Week 3

Inside this Body Is

AN ELITE TRIATHLETE 

trying to get out

 Thats how I feel this week. Really slow and trying to get back into a faster mode. Slowly getting into a routine. Monday I missed the swim session in the morning but did my wind trainer session in the evening with a standard 10 minute warm up and then 2 minutes at around 215 watts and 2 minutes recovery , repeated 10 times. it is a hard session when going all out. I watched a You Tube video of the Col du Glandon and Alpe D'huez climb whilst listening to Frank Sinatra's greatest hits and heaving and trying to get enough oxygen . Molly slept through the whole session .


 

 Tuesday , I missed cross fit and did my run along the river trying to get a tempo pace up but really just keeping it at a slow 6.30 pace . The HR was still a little high but I was not struggling. It was still getting dark pretty early in the evening and so part of the run was in the dark.

Wednesday I swam in the evening .My first swim session in 8 months other than the Alpe D'huez triathlon. It was in the evening with a 500m warm up with 200m medley and then 4 x 300m with 150 free, 100medley and 50 free at fast pace. I just swam at a steady pace trying to get in the distance.Long way to go to get swim fit. Then 4 x 50m fast and 100m cool down for 2km.

Thursday was and is usually a long day with a ride session in the morning.Today it was all out high cadence on Forrest Road Kings Park done 5 times just trying to get the cadence up and improve the cardiovascular/aerobic levels. it was a hard session with a recovery going down Lovekin.We then did 3 climbs on Forrest trying to stand for a minute or more as we climbed. Then back to the car park and on to West Perth for coffee.

In the evening ,it was run training taken by Rene Baker  , a Pro triathlete .It was at Perry lakes and there was just the 4 of us with 3 girls and myself all of them lots younger and faster. Started the warm up at a 5.30 minute per km pace which was hard and then after some drills and stretches we did 4 x 1.2 km at supposed 80% pace but i think for me was pretty much above threshold. i I managed to hold the pace at 4.30 minutes per km for the first 1.2km and then after a 2 minute recovery ran the other 1.2kms at 4.42 , 4.57 and 4.52 pace. We did a cool down and I was pretty stuffed.

Friday , fortunately just a swim session in the evening with another 2km set made up of 300m warm up and then 200m x 8 and a 100m cool down.

Saturday , a long ride on my own.Started late at 7.30 am and rode from home down to the city with lots of stops and then on the Freeway bike path turning around about 52.5kms .I did 10 minute threshold efforts along the way with a 5 minute recovery and managed about 3 to the end and then one more on the way back before just keeping a consistent pace . I did get wet with a short shower at the end. I did not see to many cyclist about.Got home and ran off the bike . The legs were totally sore. rode 105 km with a 3km run .

In the afternoon it was cross fit with a pretty hard session.I did all the weights bar the last managing 10 repetitions of the clean n jerks at 35kgs. I slept pretty early that night as I was pretty much done.

Saturday Cross Fit WOD 5 September 2015

Sunday.It was a 1.30 run at steady pace. I maintained a consistent 6.50 to 7 minute per km pace for the whole run with the Hr staying at about 125 to 135 for most of the run completing 13kms .  In the evening I did my ergo session instead of Monday because of a commitment so it turned out to be a full week. 

Week 2

Like Ironman training it's hard work looking this cute

A full week of training minus the swim sessions sums up the week. I haven't yet ventured back to the pool but will have to soon as the clock ticks down. It has been a gradual start and not too time intensive . It has also been pretty good on the body .  I have had no real completely sore moments yet.

I have also done a VO2 test to work out my threshold and in comparison to last year I have had a bit of a slide possibly from the lack of specific work on the wind trainer and threshold efforts or higher so it is in the programme now . We will see if it makes a difference.

The week started with an ergo session and just an easy warm up and then 2minutes @85% effort or in my case staying between 200 and 230 watts , then 2 minutes recovery and doing it 10 times. Lots of sweat and panting with Molly lying under the computer table as I struggled through the session.

On Tuesday morning Instead of the usual bike ride I ran for an 1hour trying to keep a tempo pace for 50 minutes . Again very slow at about 6.30 pace doing just under 10kms.  In the evening I had cross fit with a  session on clean and jerks skills session .

Wednesday ended up being a rest day as I didn't swim again.

