At least it not a cold winter morning ergo LSD...

MCOS

1.5k swim/45k bike and a 10k run deserving of the 'Hell of the West' name....

By far the toughest race of the year , it hurt and I loved it!

I could feel the buzz building at registration as I greeted the smiling tanned faces. Later I stood on the balacony of the apartment overlooking the flat bay water and taking in the still warm sea air... it promised to be a good one.

It was a fabulous job by Limerick Tri Club. Very well organised for both athletes and spectators. The mood was electric and the weather glorious. Having a pre set spot for yor bike avoided the rush in to find places and also encouraged the mingling with athletes from other clubs. Instead of walking across the sand I got straight in the water and swam to the start. The water was lovely and clear and as calm as you could wish for. I'm over the anxiety of swimming now and after the Athy experience I lined up right in the pack for the start. The swim was good, I managed to keep decent lines between buoys, found regular feet to follow and kept out of trouble. It was slightly eerie to be sweeping jellyfish aside with your stroke but I kept a bi lateral breathing rhythm and long strokes for it all, the most relaxed I've been in a Tri swim to date. T1 was good, I didn't rush it so wetsuit off and helmet on without trouble. I glanced at my watch as I left transition and it was on 28' and change.. spot on target! I managed to run and do the 'leap of faith' onto the saddle, however as I tried to insert my left foot into the shoe my calf turned into a lego brick shape with the sudden sharp cramp. I wobbled violently and almost took 2 other guys down (apologies if you read this!). Its difficult to stretch out a cramp on the move in this kind of scenario. I managed to free wheel for a few meters and stretch it. With the foot finally in I had lost the strap out of the buckle so that all delayed the start of the cycle a bit. The immediate hill didn't help the calf and I kept the first couple of kms moderate until I had it stretched out fully. The bike course was tough but I had an improved effort since Athy. I was passed by a good few TT bikes but passed a few myself too. There was a bit of drafting going on. A group of about 5 bikes were working together and eating up the ground in front of me. My only claim to drafing was being stuck behind a slow moving tractor for a few seconds waiting for 2 cars to pass on the other side of the road! I couldn't believe how quickly I was passed on some of the hills though. Some of those guys are seriously powerful on the bike :eek: I paced the bike well overall. I was aware that the run was tough so I felt good that I had energy left descending into Kilkee again. I got the feet out of the shoes without the calf going again and had a quick T2. I glanced at my watch again and it was on 1'47'... again on target and I was feeling good. (Target by the way was to get home sub 2'35). In fact I felt like I had my target in the bag and I was going to do a couple of minutes better

Enter the major Novice mistake of the day....

Apart from the legs feeling good and being on target, it was roasting and I was gasping. I had done 2 foolish things in prep. Firstly I mixed lucozade with water in my bike bottle and thats what I washed 2 gels down with and then I had more lucozade and a gel waiting for me at T2. The next 10k run was my lesson. Nearly 48 minutes for a 10k!!! I was gasping for water and there I was at the base of Dunlicky road with a gel in one hand and a bottle of lucozade in the other. I took a swig of the lucozade and nearly got sick. Half way up the hill the stomach cramps arrived to accomodate me to the finish. It felt frustrating to have the legs left to attack the run but the stomach of all things slowing me to a jog. It was a tough run course by any stretch but I was looking at a worst case scenario of 43-44 mins. By the top of the Dunlicky road I was being passed by loads and I just focused on getting to the water station. I grabbed 2 bottles there, gulped the first one down, half the second bottle and threw the rest over my head. I clearly wasn't the only one in discomfort as some looked far worse than I felt! In fact a couple of people were taken off the course in an ambulance that day. The run itself is beautiful. The atlantic sea air road winding up the cliff gave you lots of spots to pick the next km off. More than once I wanted to stop and walk off the stomach cramps. I even contemplated making myself sick just to get it out of me. I checked my watch at the km marks and I was doing around 5 minutes per km... People seemed to be bouncing past me on the run. I can only imagine how the guys I overtook felt. I have to say something about the encouragement in this sport and to anyone thinking of taking up triathlon. Join a Club! I don't know how many of my own club I passed in either direction of the run but everyone supports everyone... its fantastic and just what you need when you are up against it. Other clubs were doing the same. At one point I saw one of the girls from the club with her sister 20 meters behind her and their mother 20 meters behind her.. all 3 giving it everything... and all 3 shouting encouragement at me and others... fantastic stuff altogether The spirit is lifted no matter what you feel like when you get back onto the bay road and see the finish chute. The support from the locals and the travelling is excellent. I forgot about the cramps and emptied the tank making sure to high five every child on the way in. The clock just ticked over 2'35 too.. 2'34'59" Happy days

The recovery area was great, stretching mats, massage tent, recovery drinks, bananas, mars bars and muffins! I couldn't even take a bite out of a mars bar (and I'm a chocoholic). I was gasping for water.

