Full time Dad, Part time Triathlete

Hi Ho HI Ho it's off to work we go......

2018-01-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

So after the realities of weeks 1-4 of the Ironman training plan the time to go back to work was looming LARGE!! This would be the first real test of how realistic this whole ironman lark is going to be.....

The triathlon gods were looking out for me at the beginning of week 5, my return to work........ As I prepared to go back our saviour, Mary Poppins arrived through the door to fill the huge void that super dad would be leaving.... Mmmmmm.

The arrival of Steph

Ok, it wasn't actually Ms Poppins but she was a bloody close double.... Caroline's big sister, Steph had booked a few days off work to come and help us whilst we got back to the reality of me being at work again. Now personally, I am not convinced my contributions were going to be missed around the house but having big sis around certainly made the world a better place...... Emmie was on her best behaviour, slept when it was time to sleep and after turning my back for only a few hours the house had been cleaned from top to bottom!!! I didn't want to make a scene at the time but this slightly annoyed me as I wanted to do that ; )
Seriously though, Thank you SO much to Steph for coming over, giving up her time to help us through what could have been a difficult time.

The Monday evening for me was just a big bag pack fest! I had decided that I could utilise my commute to work to conduct a large portion of my sessions between Mon - Fri, this resulted in me needing to pack enough clothes and food to take to work for the week on the Monday so that I would not have to be lumping large ruck sacks in and out on a daily basis. After much deliberation, packing and unpacking I was ready for the next 4 days. The commute is approx 10km, this was perfect for some sessions but others I would have to add extra on my way home, still this meant that once I got home I could undertake my dad duties without distraction.

This is how the week looked:

Monday - Rest day - Drive to and from work

Tuesday - 06:00 Drive to the pool for a swim session - Work - 45min Z2 Run home from work.

Wednesday - Cycle to work - Work - Cycle home, 30min Z2 then straight out on to a 15min Z2 Run.

Thursday - Cycle to work - Work - Cycle home, 45min Z2 Trail Ride - GreenlightPT Swim Squad

Friday - Run to work, 1hour Z2 - Work - Drive home with a 4 days worth of dirty clothes : )

Saturday - Long Ride 1:45 Z2

Sunday - Long Run 1:00 Z1-2

This for me was a huge positive, yes it meant some very early starts when it was dark and wet, a quick turn around between the Thursday night Swim Squad and Friday Morning run but if this is what is needed then that is good with me. Over the last 3 weeks since coming home from hospital with Mrs H and Emmie I have so far managed to complete all planned sessions, long may that continue.
I learnt a few things last week which I will change going into this week, mostly to do with the nutrition I took in for the week. So, this morning I headed in with what felt like twice as much food as last along with a few more clothes.

Garmin Calendar, last 3 weeks:

Now the bonus of early starts and late finishes you get to see some fantastic sunrises, sunsets and some crazy skylines in the night, all this and it doesn't cost a penny. You don't have to be out doing the kind of things I am but it is certainly worth getting yourselves out in to the great outdoors to enjoy it once in a while, here is one photo I took whilst on my trail ride home on Thursday:

Ouse Valley Park Sunset

None of this would be able to happen with out the full support of Mrs H, she is doing an amazing job with our daughter and I am hugely grateful that she is supporting me in achieving my goals whilst doing all she is at home, its most likely due to the fact she knows what a grumpy git I am if I sit still for longer than half an hour!! ; )

So Mrs H, if you manage to read this between baby duties I would just like to say a huge public THANK YOU!!

They say Sleep, when they sleep.....

2018-01-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

Nope, when they sleep, I train....... or, am preparing to train.

Still VERY early days, and I know things are going to get tough over the coming months when the volume and intensity increase. For now though, here are a few things that I find help me manage my time and commitments allowing me to train:

planning ahead - I have found by having the next days sessions prepared it makes it easier cometh the hour. By preparing I mean having my kit laid out for the intended sessions, having my Garmin charged and any routes uploaded, bike tyre pressures checked, lights charged and a rough time planned for when I can fit the session in. All of these only take 5 minutes, but come the following day they allow you to focus on and enjoy the training.
Rollers - At the moment a large portion of my bike session are 1 hour or less, so for these I have been setting my rollers up in the kitchen and getting it done indoors. This also allows me to be on hand should I be required for any "dad duties", I can just press pause, jump off the bike and help out with whatever is needed before jumping back on and continuing with the session. On Sunday morning I spent 1 hour 45 minutes on these bad boys, now that is a long bloody time on rollers, unlike a turbo trainer I can't stand up so am permanently seated so my ass was throbbing like a good un by the time I got off!! To keep me company throughout I watched an awesome film documentary called Bicycle dreams, a very inspiring watch for any endurance athlete or cyclist, it's like it was filmed for me as it was the same length as my planned ride : )
Time management - This is very flexible of course, but it does help by planning around Emmie and Mrs H as to when it is best to train. For instance, I did the night shift on Monday evening and when Emmie woke up for her morning feed Mrs H took over and I drove straight to the pool for my Swim session, with Mrs H doing the feeding I am a bit of spare part at feed time anyway so this works for all of us. When I return to work I will be using my commute to get my runs done as well as my shorter bike session, this will also be good to get some trail running in along with mixing the riding up on my cross bike.

Emmie Squats - Today, Monday 15th is a rest day so really I shouldn't have been doing anything, but.... I was stood with a screaming child in my arms this morning, whilst I stood there calmly contemplating what military grade ear defenders would be best to buy myself as a treat I lifted Emmie high in the air, and she calmed. Mmmm, so I lowered her and raised her and she seemed to like this, not to miss an opportunity I decided to do a squat with her, which turned in to 3 sets of 20 squats : ) This was great, but even I can only do so many squats before my legs begin to buckle! So I am going to devise a little body weight plan that we can do together, both having a little fun and keeping fit..... Thanks Emmie.

Week 3

Week 3 if you remember was to be my first full week of training since the arrival of Baby hodge, 9 sessions planned which looked like this:

Now admittedly, I am not back at work yet so this will become even more challenging next week when I return to work, but I have plans in place for that. Also at this early stage of the training plan the sessions are not too long and the intensity is low, this means recovery is quicker allowing you to be ready for the second session of the day or tomorrow's training.

So this week was made up of:

2 x Swim sessions

3 x Bike sessions

4 x Run sessions

To my surprise, I achieved 100% success! Not without it's challenges though, we had unexpected illnesses, hospital visits, visits and then just the obvious that Emmie doesn't understand my schedule so throws in the odd curveball like a poonami as you are about to walk out the door, or wakes when she SHOULD be sleeping!! Saturday was spent in hospital with Mrs H who had a temperature of 39 degrees, on my long ride day of all days, so selfish!! This led to me swapping my long ride and run sessions around, so on return from hospital I went out on a 1 hour dark o clock trail run guided by head torch.......But here is how the week finished:

Tri club swim sessions

If ever you want to improve your swimming, Google searches will tell you to 'join a tri club' as it's a great way to develop, well it is right! I swim every Thursday at 21:00 with GreenlightPT and I am absolutely loving it, although it is late in the evening I really look forward to these Coached sessions. Very well structured, great company and good fun.

I have always swam but mainly on my own and it gets pretty dull, sometimes hard to motivate yourself and so easy to just back off when you don't feel it is going as planned.

So if you are looking to improve your swim, or join a Triathlon club, just do it! I have been fortunate to have trained with some cracking clubs as I have moved around, here are some suggestions if you are looking:

Milton Keynes - GreenlightPT

Hillingdon - Hillingdon Triathletes

Solihull - Solihull Triathlon

All of the above are super friendly and offer structured training for ALL abilities whilst at the same time meeting some great people.

I will leave it there for now, Dad duties call : )

So this could be more challenging than I thought!

2018-01-08T18:03:00.000-08:00

Tuesday - 02:00 - Sat on the sofa, eating a Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle, praying the baby that has just gone down does not wake.... Not sure Jan Frodeno will be doing the same!

I don't even know when I wrote my last blog, I am that tired..... and she is only 4 days old!!!

On January 4th we were blessed with the safe, healthy arrival of, Emmie. This was 5 days after Mrs H was admitted to hospital, 4 pretty sleepless nights on the maternity ward, or the holding pen for expecting mothers waiting for a gap in the really busy labour ward!! Our turn arrived on the 3rd January at 8am and we were so pleased to get off that ward, I am common as muck but some of these people made me look and feel upper class, well, maybe middle class then. Little Emmie arrived 25 hours later on January 4th at 09:10 : )

As we chilled in our room waiting for battle stations I think Mrs H was getting a tad fed up of my references to how Pregnancy/labour is similar to endurance sports!! I still think it is, you train for a long bloody time (the pregnancy) and then comes the main event where it bloody hurts!! (the labour)

It does frustrate me slightly when I hear people, at events and not in a labour ward, say "I just want it to be over" or "I can't wait to finish"

You have probably committed 6 months (9 for Mrs H) Training, preparing for this event which YOU signed up for, and then when you get to the money shot, you want it over???? Makes no sense to me, I want to enjoy every moment of my £400+ entry fee.
Before I get slated by all of you lovely ladies, I am not saying you should sit back and enjoy labour, in fact I have said many times this week after our own experiences that you are ALL warriors for going through that! But at the end of the event/labour, when you get to sit back and take a moment, you wouldn't change it for the world!!

During the week we were spending all of our time at the hospital, and not once was I thinking, what about my training? Honestly! Well maybe a little bit..... It's week 2 of base training so I am not overly concerned. On the Monday night I got home from hospital at 01:30 so thought I would seize the opportunity, alarm set for 05:30, Running by 05:45, walking the dogs in my running kit by 06:30 and back at MK hospital for 07:30..... I just want to prove to myself that I can still get things done.

By the time we got home on January 5th we were both hanging out, nothing to do with looking after children, that is still to come, just the sheer exhaustion from trying to sleep on a ward with 5 other women all of whom had their own little noise maker!!! I got out for a 40min run the day after we got home from hospital which was nice, just to be out in the fresh air putting one foot in front of the other.

So what next? We are now home from hospital and settling into a routine, if you can call it that! We do what we need to do, when the baby needs it, and we do what WE need to do, when the baby allows us to!

Week 3 of training started today, with a rest day thankfully. Tomorrow is the first real test, I have a swim session planned for the morning and a run in the afternoon. My Swim bag is packed and my run kit is laid out, all I have to do now is get my ass to the pool in the morn and go for a run once my parents have been to visit their new Granddaughter.

Wow, was just interrupted there by a noise in my ear for an hour, a noise that could be used on SAS selection to really wear people down over a short period of time when fatigued..... She is 3 days old and 6lbs, yet makes the noise of an adult Chimpanzee!!!

Totally lost my trail of thought now? That child and me will be having words about when it is time to cry and when it is not : )

For now, Lets see how this week goes..... 8 hours total this week, lets go!!!

Training for an Iron distance triathlon, with a new born baby!

2017-12-30T05:58:00.002-08:00

I am actually writing this from Ward 9 of the Maternity unit in Milton Keynes University Hospital, whilst my good wife is induced with our first (only) child, well I have to fill the time somehow right? A fairly sterile environment, apart from ten ton Tessie coughing her guts up every 5 minutes in the bay next to us, but I guess I should be prepared for a regular dose of interruptions from when baby Hodge arrives.......

When Caroline was well into her pregnancy I mentioned that I would not race long distance in 2018 due to the fact we were expecting a baby early in January, mainly due to the reason of us dealing with a newborn baby. Mrs H caught me slightly off guard with her response of "why not? I am off work for 11 months so it's perfect time for you to train"

Well what more of an invite does a man need????? Basically I have a nanny whilst I train, get in!!! I wish, I Intend to be the best Dad I can whilst training for an Iron Distance Triathlon.

And that was it, I entered the Outlaw full distance Triathlon at the end of July 2018

Oh and the Grafman Half distance in May : )

So, the reason I thought I would Blog about it is to share my experiences of training with a new born baby. Most people I have come across in the last few months that I have discussed entering the race with was met with "really?" or "with a baby?". This made me wonder if I had done the right thing? Was it a bad decision? Oh god it's going to be hard! But surely there are people out there in the world of endurance sports that have tougher circumstances than myself, people that travel with work for instance, people with high pressured jobs, deadlines or families of their own.

So I figured it must all come down to how much I want it, I WILL find a way to make it work.

As per my previous Ironman races at IMUK and IM Wales I will be following the Don Fink Competitive training plan, 30 weeks long which will consist of 10 weeks base phase, 10 weeks build phase and a 10 week peak phase. I have just finished week one, which started on Christmas day, being a Monday it was thankfully a rest day : ) I got all of this weeks (week 1) sessions in by Saturday as this was the day Caroline would be induced, I even got up for a 06:30 Run on the induction day as we had to leave for hospital at 08:00.

We have been in and out of hospital all last week, with a couple of overnight stays for poor Mrs H. This was a good early test of what is to come with having to change my plans. On Wednesday for instance I had a short BRICK session to do, only 45 minutes which I had planned to do in the afternoon when we returned from a routine check up. Well it turned out not to be routine and resulted in myself getting home at 21:30 and Mrs H with an overnight stay, the easy option was to postpone the session but instead I decided to get it done, the bike was done on my rollers before heading out into the freezing cold night air for a short run. I felt good for getting it done and also helped me cement the fact that I will, on many occasions just have to find a way and motivate myself when the easy option is to skip the session.

The next few days could be difficult but to be honest, they are all about the safe, healthy arrival of the little one and getting them both home. I have 2 days off training now so if the Mrs would be kind enough to get a wriggle on then that would be just awesome.

Babies don't really do routine in the early months do they, so I guess my plan will be similar in regards to flexibility. I have roughly a 10km commute to work so can use that for many of my run sessions and build in my shorter cycle sessions to that too, I have my rollers at home which I can use although any form of indoor cycling saps the will to live out of me! But, if it means I can get it done, then that is what I will do. The only fixed session I have is Swim Squad with GreenlightPT, I have really enjoyed training here so that is one thing that will definitely be staying!!

I have looked into running buggies and bike seats but the baby won't be old enough to go in these before the Outlaw event, so I guess I will just have to do it all again next year to see if these are any good! ; )

If I am honest with myself, I have no idea how this is going to pan out. I imagine there will be many bumps along the way, mood swings from missing sessions, but also many fun times with our new addition. Either way, and whatever happens, it will be an interesting journey from here to the start line in July.

Hope you all have a fantastic New Year and Best Wishes for 2018

A year in Pink!

2015-11-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

Not my weekend clothes I would like to start with..... Throughout 2016 I have decided to raise money for Cancer Research, I am pretty sure that most people that read this will have either gone through, or will have known somebody that has had to deal with this dreadful disease. I have raised funds for numerous charities over the last 10 years or so, and normally it is the smaller charities that tend to get forgotten about or find it hard to raise money.

This time however I have chosen what is probably one of the countries leading charities, Cancer Research UK, why? Well firstly, Cancer scares the shit out of me and hope we never have to meet! Secondly I have family and close friends that have either suffered, or are currently battling this evil, thirdly, I probably won't see a cure in my lifetime but I would like to think WE did everything we could to help find a care for our children and future generations.

