As I write this blog , IM South Africa is unfolding. These days there are lots of triathlons both the IM and non IM versions. Japan 70.3 sold out in 12 hours . Busselton which is sanctioned by WTC but organised by Triathlon WA and forms part of the Australian Half series , sold out in 3 weeks with a massive wait list.It will be an exciting day for many first timers and for myself and the many I train with the culmination of the last 4 months of training.
The week in training was:
Sunday : 19 April 2010
I swam at the Cottesloe but after the Saturday brick I felt sluggish and slow and struggled but finished the swim which was just under 2km. The most enjoyable part
of the morning is the coffee and the company . Since participating in triathlons I have drunk more coffee and sat in more cafes.It is almost a ritual . A debriefing .
I did not do anything else for the day training wise .I decided that I had done enough ...the rest of the day was just as active playing with my son.
Monday : 20 April 2010
A busy and hectic day at the office and finishing late put an end to any swim session or run.
Tuesday 21 April 2010
The usual but last hard ride on the Birwood circuit comprised a 1.15min hard session instead of the usual 1.30 session .I did 4 laps with my 3 partners in crime in our group .I averaged 36.8 kph .The fastest so far on a Tuesday . I was pretty spent but took my turn on the front and did not feel too bad other than a coughing fit .I feel pretty comfortable on the bike and that is showing through on the freeway rides as I can manage to sustain the speed for the whole 90kph.
It may be a different story coming out of a 1.9k swim.
In the evening I did a 1.30 run , by far my longest run and i was tired but my legs were able to handle the fatigue.I did not go as fast as I wanted but managed to keep my cadence at around 90spm. Iam not sure how far I went but think it would have been close to 15km or 16 km. It was a long day.
Wednesday 21 April 2010
Swimming in the morning .I had to do a blood test so I had nothing to eat overnight and through the morning. The swim session was fine , I feel more lethargic . Did about 2.5km and at least I wasn't too far behind the lead group in my lane.
In the arvo , I ran for 45 mins to kings Park and to the DNA tower where I ran up and down for 10 times . It was 100 steps up each way. Legs were a little sore.
Thursday 21 April 2010.
Rode with Tony and Keith . The mornings are beginning to get colder. I rode to tony's place in subiaco and then round to Claremont and fremantle and back through Applecross.We stopped at South Perth for coffee. It was a slow ride.I ran at lunch time around Kings Park for 40 mins and then rode home in the evening after work .Did about 66-67 km .
Friday 23 April 2010.
Swimming in the morning as there was no session in the evening .Did 2.5 all up . the normal 500 m warm up with a few alternative strokes. Then 4 x 100 followed by 50 x 4 fast 300 m free cruising and repeated again up to the 50 m set and then a cool down.
Saturday 24 April 2010.
I decided to ride down the freeway by myself but the group training with Ross were all down at the car park so by chance i rode with them again. We were doing a 60km ride followed by a 30min run .As usual it was a nice casual ride till Mt Henry and then the lead riders took off .I could not hang on and Katy caught up with me and then I managed to pass her and got behing T and eventually there were 4 of us 3 fast girls and me .well I wasn't complaining . I may ride like a girl but these are fast girls . we took our turn in the front and kept a fairly consistent pace. saw Rosco and the guys coming back so i knew we were only about 5-6 minutes behind.
I ended up averaging 36.3 kph . I managed a quick transition and dumped the bike in the car and off round to South Perth . I turned at the 15 minute mark and saw Katy and her sister behind me . they had started their run from the narrows where they were parked . The legs were feeling good and I did not feel any pain. The breathing was clearly laboured with my sport induced asthma . Finished up the run and went off to Tiger Lilys for breakfast with the rest of the guys. The end of a good week of training .
Sunday 25 April 2010.
Today is ANZAC day in Australia. A day of remembrance of all soldiers though the many wars Australia has participated in .Not to clelbrate wars but the futility . Whole communities in Australia lost a generation of young men in WW1.
Anzac Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and is commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries.
Whenever I think of the first World war I remember a poet Siegfried Sasson .He was an English poet who saw action in France in the First World war and wrote many great anti war poems.
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon, CBE, MC (8 September 1886 – 1 September 1967) was an English poet and author. He became known as a writer of satirical anti-war verse during World War I. He later won acclaim for his prose work, notably his three-volume fictionalised autobiography, collectively known as the "Sherston Trilogy".
An example of Siegfried's poems:
Suicide in the Trenches (from Wikipedia)
I knew a simple soldier boy.....
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
And no one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
Far from World War 1 and the Dawn services around the country I headed out to Tony's place then on to Cottesloe.
It was a calm beautiful day at the Cottesloe .I swam with the guys .I had a slow start with difficulty with the water .I will swim again tomorrow . I have to get my swimming to a level I am more comfortable with . I feel the water down at the Cott is not quite the same since they started dredging the harbour .It is a little more murky but i have had difficulty and had to stop as I coughed and dry retching . Not the best feeling in the water. Otherwise it was a comfortable swim. We were out by the time a big group of triathletes were heading down to swim the same stretch.
Great final training week, John. All the best for Busso!
ReplyDeleteOh, I've signed up for IMWA! Got panicky when there were only 200 spots left.