It was a fabulous weekend, a hard weekend! The camps usually are, and this one was no exception. I guess, I went into the weekend a little apprehensiveness, I knew my swimming was up to scratch and wasn't sure how the cycling was, but I knew the running was travelling well.
One thing I knew is that I hadn't gone out to pasture this 'off season'. The 'off season' being the time from IM Melbourne to now. During this time the weight was staying off and the fitness was being maintained.
The weight was the focus for the past 12 weeks, there was no unruly eating and just in the last 4 week I have been on a nutritional program with KO that has seen me shed a few kilo's, in fact as of 2 weeks ago I was less than my race weight for IM Melbourne, unheard of really! It is not hard to work out that if you keep the weight off then the fitness and, as I have found the running has come along in leaps and bounds. I was blown away when we did a 3km TT on May 22, and did a PB of 10m50s, which was roughly 8 weeks after IM Melbourne.
Then 3 weeks ago did a 2:30min PB for 10km at the QLD Half Marathon with a time of 41m07s.
This weekend will see me competing in the Half Marathon at the Gold Coast. The PB for the 21.1km distance is 1h35m55s. Fingers crossed!
Winter Camp 2012
Day 1 of the camp was Saturday, missed the Friday afternoon run with leaving work late.
The agenda for the day was a 4hr ride in the morning, pool session around lunch, Pilate session about 4pm and then an easy recovery run after that.
The ride was a little longer than 4 hours but in saying that it was a ride that more reflected a IM training ride. Plenty of hills, my favourite! Throughout the session there was some great variety, this included:
2 x pace line efforts of about 10km (behind the Scooter)At this early stage of the campaign, there is one area that I haven't really got organised yet, that is, my bike nutrition. Just haven't gone shopping for gels. The only thing I had to survive on was LCM bars and Gatorade. The Gatorade was okay, but not sure trying to survive on just LCM bars was too successful!
2 x hill repeats (about 2km)
A number of big gear efforts (5km +) (Seated & Standing efforts)
TT effort
We rode as far south as Wooyung and Pottsville, turned left up Tweed Coast Rd and then it was on. Mixing it up, initially with an extended big ring effort and then when we were closer to home a TT effort.
With only 6 of us, it was a great group effort and we all shared the load on the front.
We completed 138km in about 4h45min.
The swim session was something I wasn't looking forward too, but got in and gave it my best. There was a bit of cramping throughout the swim set. It didn't help that I hadn't eaten that well throughout the bike session and recovery. A solid 3km set to turn the arms over!
In the afternoon there was a good Pilate session something I need to further embrace to support the training and outcome for IM Western Australia campaign.
Then it was out for a recovery run along the beach from Tallebudger Creek to Currumbin Creek.
Not sure it was much a recovery run at 4.10min pace....something that needs to be monitored and focused on throughout this longer campaign....it is very much about going easy on the recovery sessions.
Day 2 was all about out on the bike for another 4hr session and then a open water swim in Lake Hugh Muntz.
The bike session was very much the same as the previous day only that we were keeping it relatively flat. There were a few more big gear efforts and rolling pace lines...many of these were pushing into my upper limits...but I managed to survive.
A great session with the group completing 108km in about 3h35min.
Nearing the end of the ride there was an extended pace lined effort which was, character building, but I impressed myself in that I was able to stay with the young blokes from the GC. There was a need to find some inner strength in the legs but once the mind was focused on what was to happen the legs kicked in.
Thank God for wet suits! (even though it took a good 30min for my toes to thaw out) I thought the IM Melbourne water was cold! Lake Hugh Muntz was ridiculously cold, even with a wet suit! This was a 45min open water swim which involved circumnavigating the lake.
