This weeks training; 17.15 miles and a 1500 metre swim

It's been the first a great week for my training. I've recently signed up to the Timberman Ironman 70.3 triathlon and have been mentally committing and pushing myself to ensure I'm fit enough and tough enough to complete the challenge.

So this week I ran 17.15 miles in 140 minutes (2 hours and 20 minutes). It was a training run and I managed to keep an average of near 5 minute kilometres, although at times I did want to run much faster (and at times a slower pace would have been nice too). I've never ran as far before and I was actually a little elated when I got home.

But not as elated as I was when I swam 1500 metres. The furthest I've ever swum before today had been 750 metres at a triathlon. I was shattered by the end of it, recorded a terrible time of over 20 minutes and I was so exhausted and dizzy from the experience that I sat in transition for 3 or 4 minutes dazed and only just managing to put my helmet and shoes on to exit onto the bike leg.

So much to my amazement I was pretty chuffed when I swam 1500 metres in under 35 minutes. Still not a great pace, but it's a start. I'm happy with how my swim training in the last few months has gone, where I've been self-teaching myself the basics of breathing, catching and other techniques. I also have to confess that not wearing massive board shorts has probably helped considerably too!

And as a reward of sorts, I ordered myself a new set of Nike Pegasus trainers. I have a 27 already and they've been great. I hope the 28s are just as good. New socks too. Nothing beats the feeling of a new pair of socks!