There was so much going on at the finish area. I opted for the sea again to cool down... I didn't care that my run was poor and wasn't even bothered about my times. Yes I had learned a good lesson about hydration but I would consider that later.. it was time to chill out and have fun. The after Tri craic was deadly ... the laughter and the dancing... Oh I'll be back again next year... only I'll be faster and wiser

Well done to everyone who finished the HOTW this year!

Munster_Gal

Well Done

pgibbo

Great report MCOS. Lots of valuable lessons learned. At this rate you'll be knocking on the door of a lot of events next year. Well done.

A mate did Kilkee at the weekend - his first time there and loved it. Beautiful course and perfect race conditions was his quote. Will have to target it next year myself.

Krusty_Clown

Well done MCOS, I made the exact same hydration mistake in the Longford marathon last year. I was carrying a full bottle of lucozade sport, but was gasping for water. Couldn't stomach even thinking about anything with sugar in it.

Abhainn

Well done MCOS. Love reading your reports. Lessons learnt again Im sure

Seres

well done , great sportly attitude to your unlucky finish, just one question , should you only take water on long events for hydration or whats the explaination here ?

MrCreosote

Nice report MCOS, and good work on finishing. A great day all round.
Hot day alright though- as hot as the fiery hot red fires of hell!

MCOS

Abhainn wrote: »

Well done MCOS. Love reading your reports. Lessons learnt again Im sure

Thanks. This year is all about lessons! I need to go back over this log before the winter and condense them into a plan. BTW you are flying!

Oh and I noticed something else about the HOTW... Wicklow Triathletes seemed to do very well at this one.... all had very good bike splits..... I'm putting it down to the hilly mileage they put in up there....unless there is something else you know?

MCOS

Seres wrote: »

well done , great sportly attitude to your unlucky finish, just one question , should you only take water on long events for hydration or whats the explaination here ?

I actually just spoke to a physio/nutrionist and former Triathlete at lunch time there.. (we are having a health and well being day at work) Only water with gels is one answer. She also mentioned certain amount of mls per 15mins of exercise etc... She took my email add (and knows I'm doing a 1/2IM in Sept) and is going to send me some info around hydration later this week. If you want to pm me your email address I'll forward on any info she sends me

MCOS

5.2 mile easy run followed by a 1,400m dip in the lake. Water was lovely but I tired quite quickly. Kept it all relatively easy.

Ok, two thirds the way there in terms of goals for 2009
Sub 40 10k - Done
Kilkee HOTW - Done
Lost Sheep 1/2IM - Next

ladytri

Good job as always MCOS:)
Lost Sheep will be a doddle to ye!

Bambaata

Nice report MCOS. I think i suffered similar to you. I only had a High 5 powder mix on the bike and it didnt go well with the gel. My stomach was in ribbons on that run. I think i didn't help myself pushing too hard on the bike, particularly that last climb.

ladytri

Reading how both of you got on MCOS and Bambaata, taking in food and fluids on the bike is a tricky issue...was thinking that at the weekend. Really not sure how to prepare for first olympic- never used gels before, prefer to eat real food but know tucking into a banana half way through is not really going to be an option so I'll be interested to know how ye resolve this!

showry

Great stuff MCOS, impresed by the refreshing attitude as well,
are you planning on doing any sportives before Kenmare?

MCOS

Thanks guys. My approach on Saturday really was niaive after all the training I put in. Whats crazy is that unloading my bike from the car last night my water bottle was still 1/3 full I probably should have taken a liter of water on the bike with me, instead I had lucozade. I didn't drink it because I couldn't. My body needed water. Another foolish thing was using gels when I don't use them for bike rides in training. Normally on a 50-60 k bike ride I'd only have water and here I was on Saturday with sugar! More lucozade and gels waiting for me in T2 and I had drank a bottle of lucozade before the start of the race too. Madness!

