My plan for 2015 was to become an Ironman at Ironman UK after failing at Ironman Wales in September 2014 and to run 100 miles in 24 hours for Ripon Lions.
The first self inflicted challenge was Janathon, a challenge to run or do some form of exercise everyday of January, I have been doing this since 2011, on day 2 of Janathon 2015 I decided to add a Runstreak (run at least a mile a day) to my 100 mile challenge and throw the Ironman in too. I set myself a target to raise £1000.
So Even though I had terrible sciatica I managed to run everyday of January. 
Gouthwaite Dam
My first event was the St Wilfrids Muddy Boots 10km. I did it to see how my back would cope, I got round in a reasonable time and was not in too much discomfort, bonus.
February also was when I finally got a physio appointment for my back and I embarked on a new regime of stretching.
March saw us moving house at short notice, it impacted slightly on training but I managed to maintain my Runstreak, March was also the month of the Stokesley Duathlon, a good event for practising transitions, it is mainly flat but there is one incline on the bike course.
In April, we biked loads, the weather was always wet and windy, Billy took this pick of me struggling up towards Lofthouse from Masham. But Ironman UK bike course has a couple of bumps in it so hills, no matter how much I hate them were the order of the day
Also in April we started acclimatising for open water swimming, We had entered Loch Lo Man Middle Distance and the water in Loch Lomond was not going to be warm, I fact hats gloves and bootees were compulsory and therefore we needed to practise swimming in them.
In May we went to Pennington Flash and met some other prospective Ironmen for a single lap recce of the bike course, as usual the weather was rubbish for most of the ride but we finished in sunshine. The route was not as tough as I had expected but I still needed to work on my hills.
The Loch Loman Tri in May was on a dreadful day, strong winds, rain and low temperatures, the swim was short end as it was only about 11 degrees, the bike ride was very hilly and the run was flattish, it was a tough day but enjoyable.
In June Billy and I were still working on hills, I was very proud of myself for making it up the Buttertubs from the Muker side. It was on one of the rare nice days weather wise.
I did my first fell race, the Roseberry Romp, on a lovely sunny evening, this pic was me just emerging onto the top of Roseberry Topping.
I also got a last minute place for the Swaledale Marathon, it's about 25 miles of hilly trail. I really enjoyed it.
I started to use Tailwind nutrition. It works well for me.
At the beginning of July Ripon Runners ran their third annual run from Ripon Cathedral to York Minster. I wasn't going to do it as it was getting close to Ironman UK, then I decided to do it anyway, here we are regrouping before a mass run to the Minster. In the centre is Jill, she had been on some of my training rides as she too was going to be an Ironman.
19 July 2015, torrential rain and strong wind made me glad that I had trained in such rubbish weather all year. It took me over 15 hours but now I can call myself an Ironman
And so can Jill, we both did it, all that training paying off.
So Jill had a party, it was an Oscars night, and she presented me with this made of roses.
Ah! Holiday. Waterproofs were on everyday for our 8 day stay on the aisle of Skye.
We walked miles everyday and ran at least 1 mile a day regardless of the weather, we even went swimming at the local pool one day.
Back off holiday and August was spent doing some swimming and cycling in preparation for Vitruvian Middle Distance at the end of the month, but lots of my training was spent at Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey, running laps to replicate the route at Equinox24. Sometimes I would run Parkrun first at which I got faster and bagged myself a PB, before running laps, which I would celebrate with icecream.
After completing Vitruvian in a great time for me, I got my Ironman tattoo on the inside of my wrist.
From now on no more biking or swimming until after Equinox24. I doubled up my runs and built up to over 70 miles a week, now I was training mainly on my own. Billy was completing his training and competing at Ironman Wales the week before Equinox24. I couldn't be there to support him but Team Twinkle were there supporting him for me.
Finally the day arrived. Over a year since we planned it Chris I'Anson and I were ready to go for 100 miles. The weather was unseasonably warm for September. Billy was supporting me and keeping me fed and watered. We set off at Midday on Saturday 19 Sept
He even ran 40 km of it with me through the darkest section of the night.
But morning came and I was back on my own with a very welcome bacon butty I had only a few 10 km laps to go.
At 11:38:22 on 20 Sept I finished 100.9 miles (16 laps)
In October I did the Round Ripon Ultra 35 miles of trail in a great time, it seemed easy compared to the Equinox a fortnight before.
A week later I finally went under 4 1/4 hours for a marathon at the Yorkshire marathon
And then a little personal target. I accompanied Caroline to Bridlington for her first half marathon. It was my birthday and I wanted to get rid of my half marathon PB of 2 hours 12 seconds.
I did that. Great birthday pressing to myself.
In November I stared the month with the Guy Fawkes 10 mile hilly road race. I ran it well, still not getting under 1 1/2 hours for 10 miles though, oh well got to leave something for 2016.
I also entered the Turbonovember4 challenge to turbo everyday for at least 30 minutes plus some longer sessions. It got me back on the bike.
I completed the Hardmors Goathland Marathon the following week and then I also did the Wensleydale wedge in really dreadful weather.
Also in November I joined a swimming class and a Pilates class.
In December Billy and I did the Frostbite 30, a 35 mile trail run around Nidderdale. Last year I did this with Sciatica and it took 9 hours, I wanted to do better this year. Again the weather had been dreadful with high river levels and strong winds, but we got through it in just under 8 hours, it was tough.
Coming off Guisecliffe
So the weather has been dreadful most of this year, the ground is saturated and my trainers are starting to rot, we are now on the 6 th Storm of the winter in not many more weeks.
I'm already starting to train for next year's challenges and in a brief break in the weather I met old friends and new on the North York Moors this week for a lovely day on the Cleveland Way.
And so to totals for the year, This is a nice summary of my Strava activities courtesy of Veloviewer.
This is a summary of my Runstreak 
My running free account
Totals don't match on Garmin, running free or strava, must be thechnical gremlins somewhere.
My events 2015
A runstreak
St Wilfrids's Muddy Boots 10 km trail
Stokesley Duathlon
Loch Lo Man middle distance Triathlon
Roseberry Topping fell race
HDSRL league races
Otley 10 mile new pb
Swaledale Marathon
Ironman Uk 15:38:32
Vitruvian new Middle distance PB
Equinox 24 100.9 miles in 23:38
Yorkshire Marathon
Bridlington half marathon new HM PB 1:54
Guy Fawkes 10
Goathland Marathon
Wensleydale Wedge new PB
Frostbite 30
My fundraising page for Ripon Lions on the LocalGiving site closes on 01/01/16
No comments:
Post a Comment