One week to go

With one week to go, the only thing between me and the start line is this lingering post nasal drip.

Last week I had a fever for 4 days and missed some key workouts. Talking with my coach, I have the base there and a couple of missed sessions would not be the end of the world, so I took the time to rest try and get myself mentally prepared for the race. With 5 days off from training, (felt like about a month) I headed out at lunch for an easy 30 minute run, keeping my HR under 150. Mission accomplished! I felt pretty good and managed to keep the HR average down. Friday I repeated this same run and went a bit further in the same amount of time and kept the HR under 150. This is looking good.

Saturday morning, I made my first appearance with the squad since last Friday morning and it was good to be back. Our session was to swim, bike, run, 3 times. The distances were about 200m, 6km and 1.2km for each leg. Out I went and was turning over well, but when I got to the run portion, I was cooking along and an easier 4:40ish pace but my HR was through the roof! This was telling me the mind is willing but the body is not quite ready. So with that, I decided to pull up at the transition and cheer on people instead. I could have completed it all but if I'm stuffed next weekend because I was being stupid the week before I would be pissed!

an unhappy camper with sand is his shoes



This is how one should look (taken at the B2B race a couple of weeks ago)


And how I hope to be running next weekend....


Today will be an easy ride. That is after I have my coffee, bacon and eggs and toast. I can so therefore I will. Next week will be a series of short but intense sessions getting me ready for the start line. If the post nasal drip is still there....well there's always drugs!

The last thing I'm trying to do before the race is rent some race wheels and I should hear on Monday. If I can the right set could knock between 6-10 minutes off my bike so here's hoping.

For those of you back home, here is a picture of the squad at yesterdays training session. A Motley Crew I know, but a good one.



Cheers everyone and here's to a good race.

The earlier taper

NOT impressed! Friday I came home early from work (very unusual for me) and proceeded directly to bed. Saturday, fever of 102.5, not good at all any higher I might have to head to the hospital. Today Sunday, I've moved from the bedroom to the couch and finally have a temperature under 100. The good thing is I got to start my taper early but not the way you want to. I've been drinking electrolites to stay hydrated but I still managed to lose over 5 lbs in two days (about 2 kg for my aussie friends). Once I can get solids down on a regular basis I will start my two week taper into Gold Coast half IM. You can train until the cows come home, but you really need to make sure you are as healthy as possible when you toe the line. That is my sole focus over the next 14 days, ya 14 days sounds much better than 2 weeks.

I have the best training base going to any race I have ever done, now it will be up to me to be heathly enough to utilize it all.

Until later..
Richard

3 Weeks till Gold Coast....am I ready?

This past week was a mixed bag of sorts.. After doing well at the Bridge to Brisbane 10km, I was to run into work on Tuesday morning, keeping my heart rate below 150. This has typically been easy, but it seems I must have been still feeling the effects of Sunday's run as I struggled with heart rate. What felt easy, was not according to my heart rate monitor. I made it into work after my tough run where I did my best but my heart rate still averaged 156. Now part of that increased heart rate could have been due to the fact, I was dive bombed by two magpies. The first one scared the hell out of me, but the second magpie is now short a few feathers.

Why do I keep taking about heart rate? Well it is a true measure of how hard one is working and I plan to use it for my longer races. In my training, it has really helped with the recovery aspect and I can do more training with less recovery time between. In three weeks I will find out how well I can race a 70.3 on heart rate....

I guess one of the better things this week would have to be the 20km bike TT. Our last one I was somewhat sick, but still managed to shave a bunch of time off my last one. Saturday morning though, I wanted to do better and I gave it a full on effort.. Well it seems to be paying off as my time improved from 31:18 four weeks ago to 30:47. What that means for me is I still have room to improve despite completing the past TT at just over a 39km/hour.

One of the other big things was finding out how well I actually did in the 10km race...Out of the 26300+ who did the 10km I finished 171st overall. That means I beat 99.4% of the people who entered WOO HOO!! and as a bonus, I get to enter next year into the elite category. Who knew, I ``qualify`` as an elite athlete... too funny.

