For my next trick...

So with the return to more structured planning, my thoughts have turned to my next events. So over the next months I am planning to do:

• the 100km ride at Fitz's Challenge, a "participation ride" (ie, not a race) in the Brindabellas outside Canberra at the end of October;
  
• the enticer triathlon (250m/10km/2.5km) at the Nepean Triathlon in November which will (fingers crossed) be my first race of any kind in over 2 years!

And then January 2011 brings my next BIG adventure - the 130km ride at the Alpine Classic in Bright, Victoria.

Falls Creek, by bike, here I come!

Found: 1 x mojo

Another week sans-program meant a relatively cruisy week & somewhat different from my usual training week -

Mon: headed out early for a short walk / shuffle-run thingy. I'm trying to focus on maintaining my core position and on striking with more of my forefoot. Its exhausting! No swim squad tonight :-))

Tue: rest - if you can call getting up at 5am to study, rest

Wed: 60mins pilates with Carly. I've now joined the "athlete's (group) program" (LOL) rather than the one-on-one session I was previously doing. Only problem is that I need to be on the train at 6am :-0

Thu: headed to the gym this morning for a playout - aka a strength session. Not a hard session; just really a play with movement patterns and variations ahead of my Cert IV prac assessment in the coming weeks. Besides, the big burly bodybuilder dudes with NFI & very unbalanced bodies were hogging the squat rack :-(

Fri: headed out early for another short walk / shuffle-run thingy. Ugly.

Sat: went to the gym mid-afternoon for another playout ;-) Slightly harder session than on Thursday but still really just playing with movement patterns and exercise progressions & regressions. Perhaps a few too many squats though...

Sun: 2 weeks since the race and I haven't looked at my bike - until today. And what a lovely way to get back on the bike; a planned 2hr ride along the M7 bikepath with my fav training buddies :-) Relatively cruisy ride with some great views ;-) though the hills made me realise that I had left my legs in the gym yesterday. Lovely day to get back on the bike & start planning the season ahead. 1:41. 39.3km. 23.3k/h av.

Unfortunately this afternoon I feel like I'm coming down with a bit of a cold so I had a nana nap. I never nana nap. The training mojo must be back ;-)

Madam Cirquey, although I have accommodation booked, I haven't actually entered my next big adventure yet. Thanks for the reminder. Stay tuned....

MTD:
Swim: 12.7km
Bike: 258.1km

+ 1

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I appreciate it.

Scott, I don't recall meeting him but the name rings a bell. And I'm not sure if the place is open for breakfast but it was called Megalomania and it was fine (dining) :-D

Nothing to report this week except resting (aside from a walk / shuffle to the polling station on Saturday morning and playing in the gym during my Cert IV prac assessment today) and eating f-a-r too much cr*p food.

Back on track this coming week & into some easy training. Which reminds me, time to enter my next adventure... :-D

We have lift-off !

Executive summary: I did it! 1.9km swim followed by 90km on the bike in 4:23, about 12min faster than I had anticipated :-D



Full story: [get yourself your preferred beverage & a comfy seat – you could be a while!]



Well, where to start? I had a good sleep and woke feeling rested. I felt really relaxed much to my surprise. One of the many great things about this race is the fact it took a grand total of 3mins to walk from our wing of the resort to transition :-)



After a quick set up (by which time it was 6.30am), it was off to the restaurant for breakfast (another 3mins walk). By 7am we were back at transition for the pre-race briefing where we were told the swim would be flat & current-assisted. Talk about false advertising but we will get to that....

After the briefing it was off on the l-o-n-g 1.8km walk down the beach to the race start.



Chatting to other Panthers/PIS members on the walk helped to distract me from the fact that I was going to have to swim all the way back! The first wave started at 8am and my wave didn’t start until 8.40am so I had plenty of time to chat, relax, pull on the wettie and go for a mini-warm up swim (which was my first hint that the current wasn’t quite behaving itself).



Soon it was time to start & I lined up in my usual spot at the back of the pack.



