dublin sports fan

Respect

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:26:00 +0000

Respect has to be earned. Respect is not something automatically received.

Almost three weeks ago the culmination of almost a year's training came to fruition for 28 triathlon club mates when they took to the start of the Challenge Roth triathlon in Germany.

I know a good number of them and have watched their training throughout the year as they've toiled for hour after hour, week after week to simply get to the starting line. Now let me say that I wasn't involved in ANY of the training in any way shape or form but chatting to colleagues and seeing various social media and online discussions I was well aware of the effort, commitment and sacrifices being made for this training.

Long cycles. Long runs. Recovery swims (which would be longer than a 'normal' training session). All par for the course. All the norm.

Disk wheel. Tubs. Clinchers. Gels. Nutrition plan. Walk-run strategy. The lingo, discussions and debates were all brought to a new level...(just don't ask how much anyone's bike cost!)

On the day followed the progress of as many of the guys and girls as possible as often as possible throughout the day online through their swim (3.8km), cycle (180km) and run (42.2km). Any time lags between time splits had my mind racing about what might have happened. The chat across Twitter and FB amongst us homebird Piranhas frenetic but also great to see. At least I wasn't the only one wondering about the splits. Willing everyone across the line. All 28 completed the race which was a fantastic feat in itself.

That no-one was fully happy with their times (seriously Will?) also goes to show the thorough preparation and subsequent expectation everyone had put on their shoulders.

After hearing various war stories and reading the raw emotion of the race reports to date - all inspiring - it is very clear everyone's heart and soul was poured into preparing for and equally, completing the race / event on the day.

I have a much better understanding of what is needed to complete an Ironman race. My admiration for those who have completed has increased.

Respect earned by each and every one of you. Total and utter respect.

Two steps forward. One step back.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:07:00 +0000

The season is well and truly started but I don't know if I'm going forward or back.

Yesterday I was in the pool for the first time in a few weeks. And it hurt. Badly. I was terrible. Technique was awful. My endurance non-existent. I quit a session early for the first time ever. I left with my tail firmly between my legs.

This hurt all the more because over the past few weeks I have been properly trying to get into my running. I have been getting at least two sessions in a week, squeezing them in at lunchtime My mileage has been increasing steadily. Unfortunately the speed isn't increasing at the same speed. But nonetheless I'm running consistently which is more than I was doing this time last year.

My cycling has been improving as well. At least three times a week I am cycling into work, so the legs are firmly turning and the body is getting back into decent shape.

And then the swimming debacle happened.

Finding a balance between all three disciplines isn't easy as life is flying by. But with only 4 weeks to my first race of the season I'll have to find the balance and get wet into the pool more often. Fast.

No time to be going backwards.

Why do triathletes shave their chests?

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Sun, 05 May 2013 13:31:00 +0000

Triathletes are a funny bunch. Aero helmets I can understand. €5,000 on a bike. I understand. Shaved legs. I kinda understand. Shaving your chest. Now this one is lost on me.

I've spoken before about the lingo of triathlon and it has taken me a few years to get my head around it and I am still learning. Then there's the kit, the gear, the training aids. Garmin. Strava. GPS. Power meter.

All are seen as ways to improve and ways to get faster.

Last year I debated whether to get a TT, sorry time trial, bike. My attempt to get better. I got faster but I also got passed by a lot of triathletes on regular bikes. I am getting better. There is always a sese that you have to be able to use the equipment to the best of your ability, and not come in at the back...all look. No substance! You can turn up for your first triathlon with all the gear but chances are it won't work.

My newest debate in attempt to get better is the possible investment in an aero helmet. My next level of trying to get better. I want to get faster. I am trying to train harder to get faster. But I don't want to look like that guy who's spent money but is still crap.

I want to be faster. I want to be a better triathlete. But I really don't want to look foolish. So I'm currently looking at semi-aero helmets. It'll work while training as well as racing (I don't want to use the word 'competing' yet). So it will be another step.

You can say looking well is important but backing that up with results in triathlon is key.

So this year is about upgrading my gear slightly and upgrading the results significantly. Last year the TT bike made sense. So this year I hope the (semi) aero helmet makes sense.

Each year I am learning more. Understanding what can help to make the small differences. Maybe I am yet to fully learn, but quite how shaving you chest will make a difference is beyond me.

Back in the swing of things. Kinda.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:09:00 +0000

Training - 1 pilates class. Result: sore.

Training - leg strengthening exercises. Result: sore and stiff.

Training - 2 runs. Result: sore and out of breath.

Training - 2 swims. Result: sore and distinct feeling of un-fitness (not even a word for it!)

This isn't easy. I never expected it to be. I knew it would be hard work to get back
into shape. Race-ready shape (whatever that means). But my body is sore.

I knew it would would be sore. But it is almost the fear of stepping out of bed each morning and worrying about, not how sore will you be, but more how much of you is sore.

My swimming wasn't pretty; my cycling non-existent and my running...well I managed to keep running. So that's something at least.

But it is a week when I managed to get more done than almost in total the previous month. So at least that's something. I didn't try to kill myself. And I'm back into the swing of things. Kinda.

Now to string a few good weeks together...

Onwards and upwards. Or else!

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 20:34:00 +0000

It's been a while since on here and my blog procrastination has not been alone. The swimming was going well. The cycling was okay if only due to the commute to work and the running, well the running just hasn't happened.

While due to other commitments over the past 6 weeks have reduced my time to train - I hate hearing myself make excuses - things are now reaching a crucial point in the season.

I did a nice bit of work over the winter but that may be all but gone. I really have to get my ass in gear. The sun (!) is up earlier and it is finally warmer. So it is time to get back into shape for the season. And properly push on.

5 national series races is the target with solid performances throughout. (I think it's too early in my career to take a podium position just yet.)

I may have less time to train than last year. I just have to use my time more cleverly, stop making excuses and get off my arse.

