Words of Wisdom

Fitness? It’s not just hard effort. It’s more consistency. Don’t miss workouts.

Joe Friel

EXACTLY.....note for one to remember!

Week 19 - The Week in Review

"Concentrate on the process and the outcome will look after itself."  

This week was back on the wagon.

Back into the pool this week and some consistent training. The week leading into Christmas is not always a good one for consistency in anyone's books but I was sure going to try and start this campaign off on the right foot.

Monday:
Core was the session to see me off into this campaign. Rather fitting start considering that it WAS one of my most dreaded sessions. But I have decided to embrace these sessions and have begun to change my mindset.
The session includes using both resistance tubes and body weight to develop my core strength and stability.
The format of the session is firstly made up of 15 x 50sec (with 10sec rest) exercises using the resistance tubes. These exercises mainly work the abs and obliques and of course both left and right sides. The use of the tubes gives the session a bit of variety and spices the session up.
The next 15min are working through 5 x 50sec (with 10sec rest) exercises repeating them 3 times = 15min. These include; prone hold, push ups, squat, bicycle crunches, and leg raises.
Then for the last 15min I repeat the 1st resistance tube set again.
Between these 15min sets I had a 3min recovery.
I set myself a challenging session 1st up but I believe if I consistently work at this workout twice each week I definitely think that it will help me in achieving the goals I have set down.

The evening was spent on the massage table mainly working on the legs and loosening the lower back.

Tuesday:
Ah....yes...Tuesday.....
Got on the bike and rode to the run session...trying to get extra km in the legs with the bike where I can, even if it is only to and from other training sessions.
The day started with some run efforts on a sports field. A good intense session and certainly got a few 'bugs' out of the system.
The body felt good, a few niggles associated with the upper hamstrings still, but this I believe is related to my back and will just need to be managed through massage, stretching and physio.
After riding home, I did a quick 15min resistant tube workout.

In the evening it was one of many session in the pool for the week. Was in early and did 750m before squad begun. Total distance for the swim session was 3.5km.

Wednesday:
The morning was a easy ride on the bike, keeping it flat and easy. Total 60km in about 2hr15m.

Back in the pool for the evening, for a 2.7km swim session.

Thursday:
Thursday was AM and PM sessions in the pool.
The AM session consisted of a 'shoulder' busting workout with 20 x 100m with 5 pushups at the end of each 100m.
For the first workout of this type for this IM campaign I was reasonably satisfied...the shoulders were struggling to push out the 5th push up after the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th 100m.

The PM session was another character building session. This being the 4th session of the week the arms were becoming a little more fatigued but there was a strong willingness to power through and make it a good week in the pool for the 1st week of the 2011 IM Campaign.
This session was a total of 3.1km which included getting in early and doing 400m of kick with fins. I have also decided to work more on improving my kick.

Friday: (Christmas Eve)
The morning was back in the pool. A solid 3.5km endurance set. The arms were working hard throughout the session and it was definitely obvious that the arms were lacking some of that muscular endurance type strength as towards the end of the session the times for the 100m were getting a little slower....not by much but was noticeable....baby sets here! Also thinking it might help with the hamstring and back management.

PM session was 30min of core strength and stability with the resistant tubes,

Saturday: (Christmas Day)
Merry Christmas....a well earned break from the training to celebrate Christmas with family.

PM session was to work off all those extra calories with a 60min run (11km) - hard work considering the lazy morning that was had. The HR at time was sitting above the 200bpm for extended periods of time but it was a enjoyable run, particularly with the rain.

Sunday: (Boxing Day)
A miserable day.....torrential rain all day.
Spent 2hrs on the wind trainer......should of painted a wall and watched it dry!!!
Legs were feeling good, it was only a easy spin.

Weekly Stats:
Swim: 14.8km (5h20m)
Cycle: 80.7km (5hr00m)
Run: 17.4km (1hr45m)
Core: 1hr45min
Maintenance: 1hr00m

ALL or Nothing for the next 19 weeks.

Life, to me, is a series of false limits and my challenge as an athlete is to explore those limits."—Lance Armstrong

Today signifies 19 weeks from IM Australia
Tomorrow is where the rubber hits the road.
There is no longer room for excuses or procrastination..............it is time to embrace the force! The IM force...the emotions and motivation that comes with racing at an Ironman. Even if it is the 4th time..........There is an Island in Hawaii that further fuels this motivation...to explore ones limits and potential.

Tomorrow the commitment begins......the 5 commandments become the basis of the next 19 weeks....a set of rules and guidelines that will push me towards achieving my goals.

