Cycling & Triathlon the journey blog

Ironman WA - 2011

2011-12-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

Busso Ironman 2011

This was my third Ironman race after doing Busso and Cairns. Still the exciteme
nt and anticipation before the race was still as strong as the first race. Got to love this sport.

We arrived in Busso on the Wednesday before Sundays race. Time to get setup and makes sure everything is going well. We took the opportunity to do some snorkelling and other great activities. My stomach felt a bit queasy this week but didn’t think much of it.

Race day was going to be a hot one. 31 degrees was expected with a change some time. Race morning was a light breeze and nice flat water. Slight ripples but nothing like it had been a few days before. Got up at 3:30am in the morning to make sure I could eat and get myself set. The bike, running gear, and cycling gear were already in transition so I just need to take my swimming stuff and helmet.

The race started at 5:45am.. Way early but then it gets everyone home earlier.

I felt really good in the 3.8km swim. I just got into my long course rhythm (not that I have a short course one) and cruised the whole way. This kept the heart rate down and got me warmed up. Hit the shore in 1:04 so right on target. Same time as the last two races.

In transition you get a chair and a helper so it’s really good. They help getting your wetsuit off and pack all your stuff into your bag and hang it back up for you. Not like the short course vents where you do it all yourself.

The Busso bike course is flat 180km, 3 lap course. Very flat and some very exposed areas. The wind was starting to pick up on the way out which meant a head wind was building. I smoked along on the first lap feeling fairly good. By the end of the first lap or 60km mark my stomach decided that it really didn’t like something. I couldn’t stay in aero position for long, had trouble eating and drinking and felt very hot. This was the lowest point in the race as heading back into the head the wind, feeling like crap, really got me down. I tried to tell myself it would get better but at this point had 8 hours of racing to go. I really struggled this lap with good times and bad times. I couldn’t take on much food or I would hurl. Heading back into Busso there was lightning and rain. Strange day. At the end of lap two I still felt like crap and thoughts of quitting went through my head. No other Tri had been this hard. I struggled the first quarter of the third lap, recovered the second quarter and then felt back to my normal self by half way through. Tim to put the hammer down and I started to scream home. The same part of the course last lap was going 32km/hr down wind – now I cranked along at 44km/hr. It was great to be back on track after losing so much time. Then with 10kms to go I got a flat. Bugger. First flat ever in a Tri so not bad in 35ish events. It took me 5-6minutes to change tyres until I got back on the road.

At least I felt good enough to finish this baby now. My spirits were very high.

Hit T2 in 5:26hrs which isn’t a great time for me. I would have liked to be at least 10-15 minutes quicker. In T2 they take your bike from you as you run in. Another seat and put on the runners. Now just to cruise the 42.2kms , 4 laps home easy.

The first part to of the run take you up the main street. Half way up got a cramp in the hamstring. GOD could my day get worse – had to walk up through the crowds. The cramp was not bad and I kept walking and rubbing it. Luckily I got over it just after the main street and I could run again.

The day had got cooler which was a real relief. I felt really good and just kept up a nice even pace. I even felt like going faster but decided not to. Didn’t really want to cramp again. My the end of lap 1 the sun was coming out and it was starting to warm up again. Just now it was humid. By the end of lap 2 or the 22.1km mark it was hot and humid. 32Degrees and sweaty. Lots of ice under the cap helped. My lack of food on the bike didn’t seem to be taking a toll. Lap 3 ended and still felt good. Legs nicely turning over. Half way through the last lap my stomach decided again I should hurl. Walked it out

for a km or 2 and cruised home for a 4:22hr marathon. This was just faster than my best Ironman marathon.

Going down the finish chute makes it all worthwhile. High fives and cheering is amazing. I made it under the 11hr mark (10:59:33 – 277 place or 19% of field) to beat last years

Busso by 15minutes. 8 minutes down on Cairns but then its hard to compare courses let alone the days. After such a hard and hot day I was really happy to have such a good time. What makes it even better is to think I was going to pull out half way through the bike. After how bad I felt on the bike I am amazed at such a good time.

Thanks go to Kim, Lauren, Mary and Mikkey for coming along for support. Yep it really only takes one Ironman to change a light bulb. The world does revolve around us. See Ya Next Year.

Lessons learnt

1. Need a aero helmet with more vents.

2. Be careful with stomach issues.

3. Train more in the heat.

4. When it starts to go wrong, regroup and continue

YES COMING BACK FOR NEXT YEAR 2012. GOING TO BURN THE COURSE.

16 Weeks to Melbourne.........

Busselton Ironman

2010-12-08T19:09:00.001-08:00

This is the most nervous before any race that I have ever been. The Geelong 70.3 (or half Ironman) I was concerned about getting my liquids and food right, but for the Ironman I was really nervous that I wouldn’t make it. Yep a real fear of not going the distance.

The day was perfect for us Victorians, low temperatures, some light rain on the bike and flat water.

