Helpful Hints and Words

Anything is Possible"

Ironman Motto

Other motivational quotes

 

Taper week is always fun. The load is much reduced and I am just soaking up the excitement . It would be nice to just get down early and enjoy the atmosphere. the pros are either there or on their way. the other thing is going through the list and making sure I have everything organised .

In addition I have been trolling the Internet for inspirational quotes .there are lots and when the chips down it is better to have a few in the back pocket and just pull them out. I can't do much about my swimming as I know my weaknesses but I have not put in as much swim time as I should . But I am a better swimmer than I was last year .

The key points are:

Swim

Get to transition early and have enough time to get the wetsuit in and warm-up.

Make sure the wet suit put on properly as the tightness around the shoulders will fatigue the shoulders.I have had that happen to me and I will try and get help to get into the wetsuit.

Don't panic....it is better to slow down and always breathe .Sounds basic but I have done that to.

Try and catch a swimmer and stay on his legs or side but don't impede his stroke as it will slow him and you down.

Try to keep straight .my biggest problem . Paul Newsome did state in his blog that swimming straight tends to be easiest when someone is strong at bilateral breathing. I have had a relapse and tend to be strong breathing on my left

( see his helpful hints : Racing Tips for Ironman )

Bike

1. get the nutrition right and do the maths as to how much you need to eat on the bike before hand.
2. Eat and eat
3. drink at least a bidon an hour or a litre if it is hot.
4. keep the pace as constant as possible for each lap.
5. (everyone tends to slow down on the last lap) If you can keep a constant pace there should not be a huge difference in lap times.
6. Its OK to go hard but know when to pull back so you do not suffer on the run.It is a triathlon .No prizes for the fastest bike time ...well there is but I am not in the running and I would rather have a new PB for my Ironman than a PB for the bike leg and bonk on the run.
7. Stretch every hour by getting up off the saddle.
8. Be aware that the draft zone is 12 metres
9. Again have a few mantras or happy thoughts when your mind begins to drift as it will on a 180km bike ride.

Run

1. It is the last leg .don't go out fast
2. Drink at all the aid stations
3. try and take in some nutrition preferably gels
4. again keep the pace steady.
5. Have a plan and a pace in mind
6. Have a Plan B
7. Run all the way , if you can't walk the aid stations , if that hurts follow a walk and run regime.
8. But if it hurts walking or running than its better to just run
9. Absorb the atmosphere and the energy from the supporters.
10. Have shorter goals or break the race up into bite size portions. Have various milestones along the way to achieve.

Transition.

1. Always visualise the transition and go through as many times as you can what needs to be done.
2. Get in and out as quickly as you can.
3. Don't rush just go through everything that needs to be done preferably like a checklist you have practised  before.
4. Keep your sunglasses and anything else for the run in a zip lock bad which you can take out and use as you get on the run course.just one bag to carry and then distribute the items once on the course.
5. Use sunscreen

Finally the 25 most common mistakes in an ironman ....read Ironstruck article: Common Ironman Mistakes

Most of all Smile and enjoy the day.



The Final Countdown and all things Tri

A Quitter never wins and a Winner never quits - Napoleon Hill

 







Coach Brad Hoskings (Centre Standing) Tuesday run session



The last Saturday Ride before Busselton. It is now 7 days before the race. Not a lot to do. I rode with the Exceed group and it was a 2 hour ride with some efforts a long the way. A cyclist joined us at some point near Cottesloe. We rode and did our first effort along Cottesloe and Leighton's beach. The next was along Point Walter road and 3 of us surged ahead of the rest of the group. Did not see the group till the coffee shop.

At Bicton , a group of cyclist were riding past us when one of the cyclist touched the back wheel of the front rider and he went crashing down. He wasn't injured but it was a silly thing to do as there were several speed bumps and we were all slowing down as we approached them .I was just behind and to the left of the cyclist who fell and just missed riding over his head.

Tineke , our guest rider and myself continued on to Shelley and we rode back to the city from there via Curtin and our guest cyclist turned around at the end of the Shelley effort.

I got to test my aero bottle and everything was working fine. I was happy with the morning effort . I ran for 23 minutes off the bike and that felt comfortable.