There is a strong sense of accountability surrounding this campaign. Some may thing it is not something that holds strong but it is a theory that I am happy to put my faith in to assist me in achieving the goals that I have put out there. My commitment to training and my goals will have a strong accountability to a number of people, which will include Coach, my Wife-Karen (who is working in partnership with Coach), my training buddies and my peers.....all who I am hoping will keep me 'honest' throughout this campaign.  Karen has been charged with the task of developing some penalties and rewards to keep me accountable. At this stage the KPI's will definitely be achieved....some of these penalties are not things I am liking!!! (Stay tuned...it's going to be interesting)

The main KPI's are based around the 5 commandments:

• 97-99% completion rate of training sessions
• No more excuse (eating and training right etc.)
• No procrastination with trainings etc.
• I am to be a leader in training
• Complete 2 core sessions a week.

The 2011 Training Plan

Was ahead in terms of training......
Training for this campaign is going to look very similar to the previous 3 campaigns. The 2010 campaign for NZ was very different to the past 2 campaigns.....NZ IM was based on a 11 week lead in as opposed to a standard 20 weeks for the other races. In saying this, I am very much looking fora full 20week lead up to IM Oz in 2011. The potential in reaching my goals this time round is so much more and I am very much looking forward to the training ahead.

The overview of training for 2011 looks like this:
The program will work around 3 weeks 'on' 1 week recovery.
Week 20 - 17:
Swim Focus
Week 16 - 13:
Bike Build
Weeks 13 - 0:
Monday Am: Rest
Monday Pm: Core
Tuesday Am: Long Run
Tuesday Pm: Swim
Wednesday Am: Bike Strength
Wednesday Pm: Bike/Run
Thursday Am: Coach/Swim
Thursday Pm: Swim
Friday Am: Wind Trainer/Run
Friday Pm: Core
Saturday Am: Swim/Bike
Saturday Pm: Run
Sunday Am: Long Bike
Sunday Pm: Rest

The maintenance throughout this time will include:

• Massage every 2 weeks
• Physio visit every 4 weeks and when required
• Sport Nutrition accountability every 3 weeks
• Acupuncture every 3 weeks  

TimO 2011 IM Australia Campaign Has Been Launched

"What we have is based upon moment-to-moment choices of what we do.In each of those moments, we choose.We either take a risk and move toward what we want, or we play it safe and choose comfort. Most of the people, most of the time, choose comfort. In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or brilliance.They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."~ Anonymous

Sunday December 12, 2010 signified 20 weeks out from my 4th Ironman Race in as many years. It is an addiction, it is an enjoyment that is obviously, at times, indescribable, but I continue working through the goals, challenges, disappointments and results to hear 'YOU ARE AN IRONMAN'! Only one who completes in an Ironman Triathlon can truly appreciate and understand what a simple phrase does to motivate a human being.

As like other IM campaigns I will be blogging my way through the journey of the challenge of completing my 4th Ironman. This campaign is not much different to any of the past 3 (or at least the 1st and 2nd) In 2011, I am going back to where it all began....Port Macquarie!

The results to date look like this:
IM No.1 - 2008 (Port Macquarie):

Swim - 01:07:25

Bike - 05:48:11   

Run - 04:14:40

Total - 11:22:46

IM No.2 - 2009 (Port Macquarie):  

Swim - 01:03:05

Bike - 05:37:24
Run - 04:02:56
Total - 10:50:54

IM No.3 - 2010 (New Zealand - Taupo):

Swim - 01:01:16
Bike - 05:55:10
Run - 04:25:16
Total - 11:34:17

The campaign starts NOW!
This week is a recovery week as I competed at the Canberra HIM on the weekend. I have identified this week as a organisational and planning week for the 2011 IM Campaign. It firstly started on Monday putting together an overview of my 'maintenance' program for the 20 weeks which included booking appointments for massages, sports nutritionist and physio. All these are an important part of achieving my goals for this IM campaign.

What are the goals???.......
(I am one who believes that there needs to be a goal that is a challenge to initially achieve but ultimately with commitment, dedication and hard work can be reached.)

• To qualify for Kona in my new age group (40-44)
• To work towards getting as close to the qualifying time as possible in 2011
• To go between 10h00m & 10h30m
• Go under 1hr for the swim
• Go under 5h30m for the bike
• Go under 4h50m for the run
• Throughout the 19week campaign have between a 97-99% session completion rate.
• Race at under 80kg

To achieve these goals I have put together 5 TimO Commandments:

• Thou shall not give excuses (work, diet etc.)
• Thou shall not procrastinate
• Thou shall be a leader in training
• Thou shall be accountable to my peers
• Thou shall put a great importance on completing 2 core sessions a week.

 When it comes to IM there is a different attitude that overcomes me....there is focus, there is commitment and there is a belief in myself that I can achieve these goals.