Cool evening at Whitehills with Minnie

7.77km at 5'40" moving speed, with some hiati for the dog!

August running to 28th

Running: 54.84km so far in August as of 28th August 7.66km to do to get to the target...

Running loop around Pitmunie, clockwise

A clockwise loop, at a good pace - 7.22km at 5'03" - although it was around 5'20" to Ardneidly and then the rest gained on the downhill home.

Three Peaks training again

About 1,500m in the pool, over maybe 50 minutes, but also with lots of sculling and messing about with paddles. Hard, but slow

Year to date swimming

Immediately post Aberfeldy, total annual swimming total is 72.0km

Walking the dog

To Whitehills with Minnie for the usual run. 6.54km at 5'46"/km (5'25" moving pace), and felt pretty good in the legs today.

Cycle to work and then home

20.17km in 47'35" on the way to work, via Castle Fraser. Not trying at all hard (legs still tired from Saturday), so average speed 25.4km/hr (max HR 153, average 137). Carrying backpack too, which costs something Better on the way home, as more downhill.20.12km on the way home, at 27.6km/hr

Post Aberfeldy totals

Totals for August post-Aberfeldy: Bike: 222.80km (miles ahead) Run: 43.08km (on track) Swim: 5.99km (all open water - still more to do for the month)

Aberfeldy race day

Some funnies on distance on the big day: Swim: 2km (officially 1.9km), in 38'37" - very pleasing, in combat conditions, and a very chilly Loch Tay (12 deg C). Employed what can only politely be called autonomous heating in the loch - highly recommended!

Weather ok, but a bit of rain whilst swimming, so damp cycling gear. A quick gel in T1, then another on the bike as it was rubbing my leg. T1 about 5 minutes

Bike: 90.87km (officially 90km) in 3 hours 23'01" - average speed a very pleasing 26.9, especially with around 800m of ascent. Loved loved loved the ride down from the summit to Aberfeldy, watching the average speed recover everything I'd lost on the climb from Loch Rannoch. On the bike, drank two bottles of energy drink, ate half a banana and took on another water which I didn't touch, plus a total of 4 or five energy gels.

T2 - nicely organised with a handler to take the bike away. Time for a big swig of energy drink, and a quick gel. By the end of the bike leg, the sun was well out, and warming up. T2 around 3 1/2 minutes.

Run: 20.16km (officially 21.1km) in 2hr13'36"- average speed 6'38"/km with the first 2 km running at sub 6 minute kms, then run/walk/run, with lots of internal bargaining (you can walk up this bit if you run down the far side, or walk 50m then run 200m). Lots of aid stations, where I took on water and small amounts of energy drinks, and ate three gels en route.

Total time 6 hours 24' 20 seconds, 241st out of around 280, and 16th supervet out of 21. But comfortably beat my target of 412 minutes - mostly due to a better run than expected, although the bike beat my target by 7 minutes too.

Cycle loop

Went out on the time trial loop, for a spin to check the new saddle settings. 14.16km at 30.5km.hr - without really pushing, so pleased with that.

Tapering for Aberfeldy

Since the last Knockburn swim, I've had 7km on the treadmill in the gym (2km warming up, 5km in sort-of intervals), plus a scenic jog around Cambridge (first 5km with Judith and slow, last 1.73km at 5'07'ish, but it felt like I was only going at 5'30" pace, so pleased with that. Then 14.16km around the time trial loop on the new bike with tri bars now fitted. Not as fast as last time, but HR average 148 not 158, and didn't feel like I was trying as hard (and was a bit windier), so pleased with that too. Totals for August pre-Aberfeldy: Bike: 117.77km (ahead) Run: 22.92km (behind, but not for long!) Swim: 3.99km (both open water in Knockburn)(on target)

Knockburn again

Back to Knockburn for 1.86km in 2 1/2 laps, taking 43'03 (intriguingly 41'46" moving time, which is a bit more encouraging) Hopefully adrenalin on race day will speed things along. And must must must remember vaseline next time. Sore next again (front this time)

Warm up run

10 minutes on the treadmill, at inclines up to 6.4%, at 12.5km/hr to 12km/hr. U've been slacking on hills, it seems. 2.1km total distance

Longish, hillyish bike

70km - Lord's Throat, Keig, Bridge of Alford, Mossat, Kildrummy, Glenkindie, Muir of Fowlis, Tough, Cluny, home. 1,100m of ascent, average speed 26.2km/hr (26.5km/hr moving). Quite pleasing, and the gels and fluids worked well. Good practice for Aberfeldy

Run and bike

A rare sunny day, so went for a 5km run at lunchtime (getting slightly lost in the woods), but still 26'18", and average moving pace of 5'12". Then a hilly bike ride in the evening: 33.5km at 27.0km/hr, with 420m of elevation. Best hilly ride, I think.

Knockburn for the first time this year

Full of weed, but warm enough. 2.13km in 52'56" - 24'53"/km. Projected 1,900m in Loch Tay: 47'17". Rubbish, should be much quicker. Tempting to blame weed and not trying hard enough