So how will I achieve my goal, what will I be doing? Well I can't actually do it alone, I will hopefully achieve my target with the help of all you, friends and family. My intention is to raise money by doing a number of events, getting progressively harder throughout 2016 which will test my body to it's limits, put ME out of my comfort zone and make me earn YOUR support. Throughout all events I will be wearing the colours of Cancer Research UK, my chosen events are all entered and paid for by myself, I am not asking for donations to cover my race entry, all monies will go direct to Cancer Research UK via my just giving page.

The plan so far.....

28 Feb 2016 - Cambridge Half Marathon - 13.2 Miles

10 Apr 2016 - Manchester Marathon - 26.2 Miles

28 May 2016 - London 2 Brighton Ultra Marathon - 62.1 Miles

26 Jun 2016 - Ironman Austria - Swim 2.4 Miles Bike 112 Miles Run 26.2 Miles

10 Sep 2016 - Brutal Iron Distance Triathlon - Swim 2.4 Miles Bike 112 Miles Run 26.2 Miles ??

The Ultra Marathon will be the first time I will have attempted to run further than a marathon distance, 26.2 miles. At the moment I have no idea no idea how I am going to drag my ageing ass 62 miles or 100km from London to Brighton! That said, this is the reason I have selected these challenges and I chose to take them on, Cancer sufferers do not get that choice.

I have done a couple of Iron distance races in the last few years, but this time I am not going to settle for finishing, I will training and pushing as hard as I can to finish in sub 12 hours!

The half and full marathon races should not be underestimated though, these are still races and distances that need to be respected and will play a massive part in the success in the latter events.

The Brutal Extreme Triathlon is a different beast all together, an Iron Distance race at the foot of Mount Snowdon within the Snowdonia National Park, Wales. Yes it is an Iron distance race but the terrain and weather make this BRUTAL, not to mention the freezing water in the Lake Padarn! :o

So that pretty much sums up my year, please feel free to support me along the way, it's going to be a hell of year!

I set out an initial fundraising target of £1000, within 1 week of putting the page on Facebook I received £280 of generous donations thank you so much to those amazing donation which are all greatly appreciated!! Hopefully over the next 10 months we can smash that target : )

If you wish to make a donation to Cancer Research at any stage then please visit my JustGiving web page: https://www.justgiving.com/LeeHodge/ All donations will be greatly appreciated and help us make a difference!

Thank you for taking the time to read..... I will be updating the blog with my progress in regards to both my training and fundraising progress.

Ironman UK 2015 Race Report

2015-07-22T09:22:00.001-07:00

It's been a tough 7 months building up to IMUK but I got myself to the start line, with a little help from my family and friends, so here is how the race panned out for me.....

Race day -2

We travelled to our host for the weekend who had, in response to an Ironman advert, kindly offered to "host a pro athlete" for the race! Haha I wish, Ric is an awesome friend who has accommodated us for the last three years as we have either raced or supported at Ironman UK, I can see the hate in his eyes when he comes down the stairs at 0230 on race day ; ) Seriously though, we thank you for everything you do and it is much appreciated, enjoy your post race recovery mate!

On Friday we headed to The Macron Stadium, the home of the mighty Bolton Wanderers Football Club, this is where T2 was situated along with the event expo and race briefing. I love this part of any event as the atmosphere is buzzing with race anticipation and nerves, it is the reality that race day is nearly here. We spent a hour in the expo and local retail park arming ourselves with umbrellas for the potential race day rain which lay ahead, and boy did it rain!!

Race day -1

Saturday morning we headed over to T1 at Pennington Flash to rack my trusty Roo, on arrival I thought we were looking out to sea as the flash was that rough, the wind was really whipping some waves up in the water. There was still plenty of time for that to change so we headed over to T1 where I racked my bike and hung my bike bag in the change tent. Once I had done this I then walked the route from the swim exit and through transition in rehearsal for the following morning, looking for any identifying markers which will help me on race day when the adrenalin is running. As I went to cover my bike due to it being out overnight I was told they were not giving anymore out due to high winds blowing them around, so, like stig of the dump I went to the bin and took one from there before securing it best I could to the Roo!

The Roo settling in for the night

From T1 we headed into Bolton Town centre to watch Ironkids and cheer on our friends daughter, Hattie, who at just 3 years old was running the 500m race. It was brilliant, for just under £4 they got to take part, a race t-shirt and a finishing medal. Hattie did a brilliant job and looked great coming down the magical red carpet to a very proud (non emotional) mum, Sarah who was waiting at the finish line. Hattie is clearly going to follow in her dad's footsteps in the world of triathlon, her dad Phil was away smashing an awesome time at the Steelman Half Iron distance triathlon, nice work mate!

From here we headed to T2 and went through the same process as T1 ensuring everything was good to go for the following morning.

Iron Hattie, the future of Ironman!

The evening consisted of a fine pasta meal cooked up by Caroline and Becca followed by enough dessert to feed a small army whipped together by Sarah ; ) After a few hours of fuelling and good company it was off to bed at around 2130.

Race day

1284 - M40-44

Swim - 3.9km - Time: 01:09:50

This years Swim start was to be a rolling start instead of the mass start I experienced last time, previously I did enjoy the mass start spectacle but it is pretty brutal and can have big impacts on your time and performance. I positioned myself in the 1:00 - 1:10 pen ready to be called forward to the water where your time would start as you crossed the timing mat just before entering.

In we went and it was straight off swimming into clear water. I positioned myself to the left of the field so I would be swimming the most direct route to the first turn buoy in the far distance, as we approached the first turn I increased my pace to avoid a large number of swimmers coming in from my right side. This slight injection of pace allowed me to make a clean swim through both turn buoys and begin the long straight back towards the Australian exit for lap two. Due to the overcast skies, sighting was very easy compared to two years ago when the sun was coming up over the tree line, the volunteers helped drag our asses from the water before a quick sprint back to the Swim entry.....

Lap two began like the first with clean water and I felt I was making good progress although the water felt a lot more choppy, what I wasn't initially aware of was that the heavens had opened! Man did it rain, there also appeared to be a low fog sitting over the water, I just got on hoping that it would clear before it was time to get on the bike. This was not to be the case....

I exited the water in 01:09:51 which I was fairly happy with although a couple of minutes slower than I was hoping for, at this point the rain was torrential, absolutely tipping it down and the field had become a muddy mess!!

T1 - 00:07:43

Due to the combination of the biblical weather and amount of bodies in the change tent it looked like a steam room, all the chairs were taken so I moved to find a spot of grass to the edge of tent, what I thought I found was not grass but a puddle!! No time for dick dancing around I changed as quickly as possible, with my kit on the floor I didn't notice my race number turning to mush so as I went to put it on it fell off my race belt, bugger!! Race numbers MUST be worn, a very kind volunteer came to my help and dug a pin from his bag and pinned my number back on, thank you sir!!

Leaving the tent the rain was laughable, absolutely bouncing and my feet and shoes were already saturated, I made my way to the bike mount line where I had great support from my support crew, I could hear everything but the rain was so heavy I was struggling to see them.

Bike - 180.2km - Time: 06:58:35

The first 45 minutes of the bike the rain continued and my body temperature was dropping, my feet were feeling a tad numb but I knew this would improve in time (a long time). Just as important was bike handling, there are some technical turns early on, not in dry conditions but there was water literally running across the road so it was important to get all the speed off and not try to be a hero.

The point to point section which gets you up to the loop is ever so slightly up hill so I held right back so as not to burn out, it was disappointing to see some blatant drafting, I'm not talking being just under the 10 metre rule but sitting smack on the back of people's wheels! 777 was a fine example of this, tucked in for a good 5 minutes on the bike in front, only moving on when one of the motorcycle referees came along side and sat staring at him, if you want to draft then go cycle racing.

Turning onto the loop at Adlington it was great to see COLT Alley already in place. COLT Triathlon club set up here en mass and cheer everyone through all day for an atmosphere which makes you feel like you are part of the Tour De France, this was also to be where my wife and friends would support from once they had escaped the Flash. Whilst I set off on my 75km loop unaware to me was that my wife and friends had gotten that wet at the swim section that they had to go home to get changed, via the bacon butty van of course! : )

The rain subsided thankfully so the drying out process could begin, which was fairly quick as the rain was replaced by some strong winds after climbing Sheep House Lane for the first time. On exiting Belmont there is a fairly long section which is good for some decent speed although the wind was so strong I found myself coming off the aero bars to ensure I had solid control over my bike. I didn't envy the guys n girls with deep sectioned wheels or discs at this point although I am sure everyone had their own experiences at different times.

I had heard and read about Hunters Hill but never ridden it, well I can confirm its a tough little hill to crack. Personally I found it tougher than SHL, especially the second lap! That said the support on it was fantastic and I was loving life, the noise and music was loud which really helped out so thank you very much guys n girls! After Hunters it is a fairly steady run in back to Adlington with some nice rolling roads and a chance to hit a consistent pace.

Working hard on the bike.

Approaching Adlington raised my spirits even more as I knew this was where my personal support was, plus it's just an amazing atmosphere! Caroline, Ric, Becca, Sarah and Phil would be there and some good friends of ours, Marc & Liz were making the journey up so was very much looking forward to seeing them. As I rounded the corner it was just a sea of people, the busiest I have seen it in the last 3 years, the noise was phenomenal and trying to pick people out was difficult, as I locked onto my name being called I saw everyone there cheering me on : ) I could see Marc & Liz had arrived (thanks guys) and as I was making my way through the crowded street I had to do a double take, initially unsure but it was Dunc, Dunc was there, one of my best men from my wedding had come up with his wife Em's as surprise support!! This was brilliant seeing everyone there and I left Adlington with the wind in my sails and got my head down to crack loop number two.

On the loop a couple of other Team MK members slowed up to say hello before powering on, hope your races when to plan guys and you all had a good day! Hunters Hill was the toughest bit for me on this loop, I really had to grind it out but still enjoyed and the support never slowed up. My focus again was Adlington, for the obvious reasons of seeing Caroline and my friends but mentally this was also where I could start preparing for the run, as I entered this time I knew where everyone was so it was a long line of flying high fives as I passed through.

As I rolled into T2 I could see the runners heading out and my first thoughts were, that's a right bitch of a hill out of here leading onto the run course! I would have liked a slightly quicker bike leg but it is what it is and I was in good shape for the run, or so I thought....

T2 - 00:05:56

It was good to see a long line of loos in T2 as when I raced this 2 years ago there was only two, I was in and out fairly swiftly. You have to cover quite a bit of ground from the bike dismount to the run exit so it was never going to be lightning fast, also my elastic laces popped out of the lock as I exited so I stopped to tie a knot, turns out I pulled them too tight which would cause me problems later.

Run - 42.2km - Time: 05:18:47

Exiting T2 I felt ok and soon found a nice steady rhythm, as I hit that first hill there was a fella who looked like he was withdrawing himself due to an injury, I felt for him after all of the effort to get there!

The first 10km went well which took us onto the loop proper which is where my awesome support was positioned to cheer me on! At this point in the race I was on for around a 12:30-12:45 finish which surprised me but I was well chuffed, and then slowly the wheels fell off...... As I approached one of the aid stations on the first loop my stomach started cramping and my legs turned to jelly, I made a massive mistake here and stuffed far too much nutrition down my throat hoping to regain my energy when all this did was exaggerate my stomach cramps leading to the next loop being a much slower run. With 2 loops to go I was in a bad way, physically I was hurting but mentally I was so annoyed as this is not how my day was supposed to pan out : ( Not only was my stomach suffering but the tightened laces was causing pain down the outside of my right foot but could not adjust the tension due to the knot I had created in the haste of leaving T2! : ( Step in Phil who undid the knot, loosened and re-tied my laces like I was some sort of small child who had not yet learnt to tie my own ; )

I had some great support from Phil over the remainder of my run, Phil himself had suffered similar 12 months ago so knew exactly what I was going through. Phil was talking to me from a pavement near Bolton Town centre when, to my surprise, a marshall on a bike said if he did not let me run my own race she would disqualify me!! Disqualify me for receiving encouragement in a moment of need, cheers for that, clearly letting a little bit of power go to her head IMO. When the pain subsided slightly I would run small sections and when it returned I would moan to anyone who would listen, Phil kept telling me to focus on getting the last band, and he was right.......

The final band collection.... keep moving forwards!

That final loop I was using the cones as markers and trying to run 2 and walk 1, that feeling of getting into Bolton Town centre was amazing, it had been a long day with many up's and down's but that is all part of the process. As I entered the finish chute the announcer pointed me to my waiting support, which is quite bizarre as nobody had spoken to her, still baffled by that one. With no record breaking time in sight there was time for a kiss n' a cuddle with wifey before high fives with the rest of the crew....... My parents could not make it at the last minute due my Dad making it in to the Bowls quarter finals, but not to miss out they, along with my brother watched me finish live on the Ironman UK feed.

Lee Hodgkinson, You, Are, An, Ironman!

So, the day didn't quite go as I planned but I still had an amazing time and am already looking forward to Ironman Austria in 2016! I am still assessing my day but can already identify a few areas which will hopefully lead me closer to a 12 hour IM race, I am not obsessed with times but after my debut 2 years ago of 12:26 it would be nice : )

I do owe a huge public thank you to my wife, Caroline, who always supports my crazy little outings and encourages me to do well, so, THANK YOU wifey!!

Since my bike accident I have also had great advice and support from many family & friends which really has helped me to stay positive and get to the start line of this race at all, without them, well I am not sure I would of, so the beers are on me! Thank you CH, RB, NDD, DF, DM AK, MG, PS, BH, JH

A HUGE thank you must also go out to the awesome volunteers that make these events possible, from day one, right through race day and to the clean up there was always someone on hand to point you in the right direction, offer encouragement, keep us fuelled, help us out of the water and generally make it possible for us to have the best race experience possible, and for that I salute you all!!

On reflection

So what now, I have had a little time to reflect on what worked and what went wrong on race day, three things spring to mind:

1: I drank energy drink from the aid stations when all I ever train with is water! I know, I know, what was I thinking! I can't confirm it but this is a likely contribution to my stomach problems on the run.

2: I need to focus on my run training and become stronger over the marathon distance.

3: Buy a new race belt and don't scrimp on eBay elastic laces, these two mishaps not only lost me time but caused unnecessary flustering, also the foot pain could have been avoided.

Not a bad bit of medal bling!

Anything is Possible!

Next up: Ironman UK in pictures courtesy of Brawn Photography.

It's, only, words.......

2015-06-15T07:53:00.003-07:00

I think they were the words from a song once, Boyzone I think, 1996, off their A Different Beat album.... had to google that obviously, didn't just check the CD rack!

Ironman UK is now only 5 weeks away, but I have a problem, I have been kidding myself into believing training is going well and I am right on track. Well that is certainly the impression I give with many Facebook photos of me out swimming, cycling and running. Swimming, loving it! Running, strongest I have been in years..... and then there is the cycling.

It is common knowledge, to those that know me at least, that I was involved in a cycle accident just prior to Christmas 2014. I thankfully walked away from that accident with no life changing physical injuries so for that I am thankful, what I didn't think about at the time was the physchological impact the accident was to have on me. After all I am a bloke, ex soldier, paddled the Devizes to Westminster and completed an Ironman race so I am pretty sure my mental toughness is squared away, well I thought it was. Whilst my injuries were healing I went through what happened time and time again, and I still do, the problem is I always come to the same conclusion that there is nothing I could have done differently, it was just one of those wrong place wrong time scenario's!