The swim started at 5:45am and the water was flat. When you look at the Busso jetty it goes on for ever. When you are swimming along it, it doesn’t feel any shorter. Then you get to turn around and come back. Still after the first few hundred meters of washing machine swimming, I got settled in and had a good swim on my goal pace and hit the exit just over the hour.

The 180kms on the bike are flat at Busso. To start with there was very little wind but this picked up as the day went on. One stretch at the back of the Busso township was particularly wind swept. Three laps of 60kms I tried to just to hit my goal pace of around 34km/hr. Yep first lap was faster, 2-3 fairly even. Felt like I was going strongly and not flat out. Heart rate wasn’t high that’s for sure. Legs did feel the distance. Took on lots of drink, 10 Gels and bananas.

Hitting transition was a real shock. The great volunteers grabbed the bike and I was free to run to get changed. Legs felt like jelly. Grabbed my bag, change bike shoes for running shoes, took of the helmet and I was out of there.

On the run it really started to get hard. First few kms the knees hurt, the quads hurt the heart rate went up, it felt like 30km mark of a marathon not km one. Why am I doing this and how can I finish really went through my head. Luckily the knee pain went away fairly quickly and heart rate went down. Took it slow and spent time walking through aid stations to make sure I had enough food and drink on board. The quads started to feel like they would cramp from time to time so I had to walk to stretch them every now and then. End of the first lap my spirits went up. Only three more to go. The crowd was great and lots of encouragement. Still lots of people ran past me. I mean lots of people.

The third lap was the hardest by a long shot my I got through it, yep slowly but I made it. Lap four I started to feel like I was getting some momentum with the run and spent much less time walking. Being on the home stretch really helped.

The run (yep a run) up the finishing chute with everyone yelling and high fives was sensational. To hit the line and be announce as an Ironman was a great feeling. After 11:17 hours I finally made the goal I had set myself 34weeks before hand.

Swim: 1:03

Ride: 5:20

Run : 4:45

So lessons I learnt:

1. Need to more brick sessions.

2. I don’t feel like I went too fast on the bike. Maybe more longer rides. Strengthen the quads for more endurance.

3. Self motivation on the run was low.

4. For the temperature, got the water and food about right.

So I will be back to do another. Busso 2011 here I come.

Sydney Marathon

2010-09-20T16:04:00.001-07:00

The first race of the season is the Sydney Marathon. While it’s the first is was still important for me to make sure that I can race a Marathon will good form. The last marathon I raced two years ago didn’t go well. I went out too fast and really struggled all the way home. My goal for this race is to keep a steady pace from start to finish. 5:00min/km was my goal.

The day was nice and cool so great for racing. We stayed the night at the Marriott at Circular Quay so it was a quick train trip to the start line. A 40min wait in the park and then we were off. The first part of the run is my favorite as we go over the Sydney Harbor bridge.

My goal was to keep a steady pace. I kept it at about 4:40 pace even with people running past me. Yep very hard to do let someone run past. Not good for my ego or type A personality. I kept telling myself I would catch them latter. Some I did and others I didn’t. The runners that are really puffing before the 20km mark are going to suffer. You cant go flat out and hope to survive. I tried that last time and let me say – its doesn’t work.

I felt like I was running well. Stumbled about 18km mark and right ankle felt sore but nothing major. Interestingly I can really feel the ankle two days after the race as being very stiff.

I was glad to hit the 25km mark and head back into the city. It was a good course as it went back through circular quay and out past the rocks before turning around and heading back to the Opera house.

So did I have to walk? My strategy is to walk the drink stations to take on board 2 or 3 drinks. This worked well and I really only needed to walk say half the length. It didn’t seem to cost to much time. I had to walk for about 50m at the 37km mark when there was a short but sharp rise. Bugger. Probably faster to walk anyways.

Very glad to see the 38km mark but also felt good. Left thigh was sore and right calf felt tight but still able to push and pass guys.

Came in on my goal at 3:27hrs or 4:54min/km. Right on target.

My Polar speed/cadence showed that I kept a nice even cadence of 91 the entire race. What changed was my stride length. It got shorter as the race went on. I kept a fairly even pace with the second half only 7mins longer than the fist.

So very happy with the result and now its rest/recover and get ready for the Melbourne Marathon in 3 weeks.

Sydney Marathon

2010-09-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

Loved the Sydney marathon last Sunday. Race went to plan and managed to keep a very similar pace from start to finish. Only 7 minutes slow down over the two halves. Hopefully I can recover in 3 weeks to back it up again for the Melbourne Marathon.

Its getting close - IRONMAN

2010-08-09T22:47:00.001-07:00

With 16 weeks to go until my first Ironman the nerves are getting highly strung and the training is getting real. Its hard to believe that I entered this in January.

Recovering from a sore foot (probably Plantar Fasciitis) over he last 4 week, my run training has suffered. Yep its been hard cutting back the run training as its my weakest leg and the one I am most nervous about. I have lined up two marathons to do before the big day to hopefully give myself some confidence that I can go he distance. I have only done the one before and that was a lesson in pain. The Sydney Marathon is September 19^th and the Melbourne Marathon on the 10^th October. This gives me 6 weeks to recover 100% before BUSSO.

