Training here I come......maybe a sporadically...but here I come!

April 1, 2010.....is the start and the return to training for me after IM New Zealand (oh...btw...the race report is still coming)

Today is April 8 and I have now managed to get in the pool 2 twice, the bike once (and a number of attempts...unsuccessful) and an area which I have not been disappointed in since my return is the running. In fact, it has been an area where I have really enjoyed getting back into...but I think the reason for this is that at the moment I run for enjoyment of running...there is nothing to prove at the moment. It is so nice. In particular I have been doing a lot of trail runs and going to make it a big part of my training (even more then what it has been before).

Trail running is a great experience, get off the hard pavement and run through the nature we have been give to appreciate, to breath in the fresh air, instead of the fumes from the cars and listen to sweet sound of nothing! (maybe the occasional bird)...what else could you ask for....and not to forget the physical benefits from doing such runs.

A New Focus a New Look

It only seems I have just ended the last season but it is time to focus on.....WHAT NEXT??....and in my previous blog I detailed what that might involve.

It is about the 2010-2011 season now....even though the 2009-2010 season has still a number of races to go....Luke Harrop, Tour deTri and Byron...2 of which I am planning to be apart of....one at least at this stage as I have already entered the Tour.

Luke Harrop is a sprint distance triathlon....ah...yess....that's right.....sprint distance at IM pace....I hope not...they will be packing up the barriers before I finish. :-)

So...with all this the blog has a new look and a new name....what do you think? Looks great!!!

2010 - 2011 Season Outlook

The 2009-2010 Season is on it's way out and it is time to look forward to the 2010-2011 Season. It is again one which will have an Ironman focus with an additional need to improve my speed over the HIM and IM distance.

The 2010-2011 races will consists of:

May 2-3, 2010 - Tour deTri
May 16, 2010 - Cooks Tour (Glasshouse Mountains) 30km
May 22, 2010 - Noosa Ocean Swim 2km
June 6, 2010 - QLD Half Marathon
June 20, 2010 - Lake Manchester Trail Run: 21km
July 4, 2010 - Gold Coast Half Marathon
July 18, 2010 - Jetty to Jetty: 21km
August 15, 2010 - Yeppoon HIM
October 3, 2010 - Gold Coast HIM
October 31, 2010 - Noosa OD
December 4, 2010 - Western Australia IM

Mt Cootha Trail Run - The Return

2009 Hawaii Ironman: Trek TT with Mike Lavery of TIMEX

2010 IRONMAN New Zealand pre race Reflections

It has been a while since I have been here to blog some of my training thoughts and I think now is a great time to start it up again.

It is touch over 7 days out from race day and I am about to go into the second week of taper. The taper has the usual feel to it.....'are we there yet' sort of mentality....I'm at the stage where there hard work is done...where is that start gun????
But in saying that and being a veteran of 2 IM you learn to have a little more patience throughout taper and realise that it is actually a very important part of the race preparation....it is a time where the mind and body become revitalised. And the competitive juices begin to build.......
Even though I have been here twice before there are still the nerves and the anticipation builds and really it even more prevalent this time round as the preparation has been a little interrupted and whilst I am confident that I WILL finish, I am far from 100% fit going into the race. I would like to think that I'm at about 80% fitness compared to other IM campaigns but I am 100% focused, mentally prepared and ready to give it my all to do my best and that's all I can ask of myself....there will be definitely nothing left in the tank this time round. I firmly believe that I will make that 20% up through mental stubbornness and determination.....I am not going to let a mere back niggle ruin my success of IM NZ.
This IM will be the one which I believe will challenge me the most, it is the one which will stretch my mental toughness to the limit....but it wouldn't be IM without this mental and physical challenge that's what makes it the one of the toughest sports around.
There are other challenges and issues that will arise this time round too. Competing in an IM in another country is certainly something that I haven't yet experienced.....well actually just going overseas is a first.

The goals for the race at this stage look like this:

1. FINISH
2. under 12 hours
3. enjoy myself...even if it is managing a little pain

Where am I.......