Talk about the wrong place, at the wrong time!

Just get back on the bike and get on with I hear you say, it will be alright in time.

Agreed, that was my approach, that still is my approach. I have built gradually and had some strong rides along the way.... the problem is, I have not enjoyed one of them rides! I have a fear inside of me that the same thing is going to happen again and I might not be so lucky, I have tried to block it out but it's always there, gritting my teeth as cars pass hoping they have seen me and it's not going to end with me in another ditch!

The thing that annoys me so much is I LOVE cycling, or at least I loved cycling, I now seem to find a reason to not go out every time. I certainly won't ride in rush hour when all most people care about is getting to or from work as quickly as possible, getting angry with the cyclist holding their day up by a whole 30 seconds. Trying to pick the quieter times to ride alongside working shifts can prove quite difficult.

So all this as culminated with me not training for the last 2 weeks at all as I have this mental battle with myself as to how I move forward.

I had beter get an apology in to Mrs H as I know I have been unbearable to live with, so for that wifey I am truly sorry!

Can I get myself to that start line in Bolton on July 19th?????

I have had many arguments with myself, feeling sorry for myself, listing the reasons why I won't be on that start line..... and then I remind myself that I have two good arms and two good legs, so really, I have no excuse.

I have not really discussed this with anyone, to be honest I have found it all a bit embarrassing! So why post it in Blog? Well now I have admitted it is a problem to myself I can share it to the home of witty banter, piss taking and sound advice of my friends and maybe people who have experienced similar.

This morning I messaged a friend, and I am so pleased I did as the response was fantastic! Lots of sound advice for me to focus on, but one thing was priceless and will stick with me......

Not finishing is Always a possibility, Not starting is a choice!

There was also mention of just pottering around the 180km Ironman bike leg, I actually laughed out loud as I read it!

I won't embarrass said individual but thanks mate but those words were just what I needed!

Belmont, Ironman UK 2013

Just need to see if I can back on track now and moving in the right directions, as the Ironman motto states.... Keep moving forwards!

Back up and running... and cycling... and swimming!

2015-02-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

The journey back from my cycle accident has been longer than expected, not returning back to work until the beginning of February due to ongoing pain from ligament and soft tissue damage to my arm. I am currently seeing the physio weekly but in the grand scheme of things I am getting there now and returning to some form of structured training.

I have gradually increased my time and distance over the three disciplines during the last 3 weeks:

Week 1: 3 hours 8 minutes
Week 2: 4 hours 10 minutes
Week 3: 4 hours 54 minutes

Back to training

I have started off very slowly and with short distances and only building once I am happy that it is within my comfort zone without risking further injury. The biggest obstacle so far has been confidence, sounds soft I know and please feel free to tell me to MTFU and take the P***! That said it is something that plays on my mind. In autumn I was knocked off my motorbike in slow moving traffic by a lady using her mobile phone who drove into the back of me, at the time I assessed it and could not see what I could have done differently to prevent it happening, and now this.... After assessing my cycle accident I came up with a similar result, there was nothing I could have done to avoid the accident.

I am not looking to put the blame elsewhere, it has just made me realise how bloody vulnerable you are out on the road on a bike, engine or pedal power. I consider myself to be a considerate road user and I always ride defensively and read the developing situations, yet these two past incidents I have been hit from behind by two individuals not paying any attention to the road conditions. So from those two incidents that is why I am where I am now with my lacking confidence.....

My first ride out was with my pal NDD over in Bedfordshire, it was great to have him alongside, well, out in front but you get my drift! It was clear my cycling fitness had vanished and I was hanging out at the end of the hour we were out, but it was nice to enjoy a relatively pain free ride, and stay upright! I have been able to manage this small issue by cycling in Regents Park, London. Early mornings there the park gates are still locked and it is pretty much a cycle track with cyclist of all abilities, even when the gates open the traffic is minimal and it has a 20mph speed limit. It's actually a really nice park to train in and I can see myself using it quite a lot throughout my training. It also has some cracking run routes and with Primrose Hill just north of the park, it is perfect for hill sessions.

Regents Park, London

I have one more week of building on my fitness before I start my Ironman training programme proper, I have re-written my programme which will now be based on a 20 week plan rather than the original 30. I have lost 7 weeks of training and I guess I won't know how that as impacted until the evening of July 19th when hopefully I cross the finish line in Bolton Town Centre.

IMUK revised training plan

New Wheels

The bike saga continued after I took delivery of my Planet X RT-57, I stored it in my spare bedroom where it stayed for a few days. On moving it I noticed a small crack in the carbon frame where the cabling from the rear mech enters the frame, so back in the box it went and off to Planet X. PX were very helpful throughout but more bad news for me was to follow, they had no more RT-57 frames left in a large!!!! : (

I was offered my choice of frames at no extra cost, result! However, the frame I opted for, the RT-58, which was one of my original options but out of my price range at the time was on offer at the same price.... typical! Not wanting to miss out on the offer of a freebie I asked them if they would upgrade the wheels, they very kindly included a set of PX AL-30 wheels which I also have on my TT bike and am more than happy with. So this (minus the wheels) is what I ended up with......

Planet X RT-58 SRAM Force 22

It is yet to go out but hopefully, when she does, it will be more successful than my maiden voyage on the Pro Carbon : (

Taken from behind....

2015-01-05T10:44:00.001-08:00

December 19th 2013 - Sunny with clear blue skies

My first day of Christmas leave and I decided to take my new Planet X Pro Carbon out for her maiden voyage and spend some time setting her up to my likening. I wasn't going to be out long as I had tickets to take my wife, Caroline, to the Christmas pantomime in MK...... 10 minutes later I was laying in the road, screaming in agony after being hit from behind by a car doing around 45mph.

After adjusting my seat height and checking everything was tight that needed to be tight I headed through the village towards some quiet country lanes, setting off nice and easy I worked up and down the gears getting a feel for the new bike.

Shortly after, I began heading west on a country lane when I saw a small caddy type van towards me and heard a vehicle coming up behind me at speed, now, I assumed the car coming behind me was going for a cheeky overtake before the van arrived....... but no!

RIP Planet X Pro Carbon

The lady driving the car coming from behind me had not even seen me, I briefly heard a crunch and the rest is a bit of a blur. One thing I know for sure, it bloody hurt!! My right side of my body took most of the impact looking at the resulting injuries, I came to rest some way down the road, initially not being able to move. After a couple of vehicles passing at speed whilst trying to look I found it in me to drag myself into the dirt on the left of the road for safety, by this time the driver of the van had kindly stopped and was already instructing the Ambulance service who I might add were there fairly rapidly!

I could hear a lady apologising and saying "she had not even seen me" (worryingly) and she was in a right state, although laying there in agony I found myself trying to comfort her, on looking up I couldn't even get angry as I saw a spitting image of Mrs Doubtfire pacing around in a state of shock!

Sweet Mrs Doubtfire

I did have to chuckle as she asked "is your bike damaged"!?!?! YES! Oh and whilst holding a black plastic item she asked "is this yours"? It's your bloody wing mirror I replied : ) My only hope was that Mrs D was as sweet as she seemed and that by the time it reached an insurance claim she had not changed into......

Angry Mrs Doubtfire

Minutes after the incident there was an ambulance and three Police cars on the scene, we left the Police at the scene as I was whisked off to Milton Keynes hospital. After numerous x-rays, amazingly I walked (hobbled) away with only soft tissue damage and a fair old bit of road rash down the right side of my body. I have always been amazed when I see pro cyclists get up after a spill and carry on, I was in complete rag order and could not have cycled if I wanted to : (

The Police very kindly stripped my battered bike down and dropped it off at home, when I finally got around to having a close look at it it became clear it was going to be a write off due to the carbon frame being cracked and various other bent and snapped parts.

Cracked Pro Carbon frame

Smashed rear mech and bent chain/seat stays

Impact point

Bent bars

Lessons Learnt

The reason the lady said she had not seen me was the low lying winter sun, and during that split second she was putting her visor down hence her being totally unaware of my presence on the road. All I could do was try to educate her, so I asked her next time her visibility was impaired for ANY reason then please slow down until her vision is restored.

At the risk of being a drama queen I am amazed I walked away from this incident, and when I think about what happened I can't help but think how much worse it could have been, I kept thinking if I could have done anything different?

I'm not sure I could, I can't say I will never ride into the sun just in case a driver can't see me can I? It is certainly a consideration I will take with me and I just hope it doesn't affect me when I do get back on two wheels. I have always tried to ride with confidence, consideration and share road space when needed, but if I do all of that and still get hit by a car then it really is quite worrying!

2 weeks on

Well, the bike has been written off as expected.

The driver admitted full responsibility (thankfully) and my claim for a new bike is going through.

Unfortunately PX are not selling that model with full Ultegra anymore due to moving over to SRAM components for all of their bikes.

My injuries are generally healing well, the road rash is clearing up nicely but I imagine that will leave a few war wounds to show. My tendons in my foot, right hand and arm were damaged in the fall and they are not healing so well and still causing me pain and discomfort, this resulting in my GP signing me off work for 2 weeks and insisting on complete rest for my arm.

Obviously the main thing here is that in the grand scheme of things I have walked away from a bad accident which could have been much worse, hopefully the pain I am still feeling will soon pass and make a full recovery.

My Ironman UK programme should have started two weeks ago and I should now be starting week 3 which clearly puts me behind schedule, I am very disappointed by this but not overly concerned, just yet! I can't do any Swim, Bike or Run training as my injuries stop me doing all three, strength trying is very limited to right now so I will just have to start fresh when I am back up and running. All very disappointing as I had put in a solid months training prior to the accident.

Bike Replacement

As I said previously, the PX Pro Carbon is not available unless I drop the spec to a 105 or SRAM Rival, here are two possible contenders:

The Planet X Nanolight:

The Planet X RT-57

This also depends how quickly the insurance company act, PX have some pretty good offers on but they are very limited and only last a few days at reduced prices. I won't let that make me rush a purchase but it can result in missing out if you don't act quickly. Hopefully will get a call back from the insurance tomorrow offering their opinion, it's hard to do like for like when the exact bike is not an option, fingers crossed they are not difficult.

Hopefully by my next post I will be fully recovered, have a nice new shiny bike and be well into my IMUK training programme : )

No plan survives contact..... but I will write one anyway!

2014-11-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

Many times in the Military I heard that saying "no plan survives contact", meaning when the shit hits the fan everything will change according to the circumstances, when your plan meets the real world, the real world will win every time! In my little world of Triathlon things will change due to things such as work, injury, family...... and hangovers!! There is no hard and fast list but things will get in the way and things WILL change.

The last time I followed a training plan it was the "the Don Fink competitive plan" which looking back was very intensive, I guess the clue was in the name really, "competitive" : ) The plan worked for me and gave me a finishing time which I was more than happy with, this time though, circumstances have changed so I will be writing my own plan to give me the best chance of reaching the start line at Ironman UK on July 19th 2015 in the best possible shape.

I will be following a 30 week programme again which will begin on 22nd December, what a bloody awful time for any sort of training plan to begin!! So if anyone from Ironman Triathlon reads this (unlikely I know) please have a think of the impact your event dates will have on my social life : ) It's not the end of the world and it's not like I am some raging alcoholic, but I will be sensible. So, for that period over christmas my sessions will be short and achievable. For instance, my christmas day session will be, a long christmas walk with my wife and dogs followed by rehydrating in the local pub in front of a roaring log fire.... now that my friends, is training!!

This time round I am writing my plan to fit around my work shifts, where as the last time with it being my first Ironman race I followed the the plan as it was written word for word, and this made for some stressful rushed sessions which maybe resulted in me not getting the most out of said sessions. There are many training plans available on the internet and there is something to suit everybody's fitness level and time they can commit to train. For me, having a plan to follow is exactly what I need, I struggle to sit still for 5 minutes at home so having a plan in place will give me the focus and motivation to get out there. So, on my shift days that don't leave me much daylight I shall be planning my swim sessions or run sessions that can be done on paths that have good street lighting as I don't need to add the risk of falling down a rabbit hole to the challenges which lay in from of me.

In preparation of the long, dark winter which lay ahead of us I have prepared my bikes to suit the circumstances. My Road bike is fitted with mudguards to prevent myself getting covered with mud and water, which in the cold weather will make longer rides more sustainable. Also whilst group riding there is nothing worse than sitting on the back wheel of someone without them, sometimes I think that is tactical on their part knowing you will sit on the front to avoid this! : ) My Mountain Bike has been fitted with new tyre's and tubes, the MTB will offer me the flexibility of still getting out when weather conditions don't suit the road bike, I can jump on and hit the trails and canal paths. This will offer some good variety too, along with helping to improve my bike handling it will also be a bit of fun! The turbo trainer is still packed away and I intend to keep it there as long as possible (unlike NDD), you can take the piss next week when I am blogging about being on the TT due to it being too cold out. I am most definitely not against turbo's, in fact I think they are a great bit of kit, I am just going to try and keep it in reserve for the darkest depths of winter here in the UK. I will be running my Cree front light which I purchased last year, recommended by my friend NDD this is a great bit of kit and I would highly recommend it. At around £20 it is very affordable and is very effective, on it's most powerful setting it pretty much turns night in to day, perfect for early morning/late rides and equally effective in pitch black woods! Check out this video for an example of a wooded ride!

I have also recently joined my local fitness centre in Wolverton, like any sort of club I always find it easier to motivate myself to go if it is not too far away. Wolverton pool is only 5 minutes in a car or 10 minute cycle so no problems there, it is an excellent modern facility which offers laned swimming pretty much all day every day. I am also going to TRY and change the way I mentally approach these public spaces, most of us will have turned up to use the pool and straight away seen that the slow, medium and fast lane all have people doing breast stroke at a slow pace, or blue rinses stood chatting away. I am not knocking breast stroke, just the fact that people don't always display lane etiquette in public pools. That said, instead of walking away or getting annoyed I may just re-plan the session to fit in with the space available such as slow it right down and work on technique.... after all, we all pay to use the facility. I was just going to join for a swim membership but with the gym only being another £7 a month on top it made sense to include that. I felt I would be able to utilise the gym for strength training through the winter and also they have plenty of spin bikes including interactive workouts. This will enable me to use these in place of my turbo sessions when needed, I have no garage at our new house so it would mean bringing the tt indoors every time and also getting my beloved time trial bike out of our loft space where it is bedded down for the winter : )

Pool time : )

Over the last few weeks I have managed to train consistently in all three disciplines, which for me is a massive step in the right direction. Not pushing too hard and managing my body but I have managed some 7km runs, a couple of 50km rides and some good quality pool sessions. I think the pool was where the biggest surprise came, I have not swam since the Outlaw Half Triathlon in June so was very surprised when I got in and swam a 7:39 400m. I know this is not lightning quick but for me it is near, if not a PB for me. The next session, after a warm up I swam 4 x 400m efforts and they all came in around the 7:40 mark which I am very happy with considering my lack of pool time recently. For the foreseeable future I aim to swim once, hopefully twice a week trying to regain good form and build on what seems to be a solid base.

