Sprint to Olympic

ladytri

May 17th
Club long cycle
Did a total of 70km. Took the first 30km pretty handy, a lot of climbing- came off the bloody bike going up a steep hill:) Back wheel of the bike started skidding when I got out of the saddle and I couldn't release the cleats. I was going so slow so had to just fall over to get off the bike! Ridiculous.
Second half we pushed it out a bit and averaged about 29kph for the last 40km. Not sure how to pace these long cycles - presume they should be like your long runs where you're supposed to be able to hold a conversation.
Absolutely wrecked after it today but planning a swim tonight.

ladytri

May 18th
Lane coaching session in local pool- messin' with me head trying to tweak my stroke...
100m warm up
50m easy
50m fast
100m kick board
100m pull buoy
100m easy concentrating on stroke
25m flat out
25m one arm stroke (don't know what this is called)/25m fc
25m OAS/25m fc
25m catch up/25m fc
then a load of messing to cool down

ladytri

Not a bad day at the office...
20TH MAY
Club open water swim 1000m- pretty choppy...need to sort bilateral breathing out but I'm a bit gimpy breathing on the left so its not going to be easy.

Followed by 5km run. Only girlie out tonight but kept pace with the guys. New PB of 23.40...going to celebrate with a beer and some taco cheese nachos

ladytri

This has got to be one of my worst weeks for getting training in- only did 1 long cycle (70km) 1 coach swim (max 1000m)1 OW swim (1000m) and 1 5km run up until today! Was supposed to go out Thursday night but had to work late, same on friday- been doing 12hr days in work and its been impossible!
23rd May

11km nice and easy. 55mins
tomorrow is club meet so prob OW swim & long cycle...hopefully:)

MCOS

Don't feel so bad, 3 quality swims (2 OW), 2 bikes and 2 runs is not exactly a write off of a week

ladytri

I suppose MCOS...but I count today's (Sundays) sessions as the start of next week so only one cycle last week which is just not good enough!

May 24th
Knowing that today is my last chance for a cycle for a couple of weeks I wanted to push myself a bit so did a few sprints in a 46km cycle followed by 5km run. Bike felt good- all those hills are starting to pay off.
First run off the bike this year and F**k me that sensation brought back some memories! Took it pretty handy to get a feel for it and did the 5k in 25 mins, got bad cramps in my calves near the end.
No times for the cycle because I'm a muppet, forgot to reset the computer which got me very excited when I saw I'd burned 1867 calories:)

ladytri

So first day in Venice and thought I'll start as I mean to go on!
28th may
40 min easy run to get my barings- I was all over the shop trying to get around but lots of running up steps and over bridges. Great way to explore the city. If I find a pool I'll go for a swim in the morning

ladytri

30th May
40 mins even pace
Similar run to Thursday morning but felt like I ran a bit harder out because I was wrecked getting back... loads of stepped bridges so not planning on doing any sort of tempo runs while I'm away, feels like hill running:)

MrCreosote

ladytri wrote: »

30th May
feels like hill running:)

Sounds great! Although if hillrunning in Ireland was like running around Venice there might be more people taking part!

ladytri

Wow, had to really dig deep to find this log!
So, I only managed 4 runs over the last 2 weeks, work was just hectic over in Venice for the 2nd week I was there so I knew it just wasn't going to happen.
Got back yesterday, had 14 hours sleep last night and I'm raring to go so planning a nice 40km tonight on the bike...I'm prepared for a sore ass tomorrow...

ladytri

Sat 13th
7 km run-34'33"
went out with the OH and as always happens when I run with him I start out too fast and suffer in the end! Made it round though and pretty happy with the time considering I haven't trained for over a week...