We swam out about 200m out before turning left and heading north for 1.5km. I was one of the last to turn at the buoy (as usual). But I soon settled into my rhythm and started slowly but surely picking people off including a couple of men from the waves that started 3-6min before me. I love ‘chicking’ men :-) The swim certainly wasn’t current assisted – the RD later confirmed that the current turned against us and that the latter waves, ie mine, would have been most affected. No joke. I also found the swell difficult to adjust to; it was rolling in on my right. It would sometimes catch me in the middle of my stroke and cause me to rotate too far, almost onto my side.

Soon enough thankfully the last buoy came into sight and I turned toward the beach. I touched down, got to feet, looked at my watch & saw 43:xx. Fark. About 5mins slower than I had hoped. A swear word or two later, I put it behind me and set out for the run across the beach (about 350m),

up the sand dune,

up the stairs

and into transition.

A quick transition and I was out on the first of 5 laps of the bike course. The bike course was ‘granular’, a rough road surface which can take quite a bit out of you due to the vibrations coming up through the bike and the fact that you need to work harder to keep the bike going at the same speed as on a smooth / hot mix surface. Lots of people complain about the bike surface on this course. I just trained for it :-) My bike split would have been the second slowest in my AG but I am still very pleased with it – I kept my splits consistent, my energy levels high & (unlike previous races) I didn’t let the fact that I was passed by what felt like the entire field affect me mentally.



I was surprised at how quickly the bike leg went. Soon I was on my last lap and headed back to transition where I gave R the timing chip & got a kiss in return before he set out for a run in what was by now rather warm conditions while I headed for ice cream and fruit salad in the recovery area which I consumed while standing in the (cold) swimming pool – bliss!

R blitzed his run; his split was the 6th fastest out of all 43 teams
and Team Mango Jelly finished its HIM debut in 5:58.



Another 4mins walk back to the room – we were a bit tired so it took us a tad longer – for a shower before the BBQ and presentation in the gardens. Unfortunately at this time we realised that there had been a bit of a miscommunication between us as to where sunscreen needed to be applied on my back. Large sections of my back haven’t been as sunburnt since I was a kid – very ouchy :-(

The BBQ in the gardens while watching the presentation ceremony, a celebratory cocktail & a nice dinner rounded out the day nicely!

The results were published on Monday revealed that the swim was, in fact, a slow one for most people including the pros. My swim split would have put me in the middle of my age group so I feel pleased with my swim (now). My bike split was slow – it would have been the second slowest in my age group – but I was pleased as it was 12mins faster than I had hoped :-D Let’s just say there is plenty to work on (especially my bike speed)

Monday was spent relaxing around the pool and celebrating R’s 41st birthday.

We managed to find what probably is the only fine dining restaurant in Yeppoon which (much to my surprise) turned out to be open on a Monday night for a fantastic dinner – and dessert!


Home to Sydney on Tuesday morning and already dreaming of new adventures!

Watch times:
43:xx swim
3:33:11 bike / av. 25.1k/h (goal was 3:45)

Official times:
45:51 swim
3:38 bike (including T1 &T2)
1:34 run
Total: 5:58 and 15/24 mixed teams

Thanks to everyone for your support over the last 16 weeks; I really appreciate it!

T'was the night before Christmas...

Who ever has a great taper? I suspect that there is no such thing as a perfect taper & this one certainly wasn't. As I mentioned in my previous post, this week has been characterised by too much work, too many late nights, too much stress & too little sleep. Of course, I also feel like I'm the size of a water buffalo & am convinced that I have put back on all the weight I lost during the training. So it's been just your typical taper I suppose ;-P

Mon: no run & no sleep-in either. Up at 5.15am to study. I felt smashed all day; no doubt the fact that I worked almost all of the weekend didn't help.

Swim squad after work. Yet another hard swim. I didn't feel particularly comfortable; I felt like I was low in the water (ie, sinking). Bring on the wetsuit! (3.1km). And then I got home about 10.30pm and worked for 2 hours & slept for about 6hr. Yep, taper is going well.