As they say actions speak louder than words. So with pilates on Thursday and swimming on Friday morning, its a start in the right direction. We'll take it one week at a time. And hopefully it will mostly be upwards.

Is the off season a chance to move backwards or forwards?

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:19:00 +0000

So the off season has begun. And not without a little trepidation. There was me thinking that the off season meant kicking back and munching on Tayto’s in front of a fire with a pint of Guinness in my hand. My bad!

Apparently the off season simply means training continues, maybe not as intensively (but I can’t say I trained too intensively during the season anyway) but with no races to break up the monotony. However, rather than put a realistic training plan together, I have actually spent more time creating a completely unrealistic wish list. What gadget will shave 4 seconds off my run, what helmet/bike/wheel (delete as relevant) will increase my speed from slow to slight less slow?

But worst of all is that the mornings have closed in and it is dark now when I hop on the train to go swimming twice a week. While there will be a bit of a let up on this in a month’s time, it is an easy excuse to use to simply turn over and reset the alarm for a Godly hour! While I have my targets written now for 2013, I am still not 100% sure quite how I will get there. Swimming was the focus for 2012. The key benefit was a better understanding of the mechanics of a swim stroke – as complex as a golf swing as far as I’m concerned – and while I can’t yet properly auto-correct, and am getting advice on a weekly basis, I know that I am improving, getting more efficient and ultimately getting faster.

So with that in mind, I think running has to be the focus for 2013 and I have signed up for a chi running course with Irish distance legend Catherina McKiernan.

However, running has always been the one tri discipline that I have avoided when it comes to training. Having ruptured my Achilles tendon more than 10 years ago, I have always been a reluctant runner. And in a previous life I never raced more than 110 metres, and two warm up laps of any pitch or track filled me with dread. So a few years ago, any thoughts of taking on a triathlon with a 5km, 10km, let alone 21.1km run always cast a shadow over any race. PBs of approx 22, 49 and 119 minutes respectively are testament to that shadow. Never sure to push, never sure to trust my ability. And ultimately getting passed by so many on the run to be almost demotivating.

So, much as our swimming training has gone back to basics, I am hoping that the chi running course will do likewise and I will get a better understanding of my running mechanics and how to improve them. Then, I might hope to be able to compete, rather than simply finish, one or two triathlons next year.

Catherina, it's over to you.

So that's the season ended. Isn't it?

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 20:09:00 +0000

So that’s that then. Season over.

And I managed to get it all finished in less than the 1 hour 20 minutes I had predicted. I had quietly been aiming a 1:16, but a 1:17 is nothing to be disappointed by, and finished with a PB on the run. Happy days.

Again I finished in the middle of the pack, just outside the top 50%, on a par with my other races this year. So again no overall complaints.

Time to wind down and take a break. 2012 was the year of the swim. I spent more time in the pool than the combined amount of time on the or running. And it has paid off, where I am now more confident than ever in the water. There is still lots of room for improvement (isn’t there always), but the base is much stronger now!

So no better time than now to break down my swim stroke and build it back up again. That’s what our coach intends doing over the next few months. ‘Off season’ deleted! Today, we spent 45 minutes gliding up and down the pool. In the coach we must trust.

But already my thoughts are moving to next year. While my gear wish list has reached ridiculous proportions (doesn’t everyone’s?), it is more the times, races, national championship targets that have been on my mind ever since I finished the Pulse sprint a couple of weeks ago.

The CK triathlon earlier during the summer was my first national series race. The first time I was fully compared against other triathletes (besides on the clock), and it didn’t make for totally ridiculous reading. After the Pulse tri a couple of weeks ago, I showed I was nothing if not consistent over both sprint and standard distance. And yes, ‘fast’ is not the word I can properly use. Yet.

Being a very competitive male (shock horror!), and now that I am on a league table, a finishing position higher, much higher next year is the basis for the targets. All of this is of course based on improved times, which will have to be consistent, will have to be faster, and will have to be very competitive.

So while the sun has not yet fully set on the 2012 season, here are the targets for 2013. Set in stone.

Complete a national championship (min. 5 championship races.)
Break 1:10 for a sprint race. (PB 1:17)
Break 2:30 for a standard race. (PB 2:45)
Finish in the Top 30 of my age group (35 – 39. This year #238.)

These are quite lofty aims, but ones that I feel are competitive enough to make it a challenge to get there. And if nothing else, provide you with a stick to beat me with this time next year.

2012 is dead. Long live 2013.

Time for the Fat Lady to sing

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 21:55:00 +0000

“Two years,” Tadhg said.

Two years. Those simple two words deflated my triathlon balloon for quite a while at the start of this season.

The question posed by another of the newbies in Piranha triathlon club was, “how long does it take to get good at triathlons?”

Bloody hell was it disheartening. And chatting about it with other newbies afterwards they weren't overly enamoured either.

In 2011 I trained largely on my own and raced wit one of my mates. Badly. We had our usual head to heads over a few races (it ended 2-2) but no times were great and the main aim was survival. Each triathlon was an endurance race. Our main aim was the Ironman 70.3 in Galway last September, when survival really was the main aim.

So heading into 2012, with some races under my belt - I couldn’t quite say a year’s training, and I was carrying a few too many Christmas pound – I was hopeful to be able to make some serious inroads into the world of triathlons. And a few weeks training Tadhg’s kernel was put to the back of my mind.

The aim again this year was the Ironman 70.3 race, and this weekend I will race my fifth and last race of the season. Prior to this have been Galway, one sprint and two Olympic races.

Before each race I have set myself targets. Time targets. Something just that little bit out of reach but if everything went well, attainable. And to date I have managed to just get inside my target time bracket albeit at the wrong end. For each of the races, I have improved on my times.

Last year in my three Olympic races (it the two I finished) I didn't break three hours. This year I have been under 2:45 both times. My second race better than my first. And while my realistic target for the year was to try to get below 2:30, at least by knocking 24 minutes off my 2011 time I have to be happy.