Sun 14th
1100m OW swim
Have no time for this but felt great

48km Cycle
1hr 58min- jesus, I've a savage amount of work to do on the bike- want to get the 40km down to 1hr 20min!

ladytri

Mon 15th
Coached Swim
100m warm up
50m breathe on 3 strokes
50m breathe on 5
50m breathe on 7
50m legs / 50m easy x 2
100m arms
6x 25m sprint/ 25m easy
350m cool down
1200m total

Sprint was pretty awful-I'm just not built for speed! We were timed for the 3rd and the 6th sprint - 19secs and 20secs respectively. I've never sprinted in swimming before but at least its a base for improving on!

ladytri

Wed 17th
Fartlek run
5mins warm up
5* 2min easy/2mins med/1 min hard
5min cool down...

hate how much fitness I've lost in the last 2 weeks:(

ladytri

Wed 17th PM
OW swim
1000m total out and back swim. Think it took me 8'50" over 8'45" back, not bad because it was pretty choppy.

Thurs 18th AM
30km cycle -1hr 5mins
Really windy this morning, first 5km were hellish but pulled through, its a pretty hilly route so think I'm going to use it as my own personal TT:) want to get this well below the hour but pretty happy with this given my lack of cycling recently.
Made me assess what my targets are for times and I really want to get the 20km well below 40mins (split today was 44mins/PB is 38) and get the 40km in 1hr 20

ladytri

Was out in mullaghmore yesterday, disgusted I didn't get to sign up for this but put me in the mood for my first race of the year... The aptly named Metalman tri in Sligo...in only 3 weeks, Eeek!!

Sun 21st
1000m OW swim- felt horrific on the way out. 500m in 8min 45. Return a bit quicker in 8min 30.
Followed by 41km cycle with the club, very comfortable in 1 hr 30ish.
Promptly followed by 5km run off the bike-really worried about the olympic distance run, can't imagine adding another 5km to this, felt pretty tough. Anyone with nuggets of advice as to how I can dramatically improve my run in 3 weeks, I'm all ears!! 24min 14sec for run.

ladytri

Plan of action for the week:
Mon 22nd
7-10km run followed by coached swim
Tues 23rd
5km run off 23km cycle
Wed 24th
5km run off 1500m OW swim
Thurs 25th
30km cycle
Fri 26th
10km run
Sat 27th
1500m OW swim / 40km cycle on Metalman course, Rosses Point
Week total:
3 x swim
3 x cycle
4 x run (hmmm, ambitious)

Will probably try to do the same next week and take it easy the week before MM

ladytri

Mon 22nd PM
All right, falling flat on my commitments already:mad: Had to work late last night so didn't have time for run last night before swim...
Coach swim
250M warm up (arrived a bit early)
150M warm up with group
100M kick
50M kick w/fins
150M kick w/fins
150M w/pull buoy & paddles
25M sprint
25M easy
150M breathing on 4/6/8 strokes
300M cool down
1400M total

Tues 23rd AM
5km mod run: 24.15
I've contacted Sligo AC to see if I can do some training with them, I need to deal with my lazy running

ladytri

Wed 24th
AM
30km cycle - a little slower than last week at 1hr 8min but feck it, it was a beautiful morning for a spin on the bike, lovely smell of fresh hay in the air!

PM
1000m OW swim
This is an out and back swim, did the first 500m in 7.55 which is a new PB!
Back was not so speedy in 8.50, there was a speed boat messing around where we were swiming and it made the water really choppy- that's my excuse anyway

5k easy run after

ladytri

Thurs 25th
Unscheduled rest day
Was supposed to meet up with Sligo AC but got the bloody day wrong, meeting them on Tuesday instead

Fri 26th
50 min easy run...
haven't done much over 5k for the last while and supposed to be doing the full Metalman course tomorrow and a bit nervous about the 10k run so wanted to get one substantial run in before I head down. Should be interesting doing this tomorrow after a 40th birthday party tonight. Then again, I've to go to a wedding in Dublin the night before the real thing so I suppose I'm really simulating what will be my race condition!