Thursday was a long day with a session at Kings Park at 6 am doing hill repeats on Lovekin five times at 60 rpm and in the big chain ring and then high cadence on Forrest drive for 20 seconds with 40 seconds recovery , three times on each climb and repeating that 3 times before a final 1  minute standing climb up Forrest Drive. Then coffee at West Perth with a 1.30 hr session and about 35km of riding. In the evening I ran with 4 x 5minutes at threshold and the rest of the hour at just above easy pace. Again did about 9.5 km . Friday no training and Saturday I skipped my ride as I thought it was going to rain and did a 3 hour wind trainer session with 10 minutes at threshold , three times with a 5 minute recovery between. I really managed 2.50 and then stopped as the legs were pretty much spent after the first 2 hours and especially after the threshold efforts. I then ran off the bike with Molly but it ended up being a pretty slow run and it rained as well .Managed 3 plus km in 25 minutes .Really felt tired after the session . Had cross fit in the afternoon and thankfully it was a skill session on the snatch .I managed a good 30 minutes before deciding to just rest the sore tired legs and use the foam roller to roll out the knots in the muscles.

I slept pretty well that night as I was dead tired. On Sunday with the City to Surf run on in Perth I got to Georges at City Beach at 8am despite the closed roads and ran from there for about 8km before meeting Nimal and Michele running from Sorento . I then ran back with them .Michele turning back near Hale Road . We went on to Georges and I managed to run 16kms with the legs feeling pretty tired. It was a slow 7 minutes per km but at times I was running 6minute kms. Slow but a start.

Pretty happy with the training so far .It has been slow but hopefully with the speed work and strength work there will be some slow improvements. Just need to start back in the pool.

Ironman Busselton 2015 Training

Picture of the Group at Canning Dam 22 August2015

 
After NorthFace and the French Alps Cycling adventure , it is now back to reality and the start of a 15 week training programme for Ironman Busselton 2015. Whilst time is at a premium and I don't expect a spectacular breakthrough PB , it is still important to go into a race prepared as well as possible. The old adage How do you each an elephant ....one bite at a time , applies in training for an Ironman race.

Eat an Elephant

In doing so I have tried to apply a more systematic approach to preparation even if at times life and human nature conspire to intervene in goal setting. By that I mean nothing ever goes to plan and we humans are fickle creatures. A lot of what determines success (achieving your goals within your abilities)  is simply down to 3 issues in my humble opinion.

1 Mental (Emotional and Desirability Quotient )
2 Physical Preparation
3  Unforeseen events beyond human control

The first 2 can be controlled and the last is happenstance as to pure chance that we all can get ill, family issues ,  accidents and basically the world ending before Busselton Ironman. In which case really we discover rather late that we probably didn't have our priorities right. In this respect whilst important to prepare it is important to keep everything in perspective. Life doesn't stop . As such , I have found the first 2 issues intertwined and over the years my perspective has changed. The desire to do a PB is somewhat mollified by the fact that the emotional desire has wained over the years. There are I believe just so many Ironmans in us before it becomes a little jaded and possibly the body starts rebelling at the onslaught of training .I may be wrong because there are many who have done 50 Ironmans or more.The body yearns for a new challenge but not necessarily more training.Time is precious I noticed as we get older.

In this mental state I have decided to plan the preparation a little better although starting has been slow with the cold mornings and spring still a week away. I have however got a coach , Katy Duffield a professional Triathlete in WA and racing the Worlds 70.3 2015 in Austria  on  29 August 2015. The last time I had a coach was way back in 2012. If anything it makes a change and for an interesting programme with some impetus to actually train .I am still prone to skipping sessions but I think with a coach and a programme it is hopefully less likely.

Why get a coach and how do you pick a coach .not easy questions and a coach does not absolve or diminish the responsibility of the triathlete to listen and follow the instructions and ultimately undertake the task set out .Simple but never or rarely followed. Half the battle is doing the task and not more and not less. I am guilty but hopefully in the next several weeks I will be disciplined.

I have looked back at the many post and the theme is repeated.

The Fundamentals and taking Responsibility :

 My Take:

1. Fundamentally without a yearning and a desire , there is no drive .
2. Get the fundamentals right 
3. Learn and be educated ( hence a coach)

With this in mind , the journey begins yet again .The first week started easy enough with just a swim and a run . Unfortunately with the winter weather lingering around and rain I have skipped the swim . I have continued with my cross fit and did 3 sessions and then on Saturday a 110km ride in the hills and a run on Sunday for 1.20hr doing 11.5 km at a steady easy pace . As my programme starts at the end of the week I have kept to the routine and continued into the programme. With Sunday being a run at even pace. There was nothing on the Saturday but it is the long ride day so I rode with the North Coast group into the hills. First ride on the TT bike and found the hills a lot more bearable despite being slow I found I was coping and not fatiguing at the end. It was a long 5 hour session with 110km  and a 10 minute run off the bike . In the afternoon , I had my cross fit and that was tough .Just 2 rounds of the list in the picture. Dead lifts, sumo high pulls , Cleans, push-press, clean and jerks and between each exercise we did squats , push ups, burpees , start jumps and thrusters . Took 30 minutes for 2 rounds and I was done.  I start the training build at 74/75kgs , hopefully getting to 70 or less in weight in the next 4 months. The fun begins .