My Ironman time this year didn't quite render the same difference on he clock. As you may have seen from my last post it was a mere 27 seconds. But with an improved swim (double last year's distance) and excellent bike times, I left Galway very heartened with my performance and it showed the work put in during the year really paid off.

Having only done one sprint, it was hard to properly give myself a target, but match one I did. But with the one under my belt (last May), I want to knock four or five minutes off that time tomorrow. Target time set.

So one last race, one hour 20 minutes before the fat lady sings, and the season can officially be called closed. So what have I learnt about this year? Stroke. Drafting. T1. Cadence. Power. T2. Nutrition. Reverse splits. Pacing. Endurance.

What can I improve on? Yes you guessed, all of it. And as for Tadhg’s two years? I’m going to need every single last day of it to become a better (hopefully good) triathlete. Target set for 2013.

What a difference a year makes.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:26:00 +0000

One day makes such a difference. One year makes such a difference. As I left registration on Saturday afternoon, Memories of last year's Ironman Ireland 70.3 were coming back to haunt me. The wind was picking up, the waves were high in Galway Bay, and the thoughts of another wind and rain swept cycle were causing me no end of angst. And judging by various threads online, I wasn't the only one.

This angst led to an in-depth search for good forecasts online. The first said it was to be warm with a slight breeze. As did the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth.

Angst reduced somewhat.

On leaving the house on Sunday morning there was a deathly calm. No wind. No rain. A calm that was most certainly not seen on the day before nor at IM 70.3 2011.

With a 'no excuses' forecast I started well and reached the first buoy in relatively good shape. With a 1km swim parallel to the beach and a supporting current, I managed to get into an excellent drafting position which maintained for almost the entire straight (Elena, Tadhg and Chris would have been very proud). For the final 600 metres I was then able to push on. So having set myself a 40 minute, getting out of the water after 38 minutes have me a huge boost of confidence. (I have since found out that I made it into the top 20% of all swimmers! When I joined Piranha TC at the start of the year i was in the beginners lane. And while there have been some slight improvements, if at the start of the race if you had said I could get that time, I would have openly laughed in your face and booked you in for a psychiatric assessment!)

After a (very) long run to transition, I hopped on the bike for the 90km spin. Target: 3 hours. Last year on my road bike I lost count of the number of TT bikes that passed me. So this year on my own TT I was more confident. While I didn't pass a huge number of people, I was at least passed by a lot less than last year. But the one person I most noticed passing me was fellow club-mate Jen Duffy. To say she passed me at the speed of a train would be an understatement. And she was cruising, while I was panting and just trying to maintain a rhythm. But coming into the last 10kms I realised I was on track to beat my target. Happy days. I was even more surprised as I reached T2 and had clocked 2:52, putting me in an excellent position to meet or beat my target time.

Last year, with the gales and rough waters, the swim was shortened to 1000m and my finishing time was 5:44:40. This year, conscious of the likely longer swim, I set my target time as 5:30 - 5:45. Ambitious, but still something I felt was just about in reach to provide enough of a carrot for me throughout the race.

So leaving T2 my watch said 3:41:04, and I knew that if I matched last year's run time of 1:58 I would be a full seven minutes inside my target time. And having done some more running this year, I was very hopeful.

The course was a 7km loop, and I felt strong on lap one and hit my 5 minute kilometre target. But then the trouble started. A niggle I picked up 10 days ago cropped up just after the end of lap one. My Achilles and calf tightened up badly. Stretching, walking and stopping weren't helping. The encouragement of fellow competitors got me back trotting but at a struggle.

Mid-way through lap two my wife, Alice, shouted great encouragement at me, which gave me a boost I needed. "It's mind over matter," she said. So that helped to clear my head and focus on finishing as well as I could. But much as I tried, I continued to struggle for the rest of the second lap.

My target had now firmly changed. Just beat last year's time. So I became obsessed with my stopwatch and guessing where each kilometre was, trying to up my tempo throughout the final painful lap. All was going okay until about 3 kilometres from the end my calf cramped. After a few minutes stretching it passed, but time was very quickly ticking away. I no longer heard any more cheers of encouragement from my fellow Piranhas - Anne, Petrina, Ciara, Frank or Tim - as the head was put down. Focus on finishing. Focus on finishing.

The final drinks station was ignored as I tried my hardest to push to the limit for the final kilometre, hoping my body would hold out. A 2:03 run was not what I wanted but a finish time of 5:44:13 was very satisfactory. 27 seconds are even more satisfactory as I set the new IM 70.3 personal best.

So having been anxious on Saturday, and rain drenched in 2011, a day does indeed make a big difference. A year makes an even bigger difference.

In at the deep end.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:39:00 +0000

“What time do you think you’ll do?” asked the boss as I left on Friday evening.

“I’m aiming for 2 hours 40 to 45 minutes,” I replied.

“Best of luck,” he said as he left.

There. The bar has been set.

After a good 6 week’s training under my belt, I wanted to gauge my progress before the Club Championships at the Caroline Kearney triathlon (CK) in August. Not to compete, but more to not embarrass myself. So I entered the Lough Neagh Olympic triathlon.

The only thing about my target time though, is that having raced three Olympic races last year, my best time was only 3 hours 11 minutes. My training has been punctuated so far this year, so I wasn’t 100% sure quite how I was going to save at least 20 minutes. Rough targets based on training, or lack of it, and previous races wasn’t giving much change out of three hours (estimates: 35 minute swim, 85 minute cycle, 45-48 minute run).

Arriving to Lough Neagh, the calm surface of the water surprised, almost unnerved me. I had never has such calm conditions. The 130 entrants started together just after 10am, and quickly I got left behind. And despite many attempts, simply couldn’t get a draft off anyone. So approaching the end of the swim I wasn’t looking forward to seeing my time.

A quick glance a the watch nearly floored me. 32 minutes. Happy days (only later did I learn that the course was actually more than 1650 metres, and that I was in the top 35% - no-one was more shocked than me!). Anything approaching my previous bike times, and my estimations might not be too far off.