I know I haven't stuck to any of the training sessions I'd outlined for the week but after tomorrow the tally will be
4 x swims (1000m OW x 2 / 1500m OW / 1400m pool
5 x runs (5km x 3 / 10km x 2)
3 x cycles (40km x 2 / 30km)
Thats a bumper week, pretty happy with that!

MCOS

ladytri wrote: »

I know I haven't stuck to any of the training sessions I'd outlined for the week but after tomorrow the tally will be
4 x swims (1000m OW x 2 / 1500m OW / 1400m pool
5 x runs (5km x 3 / 10km x 2)
3 x cycles (40km x 2 / 30km)
Thats a bumper week, pretty happy with that!

It sure is!! Oh to have the liberty to train that much

ladytri

yeah, I was pretty bold, should've been working;)
work from home with my partner, he was away for the week so what're ye gonna do when you're home alone and its just you and the dog?

ladytri

Sat 27th
So, went out to Rosses Point saturday morning, beautiful day for a swim and a spin!!
1500m OW swim- took it pretty handy, one swimmer with us wasn't 100% confident so hung back with them.
40km cycle- this is going to be a fast cycle race, it's all on the main road, good road surface. Only downside is it's a busy road.
Didn't get to do the run because I was meeting the race organizers, who are really sound and very committed people-really excited about doing it now and feel a bit more confident. Anyone looking for a race to do in the next couple of weeks I can't reccommend this enough from a venue point of view!!

ladytri

Mon 29th
Coached lane swim
A bit frustrating because we're getting a different coach every week and some are better than others anyway...
250m warm up
150m kick boards
150m pull bouys
150m of 25m sprint/25m recovery
150m legs only
150m various catch up
150m breathing on 3/5/7
about 250m cool down
1400m or there abouts
Heart wasn't in it, had a bad day yesterday

Seres

ladytri wrote: »

Mon 29th
Coached lane swim
A bit frustrating because we're getting a different coach every week and some are better than others anyway...
250m warm up
150m kick boards
150m pull bouys
150m of 25m sprint/25m recovery
150m legs only
150m various catch up
150m breathing on 3/5/7
about 250m cool down
1400m or there abouts
Heart wasn't in it, had a bad day yesterday

totally agree with ya there , lots of conflicting advice , hopefully though will be able to keep this session up over the winter !

ladytri

Wed 1st July
AM
Went out for 30km cycle but only did 20 due to technical difficulties. Pretty unimpressed with my cycle: 20km in 44mins. It's a route I've been doing and my times have hardly improved. But according to mapmyride it does have 140 meters of climbing so it's not an easy cycle, I hope!
Crappy excuses:
-badly need to get bike tuned, chain kept slipping on the climbs.
-over dressed for warm weather, as my husband said when I arrived home 'Jaysus, you're boggin' sweat!'...very attractive

ladytri

Wed 1st July
PM
OW swim
Met with the club, there was a new girl with us who wasn't very comfortable in the lake so stayed back with her.

Followed by 5km run - 23.45.

Getting very twitchy and nervous about Metalman next week. Freakin' out because I've a wedding the night before in Dublin and have to drive back that night, keep having dreams that I'll miss it!

ladytri

Friday 3rd July
Nice and easy 12km run with the dog- we had 4 "doggie business" stops, 2 puddle waterstation stops, 2 cudjo incidents and 1 bog hole swim.

Krusty_Clown

ladytri wrote: »

Friday 3rd July
Nice and easy 12km run with the dog- we had 4 "doggie business" stops, 2 puddle waterstation stops, 2 cudjo incidents and 1 bog hole swim.

"We had" ? :eek:
I suppose when you gotta go, you gotta go..

MCOS

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

"We had" ? :eek:
I suppose when you gotta go, you gotta go..

LOL

ladytri

hey, it's a messy business this mulitsport training!
When I bring cudjo out for runs I have to keep him on his lead because he's mental so have to bare witness to all his shenanigans

ladytri

Sun 5th July
Start of my tapper week:) no booze and no late nights for the week-had a serious wine session on Friday so ready to bid it farewell for the next two weeks in preparation for metalman on Sunday then athlone the following Sunday.
48km cycle over the curlews and around lough arrow, good challenging cycle.