On the bike, I just need to keep ticking over and get some quality miles back in my legs. The first 50km I rode took it out of me, but that wasn't just down to my legs. it was my schoolboy error of not having eaten prior to going out!! I have also chucked in a couple of interval sessions on the bike consisting of a warm up, followed by 8 x 30sec hard efforts with 1min recovery. Hopefully this is an area where I will see big gains as I move through my training plan, shorter but more intense bike sessions are going to be a big focus throughout my 30 week plan. I have just entered a cycle sportive for the Spring too which will give me a focus, I will be riding the Cobbler Classic on 22nd March 2015 along with my brother-in-law AK and my friend NDD, we will be entered into the 60 mile option which will be 70miles by the time we have ridden to and from the start. Shortly after that NDD has kindly offered to host us on a long ride weekend in his native Lancashire which I am already looking forward too, last time we planned this in 2014 Snow stopped play so fingers crossed we get up there in 2015.

Lancashire awaits.....

Only 4 weeks to go now until the plan get's underway so I just need to finish putting the plan together on my calendar, when I say just finish, I mean write the last 20 weeks of it!! : ) The first 10 weeks will be made up of 2 x Swim's 2 x Run's and 2 x Bike sessions per week bringing me in at around 7-8 hours per week, the second swim session can either be swim or bike depending on time, weather etc... Depending how my back responds to the volume of training will dictate how the run sessions go, if it is all good I will complete the planned sessions but if not, then I will shorten the run or skip it all together and re-plan.

So it's time to stop tapping away at the keys, put the kettle on, and get working on that training plan : )

Lessons Learnt From A Novice Ironman

2014-11-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

Throughout my sporting life I have enjoyed the endurance element of any discipline, running, kayaking and most recently Iron Distance Triathlon. Now I have not always got it right and made mistakes along the way, the most telling which many will back me up on was our attempt at the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race. We completed that race, which I am very proud of, but it was not pretty!

There is a lot of information out there on the internet, on websites and forum's such as Tritalk, yet so much of it is contrasting. This doesn't mean that one way is right and one is wrong, I just see it as evidence that different methods suit different individuals. I certainly get most of my information from these sources along with much learnt through trial and error, the other method of finding out what works and what doesn't is quite a relaxing method…… watching! You will be surprised how much you can gain from watching others, so during your journey have a look at how others do it, I am not talking about pro athletes as they are in a different league, but your everyday age groupers.

What I will write is what I have learnt through personal experience, so this will be what has worked for me, but may help you along your way with your journey to crossing the finish line at your chosen Iron distance race. You never know, you could be the next Chrissie Wellington, novice to world champion after finding a natural ability to, well, be bloody awesome!!!

I cannot offer you all of the answers as I am very much a novice, but I feel I can offer you some food for thought and you can do your research along your journey…...

My Race Experiences:

Ironman UK x 2 - 12:25
Ironman Wales - 12:24

So here goes, in no particular order:

1: Choose a race that excites you - Sounds obvious eh, but don't just choose a race because it is close to where you live, or because there are not many hills. The more a race excites you the more you are likely to meet your goals along the way, when the weather is cold or you have an early morning session to do, the thought of the big day will drive you on!

2: Practice what you CAN'T do, not just what you can - Most of us will find it much easier to go out and spend a large percentage of your training time doing the things we are strong at, be it Swim, Bike or Run. By spending extra time on your weakest disciplines will pay massive dividends come race day. For me it was the Swim, joining a Triathlon club is an excellent way to get coached sessions and improve your technique. If this is not practical for you then there is a free website called Swimsmooth which offers free animated tutorials demonstrating technique from beginners through to advanced levels, well worth a look.

3: Have a plan - It is so important that you have a plan, what that plan is will be up to you to suit your personal lifestyle, but just doing what you can when you can is no way to prepare for 140.6 miles. There are many different plans out there which can be accessed through the internet, I chose the Don Fink Competitive Plan, many people have negative things to say about this but equally you will find people who praise it, all I can say is it worked for me. Have your plan where you can see it, print it off and stick it on your fridge or as a screensaver on your desktop, this will keep you motivated and help you plan. You will soon find out that training will dominate your life, by planning the day before will take a little pressure off, if you have an early morning session then prep your kit the evening before.

The training plan

4: Respect the distance - What I mean is, this is a totally different beast to any other distance triathlon and you need to be prepared for potentially a very long day swimming, cycling and running. You may be used to averaging say 30kmph on a 40km bike ride, well this is 180km so don't get fixated with maintaing speeds that you are used to at shorter distances. That can sometimes be hard to accept as we all have that competitive edge in us, but how often do you cycle 180km? and THEN run 26.2 miles? It is very doable but you have to pace for the whole event. I am not saying Iron distance is harder than shorter races, I believe that is not the case as the explosive effort you will put in to a sprint for instance is far higher and will leave you on your knees for different reasons. I just mean you have to train your body differently, to withstand fatigue over a much longer period of time.

During my Ironman race I kept reminding myself of two things in regards to pacing, the first I had read somewhere online along the lines of "if it doesn't feel easy,, then you are going too hard" and the second was advice from my friend Wheezy which was "pace it, don't race it" Both great bits of advice which allowed me to get off the bike in good order and run a solid marathon

5: Technology - There are so many gadgets and apps on the market now that can help you along your way, either just to record what you have done, measure you heart rate etc, or be competitive with your friends with apps such as Strava. The Strava app can also be useful for your interval training as you can pick segments along your ride or run to put in a greater effort, but be careful, only target these when needed, if you are on an easy paced session then don't go trying to beat your Strava pb along the way as these sessions are designed to allow your body to recover. Garmin also have a great selection of multi sport watches to help you record your training, but be prepared to fork out a fair bit of cash at the beginning.

Strava

6: Transition - When I first started planning my Ironman UK race I was thinking of taking my time through transition to prepare for what lays ahead, by the time the race came around I was in and out as quickly as possible, why? Well, the sooner you exit transition the sooner you can start chipping away at the miles towards the finish line, you can have a rest and recover once you get moving at a nice easy pace but at least you will be moving. You will hear it many times along your journey but just KEEP MOVING FORWARDS! Practice your transition as part of your training, this will make for a much smoother period of the race which sometimes can feel hectic and rushed. I found this to be the case in T1, that will depend on how many you exit the swim with of course but There was no seats free in the change tent and I found myself looking for room to sort myself out for the bike leg.

Check, check and check again….

7: Keep it simple - One thing that still baffles me in triathlon is the amount of people that try and copy the pros and have their shoes clipped into the pedals, which is fine if you are practiced well like all of the other disciplines…. but the amount of people I have seen nearly fall off their bikes at the mount line by trying to do this is bizarre. If it works for you fine, but if in any doubt just put your shoes on in transition. Whilst watching Ironman UK this year one of the last people out of T1, to large cheers I would like to add, tried to do exactly this and it was very nearly the end of his day due to a number of near misses with the barriers. Sadly for that individual he withdrew from the race on the bike leg, don't get me wrong I am not knocking him, I just feel that the time spent preparing to mount like that could have been targeted at more quality riding miles which may have helped him finish.

8: Nutrition - Well this is as important as the rest of your training, you have to find what works for you and what gives you the energy required to complete the race. I was quite lucky, I found I got on with the High5 energy gels which not only provided me the nutrients I needed but they are one of the cheapest products which can often be found on offer. If you find that your chosen product is giving you stomach cramp, bloating or wind then you need to try others, stomach problems in endurance events is quite common and you need to do all you can to avoid it happening on race day. Find out what will be offered at your chosen race, at Ironman UK it was Powerbar and no gels were on offer on the bike leg, this means you have to plan how much of your own product you need to carry with you for each leg. Keep it interesting too, 6.7,8 hours on a bike shoving gels down your throat every 15-30 minutes gets pretty sickly, bagels, bananas etc can help mix things up and give you some REAL food : )

Along with your race day nutrition you are going to have to learn to fuel your training, doing this around a busy lifestyle, work/parenting etc can easily be overlooked. You need to be planning ahead and fuelling for your daily training, I have never been a big breakfast person but I had to learn to eat, and eat well or I would find myself struggling on longer sessions. Likewise with work, if your plan is to train after work you need to be fuelling whilst at work allowing your food time to digest and become useable energy.

9: Your Support - Come the big day your friends and family are going to be invaluable, they will have lived and endured the last 6 months with you and are worthy of a medal themselves. Knowing when and where you will see them can be a great motivation, it will also allow you to actually see them. The crowds are loud, and if you are tucked down in the aero position and in the zone then you may miss them which alone can start to play mind games and leave you wondering where they are. The Ironman website is great for suggesting spectator hubs which will offer facilities for your supporters as it is a long day out for them too, by them knowing where you are it will allow them the best opportunity to gain the photographic evidence that will show you smiling from ear to ear, or gurning! : ) Your support can follow your progress through the ironman tracker link, this allows them to input your race number and know exactly where you are on the course, allowing them time to relax and enjoy some refreshment.

My number one supporter, Mrs Hodge!

10: Smile - Remember why you are there, in your darkest moments try and remember why you are doing this? You will have trained for 30 weeks, in the dark, cold and wet, maybe even the sun will come out, now it is time to enjoy the moment! The crowds are epic, interact with them as they will be far better than any little gel you will have in your back pocket. These people will have been up since 2am also, so thank them, these are the people that will keep you moving forward when you are hurting and the end seems so far away……The volunteers too, these races could not take place without these selfless people, find a second to thank them as they will be handing you drinks etc all day as well as picking up your rubbish. When the time comes and you hit that red carpet it will be worth every ounce of effort you have put in, soak it up and celebrate your achievement as you will about to become an IRONMAN!!

Thank the crowds, have some fun…...

11: Be Prepared for the Blues - I had read about this Ironman blues a few times, and to be honest I thought, really? Well yep, really! After a long year of training, anticipation, up's & down's, early mornings, late evenings and injuries you finally cross that line. Receive your medal and enjoy the finish line party whilst receiving the congratulations from friends and family. But then what? if you are like me then Ironman is a once a year thing if I am lucky due to the commitment required, and then it just stops really leaving you with the feeling that you are missing something. I really could not wait to do it all again, I got the Iron distance bug : ) I immediately entered the Outlaw Long distance race for 2014, woo hoo, and then got injured and had to withdraw : ( Don't dwell on it too long, just think of what you have achieved, oh and keep looking back at your photo's as these will always make you smile!! (Thanks RB, NDD, SW)

I hope this has given you something to think about, I am sure not everyone will agree but like I said at the start, this is just lessons learnt from MY experiences.

Good luck with your journey, which if you are doing Ironman UK starts just before christmas day when you will be filling yourself with food and drink for a fortnight!!

And just to get you in the mood : )

I have started, so I will finish….. Hopefully!

2014-10-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

It's a been a while since I have updated my Blog, mainly because I have found the last 6 months so frustrating due to my ongoing back condition. This has made it very difficult for me to get myself into a training routine, although I have managed to tick over. So, although I have not been training to high mileage I have spent many hours conducting strength training which will hopefully pay dividends come December 22nd when my Ironman training programme kicks in…...

I have purchased a Bac Trac inversion device which is used to stretch out my lower vertebrae and relieve me of the pain I have been suffering with, This along with finding out, through trial and error what causes the pain to start as allowed me to continue training although on a much lesser scale.

After enjoying Ironman UK from a supporters perspective this year I soon jumped straight in and entered the 2015 race, I did this hoping my back will be in a strong enough position to do it. Entering was just the start of the journey, I now have to do everything I can to make sure finishing it is possible. This will involve training very smartly and tailoring a plan to suit my bodies needs, this will be working progress as we run in to winter but I don't think it will be a training load which will lead me to breaking any records….. that said, I do sport for enjoyment so if I can complete IMUK in good shape then that will be good enough for me!

God bless the mudguards!

After another fantastic summer here in the UK it looks like Autumn is well and truly here, the temperature is dropping and the wind and rain is here in bucket loads!! So it is time to break out the winter running and cycling gear in preparation as I need to start working on raising the level of my base fitness in preparation for some long, cold, winter training miles.

Wet & Windy Running

Today I enjoyed a pain free run, although being in rain coming down sideways and strong winds I thoroughly enjoyed and the fact it was pain free brought a big smile to my face. Some light stretching before going out and some Bac Trac action on my return made for a positive experience, long may this continue!! All this is so once again I can hopefully experience that amazing experience of running and cycling through the amazing villages supporters at Ironman UK……

Belmont, Ironman UK 2013

Until next time……. : )

Ironman UK - A Spectators view

2014-07-23T08:39:00.002-07:00

After experiencing Ironman UK first hand last year I was excited about returning….. but as a spectator, so here is my account of Ironman UK 2014.

We travelled to Bolton on the Saturday via Nottingham so we could drop the Dogs at my parents for a couple of nights, thanks folks! We were heading for our good friend Ric's who had also hosted us for our assault on IMUK 2013, this time was different though as my drink of choice on this Saturday evening was not water, but a fine selection of real ales and a few bottles of San Miguel : ) I didn't want to drink, but I had to wash down the excellent food our host had put on! Joining us on the eve of the race was Ric's friend Phil and his wife Sarah, Phil would be attempting his first Ironman race the following morning and also fundraising for a great charity called Twincess which through people's generosity I believe he raised around £1000. Also racing the following day was Adam, a friend from work and Jim from Hillingdon Triathletes, all three were to have VERY different days…..

So with us being spectators we did not have to get up in the middle of the night to begin preparations like last year….. WRONG! 02:30 our alarms rang out, I jumped out of bed whilst Mrs Hodge had a minor sense of humour failure at getting up at this time and Ric commented "I hate my friends" : ) One hour later we were at Phil and Sarah's house and I had the craziest dog I have ever met trying to eat my hand, everyone else was in fits of laughter as Floyd the Boxer dog went to work on me and by the time we left I was sweating after a poor attempt at defending myself. So off we went and arrived at Pennington Flash, the Swim start at 04:00……

A face of excitement…. and why am I not in bed!

Whilst Phil headed off to sort out his kit we set out to track down Adam and Jim, Unfortunately I only caught a glimpse of the latter as he headed into transition. As expected there was a lot of rushing around and nerves in T1, yet when we found Adam he appeared extremely calm. Was it nerves? A quiet confidence? Or just the way he was? As the day unfolded I now believe it was the fact he is just a pretty awesome athlete and had faith in his ability and training he had put in.

Adam and his support

The Swim

As the 06:00 race start neared we headed for the reservoir shore to get a view, easier said than done. Ric, our official photographer for the day did a stirling job of getting close to the waters edge with sarah, and also managed to get trapped the wrong side of the barrier for the next 90 minutes ; ) Caroline and myself found it hard to get close so stood off to a flank before adopting an early position on the Bike exit, we got heads up from Ric and also the Ironman athlete tracker which came in very handy throughout the whole day….. Adam was first out of the water in 57 minutes, yep, 57 minutes, the man is a fish!!! 4th in his age group out of the water, a fantastic effort mate. 10 minutes later Phil was out shortly followed by Jim…. I mostly failed on the bike exit to get decent imagery, mainly due to the fact I was jumping up and down shouting support for my friends as they set off on their 180km bike legs…..

