Kevin's Training Diary 2025

I managed to catch a winter cold in the middle of this block, but despite missing a handful of sessions I have managed to work around that. The gains I had made on totals during the first fortnight have buffered against some slight shortages in this one.  I have still to get out on the mountain bike this year due to the weather conditions. The routes for Pontevedra have been published and apparently contain a significant amount of vertical (~900m over 24km) in them.   Actuals, (T arget) -  Swim 4.6  miles / 7,450  m. (5.6 miles). Bike 77.1 miles. (84.0 miles).   MTB 0.0 miles. (25.2 miles). Run 49.1  miles. (46.2  miles).  1 short core,  1   short light weights   and  0  stretching / rollering session.   45   mins of yoga.   Cumulative Actual, (Cumulative Target), [Cumulative Stretch] - S 9.1 , (8.0 ),   [8.6] , B 139.4, (135.0) ,   [141.8] ,     MTB 0.0, (40.5),   [42.5], R 88....

12 days in and time for an early update. Parkrun for New Years Day sounded like fun, but the nearest one to where we were staying wasn't on, and the next nearest one was cancelled, for flooding on our way there, so we ended up heading on to the third closest. That was an initially cold and wet, and ultimately very cold and snowy run round Livingston, which almost cost me a few fingers. Literally half way round the Parkrun was the start of 'real' winter. At the start line was freezing cold and wet (and to be honest if I had been race director would have been cancelled for flooding on the course) and by the finish line I looked like a snowman, and I have been effectively buried in snow every day since.  I have still done my usual 'binge' start to the year though. At least I feel like I have, the numbers say that I have just about kept up with my plan. I have done a string of indoor sessions while I derisk outdoors as much as I can, but have still managed to get out an...

Swim I am going to take something of a gamble on swim miles. I did almost no outdoor swimming this year (just 3 swims, all in races) so there is an easy upside to be had there by being more organised and getting to outdoor swims. Also on the positive side, there is still a rumour that Bucksburn pool might open in Q3-4 2025 which would instantly ramp up my pool access, and my ability to do swim-run or swim-bike brick sessions. Tying swim sessions in with those other sessions really maximises my time efficiency. I also have some supporting coaches working their way through the qualifications process and I am basing my plan on having at least some of them in position to lead swim sessions and allow me to get back in the water with the Aberdeen Uni Triathlon Club on at least some Wednesday nights. I have accepted that I am probably short in Q1, but I have put more in to my summer plan, and more in to the back half of the year. I have also put in the Xmas holidays when the pool is closed an...