Huffing and puffing out of T1, the two lap bike route started with a steady 8km incline, but I simply couldn’t find any rhythm. Stop. Start. Stop. Start. Then just after 7kms my bike clock went. A small pot-hole shot my front wheel sensor. So there was no point in worrying any more about average speed or time, just get on with cycling.

This lack of worry in a sense took a weight of my shoulders, and I had to race to what I felt I could, and what I felt I was able for. 76 minutes. I almost couldn’t believe the times. A highly un-rhythmical cycle should not have allowed that. (It was definitely nothing to write home about, but I wasn’t complaining!)

Leaving T2 on 1hour 52 minutes, my target was very much in hand, and at the better end of my target times. Like the bike, the run was a 2 lap course, out and back. The out, though was a 2.5kms steady climb that nearly took the legs from me. The first out took me almost 18 minutes. This wasn’t good. Targets moving. A long way. In the wrong direction. All but disappearing. But turning at 5kms at 28 minutes, while an abysmal time, provided a modicum of hope.

A ‘sprinted’ last 1km led to a significant second 5km, and the all important reverse split of 24 minutes. I crossed the line with a very satisfactory finishing time of 2:46:47. While I only finished 76^th out of 130, and didn’t hit my target times, I cut almost 25 minutes off my personal best, and got another race under my belt.

I can approach the Caroline Kearney (CK) triathlon in two weeks time with much more confidence. And after that, only three weeks to go until Ironman 70.3 Ireland.

So in a couple of week’s time just before CK when the boss asks, “What time are you aiming for,” I will be answering: “two hours 35 to 40 minutes.”

The bar has now been raised.

Back in the zone. I think.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:34:00 +0000

I am back in the zone. For now at least.

In the last two weeks I have managed five swims, have also struggled out on the bike twice and huffed and puffed for a thirty minute run. Now nothing will be put down in the records for the distances covered but at least it's a start and it’s great to be back. But fitting training in as a new Dad is going to take some getting used to.

After Fingal tri at the end of May, and the arrival of my gorgeous daughter, Eve, I had given myself June 'off' with the idea of getting back training in July, and no races booked in until the club championship race at Caroline Kearney in August.

I got back into training a bit sooner than expected at the end of June, but it was definitely a struggle. While I was getting more sleep than expected, the increased tempo of the mid-season swimming sessions took their toll.

Having said that, the swimming sessions has been the easier part of training. The early mornings, when Alice and Eve are both asleep, provide the ideal time to sneak out to the pool. The running and cycling conundrums have yet to be resolved. Evenings of nappies, feeds and cuddles don’t allow much time for either. Not that I’m complaining.

So timing is of the essence. The lunch time run is being explored. Commuting to work on the bike and extended routes on the way home are being mapped out (but in this weather, seriously?).

So a few weeks back into training and I’m feeling much the better for it. So while I try to get training done before and during work, the next focus will be on races to up my fitness levels. Time to up the ante, identify a few races between now and Caroline Kearney.

In the meantime I’m back in the zone. For now at least. Or until my daughter Eve lets me know otherwise.

Taking inspiration from Brownlee & Keane

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:13:00 +0000

It is always frustrating coming back from a lay off, whether chosen or forced. So coming back from a month off is again trying.

The struggle for motivation or the frustration at how your breath is lost far more easily than you remembered is hard to break. The feeling of going backwards during a swim session is not a pleasant one, no matter how much I expected it.

This all came to mind as I watched latest round of the ITU World Series in Kitzbuhl last weekend, and in particular the astounding performance of Ali Brownlee. This was his first race back having spent four months on the sidelines with an acute Achilles tendon tear. The initial prognosis of the injury was such that Brownlee considered his future in the sport.

Nonetheless, Ali took on the field as only he knows how; from the front. In the previous round, his younger brother, Johnny, was imperious in taking victory in Madrid. But even he didn't have an answer for Ali's sheer determination and power. Less than 1km into the run the older Brownlee was already clear and over the next 9kms the gap only grew. His final winning victory of almost one minute was emphatic.

Four months off and Ali comes back as strong as that! That’s definitely a way to make a return.

Then on Sunday as I looked up Hell of the West results, another top triathlete was back on the circuit having been off with injury. Brian Keane, one of Ireland’s professional triathletes, was making his season’s debut and his victory was as emphatic as Brownlee’s. And having had a long year of injury problems in 2011, his return was great to see.

So what is it we can take from all this? Don’t rush back after injury. You are no good to anyone, least of all yourself and frustrations are guaranteed. So I’m going to shut my mouth, endure the tough swim sessions, extend my cycles and get out running some more.

If I do go racing before fully fit and ready, I’ll have to manage my own expectations. I can’t expect brilliant times. It will merely be a step towards getting it right.

Time to put those frustrations in check and just get on with it.

Is Armstrong good for triathlon?

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:45:00 +0000

So Lance Armstrong's Ironman career is over almost before it even started following the latest drug charges brought against him by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Why should that really matter to me, a weekend warrior?

There are two sides to this, one that Armstrong's return to a sport the sport he first competed in professionally as a 16 year old was only going to increase the profile of the sport. The other that with the ever-present cloud of allegations hanging over him, would triathlon look like a sport that was trying to cash in on a tarnished star.

Following the latest charges laid at his door, the seven times Tour de France winner has, as ever, come out fighting and again sought the advice of a large team lawyers to rebuff the USADA charges.

So why does this matter to me?

When the American came back into the Tour De France and began establishing him as one of the world's top cyclists, as an avid sports fan and supporter and as a lover of the 'against all odds' sports story, I was delighted to see Armstrong atop the podium.

His charity foundation, and the yellow bracelets connected with it were a must have. But as searching questions were asked of him, his team, his coaches and his doctors about his possible drug use, his continued defence against mounting evidence became more and more difficult to believe.

