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140.6 deep breaths...
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Last Week
Swimming
- 1 hour 10 swim: coach prescribed session endurance focus
- 1 hour 15 swim squad: endurance main set
- 1 hour 10 swim squad: speed main set
Total 11.1km
Biking
- 1 hour 10 turbo: under/over intervals
- 1 hour 20 turbo: 3*10 reps at FTP
- 3 hour 15 mountain biking including a hard technical climb, 2km at 14%
- 4 hour long spin including 3*30 min IM reps
Total 283.3km
Running
- 2 hour long run at IM pace
- 1 hour 10 easy with sweet spot reps
- 30 minutes very easy
- 1 hour 20 very hilly including mountain climb 0.5km at 45%
Total 55.9km
S&C
- 30 minutes S&C
- 45 minutes kayak
- 50 minutes stretching
Total 4.23km
Summary
Tough week. 2 more to go of this block before a recovery week leads into the Beast of Ballyhoura. Happy with it overall. I felt it. The long bike was 5 houra planned but my legs were tired and I got soaked through several times. It was my longest bike so far so hopefully I can build on it. I tried out new gels that are a whopping 200kcals a go and they went down well. First long run was controlled and felt reasonably good. I'm away this week with Caz and shotgunjunior and the logistics is making the plan seem a lot more challenging than it already is.
Training for the Beast
Ah it was the last training day for the Celtic Warriors. Enduro couldn't meet us so it was just Pete and I meeting Jacqo in Glenbeigh Co Kerry. It was her plan this time and she put together a good one.
- Run 1. A simple 5km easy while the guys dropped the Kayaks to the lake.
- Bike 1. 35km. We biked out to Kells in search for a trail that would lead us back to the Kerry way. We basically got lost on the mountain only to embed our bikes in bog at a dead end. We carried the bikes over chopped down dead trees for a few hundred metres to find the mountain fire road again. We headed back onto the N70 in defeat. jacqo knew that trail ran parallel to the road so we decided to lift the bikes over yet more gates to trek vertically up a mountain in search. We stopped 200m shy of the summit in defeat again. We continued to bike to hike on the hill parallel ot the orad and about 40m above it until we hit another dead end. It took another good team building exercise to get ourselves and teh 3 bikes downa 40m sheer drop. We found the lake after 3.5 hours.
- Kayak. 4.23km. I thought we were going to kayak on Lake Carraigh at the foot of the hills srounding Carrantouhill but Jacqo lead us to a secluded little still lake instead. One she had dreamed about kayaking for a couple of years. Pete and Jacqo took the double and I took the single sit on top. It was a tub. It was very responsive but zero run. It took a fair effort to average 4.8kmh for 2km to the end of the lake. It was a magical surrounding of sheer rocky mountain faces and took my breath away. Not a soul in sight but us 3 and our paddle. We took a breather and swapped around. I sat behind Jacko in the double this time and we instantly connected. I followed her shoulders for rhythm and engaged my core and legs for a change. We cruised back to the bikes at 6.6km. I loved this bit and would not have been dissapointed to do it again.
- Bike 2. We headed for the Kerry Way and climbed tricky hill. Loose rocks and an average of 14% gradient with switch backs tested every ounce of both my fitness and limited mountain biking skill. I made it to 20m befroe the top before I got off and walked. I was shattered. The view was worth it. Simply amazing. The descent was rapid and straight, white knuckle stuff. After an hour of this torture/fun we hid the bikes in a ditch for a run.
- Run 2. The plan was to run most of the trail we had just cycled with an interesting shortcut. After a couple of km of plodding Jacqo announced we were coming off the road to climb Seefin directly. The first section of the climb was 79%!! It average 45% over the next 15 minutes or so and we travelled as far vertically as we did horizontally. Again the view was worth it. We covered the next 3km on bog which again was scary/fun. At times we had to tread very lightly or the shoes disappeared into the bog. I attempted a 9ft jump over a flooded part of bog and barely made it. I grabbed a tuft of earth as my legs sank 3 feet instantly. When I pulled them out it looked as though I had been dipped in treacle. It was just 10km over 80 minutes but it knocked teh stuffing out of me.
- Bike 3. A sharp descent on road and a few more clicks back to our cars.
Total 68km over 8 hours. The guys said the training route had been a lot tougher than Gaelforce. I sure as hell felt it. 36 hours of this lark is going to bring out the demons for sure... I cannot wait!
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Last Week
Swimming
- 1 hour 15 swim: swim squad session + 1km easy
- 1 hour 15 swim: coach prescribed session endurance focus
Total 8.1km
Biking
- 1 hour turbo with 2*20 FTP reps, 5km easy-hard transition run.. ouch!