With some cold and wet weather finally hitting Melbourne the run and ride training has started to get miserable. If you go out for a run and forget the gloves you soon loose feeling in the finger. Even so I am getting in some great longer rides (160km through some nice hills) and 3kms swim sets. With my foot almost better also put in a good long run of 31kms on the weekend. Hard work but it felt great to be doing it.

I have come to the conclusion that the time spent training is a form of meditation. Meditation for me is you focus your mind on one single thought. If you clear you mind form all else, while still acknowledging it existence then you can meditate. In the process you can do a 3km swim set or run the 31kms. At the end of the session I find myself much more mentally read and clear headed.

Off to train some more for the Sydney Marathon….

20 weeks to go

2010-07-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

With only 20 weeks to go until my first Ironman its starting to be crunch time. Gulp. I cant yet taste it but its certainly there.

My training plan moves from maintain to build base. This means increasing distances slowly. Mainly just in one area a week and start to build a better endurance base. Yep great intention.

I have to two big hurdle.

1. How to find the time

2. How not to get injured.

Time: I don’t work well on little sleep but I know I am going to have to burn the candle. I have tried to drag myself out of bed in the mornings with limited success. I now know I am going to have to get more serious. If I can add another swim to the week then it’s the first step.

Injury: Last year I kept myself fairly injury free. So far this year with increasing my base run load I am starting to feel some niggles. Sore calf, sore right foot and now a sore left foot. Hopefully I can work through it and get out the other side with an increase work load.

So that’s it for now.

Plan for Busso

2010-04-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

The planning has started for my push for Busso. 32 weeks out and many questions till to answer.

What preparation should I do?

What type of taper do I need?

Can I race a 70.3 3 weeks before hand?

Can I race two Marathons before hand?

So the answer too many of these questions is really self dependant. How well do I recover? How do I need to Taper? And so on. As its my first Ironman the exact answers are not known so can only be taken from previous results. Its all so personal and what works for me might not work for you.

After the 2010 Geelong 70.3 I went and raced and ‘almost’ Olympic Distance Tri the next weekend and slaughtered my course PB. Recover was fairly quick it would seem. The week before the 70.3 I also raced a Sprint distance tri and kept up 10hrs of training a week. This I suppose is the best indication that I SHOULD be able to recover well from the 70.3 to go to Ironman. So you ask why do I want to do the 70.3 when the Ironman is my ‘A’ race. I have found over the last few years that I take some time to get my head back into racing. I can train all I want but without race time, I always feel I leave lots of time on the course. The 70.3 before hand will give me some race time but also let me fine tune my nutrition during an actual race.

I have only run one Marathon and that wasn’t pretty. Sydney 2008. It was by far the hardest race I have ever done. I was sick last year and didn’t run the Melbourne Marathon. So mentally I think I need to have at least one if not two marathons under the belt before Ironman. So my current plan is to do the Sydney Marathon 11 weeks out and then the Melbourne marathon 8 weeks out.

As for the training now I am just increasing my base loads with some big weeks in the three disciplines. After a few months of inconsistent swimming I am back to 6kms per week. Long rides are 160km (100miles) through the hills every second week or so. Long runs are 25km.

Normal weeks

Week 1, 6km swim, 50km run, 280km bike Bike Week

Week 2, 6km swim, 80km run, 150km bike Run Week

Week 3, 5 km swim, 40km run, 120km bike Rest week

St Kilda Gatorade Race 6 - Third series place

2010-03-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

It was the last race of the season and the stake for me was to hold onto third position in the series. Yep being consistent across 5 races means I can come in third. I haven’t cracked a top three finish yet but 4^th and 5^th are the norm.

The day was a cold start so got in the wet suit early. No rain but some gusty winds.

Being in third position in the series I was able to start in the championship wave that went just after the elites. I was looking forward to the clear roads and run paths. I was going to be different starting a swim with most of the guys faster than me. And that’s how it turned out. A much tougher start to the swim than normal as I couldn’t get myself a nice clear swim path until about the 300m mark. With the swim only 750m long not a good start.

I was feeling good before the race but when it started I felt flat. Hit the bike and couldn’t seem to get the heart rate up. Legs were working hard but not the heart rate. Run felt hard but still not real bite. The day was nice a cool for racing but the wind played a part.

Overall times were good – same as last year – so the feeling of flatness didn’t slow me down too much.

Had a good race and came in 5^th for the day and an easy 3^rd for the series. Yep very happy with that.

BRW/NISSAN Corporate Triathlon

2010-02-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

A cold windy day met the 5500 competitors for the Melbourne corporate triathlon. The good news is that de-hydration wouldn’t be a problem, the bad news is that the swim would be choppy.

