rekindled love of MTB, so may be a few more dirty races to come... Perhaps leading to a shot at XTERRA for 2017...