Jim O'Donovan, Hillingdon Triathletes Bike Exit

So once we had cheered our athletes out on the bike leg it was time to do what supporters do, and it is not just an endurance event for those taking part so we needed to fuel our own bodies…….

Food is fuel : ) And it's a COB!!!!!

Once we had hydrated and got some much needed calories in our bodies we returned to the Swim exit to cheer on the remainder of the swimmers. The cut off time for an ironman swim is 2hours 20 mins from when the gun goes, now that sounds, and is a long time to swim 2.4 miles, but everyone is taking part for their own reasons and giving it a go. As the last aspiring Iron men and women exited the cheers were just as loud for the swimmers getting out of the water as everyone else, and as the clock neared the cut off there were still around ten swimmers in the lake, some of which sadly had no chance of making it. The last swimmer to make it was literally just before the cut off and the crowd were going nuts, it really was quite emotional….. for the girls of course! ; ) The cut off came and went but the crowds stood fast until everyone was out of the water, one chap got out and started to run only to be told by the race referee his day was over which as you can imagine led to a head in hands moment. I really hope all of those that didn't make it find it within themselves to train hard and revisit Ironman one day.

The Bike Leg

We had decided to set up our support location in Adlington, our decision was based two things. Firstly, you can't exit the Swim start due to road closures until a certain time, the first time the cyclists would reach Adlington would be 92km so this would give us time to get there to see them through both laps. Secondly, Adlington is famous for "COLT ALLEY" the absolutely bonkers support from COLT Triathlon club members who line the streets in phenomenal, and not just for it's own members but for every single rider that passes through…… The music was playing, bells were ringing and even people in fancy dress running alongside the riders.

COLT ALLEY - Adlington

First through for ourselves was Adam, who I don't think saw us first time : ( I don't think it was the lack of noise, more so just concentration on the task in hand as he flew past. So obviously we would have to be louder next time through, Jim was next to pass us with and looking incredibly strong, shortly followed by Phil who was having the ride of his life (on a bike)! As he rounded the corner he caught sight of us and responded well to the cheers and cow bells ringing, if you respond to the crowds here they just get louder and louder and that is better than any energy product you can buy off the shelf!

The great thing about the whole day was that the support never wained, people were not just cheering their own friends and family but every single rider that passed by. For us, Adam was next through and we were not going to be missed again so we turned the volume up (if that was possible) and made sure we got his attention, Phil was next through which caught us slightly off guard as Jim had a reasonable lead on him on lap one. By this time Phil's whole support crew had massed on Adlington sporting their pink "Team Phil"t-shirts, knowing where we were stood after lap one Phil come off the bend with his hand cupped to his ear saying lets hear ya then…. and the crowds responded in kind sending him on his way to T2.

It soon unfolded that sadly for Jim a previous back issue had flared up during the bike leg, as he passed us he indicated he would not be continuing from T2 and would be retiring from the race. Deep down I was hoping to still see Jim on the run section, but an athlete has to listen to his/hers body and live to fight another day….. I can't imagine how hard it was to make that call but we were all absolutely gutted for him : ( Rest well Jim and I know you will be back stronger!

The Run Leg

We headed to Bolton town centre to adopt our position for the first half of the run leg, now this is where having the local knowledge of Ric and sarah came into it's own as they navigated us, and our 4 car convoy around all of the road closures and busy traffic to Chorley New Road where we hoped to catch our runners.

Adam had selfishly put in a flying start to his marathon and had already past when we arrived, shortly after though Phil emerged onto the first of three loops. This was not the smiley Phil we had seen an hour ago on the bike, this was a grimacing Phil who was experiencing the not uncommon stomach cramps that endurance athletes can experience from putting extreme demands on your body, it's hard to see loved ones or friends in discomfort so Phil's wife, sarah, was naturally concerned but Ric lightened the mood with "your biggest worry now should be that he will want to do it again next year if it doesn't go to plan"!!!

In the hurt locker….

I am no doctor or coach but you have to listen to your body, when Phil next came past we told him to slow down, walk if necessary and let his body recover and take in small quantities of liquid at the aid station. The other problem was that it was getting bloody hot by this point so this had to be traded off with not risking dehydration…. the next loop would have us all hoping this would right itself and Phil could finish off the way he had pictured his Ironman debut going. Adam soon came into view looking particularly fresh and commenting jokingly how "he was unhappy as he only had one band" of which you need to collect three before heading down the finishing chute, this was not Adam just taking it easy, he was just being very efficient, sensible and displaying good technique…. time wise, he was flying!!

The crowds at the finishing chute!

We headed into Bolton town centre to see the guys through their final laps and prepare for the finish, when we next saw Phil he was running and looking like he was on the mend. He was not 100% but he was digging deep and doing what is important and you often hear at endurance events…. keep moving forward!! Once they headed out on their final loop I finally got chance to nip for a loo break, and seeing as the coffee shops were packed I headed for a pub….. yeah you guessed, it turned out not to be just a loo break, a cheeky pint of refreshing lager was enjoyed whilst you guys n girls beasted your bodies!!

We headed towards the finish line to receive Adam and Phil, we didn't have to wait long for Adam (not that we did for you Phil) ; ) Caroline and myself and just positioned ourselves on the final bend as Adam rounded the corner, arms aloft and rightly so smiling from ear to ear as he soaked up the atmosphere before crossing the line in 11 hours 21 minutes, an absolutely fantastic achievement which reflected the time and effort he had put in to preparing for this day.

Adam, you, are, an IRONMAN!

At this point we were following the Ironman tracker to gauge when we could expect Phil, his last 3.5km was at an average pace of 11:30 per km ish, so we headed to the stands in anticipation and Ric was making his way to the higher ground to take photo's. Sarah, Phil's wife was down by the barrier with their daughter, Hattie (thankfully) I say thankfully as out of nowhere he arrived, I was not even looking as Caroline screams "there's Phil" as he rounds the final corner…… unbeknown to us but Ric was not in position, he was crossing the square and I can only imagine his face as he looked up and saw Phil on the big screen coming down the chute…. we had been prepared all day, for the last 16 hours and not missed a trick but we didn't anticipate Phil getting superhuman powers in the last 5 km and halving his current running pace……

Phil, you, are, an IRONMAN!

First thing we did was start searching the opposite steps to see if Ric was there as we had no idea at this point if he had made it, he wasn't there and we were gutted for him missing his friend cross the line : ( As we left the stands our spirits were lifted slightly as we saw, rising above the crowds….. RIC!

A very proud friend!

Needless to say Ric was still gutted that he was not where he wanted to be to see and evidence Phil becoming an Ironman, he approached Phil and told him how sorry he was but he didn't get any photo's, Phil's response was…..Oh! I guess he will just have to do it again ; ) Turns out that there were quite a lot of photo's taken which softened the blow.

Overall it was a fantastic day and we are very grateful to Ric for having us up, accommodating us, feeding us, driving us and taking us to the Strawberry Duck for lunch!! If you are ever in Bolton, it's a must!

When I have mentioned Bolton to people in regards to Ironman UK many people respond, Bolton? Well I can tell you it is a fantastic place which supports this event like I have seen nowhere else, the people were out in their thousands supporting from 06:00 until the finish at 23:00. it certainly left me wanting to experience that again, so………

See you next year Bolton!!

As most of you will know I am currently injured with back problems so how can entering this make sense? Well for me, the last 10 months have been bloody frustrating especially after enjoying my own first Iron distance race so much. I am still having treatment to manage the pain in my back and trying to confirm the cause, I shall be increasing the intensity of treatment soon once I move house.

So my wife, Caroline, told me to ask myself 2 question……. would I be more upset if:

1. I entered Ironman UK and dropped out and lost some money

2. I didn't enter and I was fit enough to compete come July 2015

Well I guess the answer is above : ) I met some fantastic people last weekend and just being in that environment left me absolutely buzzing and with a big smile on my face : ) I also turn 40 next year, I know, you don't believe me! But it's true…. and what better way to mark my 40th birthday than a day out doing what I love!?!?!

So, who is going to join me on 19th July next year in Bolton for my 40th?

A step in the right direction?

2014-07-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Since I last posted I have visited a Chiropractor in Ealing which Caroline, my wife, arranged for me. My first session was to be an initial assessment and X-rays, it did not take him to long to make the assessment that my posture was not the greatest and that my spine was possibly twisted. The X-rays highlighted a few things, firstly that my spine was not as it should be with the correct curves in the right places but this could be corrected through manipulation. Secondly it highlighted that my left pelvis is 13mm higher than my right, it is this angle that is causing my spine to twist……

X-ray showing pelvis height difference and spinal twist

This was worrying to see but as I was told it could be corrected through manipulation I was not overly concerned, but this could explain my lower back pain that I have been experiencing….. Nope, that bit was still to come, although this previous X-ray would also contribute to pain in my back area. The next X-ray highlighted a condition called Spondylolisthesis which is the slippage of my lowest vertebra , along with this the disc beneath it has degenerated quite badly which in itself would be a cause for the pain I have been experiencing……

Slippage of my lowest Vertebra

Now this one did worry me as I was told there is not a lot that can be done for this, I would just have to explore ways to manage the pain. Well that broke me, earlier this year I made the decision to not compete in any events to get myself sorted so that I could continue participating in triathlon for many a year to come, well this kind of suggests that is not going to be the case. But this was just one persons opinion so no need to panic, fortunately for me I had an appointment booked the following day with my NHS physio. Well, he did not exactly fill me full of enthusiasm either, after I explained my previous days visit to the Chiropractor and showed him the X-rays his response was…… "well, nobody has the perfect spine, and in the orthopaedic world a study was done and not everyone with this condition would suffer pain"…… well Mr Physio, I BLOODY AM!!!! Every single day : ( So after chatting things over he felt the next step would be to give me 6 sessions of Acupuncture, if that fails he would refer me to a specialist and for scans. Excuse my disappointment with this but I started this process in October 2013!!!

So I left feeling a little deflated, but not beaten, I decided to start working on my core strength and doing some gentle cycling and swimming if I could do this pain free. Also that evening I stumbled across a blog written by Helen Jenkins, Helen, for those of you that may not know is an Elite British Triathlete who herself missed most of the 2013 season through injury. Here is Helen's Blog on her injury, I could certainly notice similarities in the injury to that of what I am suffering. The good news from this blog is that Helen is now back fully fit, not only competing in the World Triathlon Series, but smashing the opposition too!!! This gave me hope that maybe I can be treated and can get back to full fitness, the obvious difference being that Helen is an elite athlete, and I am just Lee the bike courier from London. I may not get things done as quickly, if at all, but I will be persistent in my efforts to see the right people that just MIGHT be able to do something for me and get me back competing.

I would loved to have competed in Ironman Austria 2015, which opened for registration on Monday, and is probably closing as I am tapping away at these keys. I remained realistic and kept my plastic in my wallet, as hard is it was but it would have been stupid to enter and would only have resulted in me being depressed next year if I had to withdraw. So, I have reset my sights on Ironman Copenhagen 2015 which is a few months later.

It may be that I can never compete in an Ironman event again, but it's good to have hope : )

Taking the rough with the smooth

2014-06-18T11:32:00.001-07:00

So we are now half way through 2014 and when I thought about that yesterday it worried me, the reason being if you remember back to earlier in the year I wrote this season off to recover from injury and get my back sorted…… Well I would love to be sitting here, tapping away at the keys and be able to say I am well on my way to recovery, but the truth is, I don't feel I have made the slightest bit of progress : (

For the past few months I have been seeing a physio, who believes my back pain is being caused by tight hip flexors, tight quad muscles, weak glutes and poor hip rotation, but who am I to argue? Theses symptoms are all fine in relation to my sports and particularly triathlon, my concern is that my back hurts pretty much after doing anything! Walking the dogs, gardening, cycling, swimming, the list goes on…. I keep asking for a scan to either confirm or deny any underlying issues such as disc damage, but so far this has come with no Joy. My loving wife Caroline has now booked me 4 sessions with a wellbeing Chiropractor with my first being next tuesday, these include X-ray's and scans if felt necessary which is exactly what I want so fingers crossed something positive comes from these visits.

I do try and keep things in perspective and remember there are always people worse off than me, that said, this is my life, and I get one chance at living it so I don't apologise if I come over a little selfish or like I am whinging….. it's just so bloody FRUSTRATING!!!!

On a more positive note

On June 1st, as planned, I took part in the awesome Outlaw Half Triathlon as part of a team relay, made up of myself, my wife Caroline and our friend Adam. Adam very kindly stepped up to the mark to cycle for us at VERY short notice, this was due to Andy, our brother-in-law being very manly and heroic the week before the race…. He didn't save an old ladies cat from a tree, or dash in to a burning house to save someones guinea pig but what he did do was pretty special…. As I am told, by himself I might add, late into a 5 a side football match whilst playing in goal he dived low to his right to save a shot that was hit with such ferocity….. it broke his bloody wrist!!! Now I am a believer that football or rugby do not go hand in hand with triathlon, for this exact reason. Seriously though, we were truly gutted for Andy as he had trained hard and was, like the rest of us, really looking forward to competing in this race : ( So we would like to thank Adam for stepping in and allowing us to still compete by completing the bike leg.

Myself, Gary & Caroline at race briefing

On the Saturday, Caroline and myself attended the race briefing at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham which really helped to settle Caroline down as we got the opportunity to view transition and see where she would exit for her run leg and the route itself, it was also a chance to sample the Erdinger alcohol free drink on offer which was spot on!! Whilst there I met up with Coach T from Solihull Triathlon which was my first triathlon club a few years back, it was great to see Andy who I have a lot to thank for as this is where I learnt all the basics, and more about triathlon! Also there was gary Craig from Hillindon Triathletes, the club we were also racing under so all in all in was a nice sociable pre race day, both Gary and Andy putting cracking efforts in on race day!!

Gary Craig - Hillingdon Triathletes

Coach T - Solihull Triathlon

Race day

Alarm woke us at 04:30 and off we went, gotta love these early starts we put ourselves through!! We got to transition, met up with Adam and discussed our tactics… Swim hard, Bike hard and Run Hard : ) We found our transition rack and whilst Adam racked his bike I done my wetsuit in preparation for the off. Oh, nearly forgot to mention, I left my favourite goggles at home, Doh!!! Luckily I had some spares in y transition bag, not ideal but they did the trick. At 06:50 I got in the water to warm up, dear god it stunk : ( and tasted foul, not sure if this was just the fact we the last of 4 waves but it was not pleasant. I had to laugh, the wave I was in was females + relay teams so I was one of only a few men, and whilst bobbing around two girls were discussing the look on blokes faces when they realise they are getting "chicked" or in english "passed by a female" my reply "well I am buggered in here being surrounded by 200 of you!!!

Ready for the off… Adam, Caroline & Myself

Swim - 1.9km - 34:40

A fairly uneventful swim but I was just pleased to be involved and competing, I was happy with my sighting and turns, and the fact I was only doing the swim meant I could push on for the last 400m to get back to transition and tag Adam so he could get out on the bike…. this might explain why once I had done this I was left hanging over the bike rack for about 5 minutes breathing out of my ****!!!!!

