The Road Less Traveled: IM 2012

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Wexford? I'm organising the pacers for that (well I'm meant to be I'm being lazy at the moment).

Yeah thats the one. Missed it last year. Its a week before the Oly so a training run but its on my doorstep so why not.

Managed a little bit of training today, amidst the chaos. 10k run. Took it handy, 5.3min Kms average. I am tired from all the running around this last few days so a hard session was never on the cards. Am hoping to race Saturday too so got to bear that in mind. Lets see what tomorrow brings. Calm, I hope!

See this? This is a grin. In spite of the week from hell, and in spite of being so tired yesterday I felt ill, I got up at 5am and presented myself at the top of box hill for this race. The weather was stinking. Heavy mist, damp roads, cold.

The devil inside my head kept telling me, sure start and you can quit after the first run.... So of I went with the rest thinking this is going to be 'orrible. And then a funny thing happened. I ignored the garmin and ran by feel. And it felt pretty good. Even the climb up box hill at the end of the lap was doable. 1.02 split.

I ignored the devil and got on the bike, thinking, it is what it is, who cares? Lap one was so-so, but I got to the infamous hill and surprised the hell out of myself. It didn't hurt and I didn't need all my gears. Wtf? Seems force sessions actually work. It went so well it put me in good form for the next two laps, which I matched on split times in spite of rain now pouring down making the downhills a nightmare, and having not one but two dogs run out in front of me nearly taking me down. Another good time (for me) of 1.37

I knew leaving t1 that if I kept pace this would be a hell of a good race for me. So I just went for it, I thought sod the hill, I'll deal with that pain when I get there. good solid run, similar to the first. The hill went better than expected, I didnt walk any of it, a big change from last time in November. A close split of 1.03, just 35 seconds slower than the first run. And I wasn't suffering, just plodding it out.

Total finish time of 3hr47 brought me in 9 and a half minute faster than the same race in November. Am happy as a pig in muck about it, as I dont feel wrecked, and nothing hurts. I am kind of stunned at the effect 12 weeks of structured base training has had. I shoulda been doing this years ago!

An added plus was finishing 2nd in my age cat, (and yes, there were more than two women in it:) )

Now, time for beer!!

I travel because I like to.

A 2.2k swim today to ease out the legs brought this week to a close. Didn't hit my target hours, but with the race thrown in I don't really mind. 9hr 20 mins in total out of a planned 11. This has been a confidence boosting week, and I'm going to try and hold that thought for as long as I can over the next phase of training!

griffin100 wrote: »

Your chain wore out long ago You may also need a new rear cassette. Your LBS can do a quick check on the chain with a chain wear tool and tell you straight away.

I got a new cassette mid way through last year, so I hope I dont need to shell out for another.

Cheers.

Turbo set. Force session. 3 mins per gear goin up, 2 mins on the way back down. My legs are still tired and this set hurt. I certainly entered the pain cave this morning. Even my arms were shaking when I was done, tho I kept the hr at around 140. My biggest issue right now is cadence. The tiredness is showing in my lack of spin!

BetterThanHoyte wrote: »

Ah, you wouldn't want to be getting it dirty.

I'm a triathlete. We don't DO dirty.