This is the biggest event that I enter and we are told it’s the biggest triathlon in the world. 5500 bikes in the compound is impressive. The event is a three person relay where everyone does all three legs.

Going first in the three person relay and off 2 minutes, I was one of the first to leave. The swim in the corporate triathlon is one of the roughest in terms people swimming over each other that any other I go in. Still its only short and I got out near the front to stay out of trouble. Of course this means you just run over the wave in front. The run from the beach to the T1 is quite long and you can make up, or loose time if you are not careful. I took it at a sprint and went past even more guys from the wave before hand.

The bike leg is always my weapon and I love to hammer. Its good going early as the roads are quiet and safe. Tail wind on the way out and head wind on the way back to slog into. As the ride is only 10km long it means that I had to really focus on keeping the effort high. I know I have lost time where my head is not telling me push hard enough. See my Noosa 2009 report. I had a smooth ride. It’s a long run back into T2 from the dismount line and this takes a few minutes making it some of the longest T1&2 times of any triathlon.

I smashed my way though T2 and had no trouble finding my bike even though the compound is HUGE. My legs felt good and heart rate was high. Now it was just a matter of hitting the 4kms as fast and as hard as I could. Being near the front mean that the run course was empty. Only a few people I could see in front of me and I past a few and couldn’t catch others. The run felt really good and I was pleased I could muster some good speed.

I raced into the team transition are is met by the second person who took of at a run.

The event is huge and takes a lot of time investment for competitors. Bikes are put into the Transition the day before and you cant leave until the last person is off onto the run. I left home around 5:00am and got home around 12:30 on race day and all for a 42minute race.

Saying this it was still good fun and a good hit out to help with speed. I beat my time from last year by almost 4 minutes in a time of 42minutes. I improved almost 2 minutes in the swim as without the wetsuit last year I suffered, and almost one minute improvement on both the ride and run. Came in around 30-40^th place overall. I will have to wait for the official ranking to know exactly.

Port Arlington Gatorade Triathlon Race 5, 2010

2010-02-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

An overcast day met the arrival of the 700 or more Gatorade Triathletes at Port Arlington. A cool day that was perfect for racing. Some very light rain was around and the back end of the bike course there was some standing water, but not enough to be of any problems.

Swim 800m
Ride 26km
Run 8kms

As I have said in my previous articles on Port Arlington as a triathlon venue, it’s just superb. A great swim around the pier, a great single lap on the bike and the single lap run along the foreshore with a few ups to keep it interesting make it my favorite.

I was off 20minutes from the elites so had plenty of time to warm up. The further back you are from the elites the busier the roads and the run. Port Arlington is a good course as the roads are fairly wide and there is plenty of room on the run. The single lap on the bike also means that the roads are generally quiet.

My start strategy was to follow one of the guys that swim faster than me. If I could sit on his feat I might stay with him for awhile. Great plan I thought. I lined myself up beside him and we were off. That’s as close as I got, as the wade out before the swim meant we got separated and I never saw him again. Being back in the start (20mins) also means that I had to pass many people in the swim. I try to go around but its not always possible. The water was nice and flat so I hope that every one had a good swim.

After a good swim the run to transition is very short. Transition is bitumen which isn’t great on the feat. When you get on your bike, you first go straight up a sharp rise. This year I had remembered to get the bike in a low gear before I started. Fairly good transition and I hit the ride.

Last year I didn’t wear my wetsuit and had a slower swim but did save 30seconds in T1 compared to this year and also the year before. Overall its better to wear the wetsuit as you save more time that you loose in T1.

The ride is a single loop with a few rolling hills on the way back. Got into the aero position going up the first hill and put the hammer down. Passed lots ands lots of people but only one from my age group I think. There are a few corners but ones you can keep the speed up through. The rolling hills on the way back into town are good and if you power down them, and then use the momentum to power up the hills you can make up some good time. Go anaerobic near the top to keep the speed high seems to work. Short burst makes all the difference.

The hill that we go up at the start of the ride means that it’s a steep descent into T2. I am used to the carbon wheels now and took the hill much faster. Last year this was the second race on carbon wheels and I was very nervous of the descent. Carbon wheels feel different to stop but you get used to them fairly quickly.

The race doesn’t attract as many competitors as the ones closer to Melbourne and the transition is much smaller. I don’t know why its not more popular as it’s a great venue and has been holding triathlons for 24 years now. Port Arlington is one of the oldest triathlon venues in OZ. I flew through T2 in a few seconds over 1 minute.

The run starts out by going up a flight of stairs. To you guys you went past me up the stairs – bad move. Use the first part of the run to get into a rhythm and not pushing. It climbs a bit more at the top of the stairs where I passed the step climbers again and got into my rhythm.

The day was fairly cool so drink stops were not of great importance for me. I has taken on 600ml on the bike so could miss the drinks. It felt good passing lots of people as my 70.3 last weekend where lots of people passed me. Was pleased to see the turn around point and headed back. I was fairly sure I was somewhere in 3-5 position in age group. Only three guys ran passed me and they were not in my age group. Ended off strongly and felt really good. I had a great day.