T1 - 1:42

Bike - 90km - 2hours 47mins

Whilst I recovered in Transition and the sun began to warm up Adam set off on his bike, this event timed itself quite nicely for Adam as he is training for Ironman UK which is not too far off now and going off this form he will smash it. Being just the bike leg he was able to push on and put in a stirling effort to come in at 2:47!! Caroline was waiting in transition planning her attack on the run, with the one and only legend that is Lucy Gossage (Ironman winner at UK, Wales & Lanzarote) for company we were wondering if it was possible to tie her laces together to slow her down…. Lucy, not Caroline!!

Let's avvv ittt…...

T2 - 1:27

Run - 21km - 2hours 24minutes

Caroline has trained hard for this, following 16 week training programme which had to fitted in-between some testing times for us due to work commitments, but it all boiled down to today. After making her half marathon debut last year with a 2:36 at Milton Keynes she should be very proud of her effort, the day just got hotter and hotter and would have tested the best of runners in that heat.. unless you are from Kenya or Ethiopia that is : ) The run course consisted of two loops which gave us plenty of opportunities to cheer caroline on, and she had some great support from family and friends who came along which is always much appreciated, as I have always said, the support is better than any energy product! After seeing Caz back onto the lake for the last time we made it towards the very impressive finishing chute and grand stand so we could finish together….. I have done a few triathlons now of varying distances but One step beyond have got this finish line nailed, and if you want to feel the glory of running down the red carpet then get yourself entered to one of their events…..

Although I was only able to swim this event left me absolutely buzzing and determined to get myself back to full fitness and racing….. good job One Step Beyond Promotions

Overall - 5hours 48mins 54sec

Team 'we are family'

What next?

Well, the immediate future I will be doing all that I can to get myself back to fitness and then onto racing again. With me being the littlest hobo and constantly on the move I may just be moving on and looking for my third Triathlon club in as many years….. More to follow!

Break out the Roo!!!

2014-03-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a funny ten days or so since making the decision to withdraw from racing this year, I have ran my fastest 10km in the last 18 months, hit top speeds on the bike, and entered a club trail quest orienteering event….. let me explain.

Firstly there is the Hillingdon Half Marathon next Sunday and I was thinking, it's only a half marathon, first mistake! So, I thought I would go out on Monday and run a 10km route to see how I felt, second mistake!! Not long after setting off I kind of new it was a stupid idea, but the man inside of me took over and I pushed harder and harder, more out of frustration for being gutted at knowing deep down I am not in shape to compete : ( To put the run in perspective, over the last 18 months whilst I have been training for Iron distance racing my 10km runs have been coming in at around 1 hour, this run which was through sheer frustration and stupidity came in at 51 minutes….. and boy did I pay for it, I was in absolute pieces Monday night! My back was agony, the feeling of knots would be an understatement but you get the idea. I am not sure if this contributes to my recent back pain but I have put my new running trainers to one side and dusted down last seasons Brooks Trance 10, not that I plan on running anytime soon….. he says!

And then the Sun came out….. and so did my Quintana Roo Seduza!!!!! : )

She has been firmly fixed to the Turbo Trainer in my garage since Autumn 2013 and only used for maybe 6 Turbo sessions as I have mainly been riding outdoors, so out she came, into the back garden and up on to the bike stand to be woken from hibernation.

Stripped down, best I can with my VERY limited bike mechanical knowledge, off with the old tyre's and tubes, on went the new Michelin Pro 4 Tyre's and new tubes, they are from the most expensive tyre's and I have absolutely no idea if they are 'fast' but they have worked for me for the last 2 years so the way I see it is, if it aint broke then don't fix it! Whilst they were off the baby wipes were deployed, on the bike! What a great bit of kit, baby wipes and kitchen roll brings it up like new. Nut's and bolts checked for tension and then wheels back on before deploying the chain cleaner, now I was out of the fluid that comes with it but warm water and washing up liquid works as a replacement, not as well but it does the job. Finally she was well lubricated before wiping off any excess oil leaving her ready to ride.

Now the plan was once all of that was done we would head out on our maiden voyage of 2014, and then the clouds and rain returned : ( So off to the gym and pool to fill that gap in my day : ) I didn't have to wait long though before the sun made another appearance so today we headed out towards Great Missenden to take in the H10/4 10 mile time trial route, and it was bloody great to be back out on the Roo! I returned home just after one hour of cycling and had averaged 30.5 kph, now in the world of Hodge that is good, and if nothing else it gives me a nice start point for the remainder of the year should my back improve.

Meet my Roo!

I did approach the time trial section of the ride a little differently from last year, I only rode three time trials last year but my approach was to go balls out on each one with it being 10 miles. Today after my testing earlier in the year at Brunel University I decided to approach it following my heart rate reading (light years away from affording a power meter) so I aimed to maintain my Vo2 max in the region of 160-170bpm, this brought me in slightly slower than last years TT on this course but I won't read to much into that as there are so many variables with heart rate, one thing I do know is, I got a good honest workout from it and came in just over 29 minutes for the 10 miles. Hopefully training at this higher intensity will allow me to go faster over increased distances over the season.

The beauty of time trialling….. it's just you…. against the clock!!!

And finally……

My club, Hillingdon Triathletes run a vast amount of events throughout the calendar year with plenty of variation, and aimed at all abilities. This week an event caught my eye in the form of the Trail Quest orienteering event which is to be run on the evening of 01/04/2014, I am just glad April fools finishes at midday or I might be off searching for a checkpoint 20 miles away ; ) You can complete the event individually or as a team, and on foot or by Mountain Bike. I have entered my wife, Caroline and myself as a team, 'Team Hodge ' original I know, as a foot team so we will be running/walking our way to as many checkpoints as possible in the given time. There is a 1 hour 30 minute cut off for the runners and 2 hours for the riders, and after all that we get to finish off at the very lovely Coy Carp Pub for a well earned drink and a bite to eat, sounds like a cracking way to spend a Spring evening to me, a bit of exercise.

I guess when things may not seem great, but you stop and take stock, then things might not be that bad after all. Yes I have troubles with injury and that does concern me, but things could be worse, so I will just be grateful for all that I have!

2014, Over before it has even started!

2014-03-09T10:53:00.002-07:00

Well, it is all in the title really. I am absolutely gutted but my 2014 Triathlon season is over, since september last year my back has not been right and over recent weeks it is the worst it has been. I am as stubborn as the next man but just recently whist running, every step has hurt, and peeling myself off the bike after long rides as not been much fun either : (

Rewind……

In August 2013 I hurt my back whilst riding my motorbike, no accident or anything interesting, just the riding position began to cause me discomfort. It was not an excruciating pain but more the kind that causes you constant discomfort, it seemed to stem from my hip which caused what I can only describe as a burning sensation across my lower back. The thought of sneezing was not pleasant either as this is probably when the pain is at it worst causing a painful spasm, this is still the case.

I immediately went to see the Physiotherapist, the initial assessment to be that a weakness in my glutes was a contributing factor, and after a couple of appointments I was put on a Pilates course for 6 weeks. Did this help? well, kind of, I would have good days and bad days. Do I feel this is a long term fix? No. This is based off the fact that I have now done 13 weeks Pilates and I am still having some good days, but more bad days, and to me this just indicates that not a lot has changed really. My biggest concern is, firstly that there is a deeper issue with my back, and secondly that this could be a long term thing. I turn 40 next year but would like to be participating in triathlon for many years to come, the worst thing I could do now is to keep training/racing and compound whatever is going on into a long term injury hence why I have taken the decision to cancel my races for 2014. So it is not just about the now, but the future……….

My reasoning behind what may seem a rash decision. I am currently entered into the Outlaw Iron distance triathlon, along with other shorter events, a sportive and a half marathon, as long as I am entered in to those races I will push as hard as I can to perform well. We can all say it's about the enjoyment, and the taking part, but we all set our own goals and mine was not to follow another 30 week training plan to just complete or enjoy. I will never win a race but I wanted to improve on my 2013 performance, and after 10 weeks of my 30 week plan I am already missing key sessions due to the injury. Which, I am finding very frustrating after a long winter in which I have worked hard to get some quality base training in for all three disciplines.

So what now?

I will be booking an appointment to see my GP, not something I want to do as I know from previous experience and can be a tough cookie to crack with muscular injuries, and a slow process. That said, I am hoping I can get some sort of scan arranged which I hope will confirm it is not a more complicated issue, and if it is then at leads it will have been identified…..

It is not all doom and gloom though, I must find the positives. What I have to focus on is getting this sorted and coming back MUCH stronger for 2015, hopefully for my assault on Ironman Austria. By stopping the training now I can really start to analyse what is triggering the pain, possibly by keeping a diary? Paying attention to the detail and listening to my body, rather than ignoring the discomfort and cracking on to hit my training targets, I can stop, evaluate, and go again.

The time trial season is also upon us, and if I am as comfortable on my TT bike as I was last year then that is something I can concentrate on, come on Roo, don't let me down!!! I plan to maintain, yet reduce my Swim and Bike training and maybe take a rest from the running, just for now. Having withdrawn from the events I can do this without guilt, and without going out running hour upon hour of Junk miles.

Fingers crossed I improve as the season goes on, and who knows, maybe the odd event might just be achievable……

Am I doing the right thing? I really don't know, if you have an opinion please feel free to pipe up with some advice : )

2014 is going to be a good year!

2014-01-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

So with a few minor distractions (wedding & Honeymoon) now out of the way, sorry wife, it is time to focus on what is in store for 2014….. For the last two weeks I have been fortunate to have been on a warm weather winter training camp (Honeymoon) in Thailand, an absolutely stunning place and it was so nice to feel my bones warmed from the sun whilst enjoying plenty of Swim, Bike and Run sessions, along with Kayaking, Paddle boarding and some core and strength sessions in the gym : )

Strength & Core

The latter being something I will be building into my training programme for the coming season, I decided to introduce this to my training to increase muscle strength, to avoid injury and to add variety to my Swim, Bike and Run sessions. I will fit these in to my training programme twice a week, by reducing my Swim sessions to two per week instead of three and my Run sessions to three instead of four. Last year I followed the Don Fink Ironman competitive plan, TO THE LETTER, firstly as this was to be my first IM race, and secondly I could then assess what worked for me and what didn't.

In regards to my performance during IMUK 2013 I can honestly say I was pleased with my efforts, that said, I did struggle along the way sometimes with the demands of the workload and at times my creaking joints were pushed close to overworking. So, I will again be following the Don Fink plan for my assault on the Outlaw Long Distance triathlon in July, all be it with a couple of modifications to suit my lifestyle and my body, the changes I will be making are:

1. Introduction of Strength and Core sessions (as above)
2. The plan will follow my work shift pattern - i.e. The long run/rides will not always be on the weekend.
2014

My training programme is due to start on Monday, 27th January 2014, this will give me 26 weeks to train for my A race which is the Outlaw Long Distance Triathlon in Nottingham. Along the way I have a few other events to keep me entertained, so this is how 2014 looks for me….. for now ; )

2nd March 2014 - The Mad March Hare Cycle Sportive
23rd March 2014 - The Hillingdon Half Marathon
1st June 2014 - The Outlaw Half Triathlon
8th June 2014 - The Etape De Yorkshire
27th July 2014 - The Outlaw full distance Triathlon
23rd August 2014 - National Club Relays with Hillingdon Triathletes

This little lot will be accompanied by local events with Hillingdon Triathletes including, time trials, Triathlons, Duathlons, Aquathlons and Open Water swim races….. These will be picked closer the time to fit in with my shifts at work.

Alongside my own training and racing, the new Mrs Hodge will be taking part in her first Triathlon, this will be at the Hillingdon Triathletes Grassman Novice Triathlon, this is an entry level race designed to give people of all ages and fitness levels a chance to get involved with this great sport. For Caroline this all be new, especially as she knew nothing about taking part until she unwrapped her 30th Birthday present and found out!!! : ) In the last 12 months, Caroline has ran a half marathon, purchased a road bike and currently developing her cycling skills, and now has a new focus of developing her swimming over the next few months before bringing it all together. It may seem daunting at first but having seen how far she has come already I know it is more than achievable for her and she will have brilliant time come the big day!!! : )

Goals

I do like to set goals, not everybody does, but I am happy to adjust them if they don't seem achievable, so here are my early season goals:

1. Sub 12 hour at the Outlaw Triathlon - My IMUK time last year was 12:26 so I need to find 27 minutes across the three disciplines.

2. Sub 30 Minute Swim at the Outlaw Half Triathlon - At the Outlaw Half last year I swam 34 minutes, this year I am only doing the Swim as part of a relay so can go balls out.

3. Sub 1:45 at the Hillingdon Half Marathon - My last two half marathons have been part of Half Iron distance races and have come in at 1:52 & 1:59 so hopefully with the right training my time of 1:45 in a stand alone half marathon is achievable

Only time will tell…. it's time to work HARD!!!

Dedicating my body to Science

2013-12-22T12:25:00.002-08:00

A couple of months back I saw a request posted on my Triathlon's club Facebook page asking for volunteers to help out with studies at a local University, Brunel. The studies were to analyse the effects of dehydration on sprinting in the world of cycling, thankfully the University use a heat chamber to create the environment because one thing we lack here in the United Kingdom is heat!!

I contacted Gavin who was conducting the studies, he responded promptly with all of the information required for me to make the decision as to if I wanted to take part (to which I clearly read word for word, not) After a bit of juggling around with dates and times we arranged the three dates which would be required for my testing, the first being to conduct a Vo2 max test on myself, the second to conduct a four hour session in a hydrated state, and the third another four hour session but in a dehydrated state.

So what is in this for me you may wonder, the main thing is that Gavin would provide me with a full report from my Vo2 max testing with advice on how I could use this information to maximise my performance (in cycling) and get the most out of my training sessions in the future. this test comes at a cost if you go to a private coaching company so for me it seemed a fair deal, alongside that I get to spend four hours of warm weather training cycling at 37 degrees in the heat chamber : )

Day one - So, I arrived at Brunel University in Uxbridge slightly apprehensive but looking forward to taking part in Gavin's studies, my apprehension turns out to have been right as I was soon in absolute pieces having given everything I had got on the Vo2 max test. This was to test my personal limits and output so that results further into the study were proportionate to me, this would also be the basis for the report Gavin would write up for me to use in the future. The test involved me cycling pretty much as seen in the picture above, the resistance increased on a frequent basis with myself having to maintain a constant rpm of 80. I can't remember how long I lasted time wise but the test continues until you cannot physically keep going, a bit like the Lucozade advert where people are falling off the treadmills, it's a real treat and I would recommend it to you all!!

Day two - This was the first of two, four hour visits. This would be made up of 100 minutes cycling in the heat chamber at 37 degrees, maintaing 80rpm @ 80% of my Lactic Threshold, throughout this you would be given enough carbohydrate liquid to keep you hydrated. This would be followed by a 20 minute rest where your body weight was also taken again to see what you have lost through sweat during that part of the testing, this would be followed by the first of two sprint tests with a resistance of 7.5% of your bodyweight which would follow the pattern of 3 minutes seated still, 3 minutes steady cycling before 5 x 15 second sprints with 15 seconds recovery between each one. From here that would be a period of 1 hour to allow your core body temperature to return to normal before repeating the sprint process.