On Sunday , it was a short swim at City Beach .No one felt like a longish swim and it was a little swelly out there . I should have swum longer but I will be doing all my swim sessions this week before Sunday. Looking forward to Sunday .It doesn't have the sense of anxiety and worry it used to have but more a sense of Adventure . But lots can go wrong and the trick is to be able to be positive whilst making sure I will be able to foreshadow any and every eventuality. Have a back up plan . I am hoping that I don't have a puncture but if I do I will only be carrying one tubular. If its two , I will be walking home.

Started collecting all the gear together. The advantage of a local race , I have more stuff to cart down to the race.

Swim : 1.5 hrs or 3.8km
Run: 2.25 hrs or 23km
Bike: 158km or 5.2 hrs
total : 9.15 hrs

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving graphicsfairy

The week has flown with a much lighter workload . I skipped Monday more so as I just felt tired. On Tuesday , I did the morning ride with a 1 hour session and managed to stay with the group .I had to catch up to them first as Ross told me after the group  I was suppose to be riding with had left the car park. I managed to take my turn at the front more often and felt very strong on the ride as it was only an hour session. The average pace for the ride was just under 35kph.

In the evening , we had Brad's session and it was a good lighter session with 8 x 400m at " Ï" pace which was 1.44 minutes per 400m. I ran about 8.5km and it was a good session. the wheezing wasn't as bad today. I ran into Kate Bevalaqua and had a short chat with her. Sadly a day later , the news of the fires in Margaret River were all over Perth and unfortunately Kate's parents who have a house down south was affected and did not escape the fire. All in 37 homes were damaged or destroyed. Fortunately no one was seriously injured. The weather has been hot .My thoughts have been with those affected especially Kate's family whom I met at Lanzarote when she was racing earlier this year.

On Wednesday , I did a run in the afternoon before my Board meeting at EDAC it was a short 55min run and whilst it was hot ,it wasn't so much the heat but just feeling sluggish . I might have been a little dehydrated as the office air conditioning has not been working well.I did my swim in the morning and felt strong .Swam 2.6km.

On Thursday , I had a shorter slow ride . Riding to work and Kings park and then riding home.I rode about 45km and it was again just hot and slow.

Friday , I was meant to swim and run but by the arvo I felt sick with a headache and opted out of any training.

So it has been quite an easy week . Not a lot I believe can be achieved now anyway so I have taken a more cautious approach rather than pushing myself .

Whilst , there is no tradition in Australia to celebrate Thanksgiving , I think it is appropriate to be stop and be thankful for what we have. This week , I am thankful for the opportunity to train. There were some close moments with trucks that don't seem to notice you on the road  . I am thankful for my family and friends. I am thankful that the fires in Margaret River are now under control and no one lost their lives.

I have read a few more articles and interviews Chrissie Wellington has given .I have linked a few as they are very much inspiring and so true.

Here is her answer to 2 questions in an interview on Triathlete's World  :

I've read that you take a copy of the poem If by Rudyard Kipling with you when you race, is that still true?


I write it on all my water bottles. I take the copy that Brett [Brett Sutton, Chrissie's former coach] gave me, the dog-eared photocopy and I take it everywhere.


Why does that poem mean so much to you?


I think it encapsulates everything it takes to be a good person and a good athlete. Often my biggest disasters have been bigger stepping-stones to future triumph and that's what Kipling means by seeing triumph and disaster as one and the same. I like the line, "If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, To serve your turn long after they are gone." To me that means using your mind to overcome any bodily discomfort you may be experiencing and to retain self-belief and confidence. That's what I try to do whenever I race.

Lava Magazine did a piece on Jordan Rapp and Chrissie overcoming disappointment and using them as stepping stones but more importantly how important the mind is .Lava Magazine - Mind Games .Another interview of Chrissie Wellington : A piece on Wellinton by Kathryn Bertine

My happy Place , the mental game and a Checklist

Checklist

Like everything in an Ironman race , it comes down to the preparation.
There is the training , the equipment , nutrition and transitions . In addition it helps to have a Checklist. I am now putting my gear together and this weekend will be the final check and packing in preparation . Testing the equipment and preparing for all aspects of the race is crucial even for the regulars.


