Kevins Training Diary 2026

I am still swimming plenty and that is showing on the clock now. A CSS test this week came out at 1:37. Not my best, but a lot better than the 1:42 I did at the end of last race season.  I am way under on bike miles again as weather and life keep interfering, but I did at least get out on the mountain bike today. Only my second mtb ride of the year but the new brake lever works (although the angle needs adjusting a bit and I didn't have my multi-tool with me). I still haven't fitted the electronic shifters that I ordered at Xmas. Running has been up and down. My back/hip are giving me problems some days that are reducing me to an old man shuffle, but then other days I seem to be fine.  I did a parkrun at Hazelhead yesterday and put in a more solid performance than I expected. 21:21 is still not fast, and even given the hill in that course it is still far from what I want to be doing. But it is a step improvement on where I have been.  Monikie Duathlon was postponed for ic...

I had planned for my S-curves to lighten up slightly after January as I should have had a solid 30 miles/week run block in Nov-Jan to build my fitness. However, the weather and my calf issues scuppered that and I have gone over run miles in this fortnight trying to cover that gap.  Life, and the extended period of hideous weather that looks to continue well in to next week, have been getting in the way of the bike. And I haven't been in a place to make it up on the turbo or spinning bike. I did manage some commuting, but I bailed on trying to take the mountain bike out at the weekends in persistent driving rain and temperatures in the 0-5deg C ranges. I did get as far as swinging my leg over the bike today then realised that somehow I had bent, and then snapped my rear brake lever. Swimming, I have taken advantage of being so far ahead of my mileage target to do a little less in this block. I am still struggling with inconsistency between sessions that isn't explained away by f...