Speaking of Core body temperature, and this goes back to me "reading the information thoroughly", Gavin began to explain that my core body temperature would need to be taken throughout the testing, this was whilst he was holding a small sealed bag with what looked like a cable in it, after explaining I replied "oh right", he then explained that they would provide the lubricant, to which I replied "oooooohh riiiigghhht"! MUST READ MORE THOROUGHLY!!! Later in the testing Gavin explained how he himself and been a Guinea pig where he had to swallow a thermometer in the form of a pill to measure his core body temperature, my response, "how come you get a pill to swallow and I get a cable to shove up my A**e!?!?!? Apparently the study he was involved in had more funding, likely story ; )

Throughout the testing you are shown two pieces of paper, one of which you indicated how hot you were and the other to show what level of intensity you were currently cycling at. This is due to the fact you are wearing a mask throughout testing to measure your rates of breathing etc, that and the fact I could not have talked if I wanted to during the sprints.

Day Three - This is a repeat of day two apart from the carbohydrate drink given to you is only 300ml, for the whole 100 minutes cycling, to be honest I did not find this too bad and was probably closer to my intake of water on a standard ride. The results from the two sets of sprints could be compared between the hyperthermic and normothermic states, the first being on the left and as you can see in the graphs below the power drops away as I moved through the 5 sprints.

Throughout the testing there was challenges in regards to the huge efforts going into the sprints, but like any training we do, it will only be as hard as the effort you put in. I gave my all when required to ensure the results were as honest as possible, hopefully allowing Gavin to get the results he needs to complete his studies.

I was a little surprised at the lack of volunteers (perhaps they read all of the paperwork) ; ) I think at the time I was at the University the study should have been coming to an end, however they were still in need of one more volunteer. So if you are local, a keen cyclists, wanting to push yourself or just enjoy some warm weather cycling then I would seriously suggest going along and offering your assistance.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!!!

Without them, we are nothing!

2013-11-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

Volunteers that is, without them not one single event would take place! Alongside that, not many of us mere mortals would not have the opportunity to have coached Swim, Bike or Run sessions which are put on by our Triathlon clubs.

The reason I write this is that last week the British Triathlon Federation hosted it's annual awards dinner in Birmingham, and here at Hillingdon Triathletes our very own Dave Wardle picked up the award for British Triathlon volunteer of the year! Congratulations Dave : )

Now I only joined Hillingdon Triathletes in June this year so I don't know Dave all that well, but when I have met him whilst attending the club time trials or the club Aquathlon he has always been on hand to point me in the right direction and make me feel welcome, not a lot more you can ask for when you join a new club and don't know anyone so for that I would like to thank him!

Now I am sure you all have your very own Dave Wardle, I know they do at Solihull Triathlon Club where I was previously, in the form of Andy and Rosa Teagle, both who put in hours of their own time to ensure the club runs as smoothly as possible. It is so easy to turn up to a training session or an event and achieve our own objectives, but without these people none of it would be possible so I think it is fantastic that the opportunity to praise such efforts is given.

For every event we enter, regardless of the fact we pay, there are lots of people who give up their own time to volunteer and without them who would:

Set up the race venue
Pass you a drink at an aid station
Cut up the bananas
Give directions at junctions (for hours on end)
Cheer us on
Take your bike in transition
Help you change (Ironman)
Hang a nice shiny medal around your neck
Provide Safety Canoes in Open Water
Catch you when you pile in at the finish line (not me obviously Grrrrr…)
And don't forget the clearing up after us mucky buggers have all gone home

I know I have probably missed a load off but I guess what I am trying to say is lets not forget to thank these people, even when you are absolutely hanging out, just a nod or a grunt and half cocked smile will do.

That will lead me on nicely to the fact I have previously mentioned in that I would like to volunteer my services more in 2014 to fulfil any of the above jobs at some events and give a little back. I have only volunteered once before and that was not in Triathlon, but at the Moonwalk Marathon in London last year, and no not because it was going to be 15,000 women walking the streets of London in their bras!! How shallow do you think I am!?!? You think Triathletes are messy, I picked up litter in Hyde Park for 6 hours during this event and I tell you now they make us all look like Mary Poppins : ) I didn't mind though and I was happy that I had contributed a little bit towards helping out in the event

ROLL ON 2014!!!!

Love cycling.... but cycling safe and with company is better!!

2013-11-06T08:34:00.002-08:00

I consider myself lucky to be so well supported in all that I want to achieve in my amateur sporting life, I have mentioned it many times that Caroline is always on hand to make sure I am good to go and come race day is there giving the loudest cheers and much needed support!

This is all brilliant and key to my successes but deep down inside I always wish Caroline would give it a go for herself and see what it is all about, the first step towards this is that we are entered into the Outlaw Half Triathlon in June 2014. We have entered this half iron distance race as a relay, with myself swimming, Andy cycling and Caroline doing the run leg. Now the finish to the Outlaw race is pretty cool with a grandstand finish, crowds cheering you over the line and a belting medal to top it all off.....

So that is the run leg sorted but I was keen for Caz to come and join me out cycling, now this is a discipline which she has no real experience of and limited exposure to cycling throughout her life, which will very soon be 30 years!!!! Sorry Caz : ) Like anything we try in life, it is important to have positive experiences to want to go out and have another go. So a few weekends back I planned a 16km ride around the country lanes near where we live in Amersham, 16km may sound short but to somebody who does not cycle it can be a long way, and for those who know the area will know you can't leave your front door without finding a good few hills! Before setting off we made sure her MTB with slick tyre's on was set up correctly and talked about how we would ride and some bike safety, this would allow her to not only concentrate out on the road but also enjoy it. After familiarising herself with the range of gears we were off on our first outing, now correct me if I am wrong but I think she looked like she was enjoying it.......

Cycle with a smile

I was so proud of how Caroline did on that Debut ride out, really enthusiastic and even surprised herself by not stopping on any of the hills which I think at first look she thought impossible! This was where the importance of talking about the bike and how it can work for you came in, selecting the correct gear at the right time makes cycling far more efficient. Since then we have been out again on a longer ride, 21km in which Caz applied everything she had picked up from our first outing and smashed it, hopefully this is the beginning of a long and happy relationship with her bike..... and maybe the start of a journey into Triathlon, but one step at a time ; ) Although I do have my eye on the Hillingdon Grass man Novice Triathlon!

Cycling is clearly a fast growing interest in the UK but seeing the standard of cycling around London does concern me, yes there plenty of awful drivers but this is mirrored by bad cycling skills. If you are going to jump on a bike then I would highly recommend either getting some formal training, cycling with a friend or join a club. Hillingdon Triathletes have just got underway with their winter cycling initiative to encourage less experienced cyclists the opportunity to do just this in the form of Novice Sunday club rides, absolutely brilliant idea! All rides will have at least two experienced cyclists, one leading the way and one bringing up the rear with the ride going at the pace suitable to the entire group.

There is so much more to cycling than just turning the pedals so personally I feel it is worth taking a little bit of time to familiarise yourself with the bike and some bike handling skills in a park or similar, build confidence in the bikes ability and practice taking one hand of the bars, you need to do this to indicate and if you can't then how will a car or lorry know where you are planning on going? The great thing about the club rides is you learn bike etiquette and safety, where to ride, how and when to signal, how to warn others of hazards and where to look for danger, all this will help you get to the well earned coffee stop safely! : ) If you don't know anybody you can cycle with or ask then there is plenty of good advice on the internet and You tube.

A look back at 2013

2013-10-28T11:05:00.001-07:00

I began the year with a very fixed objective, to complete Ironman UK. After selecting my training plan I would follow and booking my three races for the season the rest took it's course and now it is time to look back and see what worked, what didn't work and what I need to change for 2014. Now throughout all of this I have to remind myself I am a normal bloke, with work commitments, I like a beer, I have a family and friends and other interests.... it is all too easy to put pressure on yourself to do well but one thing I did keep in the forefront of my mind was that I wanted to ENJOY the journey, and I think I succeeded!! : )

When the training plan started, early in January I was initially concerned that the low intensity and short sessions could surely not be enough for what I was intending to achieve!?! I now know that this does work and was two fold, firstly it taught my body and muscles how to work when going at such slow speeds, this would come into play in the latter stages of the Ironman run, and secondly it made the whole programme progressive and ensured I peaked bang on time for my A race! : )

Swim

My training started with two swim sessions a week, and they were much needed. I like to think I can hold my own in the swim but there is plenty of room for improvement so I was happy to work hard in this area, that said, later in the programme a third swim session was introduced each week. I personally found this quite hard to fit in, and I would put a lot of pressure on myself to get it done which did not always result in a quality swim set.

OW Swim practice at IMUK

So how will I change this for 2014, firstly I will only do two swim sessions a week, when weather permits that will be one Open water and one pool based. Secondly I will try and make my pool sessions with Hillingdon Triathletes, this will offer me quality coached training and being around others always ensures you work hard, far too easy to go easy on your own.

Bike

Again, I don't set the world alight on a bike but I am not too shabby either : ) I have been lucky to have keen cycling friends around me for the last few years, and I have a lot to thank DM, NDD and Wheezy for as much of my knowledge and advice has come from these three!

Looking back now I am pretty pleased with how the year has gone on the bike, plenty of hill training with NDD served me well and I will always include this as a vital part of my training. I was also introduced to time trialling over the last 12 months, and I can't bloody wait to get amongst it in 2014! As a member of Hillingdon Triathletes this comes as a free event, yes I said FREE!! I, like everyone else who attends is so grateful for the people that made these happen on a Thursday evening, and this played a large part in my IMUK success so thank you!! On top of this my weekly long rides started at 1 hour and peaked at 6 hours just before my taper, I am happy this worked and will adopt a similar approach for next season but hopefully attending more club rides.

So what to change on the bike? I think I realised late on the importance of interval training on the bike and this is something I have taken on board, so for next year I will be changing the way I conduct my intervals on the bike alongside the time trials when they get underway. This is something I still need to do a bit of homework on but feel free to make suggestions : )

Run

This was an area that concerned me at the start of the year, firstly the thought of running a marathon after 112 miles on a bike, and secondly injuries. I had been struggling with a few niggles so had to manage these where needed and that meant me missing some sessions. But by the end of IMUK and my marathon split was only 2 minutes slower than my stand alone marathon time so can I really be disappointed!?!? I am not, in fact I was over the moon with how the run leg went. A good mix of distance running, intervals and brick sessions set me up nicely so I see there is nothing to change there.

Smiling on the run? Never thought that would happen!!

That said my plan this year had 4 run sessions a week, for 2014 I will replacing one of those with a strength and conditioning session. My aim here is have some dedicated time to improving my core strength, my glutes, calf muscles and hamstrings, and some upper body training for strength in the pool. I will not be going to the gym to conduct this so as well as the benefits of the session it will be one less session out of the house.

The plan

The plan you choose to follow is clearly very important, but how you put that plan into practice is equally important I feel. Last year was my first Ironman experience, and I loved it, but following a plan can take it's toll. Here are a few things I personally find will help make it more manageable, both for you and your family...... In 2013 I followed it to the letter, next year I will be planning the training around my shifts so my long sessions are midweek where possible when I am home alone.

Get a Turbo Trainer - No missed sessions due to weather and you can cycle whilst the other half watches T.V : )
Plan ahead - Get your kit laid out for the next days training, charge your Garmin, helps take the stress out of rushing around.
Train early - Where it allows you can be out and home before your family are even out of bed, also public pools are often quieter.
Energy gels - Look out for the buy one get one free offers on Wiggle, these get expensive over 6 months and can save you a lot of £££££
Triathlon Club - If you are not in one, join one. Most clubs will have some Ironman vets and you can draw on their knowledge, also it is just brilliant to train around like minded people : )
Include your partner - You will be spending a lot of time training, if they feel involved in some capacity, planning, nutrition, race day prep or even training. I found it helped.
Race day - Start thinking about this, I arrived 2 days early and stayed 1 day after. I was very lucky to have a good friend put me up but hotels go quickly and are not cheap!!!

Oh and don't forget...... Hills, they DO make us stronger!!!!

Up next....... What 2014 has in store for me!!

2014 to be a rest year......

2013-09-05T02:44:00.000-07:00

Well, that was the plan...... local event's with Hillingdon Triathletes and a bit of volunteering.

Since I completed Ironman UK I have taken a few rest days, about 33 to be precise! Far too long, and its certainly told in my first couple of runs and rides getting back into some light sessions. That time has been productive in other ways though, socialising, holiday and just spending some quality time with Caroline and friends. It also gave me lots of time to think, and that is always dangerous!

This year Caroline completed her first Half Marathon, a great achievement in itself! Caz enjoyed her training (sometimes) and enjoyed the event so I saw this as an opportunity to get her in involved in triathlon, she is the best supporter ever and always there willing me on whatever the weather. I have been keen to get her to experience it from the athletes perspective, so we are going to start nice and easy on the Glorious 1st June 2014 with the Outlaw Half...... Relay!!!

Our team 'We are Family' will be made up of myself, doing the 1.2m Swim. Andy, my bro in law to be doing the 56m bike, and Caroline completing the 13.1m Run leg to bring us home : ) I really can't wait for this one, partly because I will be finished in 35 mins and can put my feet up and cheer the other pair on : ) The support on the run route at the Outlaw Half was fantastic last year, and the run down the finish chute to hundreds of cheering spectators is pretty cool so I am really hoping Caz enjoys the experience. A good friend of ours, Nigel as also entered so we can hopefully make a good weekend of it, maybe even camp and BBQ at the national water sports centre? : )

So with that in the bag nice and early the rest of my plans would just focus around smaller events, mmmm..... I just could not get racing iron distance out of my head, I loved the whole experience! The training, the distance, the race, the people I met and how good I felt in myself throughout the last 10 months being at my peak fitness.

I imagine by now you can guess where this is going.......

Last weekend we were visiting Caroline's family and at 7am on Sunday this years Outlaw full distance was on Channel 4, I really enjoyed the coverage and with it being in my home town it would be pretty cool to become an OUTLAW!! Prior to IMUK this year this was my initial plan for my first outing in Iron distance racing but the IMUK race excited me a little more so I went for that instead, knowing that this race will be here for ever due to it's massive popularity and constantly winning 'race of the year' awards I would be able to have a go later in life.

We drove home from Sunny Lincolnshire and I just could not get it out of my head, and this was to be the case going in to the evening after we arrived home to the point where I just looked at Caz and said 'can I ask you a question' to which she replied cautiously 'go on'......

I said to Caroline 'would you mind if I enter the Outlaw next year' to which she replied ' I knew this was coming'!! : ) That was me smiling not her!! I gave my reasons, she listened, raised her concerns, I explained how much easier it would be to live with me if I did it, she said YES, I said THANK YOU, and we will live happily ever after!!! So, not that I already had the registration page up on the laptop but within ten minutes i was entered : )

I am so excited about the coming year now, obviously mainly because I will be starting 2014 as a newly married man : ) Sorry ladies!! So 2014 will start with two weeks in Thailand, which I am sure will include a fair bit of sea swimming, and from there my Outlaw training programme will begin at the end of January.

I will approach my training for 2014 slightly different but that is working progress, I am still addressing what worked for me and what didn't during 2013. I do feel this is key to continued improvement, as i have quoted before......