The former Radio Shack cyclist’s ultra aggressive defense strategy - sue the journalists, threaten team mates and counter-accuse others - was not pretty to watch and quickly he became a picture of bitterness. And as almost every other top cyclist he beat to his record number of titles were found guilty of a range of doping charges, Armstrong's claims of innocence ran more and more hollow.

My support for him waned.

I watched with interest as he announced his Ironman plans late last year and he began the year steadily with a couple of podium finishes before making his mark at his home 70.3 event (half-Ironman), winning in Texas. His impending full Ironman debut due in France this weekend would also be watched eagerly by a wide audience.

But the approach and attitude Armstrong brought to Ironman is not one that befits the sport. Nike and several other manufacturers have produced uniquely specced gear for him, unlikely to ever be available to any other competitors, let alone the ordinary triathlete. He has an extensive support team both for training and on race day. For many of Armstrong’s opponents involved in Ironman their support team consists of me, myself and I. The training squads are made up of other like-minded athletes who are training in the same town, or share the same coach.. And while their sponsors will help with a lot if expenses, quite simply Armstrong's support team is on a different level.

His subsequent disrespect for other athletes also grates. No acknowledgement when beaten (on the line), Twitter spats over drafting and doping checks (sic) shows a lack of interest in improving the sport of triathlon and simply another sporting box to tick.

So while it might be interesting to see how Armstrong would get on in Ironman and in Kona, it should not be to the detriment of the sport which he may eventually being into disrepute.

So as a weekend warrior I only want triathlon in the news for all the right reasons, not the Armstrong reasons.

A busy summer's viewing ahead

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:23:00 +0000

EURO 2012. Ireland Vs New Zealand. The Olympics. Wimbledon. The British Open. This is quite a summer for sports fans.

What am I most looking forward to? It has to be The Olympics. The idea of all of the above events though, is that Irish athletes and sports people will compete valiantly and nobly but more than likely in defeat. And many will be told they have failed.

Other though are truly world-class. They can and do compete with the best, and some of the above were Olympic sports, Ireland would be very much competing for medals. Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell and Rory McIlroy all fight well above their weight in their sports.

In the run up to previous Olympics the weight of a nation rested on Sonia O'Sullivan's shoulders. And now this weight has been transferred to the small shoulders of Katie Taylor, which until lately she may have thought she would have to take care of on her own. But the emergence of triathlete Aileen Morrison has shown that Taylor will not be our only female medal hope in London.

Morrison has recently brought the profile of triathlon nearer the surface of mainstream sport coverage, and the reporting of her recent 2^nd place in Spain by all media can only be looked at as very positive. But how likely is it that the sport can remain there is another question. Two things will largely stand against it happening. Female sports, to a great extent, don't get mainstream coverage, and then at the moment triathlon is still a minority sport.

Much was made of the outstanding Chrissie Wellington not making the BBC sports personality of the year short list last December. Indeed, the case for her inclusion far outweighed her exclusion, and her achievements in a very short time are mind-boggling. However, Ironman is not a live TV friendly format, so mainstream coverage for the sport is always going to be difficult. While the recent appearance of Lance Armstrong in Ironman events has raised the level of the coverage to a certain extent, the long form distance of the sport may always fight an ongoing battle.

With Morrison riding high in the ITU World Series, and an increased interest in the shorter triathlon races, it must be a hope that The Olympics could change that.

Roll on London 2012.

Watching from a distance

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 21:09:00 +0000

With the arrival of my darling daughter I have not had a chance to keep up my training. Surprise surprise! What I have had time to though is to see how much triathlon has consumed so many other things in recent months.

Despite having started doing a few triathlons last year my involvement in the sport has gone to a new level this year. While I obsessed over my results (much like Darren in his recent race report - http://www.piranhatri.com/news/reports/997-triathy-race-report), this year it is up again. Average time. Percentage location per discipline. Discipline splits. Any hope of a reverse split (I didn't even know what that meant 9 months ago). And all of this to try to find something positive out of very average results. That search for progress.

Then there has been the vocabulary. 2011 - wheels; 2012 - Clincher Vs tubular. 2011 - gears; 2012 - groupset. 2011 - bike; 2012 - TT. You know I could go on. Fartlek anyone? So between the nods, agreements and unknown approvals in the midst of a tri conversation, I have slowly begun to get some sort of understanding of what all this means. That, unfortunately does not mean that it has made me a better triathlete.

To further get involved with the sport I have been following various pro triathletes on twitter. Lance Armstrong is now on the IM (Sorry, that's Ironman) circuit, but who the hell are Craig Alexander, Simon Whitfield and Christ McCormack? As for these Brownlee brothers cracking the ITU circuit - I still don't know which is which! - it's also great to follow the Irish pro exploits of Gavin Noble and the ever improving Aileen Morrison. I even now have the ITU world series on series record...

As for the Irish scene, and the club scene, this is a truly new level. Mariusz Olejniczak, Bjorn Ludick, Russell White, Con Murphy are all names that are becoming more familiar. And over the weekend I was poring over TriAthy results to see how all from Piranha Tri Club got on. First timers, ever improvers and the top advanced girls and guys. With a few tris under my belt I now have people to compare myself against as well as trying to emulate in the coming months.

In the meantime, while I eagerly await the delivery of my next issue of 220 Triathlon magazine - that's normal, right? - and try to learn more about the insides, the outs and the transitions of triathlons, watching the sport from a slightly further distance than normal, I have a nappy to change.

So near. Yet so far away.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Thu, 31 May 2012 22:41:00 +0000

When setting yourself challenges, it is always good to have attempted them and if not quite beat them, at least made a good effort at attaining them. But 3 minutes 17 seconds were to ruin my first triathlon of the season.

Last Sunday evening when results we're published for the fingal sprint, my confirmed time was 1hr 17 minutes exactly. I was absolutely delighted. My target window was 1:20-1:25, so beating that by three minutes had me thrilled.