In addition I have worked off a checklist from the Internet and for those super keen , there are even better super list. my-ultimate-triathlon-and-ironman-checklist


Swim
sunscreen
body glide (for back of neck)
triathlon jersey
cycling/triathlon shorts
wetsuit
goggles x 2
swim cap
Garmin Watch
heart rate monitor strap


Bike
tire pump (pump tires up day before, adding a few psi to compensate for overnight pressure loss)
chain lube (apply day before)
Profile Aerodrink bottle
2 water bottles
Sweets and dates
Gatorade
6 gels
socks
cycling shoes x 2
race belt w/ race number
helmet
sunglasses
gloves
seat pack with tubular, tire irons, multi-tool, and CO2 inflation system
bicycle


Run
running shoes x 2
gel belt with 4 gels in flask
cap
sunglasses
cramp-stop spray
Ventolin
a change of run top (in case)


Others
ties
Photo ID
Salt Tablets

The next crucial aspect of preparation is the mental aspect of racing. All the hard work is done but as Chrissie wellington said on her website in a piece titled  Peak Performance

“It amazes me how little time people spend on mental training. 30K into a marathon on race day is too late to figure out that you need to train your brain. There are many different tools you can use. Have a bank of positive images and songs. It doesn’t have to be related to sport at all. That way, when the going gets tough—and it will get tough—you can draw on those images and have peace of mind.”

Heather Wurtle , who came in Eight in Kona and has two Ironman wins this year , Placid and St George talks about finding that happy place in a piece she wrote about  The mental game .


The race is hard but with clear thinking and strategies in place ,  we can do our best. In her piece on the Mental game , Heather  goes on to comment :

So much about success is about belief, and so much of what I love about sport is the ability to overcome: injury, doubt, your own mental hangups, fatigue, negative factors/people in life that seem to want to drag you down or make you feel like you can’t achieve your goals.


I think that one of the hardest things about tapering before a big race is that you actually have more time in the day and mental energy – our brains are glycogen burning machines after all – to reflect. This can lead to confidence and to doubt, and you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t harbor negative thoughts.

I love the sentiment she portrays. That is what it is about , not the tortuous training sessions and the runs and ride in the rain , the number of hours of training . it even isn't about winning for me . We are all competitive and it is great to be in front  but more importantly it is about over coming all that is put in front.


As Chris McCormack in his book "I am Here to Win"  states , at some point it is going to hurt and embrace the suck ...whatever that means I hope I will be in my Happy Place.

Delusional Optimism

Taper begins.   For many doing their first Ironman , there is an uneasy feeling and doubt ...have I done enough.

Invariably , I was one of them. It is natural in the human psyche to question and doubt. But when all is said and done , it is what it is. I may not be at race weight or done enough long runs or fast speed work or taken enough vitamins or watched my diet but there isn't much i can do now.So there isn't any point worrying about it.

For most , they have done the training and the day will fly by and all their fears will be unfounded. Like any journey there is the fear of the unknown. 

It is also the end of the training and a very taxing part for most triathletes . Gone are the juggling and management of training , the tiredness and the endless guilt at missing sessions...at least for me. But I have mellowed a little in the short years I have been training. I see this as part of a bigger journey .

But there are 2 short articles I have read that have helped make sense of all this madness. A piece by Antonio Neves. Neves is an award-winning broadcast journalist and the founder of THINQACTION titled :  delusional optimism

For those who dare to dream the unthinkable is just one step forward , the next is to realise that dream by making it happen.For all those who dare by taking that first step , the next is when they stare out with 1600 others on the beach at the start of an Ironman race. Consistent action with a goal in mind as Neves described it.

The other piece is by Balsam in his blog with a piece called  grit-cakes

He states eloquently:

Progress in life is directly proportional to the dirt under our fingernails. Success comes from the strife we endure and the effort we exude. Life is made up of peaks and valleys. Stay humble in the highs, stay hungry in the lows.

It is said that we are at our happiest when we are attempting something difficult but attainable. It is that unknown, yet reachable territory that excites us. When we hit that territory, it’s magical. However, even after hours, days or months of work, we don’t always get there.

But it’s OK to eat a face full of grit cakes every now and then. It keeps us level. We always learn something along the way so no honest endeavor is ever a wasted one. It didn’t work out as planned? You’re life isn’t going according to your “If Everything Were Perfect” memoir? I say good riddance! There is no substitute for busting your butt.