• The level fitness has improved, it probably got back to just below peak about 5 weeks ago, but like I mentioned before I would not say not back to full fitness. The base from previous campaign is definitely assisted in this development.
• The swimming is the area in which I am most impressed with my progress, I'm feeling 'fast' in the water....well in an IM way......the stroke feels good...I'm feeling comfortable and the I back to swimming in a 'smart comfortable' rhythm. We did a 5km ocean swim a number of weeks ago and just to get out there and swim without being interrupted by a wall every 50m was fantastic. Once I can get the first 800 to 1000m out of the way.....the swim is the happening thing.....The goal for the swim would be somewhere between 62 and 67min (IM1: 67m, IM2: 63m)
• The cycling this time round has been progressive and steady without being out standing....the usual dislike of anything more then undulating or that can't be rolled up from a previous hill has continued, but there has been progress. The trek around The Gap, Nebo, Glorious and Samford has become enjoyable rather then a chore. The 5hr indoor trainer session was a great challenge to prepare for the mental numbness that we will encounter throughout the ride at times.....the solitude, working through the pain...fighting the little voice...what a session...definitely worthwhile. The flat, smooth profile on the bike is still one I definitely favour and one that I can maintain a good solid speed for extended periods of time...the hills do help with some things. The bike looks like being solid but not my best. I am going into the bike leg in IM NZ with some caution I believe it could be bike leg that could 'upset' the back and make the run a little more difficult but with patience and focusing on technique and my race strategy throughout the bike leg I am hoping to get off the bike relatively unscathed. The goal for the bike leg is under 6hrs. (IM1: 5:56, IM2: 5:41)
• Running is the area where I initially started off behind the eight ball, and it took until about 4 weeks ago when it all began to fall into shape. The work in the hills has been worthwhile again and at time has been hard work, the legs not just wanting to participate. With grit and determination I think the hill work will have helped. Throughout the run training I have been managing the back and a related hamstring niggle. Within the last 4 weeks the rhythm and the form has returned. The use of compression socks have been a blessing and assisted in calf soreness. Plenty of stretching and massage have assisted in ensure the improvement of my running. The goal for the run is around 4hr (IM1: 4:18, IM2: 4:06)

As a whole I believe I am ready....as ready I can be. The mind is ready...just hope it drags the body along with it.

Friday Training....day of rest

This morning was to be a 30min run but after the core and particularly the run yesterday afternoon I have a bit of a 'niggle' in my left shin......hmmmm.....this could be a little concern. I am hoping its just a bit of a tight muscle and soreness which the Physio on Wednesday said to me this may happen with the issue still hanging around in my back. Will need to monitor this and get the massage and physio into it...along with the ice (which went on last night) and down the track a bit of heat.

Off to for a massage later this afternoon...this should help the cause!

Thursday Training

This morning started with coaching of the IM athletes they had a little less intense session but there was still the volume.

Warm up - 200m (every second 25m high elbow drill)

M/Set -
10 x 100m on 2min
500m pull
10 x 100m on 2min

Cooldown - 300m Pull

Then after coaching this session it was my turn with a similar set but it was only about 2km.
15 x 100m on 2min then 500m pull.

Found it really hard to get going this morning. Usually after a while I'm in the water I feel good, but not this morning the arms were heavy and the mind was wandering but I persevered and we go through the session with a little more hurt then what I would of expected from such a session.

In the afternoon it was a bit of core work:

15 x 5 pushups then 20sec prone hold then 20sec eddie the eagle then a 20min easy run
then
4 x 25 sec medicine ball rotations, 25sec raised leg crunches, 25sec side to side oblique crunches then 25sec bicycle crunches

Good session.....wow....that's 2 core session this week I'm surprising myself ;-) The mind and attitude must be improving.

Coached both squad session in the evening.

Wednesday Training

AM Session:
Coaching the main squad on the bike at Cootha....Great turn out this morning!
My ride was a 1.2 to 2hr ride, this was achieved by riding the session and back

Physio @ 11 am got him to work on a few niggle that I was having in the left glute and hamstring which he puts down to being related to the back injury still working itself out.

PM Session:
In the pool for a solid 2.5km session, worked hard and the arms were certainly working. The body position is improving and the swimming is getting back to 'what was'. Still need to work on that muscular endurance and reducing the fatigue in the longer sets.

Tuesday Training

AM Session
Setting up and doing drills with the IM Athletes (4 of us in total this morning)
A good solid session.

PM Session
Rest...nice...wow...not sure I know what it feels like not to go swimming on a Tuesday night.

Monday......this means CORE

Core strength earlier this afternoon:

15 x 5 push ups, 20sec prone hold, 20sec eddie the eagle

then

3 x 20sec medicine ball rotations, 20sec raised leg crunches, 20sec side to side oblique crunches, 20sec bicycle crunches.

then

20min extensive stretch.