Sunday was a very hot day, and as I had to register on the morning I had a lot, probably too much, time to hang around. About a dozen from Piranha's new to tri group were doing it, so as people arrived there was a good buzz building, fuelled by nervous energy. Everyone was just egging to get started.

The 750 metre swim was pool based and could only be described as chaotic at best. Despite a minor miscount on my lengths I got through it well enough in about 14 minutes. Not brilliant but not way off either.

A hectic T1 and out onto an out-and-back bike route. The new bike was pushed as hard as possible. Into the wind on the way out I looked forward to upping the ante on the way back. No such luck. The wind turned with us and offered little or no respite. So the legs were that bit heavier heading into T2.

The run took place at the height of the midday heat and with a steady slight uphill straight out of transition, I thumped rather than glided way through at least the first kilometre. Things didn't get too much easier until the turnaround. Finally a bit of a downhill to the finish line, which couldn't come quickly enough.

The wait for results is always annoying. So the relief and delight on seeing them was great. However this delight was swiftly ended on Thursday morning on receipt of an email from the race organisers.

The swim times were out by 3 minutes and 17 seconds. So my revised time was 1:20:17. When facing this against my target I should still be very pleased. And in one sense I am. If I received this time immediately after the race I would have been thrilled. But to have my better time taken away is gutting. I must simply use it as resolve to better my times later in the year.

Quite when the next race will be is uncertain. An arrival in the household, a new baby daughter, Eve, will determine the answer to that. So the only race at the moment I have to worry about is the human race (it's bad I know, but give the new dad a break).

So while 3 minutes 17 seconds brought me disappointment yesterday, a bundle of 6lbs 10ozs has brought me nothing but total joy and pride.

First tri of the year. This should be...interesting.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Sat, 26 May 2012 15:27:00 +0000

5kms in 24 minutes and 17 seconds. Not a bad return on only my third run of the year. The third run of the week.

Having given myself a target of the 24 minutes I was quietly pleased with the results. Equally, the body finished in one piece as well. No knees, calves or ankles were left strewn around Malahide Castle.

So that race was the warm up for the first triathlon of the year - the Fingal sprint triathlon. Tomorrow. Despite having competed in a number of races last year, I have yet to compete in a sprint triathlon. While the distance is half of what I have done before there is an increased onus on fitness and an increased heart rate due to the short nature of the event.

Training has gone well in the last 4-6 weeks. I feel relatively in good shape so hopefully

I feel that I can compete well. Finish in a good time. And most importantly, not make a fool of myself.

Of course that is easier said than done. I’ve never done a pool based swim, and I have the new time trial bike out for its racing debut. That isn’t said as a point to boast, more as a point of fact. I have been out on the bike a number of times, and believe that I have a good feel for it, but as is often said, match fitness is a different level altogether.

So having set myself a target for the run last weekend, I have been trying to work out what is a realistic time to aim for this race. Now the difference between a challenging time and a realistic time could be as low as two minutes or as high as eight.

So the nerd has set in. I checked the times from last year’s race. Checked the times of the other newbies from a race two weeks ago. The calculator, no actually the excel sheet, nearly burned up with the permutations I put through.

And still, I don’t know how near I am to the ‘right’ figure. ‘Man up,’ I rightfully hear you say. Lay it down. Money where your mouth is. Cliché. Cliché. Cliché.

So this week Matthew, I am going for one hour twenty minutes as the challenging time. But anything over one hour twenty five minutes and there will be disappointments.

So there it is. Quite how it all pans out is anyone’s guess. Sure what could go wrong?

Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:33:00 +0000

ROY Keane’s infamous quote above from Saipan still resonates in Ireland as we approach the 10 year anniversary of the most infamous sporting exit in the history of this country.

It is a phrase that has been going through my head quite a bit for the past few weeks as my racing season begins in haste tomorrow. At 11.30am I will attempt to run 5km in under 24 minutes at the John Davis Memorial race in Malahide Castle.

All quite achievable I hear you say. And indeed in theory you would be correct. The only problem is that my first run of the year was only last Sunday. And only a trot for 2.5kms at that. It was followed up by a 5km jog on Tuesday.

So quite obviously, this has not the most ideal preparations for either race. But last Sunday’s run broke a spell. For the past six weeks, I have been meaning to go for that first run. Having spent a lot of last year with niggly ankle and hip injuries, I was apprehensive about starting the run.

I went to physio to try to loosen out my leg and did the exercises to try to strengthen my leg. So I was trying to prepare as best as possible. And yet, I couldn’t force myself out to run. When I did finally get a few runs under my belt, the ankle ached and my hip hurt. So this weekend will be approached with some trepidation and no small dollop of hope that the legs hold up.

I have been aiming to prepare well. Preparation for my triathlon has not been a total failure, however the preparation for this weekend’s race would likely leave a lot to be desired.

I can’t imagine I’d get Roy Keane’s seal of approval, but then again, that will depend on how this weekend’s race. Only time will tell.

How elusive is the search for progress?

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:36:00 +0000

Progress is relative. Progress is subjective. But the infrequent times I have managed to maintain some forms of training, progress is hard to find.

The ongoing chase for that elusive ' race fitness' continues. And one that is made all the more prescient as suddenly the full triathlon season is upon us.

Due to this errant approach to training lethargy sets in more easily. More easy to turn over than answer the early morning alarm. More easy to hit the couch than the track. And yet there is the yearning to progress. More than three months now in the pool, and several in the original beginners have, rightfully, been promoted to the intermediate lane. I, though, stalled. I have led the beginners lane on a number of days, but progress seemed to elude me.

I pressed on session after session, drill after drill. And while my fitness and stamina appeared, at least on a superficial level, to have improved, I really didn't know if I was making progress.

Progress is more than simply an indication of improvement, it is a motivation. A reward for the hard work put in, and a way to move forward. But training wasn't giving me that. Mild frustrations set in. As much at myself for missing training through laziness, fatigue and illness. But frustrations nonetheless.