I completed the course in 1:29hrs which was almost 5min faster than last year. 2minuetes saved on the swim which I can put some of it down to the wetsuit and 3 minutes faster on the bike with a 38.25km/hr average. Run was almost exactly the same.

I am getting close to the podium position means that I stay for the ceremonies unlike previous years. Another race and I didn’t make the podium but with a 5min PB on the course was still stoked. Results show that I was 4^th in age group and 60^th overall.

That’s the last race of my three races in three weeks and I feel really good for them. Last week I did very little training as recovery from the Geelong 70.3 was more important. My next race is the BRW hit and giggle at the end of Feb.

Geelong 70.3 (Half Ironman)

2010-02-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

The Geelong 70.3 or Half Ironman, as its probably better known, was held on Sunday and I raced it. This was my first 70.3. A 70.3 is a half ironman and is known as a 70.3 as its 70.3 miles.

SWIM: 1.9 km

RIDE: 90.1km

RUN: 21.1km (Half Marathon)

Commuting etiquette

2010-02-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

Commuting etiquette on bike paths is that when you pass someone, whether it is a pedestrian, runner or another cyclist, you warn them that you are going to do so. A simple ding of the bell or call out will do. It’s simple and if you are the one being passed it’s appreciated so you don’t get the fright of your life.

Most days I cycle to work and ding my bell constantly. I sometimes run to work and today was one of them. Out of the 118 cyclists that passed me, 14 gave me a warning. Less than 15% could be bothered. That’s really poor. Just because you use a road bike to commute doesn’t mean you are exempt.

So please lift your game, enjoy the ride and be kind to fellow bike users. You never know when we might help you.

Elwood Triathlon 2010 - Gatorade

2010-01-31T16:30:00.000-08:00

Another great day of racing was enjoyed by all of the 1200 Gatorade and the 800 Brooks competitors on Sunday. The Elwood course is a great one and probably one I have race the most.

This time I woke to my alarm, didn’t have a flat tire on the bike and arrive to the course with plenty of time to spare. Much better than the last race.

The weather was going to be hot today. 37Deg C. Yep that’s hot. When I left home it was already 24DegC. The water temp was a nice 19.7DegC so wet suits were still allowed.

When its that hot in Melbourne it usually comes with strong winds. And Sunday was not exception. The winds picked up just before the race start and turned the dead flat bay swim into a more interesting one. Not really choppy but not flat either. It was the bike course that the wind would play the most part and the run when the heat would hit.

Strategy for hot windy days is to stay hydrated. Drink plenty before the race and on the bike and as much as you need on the run. Drinking on the run does slow you down but you cant really help it. The last Elwood race was so cold I didn’t need much fluid at all.

The start gave me two options. Start down wind and have an easier longer run/wade into the water or upwind and reduce the amount of fight into the wind/current. The elites seemed split on which was the best and I choose the downwind option. Came out of the swim in 7^th Position in my age group so maybe it wasn’t the best move.

T1 was smooth for me and then hit the bike leg. Its only 20kms so you don’t really get long to settle down. The first 4kms or so you get into your rhythm and after that I start to drink. From T1 it was straight into a head wind. Side winds also made it interesting and there was a few riders down. Down wind of course was a hoot but not time to take the foot off the gas. Keep putting out the power in both direction is a lesson I have learnt before. I struggled to 32-34km/hr into the wind and 51-55 downwind.

You don’t really notice the heat until you get to the run. Yep hot and the push on the bike meant the heart rate was up. With only a 5km run, and the first half into the wind, it turned into a battle of wills and pain. Limited losses and got through OK.

The wind was strong enough to blow over the time clock, tables and lots more.

Overall it was a good race and I came in 54^th overall (from 1200) and 4^th in my age group. With almost three minutes to third – I cant see a podium finish just yet. Race time was slight slower than the last Elwood race but position was much better showing that it was a tough day.

Next race is next week and is the half Ironman.

Train smarter not harder

2010-01-17T21:11:00.000-08:00

“Train smarter not harder”. I have heard this quote many times and have some thoughts of my own to add to the discussion when you relate it to Triathlons.

1. Yes its always good to be smarter but what does this really mean. We all would like to think we are doing it smarter.

2. Training smarter doesn’t mean you can skimp on endurance. In the end a Triathlon is an endurance event. You can train yourself for speed all you want but if you cant make the distance then its of no use.

3. Training smarter for me means to train to teach the body to recover better and be more use to higher outputs for longer. Do longer runs/rides/swims at an easier pace to build endurance and then to speed work, high output sessions, sprints, intervals etc at other times.

4. Don’t use this as an excuse to make training easier. I have heard this from many people that they “train smart” and don’t need the long runs. I think they miss the point.

5. Get the balance right between endurance, recovery sessions and speed but make sure you don’t forget in the end – ITS AN ENDURANCE EVENT.