Tritrier

Hi Ladytri,

I've been following your log for the last few weeks. For a while there we had similar goals.. ie. stepping up from Sprint to Olympic this season. However I have realised you are way ahead of me in ability and in terms of the amount of training you are doing.

I'm planning on doing Carna in Galway in 3 weeks. My aim is... to finish!! (as it's a tough one). Just wondering what you would recommend concentrating on over the next 3 wks. My swim is fine and I'm not really worried about it but I'm very concerned about the time I've spent on the bike (only done 35km max on a spin) and my run would be weak also - 10km takes me about an hour. Am I completely mad to be attempting this in under 3 weeks do you think? Just thought I could pick your brains....

ladytri

Hi tritrier
God, its really hard to say when I don't know what your experience is, have you done many tri's before? You mentioned having done sprint distance but how did you find the cycle/run then? If I were you, and to be honest I don't think I'm much further than you in that I'm just hoping to finish this one myself with a view to improving by the end of the summer, but I'd be concentrating on doing more hours in the saddle with a couple of runs after. Try to get to 60km with even just a 5km run to get the sense of how tired you are/ how to pace the bike before the run. I could be completely wrong though

Tritrier

Thanks Ladytri, yeah I will try and get more "time in the saddle" as you say. Will aim to do a 50/60km cycle next weekend and see how I get on with running straight off it. Apart from that will just keep running and cycling and a bit of swimming.

I did a few sprints last year (including your own lovely one up in Lough Key) and never had much trouble running off the bike (in my mind) but I am a slow runner and running will always be tough I think!!

My goal is to finish the Carna Tri, in whatever time that is..... God knows.... I will keep you posted on progress.

Good luck with Metal Man yourself! I'd say it'll be no bother to you.

ladytri

Cheers tritrier!!
Mon 6th July
Coach lane swim
200m warm up
100m concentrating on arms
100m as above but combined with strong kick
100m kick boards
200m 4x25m sprint/25m easy
100m cool down
Awful lot of chatter and not much swimming tonight:)

MrCreosote

2 tris in a week! Good on you- will keep an eye out for the reports!
The metalman one looks great- there seems to be an event every weekend that I'd like to do.
Enjoy the taper week :pac:

ladytri

I'm reckoning on tri#1 being such a torture that it'll make tri #2 feel like a piece of p**s

ladytri

Wed 8th July
1000M OW swim
Scariest swim of the year so far. REALLY choppy! One of the girls turned back less than half way over and one of the lads didn't get in, I wouldn't have swam in it myself to be honest but felt I had to do just in case Sunday in Rosses Point is just as bad:eek:
5KM RUN
Felt grand, took it handy, no times this week...

Thurs 9th July
9KM RUN
wanted to try this out with no socks!! All good, so thats pretty much it til Sunday, might go for a very short spin on the bike which has been left in for her pre-race service, getting new grips, new gear cables etc...
I'm not making any predictions on this one and will be very happy to get home alive and upright.

ladytri

FRI 10th July
Quick 30mins spin after I picked the bike up from her service. She has a hairline crack in the arm that attaches the back derailer!!! Repairable but not in time for the next two tri's, hope it'll hold...aside from that she's looking great and will hopefully do me proud.

MCOS

Best of Luck this weekend! You have great training put in, looking forward to hearing how you get on

Krusty_Clown

Best of luck Ladytri. Hope the bike holds-up!

ladytri

July 12th
I'll start by getting my excuses out of the way...
Excuse 1: Not enough sleep
Wedding on Saturday night in Dublin. All very nice and managed to leave at 11.30 for the 2 hour drive home without too much drama. Hotel is right beside the RDS where "The Boss" was playing and managed to embed myself in the exodus that was the Country Fans leaving after the gig...took me over an hour to drive to Stephens Green. I could see my 5 hours sleep being reduced by the minute:eek:
Got about 3 hours sleep in the end.
Excuse 2: Gale Force winds
Got up on Sunday morning, weather looked nice...in Roscommon. Not so when I arrived in Rosses point, very windy, very very windy.

