The close of June marks the half way mark of 2017 and what a start to the year it has been. Ive competed in NZ Ironman and then backed up to do Cairns Ironman about 12 weeks apart, both amazing races with some great results and even bigger highlights. Following the Ironman in early June the rest of the month became the start of my basic off season and all about recovery, socialising and trying to invest some time into other areas (often neglected) of my life!
So without any further ado, let’s take a moment to reflect on the numbers that made June what it was, this is all about celebrating milestones, being grateful for the time and appreciating the sacrifice. In June I trained on 16 out of 30 days, training for a touch over 31.8 hours for the month. We are now well and truly into Winter, the days are shorter, the cold has arrived and the winter woolies are in full swing. Training is harder as it is darker & colder in the mornings and evenings and harder to stay motivated.
During June I entered (and attempted to finish) the following Strava challenges:
Running:
- June Distance Challenge – complete 94km finishing 56,652 of 148,434 participants
- June 10k Race – Complete once, my best average pace was 5:32min/km, finishing 55,414 of 154,965 participants
- June Half Mathon Race – Complete once this month, my best average was 5:32min/km, finishing 14,767 of 91,050 participants
- June Climbing Challenge – 311m/2,500m, finishing 62,917 of 83,220 participants
- Global Running Day on the 7th June – I ran 5km on this day, finishing 47,027 of 150,599 participants
Cycling:
- June Gran Fondo – 177km was my longest ride finishing 22,823 of 208,928 participants
- June Distance Challenge – complete 454km finishing 113,150 of 224,444 participants.
- June Climbing Challenge – 2,377m/8,000m finishing 145,413 of 182,002 participants
I love that these challenges give me something fun to watch and monitor during the heavy loads of training. During June they provided the perfect motivation to get out there ticking over the k’s and hours before the Ironman and a nice reward after the race.
The following is a summary of activities for June:
The following little chart is from my excel spreadsheet I use to track volumes & hours, it helps me stay on track for my annual goals, also providing a good summary of the monthly total:
June was all about recovery and relaxation. I think for me this was my mental break, following the 2 ironman races so far in 2017, I just needed some down time. I hope that the key to my longevity in this sport is these down times. Its all about balance in the lifestyle. Balancing family time, yard work and Ironman training is no mean feat, but we make it happen as best we can! This period is also allowing me to catch up on the neglected yard work and mini project that need undertaking around the house, most ironman will understand!
I am very happy with my progress through 2017 so far and am looking forward to the second half of the year. Winter is always a hard time of year to continue training, so with no pressure or event on the immediate horizon, its the perfect time of year to stop, reflect, plan, smell the roses, recover and enjoy some relaxation.
I have taken up a role as a coach with Starfish Tri Club and am loving working with the junior to help develop their skills. From ages 8 to 18, we are building athletes that will love the lifestyle and are technically proficient in all 3 disciplines. Season 2017/18 is going to be super exciting. We even put on a club duathlon during the month, where even some of the dads joined in & rolled around chasing each other!
The focus heading into July and August will be about rebuilding some consistency and discipline to build up to the Sunny Coast 70.3 Ironman then onto Ironman WA in Busselton in December. There will be other races and I’m currently working on building my race calendar at the moment. Season 2017/18 is going to be epic, stay tuned to hear where & when I will be racing!
If you ever have any questions please reach out, I’m only a message away.
If you’re not active at the moment & need some inspiration, follow me on Strava, Instagram and like my facebook page and let’s get back out there swim, bike or running. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss a blog post from me! The biggest regret we can have in life is to not TRI!
Till next time build consistency, keep smiling and live to Tri!
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