Struggling when chasing a dream reminds you that you need people to lean on, that we need to vent, regroup, relax, reset, rethink, retry, and get ready to fight all over again. Our story will be a much better read when it’s all said and done. Moments of clarity in my life have always presented themselves after periods of uncertainty.

Embrace the suck. Enjoy the grit cakes. It’s good for us. It will make us better. And if we’re not trying to get better every day, shame on us. Always Be Better.

Anyone eat their own fair share of grit cakes recently? What did you learn from it?

It is hard and nothing worth chasing is easy .I seem to remember the hard sessions and the workouts that did not go so well , the days when I really was low and tired and fed up but I also recall the sense of completing all those hard training sessions .There was a sense of completing and enjoying the day for what it was. No great triumph or medal. just knowing I did what I set out to do.

For me , the experience is a metaphor of life itself .The highs and the lows and how we handle it all. For those who contemplate the journey there are just two considerations , they are Embrace the suck and be delusionally optimistic. You owe it to yourself.

Week 16 ... Done and Dusted

Tony at the end of the Swim at Coogee Beach



Coogee Life Guards





The weekend turned out to be great weather wise. I had my last longish ride down the freeway. I drove down to the Narrows Bridge and rode for 40 minutes before I met up with Jason and Jamie and 2 other exceed riders and followed them down the freeway .They rode for just over an hour before turning back . I initially just drafted behind them and then as we got into the ride I began to practice keeping a 12 metre gap. It was hard .

My Garmin died at the 45km mark and after they stopped I continued for a further 30 minutes before turning round . I did not get attacked by the magpie . I rode by myself for a further 40 minutes before I got passed by a rider and again tried to stay on his wheel but couldn't till I passed a cyclist in Running Centre gear and he eventually passed me and I just tried to keep at their pace . They eventually dropped me just 6km from Mt Henry Bridge.

I rode back trying to keep the pace steady. there was a bit of wind going down but the return journey was fairly easy. I averaged 32kph on my cycle computer . I did 117km in 3.38 . It was a quick change and a run along the river to UWA ( University) and back about 6km in 35 minutes. saw a couple of cyclist I knew as I was running back

I had time for a coffee at Tiger Lil's but I really just had a lemon juice as I  was just so thirsty. I then went to Tony's to change and got to my massage appointment at Running Centre.  The massage felt really good if not a bit painful . But the legs were feeling pretty good. I was not in much discomfort and the massage definitely helped after the workout.

On Sunday , I just did my open water swim at Coogee with Tony , Les and Hanna. We swam between the jetties and I think it is 3 kms in just under an hour. I had lots of issues with my goggles and I kept stopping but the swim back was a lot better and felt really comfortable with no stops.

I skipped my Thursday ride and Monday run but with the legs hurting I was conscious not to make things worse . I think it was the right decision .On Saturday I  felt very comfortable on the bike and not tired at all. It is always hard having to decide whether to miss a session.

With 2 weeks to go , it is just a question of keeping safe and turning the legs and keeping up with some fast and short sessions. it will be a very interesting race for me with my first race without a proper programme from a coach .

Total training:
Run: 36 km or  3.50hr
Bike: 5.38 hrs or 177km
swim: 8.5km or 3.10
Total: 12.38 hrs

The Countdown Begins...Walking On Sunshine

It is approximately 17 days to Ironman Busselton. The hard weeks are done and I have just one more longish ride before the Taper begins.

It was a hard week last week and I opted for a rest day on Monday. my programme had a 2 hour run but I was really only going to do a 90 minute run but in the end I did nothing. The quads were pretty sore from the weekend rides and I knew with Tuesday super session of hard ride and interval work out it was going to be worse.

On Tuesday I  got out to Nedlands running a little late and rode hard from the City so I effectively started my session at 5.20am. I did one lap of the Nedlands loop and saw Mike Kent .I tried to hang in behind him but got dropped after 3 kms when I hit a slight rise. I did the first lap on my own and it was just pain in the quads. On the next lap I began to get into the Exceed groups and by the end of that lap I was with Stuart Phyllis group and just rode behind them . They were averaging at between 35kph and 42kph. It was a good work out and I had my Zipps so I did manage to keep up and took a turn once or twice in the front.At the end of the ride I had an average of 34kph which wasn't too bad for over 50 kms.

