When I first did this blog, I’d read quite a few others, and in a good percentage of them, as soon as the target event had been done, there was a huge gap between blogs. I remember thinking, that wont happen to me, I’ll be able to keep it up no probs.

So, 6 months after my last entry…….

In my defence, I’ve been busy sorting my house out. We had to move out for repairs that we were told would take up to 16 weeks, we finally moved back 18 months later so most of the end of last year was took up with sorting various contractors. Its pretty much done now, but as I’m typing this, the drive is still awash with vans.

The one thing that I’d read about was the Ironman hangover. I sort of touched on it in my last blog all those months ago, but in reality, it lasted a good few months. I kept thinking I’d shook it and I’d got back into the routine of some training, but it never really happened, I ended up having more comebacks than Frank Sinatra. Its a really strange feeling. The idea of doing an Ironman had really pretty much took over my thinking for 12 months. The preparation and training, trying to fit another hour swim or turbo in when I could and not having to do it gave me a really empty feeling. I really enjoyed the year, and felt so much better for it, both physically and mentally. Its something that I did, on my own and on the day, it was just me. Yes, the spectators and family give you all the encouragement that they can, but the only one who drags their body round the course is you, and nobody will ever be able to take that away. Once its done, where to next? Not having the routine or an aim proved quite a struggle for me. Add a couple of holidays into the inactivity/recuperation period, then Christmas, and I’d soon put on some timber, and at my age, its not that easy to get it off. So when I finally dragged my arse into gear, it was quite hard work.

I thought my base fitness would count for something, but I was seriously surprised at how quickly I’d lost both my endurance and what little speed I had. I was doing 3 mile runs that just a few months ago were a warm up, now I was blowing at the end of them. That might have been the thing that shocked me into getting myself sorted, there was no way I was going back to how I was a few years ago. I started on the turbo, managed a few swims and kept plugging away on the runs. Its took about 6 weeks, but now I’m feeling a lot better. I’ve done 5k worth of swims each week for the past 4 weeks, turbo about 3 times a week and hit 10 miles on the runs a couple of times. I’ve still got quite a way to go, but its a start, and I seem to have got rid of my Ironman hangover at last.