- 1 hour 30 turbo with under/over intervals, 3km easy transition run
- 2.5 hour easy mountain bike trails with Caz
- 4 hour 45 long bike with long IM paced reps, 15 min IM transition run
Total 268km
Running
- 55 minute steady aerobic run
- 55 minute easy run
- 1 hour 30 run including club speedwork reps, 5*3mins at 3:44, 3:44, 3:34, 3:38, 3:37 pace, 4*1 min at increased pace 3:23, 3:18, 3:09, 3:00
- 2 hour long run at IM pace
- Short transition runs
Total 79.4km
S&C
- 1 hour 30 S&C
Summary
Toughest week put down so far. The turbo sessions were hard, especially the FTP reps. It was a case of hanging on for those. The MTB with Caz was fun. It was her first time on the fantastic Ballyhoura trails. We took on the 17km brown loop at snail pace including a stop at the top of the mountain for a picnic in front of the stunning view. Caz was feeling it with 3km to go and took the fireroad back to the carpark. Left to my own devices I attacked the downhill enough to scare myself
The long bike was tough. I headed out with Kona bound, Mr Duracell and he took me up a climb for a warm up! It was pretty windy out and I struggled from 3.5hour onwards. The power came and went and I found it tough to hit mt target heart rate. The run off it was at the target IM pace but felt terrible. I simply could not imagine myself running to 10km let alone a full marathon! I have a possible 5-6 long bike left to build the IM endurance but it could be too little too late. Confidence in the sub10 is very low to be honest.
The 2 swim sessions were quality. I missed the OW swim which is now priority this week. It been a few weeks since I put the wetsuit on and there is a swim section in the Beast next weekend. It was another good week for running though. I had a think about when I felt best running last year and that was in the run up to the Conn Marathon. I was off chocolate bars and biscuits for lent and running everyday. So, currently off the junk that is my vice and 12 days into a run streak. I'm also running my long runs at 15-20 seconds slower than I was last year and focusing on running as relaxed as I can.
6 Days to the Beast. After a whole load of emails and messing on behalf of a certain online cycle store I have an Osprey Escapist 30 backback and a 3L hydraform reservoir on its way to me. The next few days will be about sleep and less intense sessions. The BEAST lools large and I cannot wait for it 0 -
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Kurt Godel wrote: »Jesus! There's gotta be some epic story behind that! Well done, can't wait to read the report (don't rush it out!)
There was so much to it that I don't think I can do it justice with a report
I'll put something together soon anyway and hopefully give a flavour of what an Adventure Race feels like...:D 0 -
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Thanks all.
@Abhainn, I have it somewhere, might bring it to Barca with me for a read
@Jackyback, I wasn't sure. Out for a long tough bike today and it fell apart
@pgibbo, he has an incredible engine. Out doing long runs this week in prep for the UTMB, 160km running and circa 9,000m ascent. He also has the World AR Champs in France this year :eek:
@Trig1, The feet are much better but needed a lot of attention. I'll see how they hold up to a long run tomorrow
Barcelona Outlook
Excluding taper I basically have 5 weeks to get into both IM shape and IM focus. How am I feeling about it? Hand on heart, not confident in sub10 at all. I know I'll get through the event and I promised Caz I'd party with her afterwards. I've had a variety of race experiences this year and some positive results too. Training though has been nowhere near the consistency of last year. Then again, did I overdo it a bit last year? Certainly with the 2 Marathons. I felt very fit and ready for Roth and then executed it poorly. Could I do better in Barcelona with 90% of the fitness and a better race plan executed? Who knows. I guess I'm relying a lot on last years endurance work to an extent.
Swimming.
It has been inconsistent the last few weeks but I have some good quality swimming done this year. Quality over quantity. A 4km OW swim last night with Mr Duracell in a shade under 64 minutes was positive. He is in great shape with Kona around the corner and it was a good steady swim at 1:35 pace. I reckon with some swimming consistency over the next few weeks I will be in as good swim form as I was for Roth. Thats all I wanted really.
Biking
Here is my concern. I haven't hit the 5-6 hour mark in any long bike and the few I've done haven't been great. This morning I headed out with Mr Duracell for a tough 6 hours. 4*1.5 hour loops with a climb at the start of each loop. It was a hilly route and mostly straight into a headwind too. He has a serious amount of biking put down this year and ran a 3:14 off a 5 hour bike in extreme heat in Austria to prove it. I got through the first 2 laps and 3 hours staying with him on the climb. It dragged my heart rate into the mid 160s though and that was way over IM threshold.
On lap 3 I couldn't sustain his climbing abilty and spun away myself at a more sensible output. I was wrecked by the top though. I also got my toe in the way of the front wheel and fell off the bike. I didn't clip out in time and have a sore and bloody knee and elbow to show for the session :rolleyes: At 4 hours I hit the wall and dropped off. While he motored off and did a 4th loop I crawled home, my energy draining from my body. I also began to cramp in both quads which is not good. So, another 4:45 bike put down but I finished it wrecked. My lower back was very stiff too and I really have to get the bike seen to for both a service and set up. Again I could not fathom running a marathon off this.
Calella will be different. Not as hilly. Warm. Nicer roads. I'll be fresher. If I can knock off 4-5 long bikes over the coming weeks whether they are good, bad or ugly I'll feel a bit better about it. It feels a bit like cramming for an exam though....
Running
The good thing about running is that it feels good. I have no niggles going on. I haven't the residual fatigue of Marathon runs. I did a steady 15km the other night in the glorious sunshine and it felt good. Doing that off a 180km bike is what concerns me and will I be able to sustain that for 42km? One thing I know I have to do for both the bike and run is core. Lots of core, and stretching.
The positive aspect of now, is that I have no intention of putting pressure on myself. I'll be over the moon to go sub10 but won't beat myself up if that doen't happen. There are too many factors to an IM anyway. Its just 5 weeks to do some specific work and tune the engine. Whatever the situation when it comes around. I intend to enjoy it 0 -
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Some heavy stuff in there. 
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