Firstly to understand why I overdid the sugar and left myself dehydrated. I was anxious about having energy for the run and not cramping up. It was nothing to do with hydration, but energy. Basic. I should have trusted that my energy and diet was fine and focus on hydration. I did the whole Joey OD TRi with no gels and only water on board. For long bike rides I eat food rather than take gels and when I usually take gels I wash them down with plenty of water. Won't happen again.

Seconly I have no idea what level of fluid replacement I require. Basic. I usually fill whatever bottle is lying in the bag and drink that on the bike. Its simple really when I think about it now. For example if on Saturday I needed 2 liters of fluid to replace what I was losing during the race I should have thought about what I need to take on pre race, during the race and post race to replace that loss of fluid. So I plan to get a weighing scale to work out what I lose in general on sessions and especially sessions on hot days. Weigh myself before and after and factor in what I took on during the session.

The reason gels worked for me in the Marathon last year was that I would take one just before a water station and I had a set plan for how many I would use and when I would use them.

By the time I get to Kenmare I'm going to know how much fluid I need, what kind of fluid (isotonic and homemade perhaps) and I'll also have a set plan for what I'll be eating on the bike.

I start posting my experimentation in the log as I've plenty to learn and its good to write it down as you learn it.

MCOS

showry wrote: »

Great stuff MCOS, impresed by the refreshing attitude as well,
are you planning on doing any sportives before Kenmare?

Thanks showry, Yeah I wouldn't mind doing a bike event. Some of my family are doing the ROK at the weekend (if thats the kind of thing you meant) which I'd love to do if I were free. I'll try to get one in before Kenmare though

MrCreosote

Definitely let us know how it goes MCOS! I'd be just like you- throw one bottle onto the bike sort of thing. I'd have been happier with a second bottle of water for the bike on Saturday though. I'd one waiting in T2 alright but would gladly have taken it at around 30k or so.
I weighed myself after a 60k ride the other week- a warm day and I took 1 litre on the cycle, but I was shocked to be 2kg lighter. I didn't even feel too thirsty...

showry

MCOS wrote: »

Thanks showry, Yeah I wouldn't mind doing a bike event. Some of my family are doing the ROK at the weekend (if thats the kind of thing you meant) which I'd love to do if I were free. I'll try to get one in before Kenmare though

Am doing the ROK myself at the weekend, great day out, especially for a brack afficionado like myself. The Sean Kelly is on in August, would be good hill training but might be too close to Kenmare.

MCOS

Last night:
4 miles riverbank warm up easy and through clouds of midges. Track session... long warm up with strides and exercises. I was knackered before the set. Set 10*35 seconds at 1500m pace (whatever that is..) I just worked hard. First 5 were ok then I started to die after 150m. The first 5 were about 230m and this dropped to just over 200m by the last one. Very humid out. Wrecked!

Ok, so I weighed myself in the gym beforehand. 80.1kg. Took in 700ml of water during the session. Weight afterwards 79.5kg. Total loss for the session 1.3kg or roughly my bottle filled twice!

Afterwards I did Pilates for 60 mins, refilled my 700ml bottle before hand .. drank half of it but forgot to weigh myself before hitting the shower. Incidentally the 3-400ml I drank during Pilates still didn't even replenish the fluid loss from the run session! Hence I was thirsty by the time I finished!! Thirst during Kenmare = too late = disaster.


This Morning: Swim session 3,000m. 14*50m warm up swimming nice and long. 14*150m, 8 steady and 6 progressive (every 50 faster). 200m super light swim down. Found it tough to keep up now this morning, I need to get more sleep.

So half way through the year
Approx 150k swimming, 2,000k cycling and 900k running done. 2 of 3 A goals achieved, stacks learned and won a cycling prize which is a nice bonus

MCOS

DOMS from Pilates.. its a great class though

Cycling this morning early. 77km in 2'20', average speed 33km/h. Alarm off at 5 and when I dragged myself out of bed and saw a grey sky I seriously considered just getting back under the duvet but then remembered being out in worse over the winter so got the rain jacket out. Opted for main roads and as few hills as possible. Decent enough spin on a miserable humid morning. Kept on a gear lighter than usual to focus on maintaining a higher cadence (as I have a tendency to mash). Last 5k is over very poor roads and uphill so 2 hours relaxed, 20 mins slog and it still didn't shift the DOMS!