Headed to the beach for the swim start, was supposed to be a run from the beach...I was bloody terrified, i couldn't hear the person talking beside me it was that windy, the waves were ridiculous. I stupidly stayed right at the back and was last one into the water...I'm really annoyed with myself because I'm a strong enough swimmer and managed to move about half way through the field on the swim but never passed anyone on the bike or the run because it was so spread out.
Swallowed half the atlantic ocean and had a little dry wretching in T1, very slow transition because of it. Thought I was waaaay in the back of the pack and disgusted with myself, didn't take time to look around transition to see what bikes were left...Off on the bike and straight away had to have my little chat to myself about just try to finish, feck the times...1st olympic so just relax...bla bla bla...bike was tough coming back into a headwind, so bad I was actually looking forward to getting off and doing the run:eek: Tried eating a nutri grain bar which was hilarious, like eating bloody cardboard when your mouth is still full of salt water... but did take in a few sips of lucozade sport and almost 750mls of water, probably not enough.
T2 wasn't too bad, had a socks, no socks dilemma..faffed about a bit with my knee strap and went without both in the end.
Hill start for the run, legs felt surprisingly ok so re-consoled myself that i managed not to overcook it on the bike, stuck with a lovely man for pacing for the first few k then he slowly pulled away from me, I started to notice my calves cramp up but it was a managable pain...then an old knee injury reared its ugly head- I put it down to not being used to pounding on roads, all my runs are on forest trails. The nail in the coffin was the horrendous stitch about 3km from the finish, I was devastated-thought that was the end of it...
reduced to a snails pace I gave in and walked for 3 minutes. I can still feel the pain in my side now from it. I had planned on taking water on at the 2nd water station but f**kin' missed it!
Managed to run the last 2km to the finish and an overall time of 2.48 something, was told I finished in the top 10 females but haven't seen the results yet. The official photographer got me just as I crossed the line having my little fit of turrets.
All in all, a lot done, WAAAAAY more to do

MCOS

ladytri wrote: »

The official photographer got me just as I crossed the line having my little fit of turrets.

LOL Well done on first OD ladytri! Shame about missing teh 2nd water stop but you did very well so don't beat yourself up Top 10 ladies is smashing!

Abhainn

It seems that was a tough one. Bloody wind is a spoiler.
Happy now I did the Salmon run previous day .
Well done, funny report , and I'm sure you'll be back for more!

Seres

well done , sounds like it was really tough , which you were expecting however weather conditions and the stitch certainly seemed to add to the pain , great to get in the top ten for an OD , onwards and upwards

Krusty_Clown

You're very hard on yourself. Result-wise you did great, and you've listed 50 reasons (almost!) why you can go quicker (and improve on your fab result) the next time. From running, I know that you never learn anything from a race in which everything goes smoothly. You learn from the ones in which you make mistakes. Enough of the zen-moment. Celebrate, you did great.

ladytri

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

From running, I know that you never learn anything from a race in which everything goes smoothly. You learn from the ones in which you make mistakes.

Yes Sensai...how come you are so wise?? Never a truer word said!

Krusty_Clown

ladytri wrote: »

Yes Sensai...how come you are so wise??

From watching Mystery Men, and listening to Roy Keane.

ladytri

Still no results from metalman. looking forward to seeing the breakdown:rolleyes:

15th July
AM
20km(ish) cycle 38 min 30
this is a pretty easy out and back cycle from the house. Think my cycling might be back to where I was at the end of the year last year, I'm a bit concerned that I've been working on longer, hill cycles at the expense of speed.

MrCreosote

Nice report on the Metalman Ladytri. Sounds like a very tough day!