And as the season arrives, the lack of progress gets amplified. So having asked our coach, Lee, for a few tips on how to improve I had my next step towards progress. I hoped. But quite how I progressed surprised me. Next training was on Bank holiday Tuesday. I arrived at the pool more out of habit than eagerness. I sought to put Lee's suggestions into play.

Eight lengths later I was in the intermediate lane. Progress. Made. Motivation restored.

Progress is relative. I am now in the intermediate swimming lane. Progress is subjective. I believe I can keep improving.

Roll on the season and the first triathlon in two weeks time.

Looking like a triathlete does not a triathlete make!

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:42:00 +0000

Once again my lethargy in updating my blog has been due to more rollercoasters and circles of late nights, early mornings, lack of rest, a worn down body, oh and the weather! But yesterday evening finally brought the chance to get back into it again.

The weather eventually allowed the new toy get unwrapped properly.

My body is now in trouble. It's sore. Some call this recovery. I'm not fully convinced. I'm clearly unfit and in need of more training. But I managed 20kms on my new bike. My first proper cycle on my new time trial bike. Exhilarating. Nervous. Fast. Shaky. And really quite breathless.

I picked up the Planet X time trial bike a little over two weeks ago and ever since it has sat in the apartment staring tantalisingly back up at me. The weather left a lot to be desired. And I certainly wasn't going to bring out the toy in the pissing rain. That would be no fun at all.

A five minute race down the road and back up about ten days ago was merely a warm up. It merely confirmed the bike worked.

So last night as I alighted the train the weather presented the perfect opportunity to properly bring the bike out on a test run. I decided to tackle Howth Head - go on a route I know and can possibly compare to my newly appointed 'training bike'. It took a while to get used to changing the gears at the end of the tri bars. The ease with which the bike advanced was tremendous, and the power that could easily be generated without too much effort, surprising.

Now going up Howth Head is never easy at the best of times, but I managed to get up the hill quite well, and the up hill sections were more manageable than expected. And the downhill was, well lets just say I didn't want to push the bike (or myself) to that limit just yet. Bike control is one thing on this bike that I won't be taking for granted.

I just have to get out on it more often and hope that I don't make a fool of myself on it during my first triathlon of the season in four weeks time.

This bike is just so light. It is fast. It is agile. I think it will simply remove lethargy from my vocab. At least that's the hope.

PS A real triathlete was used in the photo. I don't know how to go that fast yet! And no I don't have one of those helmets either.

Back with a vengeance. Definitely maybe.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:28:00 +0000

So two rested and two enforced weeks from training complete and back with a vengeance (part two) again tomorrow.

While the first two weeks were largely tolerated, the last two were not so easy to handle. To make matters worse Easter really is not the best time to have two non-training weeks. As the BORG said in Star Trek, 'resistance is futile'. Okay, so my efforts to avoid chocolate and other temptations were questionable at best, but nonetheless it was still not easy.

Over Easter, the weather also didn't help as the rain and wind pelted the northwest, not allowing for much opportunity to get out on the bike. Added to that, the four Heineken Cup quarter finals and the Masters golf made it equally hard to drag myself from the lay-z-boy.

When I did finally get out, the wind was blowing a gale, the rain was threatening, and my belly was full of a heavy meal, chocolate and wine. There are many views taken on how best to fuel for training; this was none of them.

My aim was a 50km cycle, but after no more than 8kms I knew that simply wasn't going to happen. Lacking all rhythm and a total inability to tackle the hills with any gusto (and a complete lack of breath) told its own story of a sorry loss of fitness. Well over 80 minutes later and a sorry 30kms later my Easter Sunday torture was complete.

Slowly things hvae been turning around since the weekend, and I have strived to tone back the rubbish with a bit more focus to getting back into training. Tomorrow's swim time trial arrives just a bit early for me to test my endurance and possible improvements. Maybe next week. But at least I'll be back in the pool.

Patience will have to be the key this time round. The vengeance may just have to be toned back a bit this time.

Feeling the blues

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:15:00 +0000

I’m staring at my screen and I’m feeling blue. Having had a two week sabbatical from training, I threw myself back into the mix over the weekend. Swimming on Saturday and cycling on Sunday – more about that anon – but today, a doctor’s appointment has led to an enforced two-week swim and run abstention. I’m not a happy bunny!

Having had the two weeks off, I intended approaching training gingerly and not go too hard from the off. Yea right! In the pool it was arm drill after arm drill after arm drill. The energy was sapped out of me at an alarming rate! Or maybe I was just doing them incorrectly! Either way, half way through our session I had to slow things down – for a few minutes at least to get some of my breath back. But the post-training buzz had me in a good mood and delighted to be back in the pool.

The Saturday couch recovery session, of course, never happened.

For Sunday morning’s club cycle one of the guys (Gav Duffy) set a daunting challenge to ascend and descend Howth Head (from the cemetery) ten times. Yes, you didn’t mis-read that. 10 times. Why you ask? Well apparently April 1^st is known as the Sufferlandrian Day of Suffering. Lucky us!

The challenge was open to those at all levels, so as part of the beginners group, the challenge was set slightly lower with the aim to reach at least three ascents, and if possible four.

The climb in total was a mere 4.8kms. A climb I have done on a good number of occasions, but never at this level. Now while that distance does not seem like much, it is a deceptive climb that offers small bouts of respite before challenging you again and again with another incline. And as the sun’s heat increased during the ride out to Sutton, the intensity of the challenge increased.

The group started together. Beginners, intermediate and advanced all as one. That didn’t last long! The group was quickly strung out. Each to their own; each to face the hill each time in almost total isolation. Pick a target in front of you and keep pedalling. And don’t get lapped. Too often.

“That wasn’t too bad,” I thought after reaching the summit for the first time, “ten doesn’t seem so unattainable.” Ah, the thoughts of the innocent. The beginners group agreed to re-group after three laps. Everyone was still in good shape. “Let’s go for two more,” it was suggested. That seemed attainable. Just.