Session Reflections:

• Worked hard at technique throughout, pulling in the belly button and squeezing the glutes.
• Part 1 - good effort, found it raised a sweat.
• Part 2 - struggled a little, but over time going to work up a rep each week.
• Part 3 - great stretch felt really good.

Weekly Totals

Weekly Totals

Run: 35km, 3h37min
Swim: 8.7km, 3hrs
Cycle: 181km, 8hr45min
Stretch: 40min
Core & Flexibility: 1hr
Recovery: 41min
Physio: 1hr

4.00am....I do remember.....

That's right it was the return of the very early mornings....for of course the long rides. And to tell you the truth it wasn't bad at all. It's very peaceful and thought provoking on the bike at this time in the morning...very enjoyable.....wow, that's deep!

Session Reflections:

• two words.....character building!
• It was hot and humid....and when the sun came out it was even worse...but it was good conditioning.
• Even when I left home at 4.30am it was quite hot and humid.
• The support hydration and nutrition for the ride was a proven setup with 3 bottles of liquids (2 sports drink and 1 water), gels on the half hour and endura energy bars or LCM's on the top of the hour with energy drink.
• The conditions (apart from the heat and humidity) were good, very little wind to speak of.
• The first 1.5 hours were by myself and I went out around the city and airport loop then back in to join the rest of the group for the remaining ride. Great group to ride with this morning. Everyone willing to 'put it in' up the front and plenty of encouragement and laughs along the way.
• The legs were coping well and like the run yesterday there were some signs that the legs were finding a little more strength and there was some response to my base....but patience is required.
• At the 80k mark I ran out of liquids so a stop at a service station. With the humidity it was important that I drank a little more and therefore I went through the liquid supplies a little quicker than I had first planned. With the long ride to sustain a consistent effort staying on top of my hydration is important and if it means I need an extra stop then it has to happen.
• At the end of the ride it was about 4h38m ride time with just under 125km.
• The recovery again was a 15min Ice bath and stretch.

Hills were alive...

This morning I was out for a 60-75min trail run.


Session Reflections:

• Typical Brisbane weather...humid, I would have a guess of about 80-90%
• There were a couple of goals I set for this run, the first one was not to walk and the second was to work on reducing my stride length.
• Both goals were achieved. By the end of the session I was nearly down to a 'Cliff Young shuffle' but I achieved the goals I set. I really focussed on taking smaller strides throughout the run, particularly on the down hill sections (which there were many) to reduce the pounding of the legs into the ground and again to preseve them further in preventing any recurring injuries.
• I worked hard up the hills throughout the session; and really felt that there was some strength returning to them legs. But I still have a bit to go.
• On my return it was into an Ice bath for 14min.....I am really finding this recovery technique very effective.

Happy New Year...2010.....63 days

Happy New Year!

What a great new year it is going to be!

As of today it is 63days until I embark on my 3rd IM and I am beginning to become quite excited, but in the same breath, I have a lot of hard training hours ahead. Bring it on!

This morning started with a renewed enthusiasm where I was out on the training paddock for an easy 45min run through the hills.


Session Reflections

• It was hot and humid.
• 8.30am is a little late for a run at this time of year, the sweat was happening early and the fatigue was setting in a little early. This was again particularly due to the fact that I hadn't eaten before the session.
• Really focused on the 'easy' part of the session but when you have continuous hills it is hard work and I began to feel that at times I was actually going back wards and the legs were becoming quite fatigued by the 30min mark, but I had a dose of reality (and a teaspoon of cement) and pushed on.
• These runs at this stage are really about setting small achievable goals to get my 'running' fitness back. I need to be patient, I need to remember that I had close to 3 months off running and the fitness is not just going to return with a 'swish' of a wand.
• Today's small achievable goals involved jogging up and 'through' the hills and if required taking a few walking moments to recover a little on the down side of the hill. This worked well in recovering the legs and minimised the pounding on the legs and back which is a part of descending the inclines.
• Home and it was straight into a 10min stretch then into a 12 min ice bath. The ice bath is something that really seems to reinvigorate the legs and assists in the recovery process.

The weekend ahead is a big one so the recovery of the legs is important with a 60-75min run through the C.Hills tomorrow and a 4 to 4.5hr ride on Sunday.