Decorating , changes to training and paying off the mortgage

The horrible purple / lavender wall covering is now gone. It did leave some damage to the soft board wall underneath in patches because it had to be pulled off it took chunks with it. However we are making do so after a couple of coats of paint you can only see the damage close up.

Weekend cycling: on last Sunday's ride I decided I eas no longer happy pushing the big chainring but to go back to cycling for effiency, this is how I used to ride before my illness but because since my return to racing I have only done sprints I got stuck in that mentality. You can bluff your way throygh a sprint race but double the distance you have to do the work to be competitive.

So what am I left with? It is a combination of how I used to train, with a mix of Michael McCormack and others, with Total Immersion for swimming (for now).

Cycling at the weekend HR between 130-140 aerobic 20-30 beats below threshold (very close to what it would be with 180 theory od Maffetone). At a cadence of 90-100 so this will be small chainring stuff. My 2 midweek turbo sessions one intervals at threshold the other with a strength focus. Running I am keeping long to get my mind readjusted from sprint race. I am really enjoying the training and enjoying thinking about it and making decisions if things aren't working or if I stop enjoying things.

Another change I am making is 'there is no off season'-Lance Armstrong. I have toyed with this idea before but never committed to it. The basic idea is you keep some thought of training all year round so you are not starting from scratch each year but instead can build on the year you've just had. I think I am ready for this because I am enjoying training and really miss it when I don't doit, I get breaks throughout the year for things I have no control over, I need the routine I find it very hard to get bcak into it after a break and I have to keep my mind on long.

I want to change my body to a more endurance style body. I have huge goals to achieve in the Ironman. Ironman New Zealand 2011 is going to be a conservative lets finish the race in about 11 hours and the following year will be quicker.

Teresa have committed to making a huge push to pay the mortgage off by early 2010 so no new wetsuit or anything but the absolute essentials until then. I am doing it old school as I always have hard work and none of the toys. The toys will come after the mortgage has been paid offin time Ironman and by that time I will be fit enough and fast enough and skinny enought to deserve them. Paying the mortgage off that early may mean I can get a new bike.