Alpe D'Huez Triathlon 2015 Race Report



Ride down to Lake Verney wet n wild

View from the top of Alpe D'Huez morning of the Race

On the climb

On the run leg heading to the finish line

Transition 1 by the lake waiting to get into Transition

Every Participants name on a large poster at Registrations

Tenth Anniversary Year

The trip has come to an end .What better way than to race , no participate , in the Alpe D'Huez Triathlon on 1 August 2015 ,its 10th anniversary year.I always thought it was older but was wrong.

Being up here in Alpe D'Huez was a great experience and having ridden the famed climb was hard but memorable and so I know what Iam in for before the race.It has been a magic end to a great trip of cycling and experiences I will remember for a long time. The weather has been largely warm but the night before I was treated to a lightning and thunderstorm over the mountains , rain and a blanket of clouds below the town . It is cool and hopefully the swim will be bearable.

After the TDF and the massive crowds on the climb are gone ,the only mark are the chalk marks / paint with words of support for the cyclist .On Friday I watched the long course participants and the first cyclist reaching the town and the last cyclist at nearly 5pm in the evening . You could tell it was a hard course to do .by chance as I was wondering around I saw someone who I though looked like Chrissie Wellington as it turned out it was her .She looked well and the way I remembered her back in 2006 when I first saw her at the Ritz Carlton in Singapore where she was racing the 70.3 just after winning Korea Ironman and about to do Kona in October and win her first World Championship. I assumed it was a lookalike and never thought it would be her . Would have loved to gone up and just said hallo.

Looks like she is enjoying retirement.

Here is a short excerpt on the Triathlon from Wikipedia:'

"The Triathlon EDF Alpe d'Huez, named after its sponsor EDF, was established in 2006 by World Triathlon Champion Cyrille Neveu^{[1] [Note 1]} is one of the most prestigious and popular French triathlons among the non ITU and non FFTRI competitions. It starts with the swim at the reservoir Lac du Verney then the cycling features the famous 21 bends used by the Tour de France as it climbs 1120 m to the ski resort of Alpe d'Huez for the run."

With possibly the highest transition in the world for a triathlon.

As I was racing I didn't take any photos other than at the start and ride down which I have posted with the race report but the year before DC Rainmaker did the Alpe D'Huez Triathlon and posted some awesome pictures with his report which I have linked here for the pictures ( DC Rainmaker Race )

The race day started pretty well as it was an afternoon start . So no rush and just getting everything ready .I had breakfast and then at 10 dropped my running shoes at the T2 Transition area at Alpe D'huez and next to the finish line .Probably the highest Transition for a Triathlon in the world at 2000m.

At 12.30 it was drizzling and had been for most of the morning after the thunderstorm the previous night, there were periods of the fog moving in as well. We started to ride down as 90% of the participants apparently did. It was down the mountain through narrow lanes to the lake where we were swimming called Lac du Verney . With the drizzle and wet roads and cyclist and cars it was just gripping the brakes all the way down with the adrenaline rush from the downhill cycle .Took about 50 minutes to get down and then waited for my bag which Mark (one of the group driving down brought) .I then rushed to get my wetsuit on and sort of missed the race briefing which was in French anyway  and then headed for the lake from T1 .I got into the water thinking that I had 10 minutes before race start. It was about 15C and cold and did my best to get ready in the cold water having had no swim training since Busso Ironman in December. There was no warning and suddenly a gun goes off signalling the start, a mass start of 1200 triathletes . It also seems after the race talking to the others the start was five minutes earlier than the actual supposed start time of 2 pm. I was still about 40 m from the start line and off I went swamped over by the fast swimmers from behind and took  a few hundred metres to get into some rhythm .I then managed to swim reasonably comfortably after swallowing a fair bit of lake water .It was a green hue color to the lake and the mountains all round the lake.It would have been magic but for the fact I was in a race with lots of other triathletes all round me. I got out of the water in 31 minutes not fast but just happy to be out.

