1 Year Anniversary

[Tri Hard Alan]

Tomorrow will be my 1 year anniversary of my right BHR with Ronan Treacy  :D


Overall, I couldn't be happier with the decision to have this procedure. I only discovered this site after the op and had some good fortune to arrive in Ronan's hands but mostly this was due to the hard work, patience and support of my wonderful partner.


Every day life, I have no discomfort whatsoever. Everything is completely normal and the couple of holidays/short breaks I have had since I have often been on my feet all day and even climbed mountains without a twinge.


In terms of my sporting recovery, on the cycle, I would say this is 99% complete. I only need to get the last bit of speed back but its improving all the time. For anybody that's ever cycled in Tenerife, 3 recent climbs up Mount Teide (pro cycling teams such as Sky train there every winter) were no problem at all. For my running, there has been a massive improvement since I started a new strengthening program about 5 weeks ago with a new physio. I have found if I can maintain a good upright form, and the strength facilitates this, I can run pain free even at pace. I have taken 2 minutes of my 5k time since starting the program to take me down to 20 mins 30 seconds. I expect to hit my pre xmas target of sub 20 at the next outing.


To celebrate the anniversary I entered a Duathlon last Sunday (run-bike-run) and had the surprise bonus of winning the 45-49 Age Group. It was a small field but was very happy none the less.


Next year I will have the "delight" of turning 50 and as such will compete in the 50-54 Age Group and I will be attempting to qualify to represent GB in the World Age Group Championships which are being held in Rotterdam. Being close to home there will fierce competition to qualify so I will need to improve my swim and bike past pre op standards and get my run close to what it was but I am confident my body, and more importantly my BHR, with sensible scheduling and planning, can take the training load to do so.

[petemeads]

Great news Alan, I had wondered how you were getting on!
20:30 for 5k is pretty good, my own target is to get under 23 mins by Xmas (best this year 23:07 in April) with a view to matching the time for my first parkrun by my 250th... Some way adrift at the moment but still a couple of months to go.
The hill up to Teide must be a real challenge, would like to try it sometime. That would be a good Duathlon - bike up to the base, walk up/run down the peak, bike back to the coast (maybe the other coast, traversing the island). Done the walk up/down, need to check out the bike part...


Good luck with your training for a Rotterdam place, you might get to see Shoraztri (from NZ) there!


Pete

[blinky]

That is great! Look forward to hearing about your 50 plus achievements.


Thinking about strength training as something I need to get faster. I can jog along comfortably at a slow pace, but would like to go faster.

[Tri Hard Alan]

Petemeads - I hope so! Would be great to meet some more Hippies :-) Qualifying is definately the hard part though so will have my work cut out.


Blinky - I would definitely recommend it. Its not something you can jump in to straight away but once you have a bit of time under your belt it's the way to go.

[Ljpviper]

That's awesome Alan. I would like to try a little running myself I am off the six month restriction from Dr.Gross.

You wrote

For my running, there has been a massive improvement since I started a new strengthening program about 5 weeks ago with a new physio

Curious what exercises are you doing?

Thanks,

larry

[Pat Walter]

Congratulations on your one year anniversary Alan!  Great to hear how well you are doing.  Thanks for sharing your story and giving us updates.  Great accomplishment on the Duathlon.  I hope you have many wins ahead.

Good Luck and stop by when you have a chance.

Pat

[Quig]

What a great 1 year update, thanks for posting Alan. Keep up the good work and best of luck for all your future athletic endeavors.  8)

[shoraztri]

Hi Tri Hard Alan,
Congrats on your achievements and progress, 1 year on. Its fantastic !!.
Was really interested to see that you are wanting to qualify for Rotterdam Worlds , next year, 2017.
Im a definate starter for this , so would relish the chance to swap yarns, jokes, notes and thoughts etc.
Our Tri season here starts off in late November, with a qualifying race for Rotterdam- Standard Olympic Distance. All going well, hope to "tick" the box for Rotterdam. Lucky for me I slip into the 65-69yrs group, so this helps.
Swim and Bike are no worries at all, but the Run is somewhat different. I find that a max of 3 Runs per week is my safe and happy limit. No Run over 1 hour also is the max. I can do, without having some residual pain. Generally each Run around the 40:00 mark , at an Up Tempo pace suits me.


To petemeads,
Thanks mate for the mention. Look forward to Rotterdam and the new Age Group. :D


All the Best Guys.
Cheers,
Kiwi Boy Down Under. :D :D ;) ;D

[Tri Hard Alan]

That's awesome Alan. I would like to try a little running myself I am off the six month restriction from Dr.Gross.