6. I split my training into here basic groups

1. Speed. Build on pure speed. Longer recovery between sets. Can push into the anaerobic region.

2. Intervals to build recovery. High intensity intervals to build the body’s ability to recovery between sets. Shorter recovery time

3. Endurance training. Longer sessions at lower intensity.

7. I am off the mixed opinion how much you can mix the three sessions above. Plan the week to maximize the gains that you need for each.

This of course is what works for me so I suggest that you find what works for you. You don’t need to pay for an expensive plan if you train smarter.

Olympic Distance Triathlon - Sandringham Victoria

2010-01-10T15:35:00.001-08:00

Deciding to go long, up from the ODT has been a mind set change for me. Not only do I want to do the distance of the ODT but I want to feel like I can pace and get my nutrient right. With this the last ODT before the 70.3 in Geelong it was a good chance to try and see if I could get it right.

I have my morning plan well sorted out to get up, have breakfast and head to the race. Nice and easy with plenty of time to have breakfast at least 2 hrs and even better 2 1/2hrs before race start. So when I woke up and saw the clock was over an hour latter than my alarm time, I knew I had to really move. Weekbix in a container with cold coffee and flying out the door took me the next 7minutes. Luckily I had everything setup the night before so I could just hit the car and go. I was really annoyed at sleeping through the alarm and the stress levels skyrocketed. I think my heart rate must have been 85%+. I suppose it one way to warm up.

I found a car park and leapt out of the car. Just in time with probably 15minutes to spare. Ripped the bike out of the back at T1 pace, only to find a flat rear tyre. I wont print my words needless to say I was not the happiest person in the carpark. The tyre did not have a flat the night before when I topped the pressure up so I was very surprised. I had my track pump in the car so pump it up to 120psi, grabbed the spare and headed to the course. This might still be my shortest race yet if I got to T1 and had a flat.

Race to transition and racked my bike, and got myself set. Going off 6minutes also meant that I didn’t have much time to wait. Yep ended up starting about an hour after eating breakfast. Not a good way to be.

The water was crystal clear and not a wave in sight. Perfect swimming conditions and the best I have seen at Sandy. There was lots of Jelly fish in the water and it was definitely creepy as the slid past your hands and feet. Didn’t seem to sting so none the worst for wear.

The swim was a god one and it felt really smooth. The run up for the beach to T1 is a killer and always maxes the heart rate out. This time was not exception but still hit T1 at pace.

In T1 I over ran my bike slightly but no big dramas. I was so happy to find my rear tyre still hard as a rock. It’s a long run out of T1 before you can hit the road.

The ride course is a great undulating course along the bay and consists of two laps. With no wind to make any difference it was a nice fast course. At the beginning of the ride my stomach was churning. I think my breakfast was coming back to hit me. It made drinking cause gas. I was hoping it would settle and just kept going. I had one gel to take but with a rumbling gut, didn’t touch it. I had plenty of water on board as the temperature started to go up but also didn’t take on too much due to the gas. Ride time was just over an hour of was really happy.

Hit T2 without any troubles and started the run.

After the first few kms the legs felt good but the stomach was really churning. Combination of needing water at each drink station and the water making the churning even worse made for and really uncomfortable run. The elites passed me on my first lap and their second and they can truly run well. Me I felt like I was plodding along with no real zing in the step. Finished it off with a fast run to save myself a few seconds but really did feel like I left lots of time on the run.

Overall it was a good day out and I was just under 1 minute slower than last year and 9^th in age group. All lost on the run which is not surprise.

So what did I learn for the half Ironman?

1. Have breakfast early.

2. Don’t trust your alarm

New Year Goals

2010-01-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

With the new year here and a new decade to boot, its about time to set some new goals. Yep I like to have goals and I also like to track them. Yep number geek. Switch off now if you’r not.

Last year I set my self a goal to average 42kms per week running and get close to 200kms in the pool. Ride goal was to stay similar to year before of 7000kms or so. With my trusty spread sheet going all year, I hit my goals with days to spare. This meant I had to average 10hrs training per week. That’s average so the weeks I travel or am sick I need to make up on other weeks.

My goal this year is to go longer. 7^th Jan 2010 I am in the Geelong 70.3 or ½ Ironman and am looking to the same or longer races in the future. I would love to complete an Ironman one day. This year I want to build a good foundation to hit the goal either by the end of the year or next year.

So my training goals this year:

1. Add more variation to training. More intervals and hills. Hills especially in running.

2. Consider training group

3. 200km in the pool for year is probably the right number.

4. With running still my weakest weapon, I will focus on more quality but also some more distance. 50km/week average.

5. Going longer means I also need more bike time so want to add another long ride every two weeks or so into the equation. Goal of say 8000kms for the year.

So go train and see you all at the Olympic Distance Triathlon at Sandy this weekend.

Race 2 Gatorade Elwood

2009-12-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

Race 2 of the Gatorade series was held on Sunday with a full contingent of triathletes. Over 1200 people participated in the Gatorade race. 500m swim, 20km ride and 5km run is a great distance for all athletes. Not too far for newbies and a great hit out at max pace for the more experienced.