Had a slow transition but then I was out on the bike course.My Garmin did not record the first 10 minutes or so as I may have pressed the wrong button . But eventually everything was working and the first few hundred metres was a climb out to the road on the side of the lake and then a fast descent for 10-12 km to the base of the Alpe D'huez through a town .saw one rider down just before the ascent and there was a fair bit of traffic. It was fast with a slight tailwind I think and I was at the start of the climb in about 33 minutes .Then the climb which was slow fort me but I managed to improve on my previous effort and despite the cold and wet weather ,felt good all the way up. There was lots of encouragement along the way. Glad to have finished the 21 switchbacks and get to Transition 2. Did the ride up in 1.36.58 so happy with that .

The run was a 7km part road /trail run with about 500 ft .I just paced myself and felt I did pretty well finishing in 44 minutes with the last 2 km downhill and really passing a few runners. I ran all the uphills as well even if a little slow. Did the whole race in 3.32 . Not fast but given the training very happy .

I was glad I did the race despite the weather .It is one of those races that you must do like Escape to Alcatraz and the New York and Chicago Triathlons for the fact of the stature of these races and for the Alpe the brilliant location. Everyday I got up and saw this amazing picture of the mountains and clouds and sky always changing .

Alpe D'Huez

Tour De France 2015 Stage 19 Col Du Glandon

The last day of the trip before we break up at Geneva. We had a long drive via Italy to the base of the Col du glandon which we drove over to get to Alpe D'huez earlier in the week. Today was Stage 19 of the TDF and we were going to ride up partway to watch the Peloton riding. It was another hot beautiful day in the French Alpes and there is just breathtaking views everywhere you look. we all met up at a carpark at the base of the climb did some shopping at the supermarket for lunch and then with backpacks headed up the climb which the Peloton would be doing in a few hours.

Having driven over it was no easy climb and I was thankful we were not riding all the way to the top .With a full back pack and some steep climbs and the heat it was slow going. We started in a town called La Chambre and then it is just a straight climb with a fairly easy gradient just getting more difficult. There were French police stationed every few kms and we had to dismount and walk at each checkpoint which was bizarre as they could see us getting back on and riding. I got as far as 6km before we decided on a spot at a corner to watch the Peloton fly by. It was a long wait as people and cycles moved along the route for vantage points. Then the long line of vehicles and sponsor trucks rolled by with gifts and freebies and then official cars and at around 3.20 pm the roar f the helicopter overhead and then we saw the lead cyclist climbing up the mountain followed a minute or two behind by the peloton and Froome surrounded by sky riders.I was busy trying to capture as many pictures as I could and only got a glimpse. I did get a bidon thrown by one of the cyclist .We then rode down for the lond drive back and a dinner at the Old Town in Briancon . memorable 2 weeks with great memories and pictures. ( write up on Col du Glandon in Climb by Bike )

Day 12 Col D'Izoard

Café just before the summit where we had coffee

Views from Col D'IZoard

Summit

On the climb up from Briancon

Today we were going to watch Stage 18 of the TDF but decided to ride the Col D'Izoard instead and watch the Tour tomorrow as the peloton climbs the Col Du Gladon in stage 19 .

This is another climb that features in TDF especially in the 1950s and today as I rode I saw Pantani's name still painted on the road. Today it was a straight 21km ride up to the top and rising about 1000m from the start at our Hotel at 1350m to 2350 m .It was also a route used since Roman times and by Napoleon . The climb was a gentle 5% start but quickly after 6 km started to steepen to 8and 7 % and was a hard climb with tired legs .I found it hard and slow going but the scenery as always was great.

After about 10kms and passing a village , the climb again starts to increase in gradient and there is spectacular view down through the valley towards Briancon. The climb that takes a series of switchbacks before a long 2km climb to a café and a final 1km from the café to the top. After a few pictures I rode down for 2kms down the other side but then rode back up to the café for coffee. The legs were definitely feeling the tiredness of 10days of climbing and riding with over 1000 to 2000m of climbing each day and several hundred kms in the 2 weeks I was feeling pretty tired.


Wikipedia on Col Du D'Izoard:

Col d'Izoard (2,360 m (7,743 ft)) is a mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Hautes-Alpes in France.
It is accessible in summer via the D902 road, connecting Briançon on the north and the valley of the Guil in Queyras, which ends at Guillestre in the south. There are forbidding and barren scree slopes with protruding pinnacles of weathered rock on the upper south side. Known as the Casse Déserte, this area has formed a dramatic backdrop to some key moments in the Tour de France, and often featured in iconic 1950s black-and-white photos of the race.^[2

Day 11 Alpe D'Huez

Start of Alpe D'Huez climb

View on the way up

Col Du Glandon which featured on the TDF and we drove over to get to Alpe D'huez

driving over Col du Glandon to get to Alpe D'huez

Today , the 22 July 2015 , we travelled to Alpe D'Huez to ride the iconic climb in the TDF .Also known as the Dutch mountain partly for the number of wins cyclist from Holland have had and also the number of Dutch fans that now congregate there .This year it is the last stage before Paris and as there is only one way up or down it is a stage finish which should be epic if there are going to be any chases or changes in the placing's although it looks like Frome is safe .

