Early morning interval training...

Here's an analysis of Ramsey's heart rate on an interval training run we did early this morning in Bushy Park. The training consisted of an easy 10 min warm up followed by 4 x 6 min intervals at 85% effort with a 2 min active recovery jog in between each, followed by a 5 min cool down at the end. This is a hard session and even harder when increased to x 6 intervals. The main trick is trying to maintain effort at 85% throughout all 4 intervals... A tough way to start your Tuesday!

In the endless pool...

Here's some brief footage of last night's swim training at the SwimSolutions endless pool in Old Windsor. I spent most of the session working on my balance with my swim coach - Tracey, managed to sneak in few minutes of freestyle at the end.

I start off swimming at a 25.00 min/1.5km pace with the speed increasing to 21.55 min/1.5km pace. I stopped swimming soon after the footage ends - couldn't keep to that pace! Working on it though! Josh

Triple Ironman World Champion - Chrissie Wellington

Yesterday, whilst at the Triathlon, Cycling & Running (TCR) show in Surrey - I met Chrissie Wellington, without doubt the BEST triathlete in the world and possibly the nicest triathlete in the sport too! Such a legend!

A newcomer to triathlon in 2004, Chrissie has achieved amazing success and has won the Ironman World Championship in Kona in 2007, 2008 & 2009 (setting a new world record in 2009 too). A truly remarkable feat!

Chrissie took some time to sign photos before a live Q&A session organised by 220Triathlon magazine... Lots of great tips from Chrissie including nutrition strategy, mental toughness, mind tricks to get you through the race, as well as sharing some of her toughest training sessions... 100 x 100m swim, crazy! Certainly lots of tips to help us on our journey to San Francisco!

Josh

ps... to learn more about Chrissie or to follow her this season, visit her website at www.chrissiewellington.org

Competitor Profiles...

Name: Ramsey Conyers (on the left)

Age: 28

Hometown: Twickenham

Triathlon history:
2008 London Sprint Distance Triathlon
2009 London Olympic Distance Triathlon

Favourite post training food: Dad's Sausage sandwich.

Favourite piece of kit: Toughie... in joint first place - Assos Cycling shorts and Super-Six Cannondale road bike.

Strongest discipline: None

Weakest discipline: Swimming

Best triathlon moment: Apart from the finish line...Seeing my girlfriend Ingrid jumping up and down holding her sign upside down while the others she made were all the right way up but being held by other people. As usual she won in terms of volume though!

Worst triathlon moment: Every minute I am in the water!

Most embarrassing triathlon moment: Being sick on someone whilst running next to them.

Lifetime Triathlon/Sporting Goal: Complete a full Ironman without drowning!


Name: Josh Roberts (on the right)

Age: 28

Hometown: Twickenham

Triathlon history:
2009 Dorney Lake Sprint Distance Triathlon
2009 London Olympic Distance Triathlon
2009 Worthing Olympic Distance Triathlon
2009 Ballbuster Duathlon

Favourite post training food: Tea and cake!

Favourite piece of kit: Without doubt my Rocky Mountain Solo ST Road bike - handbuilt in Canada...

Strongest discipline: Hmmmm... close call between swim or bike. At the moment, bike!

Weakest discipline: Running, but working on it.

Best triathlon moment: On the swim of London Triathlon last year - I managed to get into a good rhythm and at the half way point I looked ahead and saw no-one in front of me apart from the lead canoe - I thought - 'I'm in the lead', then I looked over to my left and realised I was most definitely not in the lead and had drifted way over to the side behind one of the marker canoes. It was an amazing feeling of leading the race... even just for that split second!

Worst triathlon moment: Worthing Triathlon 2009 - decided not to wear socks to help speed up transitions, not a problem on the bike leg, but my trainers were quite new and let's just say they properly cut my feet up on the 10km run. Not nice, wore flip flops for a week afterwards!

Most embarrassing triathlon moment: None as yet - sure there will be a few this year!

Lifetime Triathlon/Sporting Goal: Has to be a full Ironman in Kona, Hawaii!!

Launchpad to Life

The First Personnel Recovery Centre, Edinburgh - opened August 2009.

Help for Heroes have achieved so much in the short amount of time since the charity was founded; including the funding and construction of an £8m rehabilitation complex at Headley Court and awarded over £5m in grants to 10 vital projects and charities supporting our armed forces. However, H4H's work does not stop there, their current appeal for £10 million to build Personnel Recovery Centres that will provide a "launchpad to life" for seriously wounded or long term sick service personnel, supporting them as they make the transition to a fulfilling future. Your donations today will make these Personnel Recovery Centres possible!

Please sponsor us generously at: www.justgiving.com/escapefromalcatraz2010

Taking the plunge!

Here's some footage from last year's Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon! Two thousand competitors off the boat and into the water within SIX MINUTES!

Sunday training ride Brrrrrr!

Our fingers and toes have just about recovered after a very cold training ride into Berkshire and back yesterday. We started our reasonably early, having to tear ourselves away from a civilised Sunday breakfast watching Murray vs. Federer battle it out down under.

It was bitterly cold early-on with the sun struggling to shine through. We cycled out to Datchet, (we passed the lake we usually swim in - completely frozen over!!)then onto Windsor & Bray and back via Ascot and Windsor Castle (behind Ramsey above).

Total distance 55 miles, ride time 3hrs 20mins. Good training!