The morning was nice and cool (15 Degree C) the almost perfect conditions for racing. There was some wind on the bay causing making a small swell so the swim wasn’t going to suit pool swimmers. Fairly tough conditions with many people commenting that they got smashed in the swim. Get more open water swim practice. After race 1 swim was called off due to rain, it was good to have the swim back.

Even though I have done many of these races, its still fueled by nervous energy turning up to the start line. Starting on about the third last wave it was a long wait. Good chance to warm up by running the beach. Beach starts are always frenzied and this was no different. Luckily competitors spread out down the beach which makes it easier.

The swim through the waves was great fun and surf skills came in handy on the way back in.

Hit the transition and felt I was slow in getting my wet suit off. Something to work on – in fact I was about my usual pace so maybe not to bad.

The ride along the bay into StKilda is a great course as its almost flat but with some great views. The wind played some part in the ride and as it was often from the side, had to be careful of the deep dish carbon wheels.

Hit the run and the heart rate was up and legs like lead. Yep normal so just pushed through it. With only a 5km run you cant afford to spend long getting your heart rate and running rhythm under control. By the 2km mark starting to come good an pushed the pace. 4km mark on the mark and pushed it to home.

Overall it was a good race. Got my head into racing which I don’t think I had in my last race at Noosa. Completing the course in 1:05 I came in 5^th in my category and 70 overall. Not my fastest time for the course but close and best ever category result.

The next race is after the XMAS training on the 10^th Jan and is the Olympic Distance at Sandy.

Training Load

2009-11-18T21:16:00.001-08:00

The amount of training you do depends on three factors. Frequency, Duration and Intensity.

Frequency – How often do you train? Once, twice a day?

Duration – How long do you train for?

Intensity - A slow jog is different from interval training.

You can track the number of kms per week and it will give you some guide, but it does not tell you the true picture without taking into consideration the intensity.

When you are increasing you training load and concerned about over training, keep in mind each of three factors.

I am aiming for an Olympic distance Tri and then a 70.3 (1/2) Ironman.

For this my plan is to

Work on endurance base – Longer durations and lower intensity
On the way I am doing some Sprint Tris so I also need to fit in some speed work. Lower duration but higher intensity.

So when I am planning my training month and week, I try to consider all three aspects and fit it into the plan.

My First 70.3 Geelong 7 Feb 2010

2009-11-12T16:07:00.001-08:00

I start this entry by saying that I have signed up for my first 70.3 or ½ Ironman event. Geelong 70.3 on 7^th Feb 1010 is the date. I am very pumped and have a bright new date in the future. Its going to make training all the more sweat. I am going to do the Gatorade Sprint Triathlons but will not tapper for them but use them as good training sessions. The Olympic Distance Tri is 10 Jan 2010 which makes for a great preparation race for the 70.3 in Feb. Yep I am excited, really excited. I am not sure I have been this excited since starting my first NOOSA. None Tri-athletes can not understand my obsession.

The question that I do ask myself is what distance should I race? Is the goal to do a full Ironman or should I stay with the shorter events? I suppose that this is a vey personal question and must be answered by the individual. Many magazines and web sites hold out the Ironman as the pinnacle of the sport and something to be strived for. For sure it’s the biggest endurance event going but should us mere mortals really aim for this? My reasoning below just applies to me.

I first started my new religion (Yes Triathlons are a religion) only a few years back and before that open water swim races. Thinking back to the first open water swim race that was 1.2kms long, I wonder how I continued. Half way through the swim after being in the washing machine for 10mins I thought to myself “this is crazy, why am I doing this”. When I remember by first sprint triathlon the memories were almost the same when it came to the run. Even my first Olympic Distance Triathlon I was questioning my sanity during the run.

So what has changed and why would I want to do a 70.3? Well as the years go by and I get faster, stronger and more endurance and I suppose more experience, each of these events is not longer as scary. Yes hey are hard – if they weren’t I wasn’t pushing hard enough, but I suppose I want to see if I can do the next distance up.

Do I win my current events? No I don’t win but are within the top 10% for my age group. The strategy that I hear from many people is that they want to concentrate on one distance and be as good as they can for it. Its much easier to train for one event than many different distances. I can understand this and fully support the idea. But how do you know what event or distance is right for you? Who says that the current Sprints or ½ sprints are the one for you? I could stay with the ODT’s and train just to improve and probably would see some improvement. That would be full filling and give me some good goals.

Time to train might be one factor in the mix. On limited time then it logically follows that you would concentrate on the shorter distances. I find myself training for 10hrs a week and feel that on the back of this I can hit the ½ Ironman – not with the chance of placing or even in the top 10% for my age but give it a good showing. That’s as long as I can make a few changes to racing. Pacing and Nutrients are the key. Both I am not that good at but have 3 months to learn.