It is an epic ride for the fact the Alpe D'Huez is the Glamorous mountain of the TDF .For everyone in the group it was a chance to ride it possibly once in a lifetime and particularly a few days before the Peloton goes through it. It was epic also for the fact we had to drive for 3 hours to get to the base of the climb as the tunnel that was a direct route from Briancon was closed making it a 3 hour drive via Italy and a variation for the TDF race this year. The drive also meant driving over Col Du Glandon which was part of the race route for stage 18 the 23 July 2015 and there were cars , people and RVs driving and dotting the route making it really hard to get over the mountain . Three hours later we arrived and set off in 37C heat up the 21 switchbacks .

The ride starts with a straight up steep ascent for the first 2-3 kms and then levels to an average 8% .I was slow up the climb and just pushing a 27 cassette was hard but I managed to remain consistent but slow.I started out first and got passed by the lead riders in our group at about switchback 10 or about 9km up .I was averaging 6-7 kph and there were parts of the climb that were over 10%.The average for the climb was 8% but there are parts that were over 12%.

It was hard going but the people already congregating on the climb egged us on and there was a multitude of cyclists from all over the world riding up. It was really hard for the last few kms with the gradient again rising and the tired legs pushing the cogs . I managed to get lost in the village but finally found the finish line with everyone waiting .Managed to get a drink and waited for the rest to finish before getting pictures at the finish line and then another drink and back down the switchbacks  for the long ride home. I took about 1.45 to ride the 15 plus km although the official course up is about 13.8 to 14.1km .I was happy with the result especially with the gears and steel bike I had.

The ride back was another 3 hours and we got back to Briancon at about 7.15 pm a memorable but long day.

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia on the climb and TDF:

Details of the climb[edit](Wikipedia Alpe D'Huez )

The climb to the summit starts at Le Bourg d'Oisans in the Romanche valley. The climb goes via the D211 from where the distance to the summit (at 1,860 m (6,102 ft)) is 13.8 km (8.6 mi), with an average gradient of 8.1%, with 21 hairpin bends and a maximum gradient of 13%.^[7] In 2013, the finish of Stage 18 of the Tour de France, was at 1,850 m (6,070 ft) with the first passage being at a maximum altitude of 1,765 m (5,791 ft).^[8]

Tour de France[edit]

L'Alpe d'Huez is climbed regularly in the Tour de France. It was first included in the race in 1952 and has been a stage finish regularly since 1976.^[7]
The race was brought to the mountain by Élie Wermelinger, the chief commissaire or referee.^[9] He drove his Dyna-Panhard car between snow banks that lined the road in March 1952, invited by a consortium of businesses who had opened hotels at the summit.^[10] Their leader was Georges Rajon, who ran the Hotel Christina.^[11] The ski station there opened in 1936. Wermelinger reported to the organiser, Jacques Goddet, and the Tour signed a contract with the businessmen to include the Alpe.^[10] It cost them the modern equivalent of €3,250.^[11]
That first Alpe d'Huez stage was won by Fausto Coppi.^[9] Coppi attacked 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) from the summit to rid himself of the French rider Jean Robic.^[9][12] He turned the Alpe into an instant legend because this was the year that motorcycle television crews first came to the Tour.^[9] It was also the Tour's first mountain-top finish.^[13] The veteran reporter, Jacques Augendre, said:

The Tourmalet, the Galibier and the Izoard were the mythical mountains of the race. These three cols were supplanted by the Alpe d'Huez. Why? Because it's the col of modernity. Coppi's victory in 1952 was the symbol of a golden age of cycling, that of champions [such as] Coppi, Bartali, Kubler, Koblet, Bobet. But only Coppi and Armstrong and Carlos Sastre have been able to take the maillot jaune on the Alpe and to keep it to Paris. That's not by chance. From the first edition, shown on live television, the Alpe d'Huez definitively transformed the way the Grande Boucle ran. No other stage has had such drama. With its 21 bends, its gradient and the number of spectators, it is a climb in the style of Hollywood.^[12]