Seres

MCOS wrote: »

DOMS from Pilates.. its a great class though

Cycling this morning early. 77km in 2'20', average speed 33km/h. Alarm off at 5 and when I dragged myself out of bed and saw a grey sky I seriously considered just getting back under the duvet but then remembered being out in worse over the winter so got the rain jacket out. Opted for main roads and as few hills as possible. Decent enough spin on a miserable humid morning. Kept on a gear lighter than usual to focus on maintaining a higher cadence (as I have a tendency to mash). Last 5k is over very poor roads and uphill so 2 hours relaxed, 20 mins slog and it still didn't shift the DOMS!

x2 , my experience this morning , half though gettin back into bed , had started to take the nice morning for granted , how do you manage morning rides in the winter with the dark ?

MCOS

Seres wrote: »

x2 , my experience this morning , half though gettin back into bed , had started to take the nice morning for granted , how do you manage morning rides in the winter with the dark ?

With good lights and a hi vis jacket and not casting it a second thought (cause if you do you hit the snooze button you fall back to sleep... or miss the snooze button, sleep in and get a call from your boss!)

kennyb3

MCOS what time would you go to bed at if you are up for a 5am ride and do you feel tired during the day. i ve done the odd cycle and run before work in the morning but by 3 o clock im beat and find it hard to work. i guess everybody is different but just interested.

MCOS

kennyb3 wrote: »

MCOS what time would you go to bed at if you are up for a 5am ride and do you feel tired during the day. i ve done the odd cycle and run before work in the morning but by 3 o clock im beat and find it hard to work. i guess everybody is different but just interested.

Hi kennyb3. usually 11 ish and yeah I'm feeling it today because last night it was more like 1230 by the time I slept. Average about 6 hours a night I think. I'm beat too but possibly more a case of only taking 1 day off work this year. I need a holiday!

Seres

MCOS wrote: »

Hi kennyb3. usually 11 ish and yeah I'm feeling it today because last night it was more like 1230 by the time I slept. Average about 6 hours a night I think. I'm beat too but possibly more a case of only taking 1 day off work this year. I need a holiday!

man you are a machine !

kennyb3

yeah i agree, if i get less than 7 and half to 8 hours sleep im knackered the next day. i love my sleep unfortunately

MCOS

No Machine at all Seres, I am often lazy and give in

Went swimming last night instead of this morning as I knew I wouldn't get up. 2,200m simple session. 5*100m warm up, 4*400m at about 1'49/100 pace and a gentle 100m swim down.

Haven't been able to run for the last 2 days as my calves are sore. I changed footstrike on Tuesday to the ball of my foot but typical me, instead of doing it for a few minutes and getting used to it over time I did the whole session on the balls of my feet follwed by balancing on the balls of my feet in Pilates afterwards. I will get in an LSR sometime this weekend :rolleyes:

Seres

MCOS wrote: »

No Machine at all Seres, I am often lazy and give in

Went swimming last night instead of this morning as I knew I wouldn't get up. 2,200m simple session. 5*100m warm up, 4*400m at about 1'49/100 pace and a gentle 100m swim down.

Haven't been able to run for the last 2 days as my calves are sore. I changed footstrike on Tuesday to the ball of my foot but typical me, instead of doing it for a few minutes and getting used to it over time I did the whole session on the balls of my feet follwed by balancing on the balls of my feet in Pilates afterwards. I will get in an LSR sometime this weekend :rolleyes:

what sort of recovery do you give yourself between each 400m rep ?
do you normally do them (400m) flat out ?

MCOS

Seres wrote: »

what sort of recovery do you give yourself between each 400m rep ?
do you normally do them (400m) flat out ?

I was swimming with a friend last night so it was steady pace, not flat out. Going off 8 minutes so doing the reps in 7'15 was giving 45 seconds rest

pgibbo

MCOS wrote: »

I was swimming with a friend last night so it was steady pace, not flat out. Going off 8 minutes so doing the reps in 7'15 was giving 45 seconds rest

Will see how I go later over 400. I have 400s on my swim set today. I have not swum 400s in a set before so will be interesting. I guess pacing is key. I forgot to set my alarm last nice so missed my swim this morning. MUPPET that I am! Will get one in later this evening hopefully.