On reflection my favorite distance is the Olympic Distance Triathlons and until I do a 70.3 I suppose it will stay that way. It suits my combination of speed and endurance well. OK so lack of real speed but can keep going.

Will I eventually do an Ironman? Its not in my plan at the moment but its not a NO either. I would like to say that I have done one. But to do this I would need to up the training a level. The training volume is probably my biggest problem.

I am looking forward to the new challenge of the 70.3 and it is my personality type to want to try new things and challenge myself in new ways. I think its more important for me to be doing something new and different than to be the very best. It adds excitement and some mental thought process to say how do I go from a ODT to a 70.3. With this in mind you might say – one day you will do a full Ironman.

Tri Boy

Noosa Triathlon 2009 - how it was

2009-11-10T15:58:00.001-08:00

A new bike case means finding a good way to pack the bike. As this takes some time I packed my bike into its bag a few days before the trip. The POD that I invested in is a hardish case bike case that only weighs ~6kgs. Good to avoid going over the flight weight limit. It packed up nicely and was well protected the whole trip.

We arrived into Brisbane on the Thursday morning and after hiring a large car to hold four people, luggage and a bike, we headed off to Dreamworld for the day. It was a good start to the trip as the whole family had a great time. From the Goldcoast to Noosa was an easy 2hr drive on some great freeways.

In Noosa we stayed at the same apartments as last year. The Metso is right on the course and an easy walk to either Hasting street or Noosaville. The two bedroom apartment gives us lots of room to spread out. The pool is also good to cool down and relax in.

http://trisports.com.au/Noosa_2009home.htm

What to Expect at Noosa

2009-10-26T16:14:00.001-07:00

Its only 2 days until we leave for Noosa and I am certainly excited. My family is coming on the holiday and they are also excited to go away – not that interested in the Triathlon itself. The Triathlon is on the Sunday and we arrive on the Thursday before. It is probably not enough time to really acclimatize to the heat, after the cold Melbourne winter, and next year I would like to come up earlier.

USM I am sure will do a great job in organising another great event. The main difference to the triathlon setup from the Gatorade series is that you need to rack your bike the day before. Transition is open from 11:00 to 4:30 on the Sat.

My plan is to go to the registration tent on the Friday and pick up all of the stickers, tags etc. Saturday morning we will then go to Eumundi Market where the muffins are great. That gives me Saturday afternoon to put my bike into Transition.

Last year I suffered from the heat in the run. This year it is forecast to be hotter in Melbourne than in Noosa. Go figure. Still the forecast is still much warmer than I am currently used to.

Sunday
Mostly sunny
Min: 16°C Max: 26°C
UV: Very High

Web site for latest

So what do I take to Noosa

Swim	Ride	Run
Goggles x 2	Bike	shoes
Tri suit	Race Wheels	Talc
Wet suit	2 spare tubular tyres	Vaseline
	CO2 canisters	Hat
	Sunnies
	Biddons x 3
	Tools

Cycle Route Map

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Noosa-Tri-Bike

Shopping Bike

2009-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Around the bay 2009

2009-10-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

What a great day it was for the annual Around the Bay in a Day social ride. The temperature was a brisk 8 degrees in the morning but warmed up to a sunny 18 by around 2:00pm. Once again 15,000 riders took part and I hope that everyone had a great day.

Congratulations to everyone for completing the ride. Myself, I went Sorrento return. This was the first time I had chosen that route and was pleasantly surprised. The ferry trip and delays bugged me last year so this was a great solution. I sat on the grass for a drink in Sorrento, and then hit the road to return home.

Run the Tan - Melbourne Victoria

2009-10-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

All runners who live in Melbourne must at least run the Tan once. It’s the iconic running track almost within the CBD. It goes around the beautiful botanic gardens and has lots of water fountains. The course itself is 3.82km in length and has a steep 500m section up Anderson street hill and then it gradually undulates for the rest of the loop.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/australia/south-yarra/161303412

It’s a great place for those of us who work either in the city or close by, to go for the lunch break run or a walk. All hours of the day you will find people weaving their way around the course.

I like it for training as it has a nice hill for strength, long enough to be a good work out, short enough so you can do multiple loops, lots of water for those summer days and lots of other people to watch/train off or talk to. If you like solitude while running the tan is not for you.

My best time is not a real sizzle at 14:25 but still I am hoping to improve.

Other who have raced the Tan

Steve Moneghetti 10:41

Craig Mottram :10:12

Grumpy and not running the Melbourne Marathon

2009-10-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

What a grumpy weekend it was, sat at home while the marathon was run. The cold going through my family took me down most of last week. I ended up spending most of Friday either in bed or on the couch. Saturday felt OK but really not a wise move to run 42kms the next day. Sunday – Race Day – Spent it being very GRUMPY but over most of the cold. If only I had one more day to get better I would have been in it. Read about the marathon

To get me through it I have to focus on Noosa in three weeks. If I did run the marathon and blew myself up, I may have risked my Noosa campaign. Better to live to fight another day in Noosa.