In the evening brad had us doing 20 x 200m at "R"pace which was 51 seconds for the 200m for me. I did all the runs at about 40 to 43 seconds. it was a total workout of 7.5km only for the hour. On Wednesday I swam in the morning , I managed only 2.5 km with a short 100m warm up and then we did a 200m , 100m , 100m and a 100m medley repeated that and then a 200m and then another set of 200m , 100, 100m , 100 medley , followed by 2 x 200m and 2 x 100m and a cool down. I just swam behind Glenda as my legs were really tired after the Tuesday run session.

In the evening , I did my run starting off with the slow group from the Running centre . I passed them within the first km and ran alone for the next 5 km when I got passed by the faster group . I ran through the University of WA and then headed to the river and ran back along the river back to the City. It was a total of 13.5 km in about 72 minutes.

I was suppose to ride on Thursday but with the legs being really tired , I again chose to skip the session. On Friday I ran for 50 minutes and did about 9km and in the evening swam for just over an hour doing 3kms without stopping. The day turned out great and it was nice and warm in the afternoon.

I had my Bike in for a service on Thursday evening with  Bespoke. cycles. It was a full service and I mentioned the funny noises from my crank and the feeling the chain was touching the derailleur . It turns out when I rang them today that my bottom bracket had broken and was in several pieces. I had been riding over 240kms on a broken bracket.That explains the tired legs as well. They are going to have to get the part and hopefully I will have my bike by Monday. At least I discovered the problem early.

The rest of the training rides will have to be in my Shogun Bike.

Newbies Information Evening

At the Information afternoon , Sorrento Surf Club 13 November 2011 Pic by Dennis Tan

Today , North Coast had its New members Evening.  I said a few words about my experience in triathlon. As a Tri junkie and I can now spot one as  I am unashamedly  one myself  , I have tried to convert the uninitiated and the unsuspecting .

No matter what , those who join and participate in the sport  change not only their physical appearance but their whole outlook to life. It is a life changer. I believe ,  with the training and the social aspect of the sport , I have grown more in self belief of what is possible. I am surrounded by a positive can do attitude . I have seen and been part of great stories of perseverance and individuals setting and finishing goals they could only dream of.

I hope my little talk imbued some of the passion I feel for the sport. It isn't about the distances or time spent ....more so about the discipline , camaraderie and support in the tri family.

As I recounted my story which like many before and after me , is a similar one of faltering steps to learn how to swim and cycle properly , lots of falls and panic attacks along the way. But if you pick yourself up and keep at it , eventually  you will succeed.

I did not in the short talk acknowledge the advice and support from the more senior members of the club who would guide and advise the newbies. They were an invaluable part of my tri journey and for which I am always grateful. I hope the new members  took away  from the talk , the uniqueness of the sport and that more than just an activity it is very much a lifestyle.

Each day despite the soreness and the self doubt and the early morning sesions , I am thankful , I am healthy , and I get to see another beautiful sunrise. Sometimes the soreness and pain and even injury and illness are markers of  how much more we have to appreciate.

Today I learnt I am surrounded by more like minded fellow triathletes . I have a common bond with many who swim , bike and run . I have a larger family of friends . I joked that all the sayings about triathletes are true..I have a different wardrobe mainly tri gear and T-shirts and my car is filled with 3 bags for different training sessions and my bike on some days, I spend more time on my bike than with my wife. ...the list goes on.

But in the final analysis , despite all that is difficult , what triathlon teaches  is with belief all is possible. A small example is the story about   Trish Dowling , a paraplegic who did an ironman race, which I came across on Dennis Tan's face book page .Dennis is doing his first Ironman and he said today despite the training he could not help smiling. Dennis also put up a really good piece about being ready for an Ironman . Here is a similar version Am I ready .

At the bottom of Trish Dowling's webpage is a very apt line.... "Are you winning your Human Race"

A Big week

Wednesday 9 November

Morning: Swam 3.1 km comprising 600m free warm up followed by further 400m free . 8 x 50m made up of 25 fist and 25m free .Main set 300m, 250m, 200, 50m x 2 at threshold pace.cool down 2 x 50m backstroke and free. A relatively hard session.
In the evening I got home late from work so i ran from home and did  approximately 9.3km it was dark and it was slow.