Tue: easy 30mins spin on the bike on the trainer to turn the legs over. 9.6km

Wed: 45mins pilates with Carly in the morning

Thu: rest. I did have a swim on the program but work took priority. Interestingly I was completely comfortable with missing my final swim, no doubt because I was so exhausted from such a $hit week at work and at least in part because I knew that it wouldn't actually add to my fitness levels. I've come along way; in years past missing this session would have really messed with my head

Fri: rest. A day off work - yippee! - travelling to Yeppoon. The race up here is based at the Rydges resort. And when I say 'based', I mean based. Transition is set up in one of the gardens of the resort and the run leg goes straight through the centre of the resort, including over the bridge over the main swimming pool. I have been feeling a tad nervous prior to arriving now but now I am (surprisingly) relaxed. It's hard not to be relaxed here!



Sat: 10 hours of much needed sleep last night - yippee! Headed to breakfast, then lazed around our room for a while before heading out with another Panthers/PIS athlete for a little mini-ride (20mins) along part of the course. Then back to the room for more laziness before heading down to expo - which is situation a grand total of 65 steps from the entrance to our building - to register and shop. More laziness this afternoon before we heading downstairs to the carbo/pasta party tonight.

Thanks to everyone for your comments / emails / messages / SMS. I truly appreciate it! I am feeling really relaxed and ready :-)

News flash...

For a moment, this afternoon I actually felt excited about this race. Yep, it's been a long time coming. This week hasn't exactly fostered much enthusiasm for the race due to too much work, too much stress & too little sleep. But still excitement managed to creep in.

Or maybe it was just the idea of escaping from work for a week for the first time since our honeymoon last November...

Or maybe I'm just looking forward to post-race cocktails by the pool... :-D

We now resume our usual transmission...

1....

A very strange week and challenging week. The decreasing training load didn't result in an increase in the amount of time spent relaxing & recovering; rather it simply meant an increase in work. It's been an incredibly stressful week at work. Throw in the fact that I've drunk more coffee than I did water during the week & it's probably an example of how not to taper. C'est la vie...

Mon: I would normally run (early) on Monday morning. But unfortunately the fact that I'm not running doesn't mean I get a sleep-in. Instead I was up at 5.15am to get an hour of study done before work.

Swim squad was probably one of the hardest, and fastest, sessions I have done. B+ took the session which included 3 x 200m with descending swim time each 50m (ie each 50m was faster than the previous one) followed by 10 x 50m sprints (!) - which, I might just mention, I was going off the same time as the fast boys in the pool ! - which was followed up by another 4 x 100m again with descending swim times. Far. Out. Tired shoulders. Felt like I was going to throw up at one stage; gotta love lactic acid. B+ said to me tonight that I need to learn to back myself. Very true. 2.6km

Tue: short but effective strength session in the gym at lunch. I lurve my strength sessions & am looking forward to doing them more often once the race is over - hint, hint coach ;-)

Wed: up early for my longest non-stop swim before my race (2.2km). I felt pretty flat during the first half of the swim thanks to an empty stomach & some fatigue in my arms after the last 2 days of training. Surprisingly, these swims are rarely boring; there are always a few goldfish moments where I momentarily get confused about which lap I am up to which takes me a few laps to sort out (there is a reason I'm a lawyer and not an accountant). Today's swim also included a very brief stop to sort out lane etiquette with a person who joined my lane about half way through the swim.

I finished the 2.2km non-stop (my longest swim ever) in about 44:36 (which actually included an extra 50min in case I got the lap counting wrong & the chat). I'm pretty pleased with that. I certainly felt better in the second half of the swim & was able to maintain my pace. Finished with 200m drills & a 200m cool down so 2.6km in total. It's official - I'm ready :-D

Thu: (*yawn*). Got home from work at 9pm last night & up at 4.20am to get this session done. 40mins bike session on the windtrainer with lots of short, sharp sprints to wake up some fast twitch fibres from wherever they have gone into hiding. 14.2k.