With one more solid week of training before my taper going into Gold Coast, I`m tired but can actually say, I have done what I think it takes to give this 70.3 my best effort. I will over the next week, sit down with Mark and determine some KPI`s for the race. Some people in the squad believe I can go sub 5:30 hours for the race and some think I could even flirt with 5 hours, time will tell. The good thing about this is in discussion with Mark, he did say that if I didn`t go below 5:30 hours I could fire him as coach....hmmm. pain and suffering gone if I go 5:31....just kidding.

That`s it for me this week, so catch you next time.

Cheers
Richard

A good way to end the week, the Bridge to Brisbane 10km run

Well another solid week of training, with work only getting in the way a couple times. You know you are starting to train more and more, when you think to yourself, if I only worked a little less, I could really get another training session in... Man am I in trouble.

A little adjusting this week as I had to head to the Sunshine coast on Tuesday morning. I was supposed to run into work but was being picked up at home at 8am. When in doubt, get up earlier and run...so I did. Out of the house at 5am and got my run and was able to spend a little bit of time with the family before they headed out the door. Unfortunately I had to miss the swim that evening as I got home about the time the swim session was wrapping up. Wednesday morning though, I had work, so missed my bike ride. Other than that a good week, that is if you forget about Friday morning when it seems, both sets of car keys were in my possession and Colleen couldn't get the kids to child care nor to the train...ooops. I cycled back home as fast as I could and picked her up at Alyssa's before and after school care, then drove her to work, a very busy morning, but don't want to do that again. A good ocean swim Saturday morning and all good.

The Bridge to Brisbane 10km run is one of the big races here in Brissie. So I toed the line today with 35,831 of my closest running buddies. Talking with Mark earlier in the week, I asked about a lack of taper in my program leading up to B2B race. His intent (and it seems a good one) is to have me run on tired legs. By doing this, I will be better prepared for my triathlon races. Well it seems his theory is working... too well maybe.

After our crazy double cab ride to the start line, we managed to make it to the race with 7 minutes before the gun was to go off. Have you ever tried to get through a group of 35,000 people??? not fun. I managed to weave my way through, but it seemed I could only make it into the green pen (50minute +) and not the 40-50minute pen I was in. Then I was saved by two of the best triathletes here in Australia. I could hear the announcer asking people to open a path for some elites to get through and the honorary race starters...Emma and Emma. That's Olympic triathlon gold medalist Emma Snowsill and Olympic triathlon bronze medalist Emma Moffat. When in doubt, follow your kind. I ran behind the two ladies and made it to within 20meters of the start line, thanks ladies.

With the 1.5km warmup to get to the start line from where the cabbie dropped us off, I was somewhat ready to run. Off went the gun and away we go, up and over the bridge and then into the valley. I could see both the 40 and 45 minute pacers and stayed somewhere between them, but making sure I could see the 40 minute pacer. Running strong, I looked up and we were already at the 3km mark, all good. I looked down at my pace and was right on a 4 min/km, perfect. I kept running slowly gaining on the 40 minute pacer. I was running well, but it seemed like I was running slower than I wanted to. 5km marker and all good. Pace was steady and creeping up on the pacer...7km to go with the pacer now only 15meters ahead. 8km marker and I was now shoulder to shoulder with the pacer, now was my chance, I turned it up a bit more, but the pacer caught up to me the little bugger! Enough was enough, 1.5km left and I turned it up as much as possible, if the pacer wanted to catch me, he'd have to work is ass off. Under a km to go and I was pretty much gassed, but knew I had to go, then the magical sign came into view, 200m to finish, that was all I needed. Time for a finish for the crowd. Full sprint and into the chute stopping the clock in 39:22 WOO HOO!! I haven't done a 10km for so long, I was really happy with my time a new PB. What a great start to Father's day. Ya I know weird, hey this is Oz!

One more week of solid training then I have a recovery week, which will then follow with my taper going into the Gold Coast 70.3. Oh ya, forgot to tell you, it looks like I do get to wear my wetsuit with the current water temperature at 19.4 degrees and the race actually using the 24 degree wetsuit rule.

That's this week in review, until next week, keep you fingers crossed the water temperature stays below 24 degrees.

Cheers Richard