Thursday : I managed to get out by 5.20am and rode round the river with 3-4 efforts . I had breakfast at Ekka where the Exceed group met up. In the evening i rode home making a total of 68km .

Friday : I got up early and went to the pool and began swimming before the session started. I managed 3.2km with a 1000m warm up and then 200m of medleys and then the main set was 9 x 200m building to the last 100 m being fast. Then just did a 200m cool down.

In the evening I did a 10km run but it was very slow.There was a strong headwind and I was travelling very slowly. I did a 10km run in just over 1 hr. My slowest run but I felt quite lethargic at the end of the busy day.

Saturday: It was my longest ride for a while. I left at 5.45 am and rode from home .It was slow going with lots of traffic lights which made for a lot of stop /starts . I struggled a bit on the ride down and finished 86 km in just over 3 hours. I then pushed harder on the return leg. Finished the ride in 6.17 .It was slow going but I am happy with the pace on the Freeway bike path. I felt pretty comfortable on the ride and only around 60km did  I start getting a niggle in the back but it settled after 30kms and   I  was pretty comfortable on the way back.  I seemed to feel that the ride down was tougher .  There were not as many riders on the bike path as in previous weeks .Presumably everyone is starting  to taper with 3 weeks to go.

The ride into the city and back were slow as there were lights and a pedestrian bridge to get over , but once I was on the Freeway bike path I managed to get into a good pace. There was a fair bit of wind about and I just had to remain focused.

It was a slower ride by comparison to my rides earlier in the year but I got off the 180 km ride feeling pretty good  possibly because I ate a  lot  on the bike . A whole bag of sweets and dates which would have been about 200gms , 4 gels of 160 gms of carbohydrates , I bidon of 70 gms of Gatorade and  3 more of water  with salt and electrolytes. No cramping issues and I did not bonk. I had a few issues with the bike as it was making some real weird nosies and felt like the crank was not funtioning properly. It may have been the chain coming into contact with the front  derailleur during the ride .




I was a little sore the next day but did an easy 30 km recovery ride on my way to Tony's . We were going to do a swim but in the end he had pain in his hip and there was no one swimming at the Cott so I did not fancy swimming alone . We had coffee and I rode home  and swam at the Inglewood Pool . I did a leisurely 2.1km swim.

It was probably not critical that I finish every session this week. It is 3 weeks to the Busselton  Ironman and I must say mentally I have been tired of training especially in the rain. I am not quite at race weight and the wheezing and asthma issues will be something I have to just work round for the race. But overall , my preparation has been good. I have not had any injuries and just 1 or 2 colds. Despite the wettest training lead up to an Ironman , I  have been lucky. I see these past 4 months as a real build period for a stronger 2012.

It has been more a mental challenge this time round and more about the Heart . Just grinding out the sessions has been counter productive and I think the weeks I change the programme and ditched some of the activities has helped. My swimming has suffered a little and I will have to refocus some of my energy next year towards getting more efficient.  It isn't a large component of a Tri but it would be great to be efficient .


Swim: 3.15 hrs or 8.4 km
Run: 5.10 hrs or 55km
Bike : 12.10 hrs or 333km

Total : 20.55 hrs

Change the world

Last weeks training flat lined with a head cold and just a flat attitude. It had been a good rest and I have refocused .It is the constant theme this time round , motivation but I am comfortable with the work done. It has been about right and kept me sane.

A Brief summary of last weeks training before I succumbed to my head cold and coughing fits.
Wednesday:
In the morning it was back in the pool .Did a 500m warm up with fins and then drills for another 800m and then the main set was 3 x 200m firm , 100medium and 100 firm .Cool down I did a 100 free , 100m kick and 100m free .Total was 2.8km

In the evening I ran with the Running centre although I started out with the slow group and ran by myself before I was overtaken by the fast group at the 5km mark. I continued running through the University and then back via the river pathway. it started to rain about four kilometres from the end .Another wet training run . managed 13km in about 1.10 .A little .

Thursday: I struggled to get out of bed and kept trying to get a few more minutes in bed  .Eventually got out of bed and out of the house. It was a river loop and did just over 50km .Then to coffee and a breakfast tart .Rode home making it about 68 kms

I have since learnt that all the coughing was just my asthma playing up with the high pollen count and my training rate increasing especially the running and the lack of taking my Ventolin medication.