Fri: 45mins pilates with Carly. And more alcohol over lunch than I have had in the last year (which, mind you, isn't that much). My new book 'The New Reverse Taper" will be released by Penguin soon ;-)

Sat: an easy 2.2km swim in the afternoon after a couple of hours of work then a trip into the city to the 2xu store to pick up a tri top for the race that I had previously ordered & lunch with Miss Ellie (*waves*). Swim was principally 2 x 1km easy. Didn't wear a watch so I don't know how long they took. But it's nice to be able to swim 2km so comfortably.

Sun: headed out for a easy 90mins ride about the same time as 80,000 nutters were gathering in the city. An "interesting" ride; the first time this winter I rode into a pea-soup fog this morning which slowed me down & caused me to stop a couple of times as my goggles kept fogging up. I can't say that it was one of those rides where it feels like all your hard work is paying off - quite the opposite in fact. I kept thinking to myself that I surely must have a flat tyre. Flat legs more like it. 34.4km. 1:31. Av. 22.7k/h

I'm not quite sure how I'm feeling about the race at this point in time. Nervous certainly. But probably very distracted by how cr*p this week at work isn't going to be. Suppose I should start thinking about packing at some stage in the next few days....

We are flying out for Rockhampton on Friday. Will post again later in the week...

MTD:
Swim: 7.4km
Bike: 112.2km

2...

No presents - for you at least - UCB. On the other hand, at the end of this countdown I get to drink cocktails whilst laying by a pool in my bikini somewhere warm :-)

Taper time! Actually it seems we are going for the traditional taper on the bike - mileage slowly coming down - and the reverse taper on the swim - the mileage, well at least the non-stop swims, are getting longer! Whatever works I suppose...

Mon: a sleep-in thanks to a day off work & a ban on running. And I was very pleased that I did given how difficult I found swim squad in the evening. I felt incredibly flat in the water - I had no power or speed - and that was even before doing 26 x 50m. Bar humbug. 3.1km

Tue: short (30mins) strength session at lunch

Wed: what a difference 36 hours makes. Monday night was one of the worst swims I have ever had. Today probably one of the best. 2.2km which started with 2km non-stop (another first for me). I felt really strong throughout the swim & kept the splits very consistent. My head however needs a bit of work because when I saw the time when I finished (38:53) I immediately assumed that I had miscounted and missed 2 laps. Either way, it was a sub-40min 2km swim which I am very pleased with. Now I just have to do that in open water with no big black line steering me in the right (straight) direction :-(

Thu: very solid 55min bike session on the windtrainer in the garage. I was hungry even before this session started & seemed to remain hungry all day after it. 22.5km.

Fri: 45mins pilates with Carly in the morning. Have the ok to start running / shuffling a little bit next week.

Sat: another big day of training. I woke to the sound of rain which unfortunately meant my 2hr ride was confined to the windtrainer in the garage. Even with my iPod, it was b-o-r-i-n-g. I really struggled mentally from the 1hr mark. But it got done :) 50.1km.

Then at lunchtime I headed to the pool for a 2.1km swim with some 100m, 200m & 400m intervals. I was feeling really tired before this swim but, as happened last week, I felt reasonably good in the water.

Sun: Finally! A much-needed & long awaited confidence boosting ride, not only for the race but for my next goal event too :-)

I met TA & Gnome again at Hornsby at 8am for another hilly long ride starting with up & down both sides of Berowra Waters - including the obligatory ferry crossing; my first time on the ferry since I ran Black Stump on NYD 2007 - and then up & down both sides of Bobbin Head. A challenging ride and a great way to finish my last big training weekend; it was great to (finally) see all my hard work over the last 3 months pay off. Yippee! Thanks for another great morning guys (*waves*). 63.6km. 3:25.

So the hard work is done. The training begins to taper & the mind begins to focus :-)

July
Swim: 27.8km
Bike: 527.8km

August
Bike: 63.6km