You wrote

For my running, there has been a massive improvement since I started a new strengthening program about 5 weeks ago with a new physio

Curious what exercises are you doing?

Thanks,

larry

Here you are:


http://www.physioandmore.co.uk/prescription-exercises/?remove_header=y&first=3966649&username=pxoslahfowag&password=bcdgiknors


I get it ramped up next week. This is all do at home stuff, the next level will include some gym work. Looking forward to that, I think!


I would say see a physio and get checked out rather than leaping straight in to something like this. It was different when I started and has been built up.

[Tri Hard Alan]

Hey Shoraztri,


I find 3 runs a week is enough for me too. And I take the odd weeks rest here and there. I plan to give a half marathon a Tri in Feb and if that goes well a Half Ironman at the end of next season but only if my body responds to the extra distance well. Ultimately, if I have to stick to Olympics or even just Sprints, I will be more than happy.


I don't know how qualifying is down under but here in the UK competition is fierce, especially in the 45-49 AG I have been competing in the last few years. For example when it was in London in 2013 with everybody trying to qualify, I wasn't fast enough (ironically, had it been held in 2014 I might have done, I got much faster). When events are held further away and not so popular, its easier to get in. But Rotterdam is such a short hop from here that I am far from a shoe in to qualify, its going to be tough. I am hoping being at the bottom of a AG helps! Hopefully see you out there :-)


Thank you for the kind comments everybody else :-)

[Woodstock Hippy]

Congratulations on your comeback.  What's next.  I am having a ball as a short course triathlete.  Next for me is a sprint in Naples Fl.


When I am training and racing hard, I tend to forget to keep up my stretch & strength exercises and then I pay for it.  Don't forget to keep up your PT work.

[Tri Hard Alan]

Congratulations on your comeback.  What's next.  I am having a ball as a short course triathlete.  Next for me is a sprint in Naples Fl.


When I am training and racing hard, I tend to forget to keep up my stretch & strength exercises and then I pay for it.  Don't forget to keep up your PT work.

Nothing for me now till next year, its the off season now here in the UK. I will continue to do the odd Parkrun to measure progress and keep chipping away at that time to get under 20 minutes.


For next year, I have entered a couple of the qualifiers for the world champs and if I can combine the two we have a London Leauge of Triathlon events and I will attempt to win my AG in that. But the qualifiers will take precedence.


Couldn't agree more about the PT work, definitely in my thoughts to keep that up going forward.

[shoraztri]

Hi Tri Hard Alan,
Yes, understand about qualifying for World Tri Champs in the "younger" groups!!!. So much easier when ya an "oldie " like me and pete meads etc.
Just keep chipping away , and you will qualify. remember you have many years left in the body, so sacrifice a little now, and reap big rewards later. Plenty of rest and recovery days are also the BEST TONIC, so dont be afraid to implement this in your training. :) ;)


All the best in your "off season" , and hopefully the winter is not to vicious on you.


Cheers.

[Tri Hard Alan]

Last week was my 18 month anniversary so thought a visit here was well overdue!


Since my last posts I have engaged a coach to help me with my triathlon training who straight away upped the running milage and hip protested a little at that and I have yet to go sub 20 for 5k but these are my only minor gripes and overall I couldn't be happier. I am still learning my boundaries and still gaining strength.


In terms of racing so far this year I did the bike leg in a Duathlon Relay Team (not a strong field but we won), an Aquathlon (400m - 9k) and a pool based Tri (426m - 21.5k - 5k) all completely pain free. Managed to finish the Tri in 1.05 with a 21.10 5k run. This is 2 minutes of my best time for that course (difference all on the run) but 10 minutes quicker then when I did it just before the surgery.


My standalone 5k time is 20.14 so making progress on that and the qualifiers for the ITU World Champs start soon so its an exciting time :-)

[shoraztri]

Hi Tri Hard Alan,
Well done on the Awesum efforts in the Tri. Those Run times sure are slick, and Im sure you will be at Rotterdam. Keep up the good work, have those "rest/recovery " days too. Your hip and body will love you for it.
All the best for the up coming season and Qualifying races.
For me, I have qualified for Rotterdam, so will be a definate starter in possibly the Standard Olympic Distance, or the Sprint.


Cheers,
Kiwi Boyo.

[Tri Hard Alan]

Thanks Shoraztri.


Competition to qualify for the GB AG team is fierce. And normally the closer the event is the more people want to do it. And you can drive to Rotterdam so I expect the qualifiers to be a stacked field. I will be trying my hardest!


Well done on qualification, hopefully see you there :-)

[shoraztri]

Hi Tri Hard Alan,


Great work there. All the best, and roll on Rotterdam!!.
Cheers,
Kiwi Boyo. ;D