It was pretty bad and  I was coughing in run training and struggling to keep up the pace.

On Monday this week it came to a head when I ran at lunch time I had another attack and just could not stop coughing. I finished the run but I was really tight around the chest . I started to take my Ventolin and it made a difference .I ran again in the evening and did about 22 km altogether.I did get pretty wet in the evening with the rain coming down at the 4km mark .

Tuesday was a good day with the weather holding in the morning. i did a 2 hour session with about 1.20 at hard pace. I rode mainly on my own and the wind was really hard. I managed to keep a good pace and averaged about 31kph with the ride back to the city. I Did ride with the exceed group for 1 lap and then jumped onto one of the faster exceed groups but could not stay with them . In the end I just rode on my own and finished the session still feeling good. I could have gone harder but I think it was about right. Managed about 60kms.

In the evening it was run training with Brad Hosking. It rained again. We did a 1km easy warm up and then 2km comfy run before starting 3 x 12 minutes at threshold pace which was 4.38 minutes per km for me. This was followed by a 2minute comfy run for recovery between each run. I ran about 12.5km Not as much coughing.Legs are pretty tired after Tuesday's double session.

The next 2 weeks are the last 2 hard weeks so I will just have to put in the effort.

This is Your Life

Trolling through Facebook and the various tri related websites , I came across a short piece on the San Diego Triathlon Challenge , fundraising for Challenge triathletes.  . Like many motivational clips this hits the spot.Feeling down and sorry , Had a hard day , training not going as planned...the list goes on. We all have our ups and downs. Well just have a look at the clip. If these kids and challenged triathletes can give it a go , then who am I to complain.

Which leads me to this interesting collection of words called the Holstee Manifesto ( Holstee )....

A jumble of words to live by .Life is Short and Share your passion ....Have a passion. This is mine. What is yours?

A Tumultous week

Perth was the centre of attraction for the past few days with CHOGM .It was over before it started and I am still not sure what was achieved other than a great get together of Commonwealth leaders and the Queen came to Perth  and we all had a traditional sausage sizzle on the front lawn of the city.

The weather was good as well . I had a good break from training .By Sunday , Australia was in the grip of the QANTAS debacle. Everything in the world today is escalated manifold by the manner the press reports and re -reports everything instantaneously .We don't get news once but a multitude of times and versions.Every iota of information is squeezed out of a story and with it peoples sense of perspective. We are jaded with death , war , casualties , disease and famine because we see so much of it everywhere. Same for the QANTAS lock down and stopping its service.

I enjoyed the Chasers QANTAS parody put up on face book again even though it was from the series Chaser 4 years ago. Very apt.



Monday: I slept in as usual but did my long run in the evening.It was pretty warm at about 5.15pm and I ran to Nedlands about 11km and ran back. it was undulating and managed a 5.30 pace for the first 11km and then got a little slower as it got darker .partly as I did not drink anything till the 17 km mark . but the legs held up and managed a 22km run. The longest since the marathon. I just need to focus on keeping the pace steady . I was a little erratic with my mind wandering and the pace dropping off.





Tuesday : Always a hard day following the long run .I was up and out of the house by 5am .I had a 1.5hr hard speed work ride at Nedlands. Did not quite do 1.5 hrs but overall did just under 2 hrs of riding with most of it at speed. I averaged just under 32km overall and probably was just above 33 kph for the nedlands loops. I managed 57kms. The legs were sore at the end. As everyone else had an easy week I was alone doing the loops. Tried to chase down some cyclist and I managed to catch up with them before they would take off up an incline and leave me behind. But is was good to be doing some speed work finally.

In the evening , I had interval sessions with Brad at the WA Athletics Stadium. It was a warm up and then 3 , 4, 5, 4, 3 min intervals at "I "pace which was now 4.12 for me with the same amount of recovery accept with 1 minute of the recovery time spent in the Plank position to strengthen the core . I was OK for the first 2 interval sessions but struggled with the next 3 recording at  just above I pace of 3 secs ,9 sec and 6 secs  for the last 3 intervals. It was then a slow cool down .I ran a total of 10kms. I was tired and my throat was very sensitive to the air and I was spluttering and coughing a bit.