The fourth time up quickly became tougher than the previous three put together. And number five just plain hurt. All the while being lapped for at least the second time by the advanced crew. There is a lot to learn yet.

Unless I’d been offered a large sum of money I would have been able to face the climb for even another 50 metres. Howth had beaten me. This time.

Needless to say Sunday’s recovery was much more couch based, but with an increased sense of achievement. Roll on Tuesday morning swimming.

That is until this morning. A meeting with a dermatologist, the removal of a mole (on the bottom of my foot), three stitches later and I was put on, as they stay in US sports, the disabled list. Despite my best efforts to assure the nurse that I’d look after myself, she was having none of it.

No swimming or running until the stitches are removed. No training for two weeks. Now that plan sucks! Just back into training and I now have to forego another eight training sessions.

While that might be a welcome break during the season, now is not that time for me. Sure is it any wonder I’m feeling blue!

Have a break. Have a KitKat, or maybe a pint.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:16:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've updated this....as much because I haven't been training. which in itself has caused me no end of worry.

Before taking the semi-forced, semi-unforced break from training, I strived to squeeze as much training in as possible. Swim, swim, cycle, swim, swim, swim. I even forced myself up for a session last Saturday before heading to the airport for a flight. But with 10 days off training for holidays, it may not have been the wisest plan.

An anxiety overtook me in the days before my break, which I struggled to quite rationalise, taking off the time from training. The togs were thrown in the bag in the off chance of finding a pool to ease my torture for a while.

That never happened. So instead, I had to accept that I'd be missing out.

While I didn't quite get withdrawal symptoms, and did have a weekend lie-in for the first time in six weeks, I have missed training. The new-to-tri group in Piranha Tri Club has been great, and there has been a great energy as everyone has been improving. That buzz was as much missed as anything else.

So after a break, including a wedding, more alcohol in the last 10 days than that previous two months, it will be back to training this weekend. I just hope I won't have lost too much fitness, haven't fallen too far behind the others. Oh and haven't forgotten how to swim.

Square one is the last place I need to find myself!

Michael Phelps still isn’t losing any sleep.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:31:00 +0000

I really didn’t know how I was going to deal with the swim time-trial. It was nothing I had done before. So whatever about timing myself over 25 or 50 metres, this 200 or 400 metre test was at a different level all together.

On Friday evening I geared myself up for the 400 metre. I wanted to test myself. Set a benchmark against which I could compare later times. But I was still nervous.

Overnight I had tried to work out a target for myself. What would be a realistic target? What could be achieved if pushed? I felt, if I succeeded roughly how I was doing in training that something around the 8 minute mark I would be doing well. No pressure!

Unsurprisingly I was awake before the alarm on Saturday morning.

Us beginners were split into two lanes, as the coaches assessed our abilities. When asked if I wanted to do the 400 metre trial, I knew I didn’t have a choice. But was happy with the choice.

Our lane had ten people in it and the time-trial was split in two. I was in the second group, and so had to endure watching the first group, while trying to stay warm. Two of the lads were well below seven minutes, and one of the girls who I have consistently been slower than in training clocked 7mins 48 secs. This 8 minute marker was almost certainly beyond my capabilities.

While it may sound a bit obvious, but 8 lengths of a 50 metre pool is a long way. For me at least, it is. Having seen the first group charge out, the best way to survive – and that was how I saw it – was to pace myself.

“And go,” shouted Elena. No turning back now. So I pushed off the wall and the first 100 metres passed off without too many problems, but also really without too much speed. The second 100 metres was tough but was survived. The third hundred, I picked the speed up, and ended with still a bit of juice still in the tank.

So I took to the last 100 with extra vigour. “You can recover when the swim is over,” I said to myself. So for the first 50 I started quickly, but eased down at the turn. Then all technique, style common swimming sense went out the window. Just trash through the water and get to the wall as fast as possible. I can only assume it wasn’t pretty for anyone watching, and needless to say nobody had Norris McWhirter on hold in case my time was worth talking about.

I wheezed and puffed, trying to catch my breath, with no idea of what sort of time I did. Elena looked at her watch, trying to work out my final time. When she first said it I only heard, “seven minutes…” I didn’t care what was said after it. I had somehow managed to beat my target time.

Seven minutes, forty eight seconds. Job done.

So in five weeks time that time has to be reduced by ten seconds. Game on. Now 400 metres is a challenge I will revel rather than fear.

Piranha by name. Not necessarily by nature.

noreply@blogger.com (dublin sports fan (@gav_mca)) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:28:00 +0000

So the stakes are being raised a little. Tomorrow, swim time trial.

The dates were first announced about three weeks ago, and us beginners lane were all set for out trial last week. However, at the last minute, and due to the large number in our lane (more than 20), Elena (coach 1) and Tadhg (coach 2 - @tadhgcronin) provided us with a stay of execution of a week.

Now, I’m still not sure if that is a good or a bad thing. Yes, I have another few training sessions under my belt. However it allowed the coaches to assess the group again. And at the end of the last Saturday’s training session, Tadhg kindly left us with this nugget, “some of you will be doing 400(m) next week.” Quite how that will pan out is anyone’s guess.

I am not the fastest in our lane by any stretch but am holding my own. And since last week, the 200m Vs 400m has been hanging over my head. To make matters worse, during today’s session, the top two swimmers in the beginner’s lane were moved into the intermediate lane half way through training. The switch didn’t cause me any issues, but having to lead the lane did. n my endeavours to not get caught by anyone behind me, I then had to push that bit harder just to stay ahead.

With the time trial tomorrow, that was far from ideal. But training is training and is supposed to help improve and progress my skills! So no beer, a decent feed and good night’s sleep are the only things for this evening.

Last weekend the advanced crew averaged 6mins 24secs. If I get within 90 seconds of that I’ll be doing well. Literally, only time will tell!