"If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got"

Finally, good luck this weekend to Nigel and Jim O'Donovan who are both racing. Nigel who is returning with much enthusiasm from a long break from the sport and racing at Woburn Abbey and Jim who is representing IRE in the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas.... Good luck guys!!

It's not just about the Swim, Bike and Run.

2013-08-13T07:57:00.001-07:00

In 2012 when I decided to enter Ironman UK I knew there would be many miles of the three disciplines involved in triathlon laying in wait, a number of outside factors would also play a major part in arriving at the start line being still motivated and injury free!! A few factors which spring to mind are:

A supportive partner/family
Self motivation
A good training plan
Injury prevention
Good time management

1. A supportive partner/family - I have been so lucky in this area as Mrs Hodge to be has been nothing other than 100% behind me the whole journey, prior to embarking on my training plan we sat down together and discussed the demands of my plan options as this would have a massive impact on my time out of the house also meaning time away from Caroline..... Still puzzled as to why she was pushing for me to follow the plan with most training hours!!! : ) Seriously though this factor was very important and so glad we had that chat, nothing worse than explaining further down the line that you are going out for a 5 HOUR RIDE!!! Good luck if that's the route you choose : )

2. Self Motivation - Triathlon is an individual sport, so when you sit down and look at your training plan for an Ironman race you will soon realise that there will be some long, long hours training alone. Also for me working shifts this meant some of my sessions would either be very early starts or very late finishes, I remember one evening getting in at 2230 and still having a one hour bike session to do, this can be very tough especially after a long day and you just want to put your feet up with a brew or a beer. It is times like these when you really have to dig deep and motivate yourself, it you choose to skip these sessions time and time again it could be the difference between a successful, enjoyable race or just finishing.

3. A good training plan - There are a number of ways to come up with your plan, online, books, a coach or maybe even design your own. For me being an Ironman novice I wanted a structured plan to follow, so after researching my options I chose the Don Fink competitive plan from his 'Be Iron fit book' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Iron-Fit-2nd-Time-Efficient-ebook/dp/B00D66INJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376401714&sr=8-1&keywords=don+fink Now this is not for everyone and for all of the positive reviews there will be many negatives, especially if you read the forums, for me however it worked. I followed the programme as close to perfect as possible, but also with a degree of flexibility and common sense.

Have your plan written down and easily to hand.......

4. Injury prevention - This follows on from the training plan, and my comment about common sense. Your body does not lie, and through certain weeks of any programme you will put your body under extreme stress through the training loads. Ironman is not supposed to be easy, but there is a fine balance between developing your fitness and pushing yourself that little bit to far which worse case could result in no race at all!! : ( There will be times when you are tired, but only you will know if doing the next session will be beneficial or damaging, without using the latter as an excuse to take a rest ; ) Allow yourself time to warm up and cool down properly, google has some great links to effective techniques which won't add another hour on to your session but it is important that they are done.

5. Good time management - By planning your weeks and days in advance you can take a little bit of the stress out of your daily training routine, ensure you know your next sessions, lay your kit out the night before, prep your bike, have your swim bag packed, ensure your Garmin is charged..... these are all small things but they really can make the difference in to the frame of mind you will be in going in to your session, and trust me, I didn't always get it right!!

Now I am no specialist in any of these areas, and in the grand scheme of things I am still a novice in triathlon after 3 years. That said I have just successfully completed an iron distance race so just want to share what worked for me, and what might help you. There is a lot of good information out there and I gained some great knowledge from friends, my triathlon club, the internet and by making mistakes. not many, but I did make them ; )

All of the above are things that YOU can control, YOU make the decisions and only YOU can make yourself go out and train, but if you enjoy your Ironman race as much as I did then every single minute spent in the pool, on the bike or out pounding the pavements will have been worth it........

The things you can't control but the thing you can draw on most come race day is the UNBELIEVABLE support from the crowds, the volunteers and your friends and family! No amount of energy products can replace what this gives you (but please take your gels) So when you are out on your long rides and runs just remind yourself why you are doing it and picture what it will be like come your chosen race day.

One week on

One of the biggest signs apart from my race day performance that the training plan worked was how I was feeling after the event, pretty much fine!! Yes my muscles ached but overall I have been pleasantly surprised, and after a week of pure rest I am now back out for some short runs and rides : ) 30 weeks is a long time to follow a training plan, and drinking water when everyone else has a beer or a glass of wine can be pretty tough too. So you can guess what i have been doing with my rest week : )

And...... relax!!

It is a big shock to the system to suddenly have that purpose of training taken away from you, but then it is nice to sit back with a cold beer and re live the race, looking through the many photo's with a smile on your face. But that only lasts so long, not long at all actually, before you start scrolling through page after page on the tinterweb looking for the next race!! : ) I am going to take my time though think it through, watch this space!

Operation Oliver

http://hodgetriathlonjourney.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/operation-oliver.html

What can I say.... AMAZING!! Thank you so much to all of you that dug deep in to your pockets, the donations are still coming in and the total at present is now £1790 : ) Just the small task of collecting it now and transferring it to Oliver's trust fund, if you did sponsor me and wish to pay direct to the trust fund via bank transfer the details are here, please let me know if you do this so I can mark you down as paid.

Oliver Rushton Trust

Lloyds TSB

Sort code - 77-76-17

Acc No - 13689468

I will continue to post updates on Oliver's progress as he moves forward with his operation and aftercare.

Look forward

My mind is working overtime at the minute, but it is safe to say that 2014 will not involve an Iron distance race, that said it will hopefully result in successful registration in to Ironman Austria 2015!!! I am planning on local races and some volunteering to give something back to this great sport...... I will reveal my plans when I decide what to do, but I think Mrs Hodge to be is going to like them!!! : )

Ironman UK Race Report!

2013-08-06T12:42:00.001-07:00

It began on January 6th 2013 at 10:00, it ended at 18:26 on 4th August 2013...... This is the time scale I invested in to what is one of the best days of my life, and here is how it went, you might need a brew for this one (or a pillow) : )

02:30 on the morning of 4th August my alarm sounded and I sprang out of bed, straight to the window to see what the weather was doing! Rain, the only thing I didn't want was rain and with only 3.5 hours until the gun was to sound to start the race all I could do was hope. Caroline followed me downstairs and began ensuring I was taking my race day fuel on board, porridge, toast and coffee was the order of the day. Our host for the weekend, Minty, soon followed with a look on his face which suggested at this moment in time he wanted to hurt me!!

03:45 We stepped out into the rain to board Thunderbird1, Minty's Alpha which was replacing our broken down battle Volvo, that is a whole other story which will follow soon. We had in advance purchased a parking pass for Pennington Flash to minimise bus and car movements, on arrival at the Flash the floodlit transition was a welcome relief from the dark, rainy northern weather we were currently experiencing : ( Initially i was reluctant to take my bike cover off, the Roo has never seen the rain but today was looking likely! I was surprised how calm I was in T1 considering what lay ahead, this was soon to change to fear!!!

The calm before the storm!

05:30 It was like a miracle, the rain, it STOPPED!! : ) After many loo visits (could have done with a few more loo's) the time was now, my good friend NDD arrived with his friend Steve both armed with long lens cameras as did Minty, and what a stirling job you chaps have done, I salute you!! By this time as I was donning my wetsuit the fear set in, mixed with excitement, anticipation and uncertainty.... it was time to put the last 30 weeks to the test! I was herded into the water ready for the deep water start, as soon as I got deep my goggles steamed up, awesome, after a couple of washes they were as good as they were going to be. I tried to position myself to TRY and avoid a mass start beating!!!!

06:00 BANG!!

The Swim - 2.4miles - 01:07:41

We were off, all 1600 of us, and clearly so were the gloves! It was a pretty brutal first 500m of the swim, anyone who had any fear in here was going to be in for an unpleasant next hour or two. I got myself into a little bit of clear water from the off and managed to get swimming from the off without too much bunching, most of the knocks came from sighting issues, some of which were mine I am sure!

IMUK Swim start

The sun was rising behind us and the conditions were perfect, as we reached the first of two turn Buoys I could sense everyone aiming to be as tight as possible to it, and i was right in the middle which was not good. The next 200m were not good as we negotiated the two turns, a few kicks to the face and more than a good few arms found my face. After the second turn we were now heading back to the Australian exit back at the start, the sun was now over the tree line making it impossible to identify the buoys, thankfully for me I had 500 people to follow : ) Exiting the water in around 32 minutes for the first lap i whipped off my goggles and gave them a scrub before jumping back in for lap two, a little bit slower but more enjoyable lap as the field was spread a fair bit by this point. Morale raised as the orange exit buoy came into sight and with 50m to go I kicked hard to wake the legs up ready for the little bike ride which lay in wait!

T1 - 00:07:05

The Bike - 112 miles - 06:37:50

In my head this was where the rest of my day would be determined, go too hard and it's going to be a miserable remainder of the day or manage my pace and leave myself with legs for the run, the MARATHON! I had some great advice from Wheezy a few weeks back, to go easy for the first 3-4 hours, not to worry about everyone passing me, which they did, and just settle into MY race plan. Another reason this was going to be key was that the course contained over 5000ft of climbing, I enjoy hills but you have to give them the respect they deserve, or they will win!!

Awesome.....

Shortly into the ride, around 4miles a lad in front of me lost concentration and I watched as both his wheels rubbed the kerb, with nothing he could do his bike flipped hard to the left and he was thrown from his bike, himself going over onto his back and left lying on the pavement : ( With a number of spectators on the path to assist him I carried on, really hope he successfully continued with his race. This for me was to be a stark reminder of how easily things could go wrong! Within the first 30miles the amount of kit on the road was astonishing where it had separated from its owner, tubes, tyre's, gel's and even a speedfill bottle!!! They all sound like small items but without them it could be game over.

After the point to point opening section we were soon at the bottom of Sheephouse Lane (SHL), this was the climb that would work the legs most and would be climbed three times. This is why I came to Bolton, the course excited me, and as we all know....HILLS MAKE US STRONGER!! The support at the bottom of SHL was awesome, inspiring, I felt like I was in the Tour de France : ) and this was to be the theme for most of the route : ) After the first climb up there is a stunning technical descent down in to Belmont, great road surface but the twists and turns had to be respected. At the bottom there is a hard left turn, straight into the crowd and I was absolutely buzzing!!!!! There were a bunch of guys and gals all in yellow, I can't remember which club you were with but I thank you! Beyond them I could hear and see Caroline and Minty screaming which was my cue to get out of the seat and get involved ; ) See video link below.......

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151744144431893&set=vb.833251892&type=2&theater

I left SHL and Belmont behind with the wind in my sails, the crowds were infectious, better than any energy gel or drink! COLT were dominating SHL along with a dozen half naked dancing men and girls in pink with bells at the top, and Belmont with the "yellow" club and what felt like hundreds of other supporters, you all made my IMUK experience very special and for that I thank you : )

Allez allez allez!!!!!!

Back to the real business, Grrrrrr..... the next section was pretty straight and rolling, perfect for getting the hammer down and pushing on without over exerting yourself. As the course kicked South West I started to flag and this was the case on each of the three loops, thankfully the "Pirates" were on hand to pick me up and get me back on track before entering Adlington for another tour like experience. I wish I had some pictures or video of this as it was epic and something I will never forget!!!

We were soon back at Rivington where the crowd continued to grow, I felt better as each mile passed and by lap three I was energised and felt at one with the Roo. My nutrition was going to plan, eating and drinking every 15 minutes ensured I was fuelled throughout. Before I knew it we were on the homeward stretch toward T2 at Rivington.

As tiring as the bike leg was it was lots and lots of FUN!!!

T2 - 00:07:10 (should have been 2 mins but serious lack of loo's)

The Run - 26.2 miles - 04:26:31

With trainers on I was on my way, still a long way to go but I knew every step I took was a step closer to my goal! I felt surprisingly good going out on the run and seeing Caroline and Minty after a couple of miles just lifted me even more : ) The first 8 miles was point to point along road and canal tow path before joining a 3 lap loop which was to take in Bolton town centre and an out and back loop lined with support the whole way!

I felt good good through the first loop and seeing my parents on entering Bolton was awesome, a quick stop for a man hug with Dad and hug and kiss for Mum and I was off again, never under estimate the power of family and support. I was tiring at this point a little and the hill out of Bolton town centre was a little cheeky, short, but cheeky!! At 15 miles my legs were tiring, I started to set small goals, 1 mile at a time, at 18 miles i decided to listen to my body and broke into a walk. Not for long but I made a decision to try and recover rather than run myself into the ground, I fuelled sensibly at the two feed stations and drew energy from the never waining support.

In the hurt locker

As I entered Bolton again it was absolutely hammering down with rain but the crowds stood fast. Andy, my future Bro in law was screaming my name (after me missing him on the bike, sorry mate!) Another brilliant morale boost, shortly followed by support en mass by the Davis Clan, Steve and his partner, my parents, Caroline, Minty and Oliver with his mum!! Now for those who don't know, I have been raising money for Oliver who is in need of a life changing operation.

http://hodgetriathlonjourney.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/operation-oliver.html

Oliver is my good friend NDD's nephew but until today I had never met him, to know he was here was pretty damn cool! As I passed them all I received more encouragement, Caroline could see I was hurting and offered much needed encouragement, NDD and Andy then ran alongside the barriers with me for a few hundred metres again telling me what I needed to hear, it was time to MTFU and get the job done....... After all this is Ironman not Tin man!!! I left NDD and Andy saying "I will be as quick as I can" and with that I was off for the last loop.

Come on Hodge!!! just the yellow band to go.......

I left the town centre once more, energised knowing that the next time I saw it the red carpet would be waiting. I collected my third and final band, for the last 3.5 hours I kept having band envy as you knew some athletes were on their way to completing their own journey, for me, that time was now. I didn't stop on that last loop, I concentrated, ran tall, visualised the finish determined to enjoy every last moment!! It was something I was determined to do all day, enjoy my Ironman experience. I descended the hill for the final time into town thanking the crowd, seeing my three bands the congratulations started early and I was grinning like a cheshire cat : ) Unbeknown to me my supporters knew I was inbound as they had seen me on the big screen......

The final approach to the magical red carpet

I don't think I am able to do how I was feeling justice, but I was loving every second, after 30 weeks, 271 training sessions, 4092km covered, 293 hours training, 293 hours away from Caroline, 187,000 calories burned..... all to hear those words!

LEE HODGKINSON.... YOU, ARE, AN, IRONMAN!!!!

That magical moment... and it is magical!!!

I was there, the end of my journey to becoming an Ironman, now where was my special lady who has supported me all year, never complained, always encouraged me, I wanted to celebrate with the gorgeous Caroline!!

And then it was on to meet a very special little boy, Oliver! When the going got tough during the race I had to remind myself why I was doing this, and what I was doing was keep my part of bargain of the fundraising to help change young Oliver's life..... You lovely, generous people have donated just shy of £1700 to date of your hard earned pennies which will go towards Oliver's operation and aftercare, here is the moment myself and Oliver got to know each other.........

Smile!!!!! Anything is possible.....

I have loved every minute of this journey, but I said it before to my support at the Devizes to Westminster Canoe race and I will say it again now...... Without you, I am nothing!!! Thank you.

Next time.......

Ironman is not just about the Swim, Bike & Run.