Half Iron Elvis

elvis jones

Since i posted yesterday things have moved forward and we've agreed on a rough idea now.

Swim - 18 Barrow downstream Athy to Carlow, a whole day given to this so we can stop start.

Cycle - Next day from Cork and i think it will be 4 days to Donegal

Run - From Galway to Dublin and it will be 5 days.

A total of 10 days to complete 909km for charity.

We are meeting this evening to have a chat and try to come up with a name for it, any help ?

Oh and we plan to hook up with Gerry and pick his brain.

couerdelion

elvis jones wrote: »

Since i posted yesterday things have moved forward and we've agreed on a rough idea now.

Swim - 18 Barrow downstream Athy to Carlow, a whole day given to this so we can stop start.

Cycle - Next day from Cork and i think it will be 4 days to Donegal

Run - From Galway to Dublin and it will be 5 days.

A total of 10 days to complete 909km for charity.

We are meeting this evening to have a chat and try to come up with a name for it, any help ?

Oh and we plan to hook up with Gerry and pick his brain.

Sounds good. How do I enter?

Swim sounds good.
Where would the cycle finish? Donegal Town or right up to Malin Head?
Run is 5 marathons in 5 days? Brutal.

"The Long Way Round - Irelands Ultra Triathlon" ?

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Sounds good. How do I enter?

Swim sounds good.
Where would the cycle finish? Donegal Town or right up to Malin Head?
Run is 5 marathons in 5 days? Brutal.

"The Long Way Round - Irelands Ultra Triathlon" ?

Eh it will actually be 5 "slight" ultras in 5 days:D

Cycle will be right up to Malin head.

I like the name, i have a venue sorted for the last night party:D

We're looking at the idea of people joining us for a day/part or if your crazy enough the full.

I'll start a new log when we have the name to keep all in the one place.

elvis jones

Few days laid up as i have a chest infection. Typical with a race on Sunday:mad:

Anyway decisions made on charity event and just waiting on permission to start another training log for it to keep it away from my training for Lost Sheep.

elvis jones

Nothing more done as i'm looking after my chest with sunday in mind.

Happy to say Irish Cancer Society have come on board as your 1st chosen charity for Up and Over:)

elvis jones

My 1st race of the year yesterday and overall it was a bloody mess:(

As you may know i'm not the best swimmer in the world. I got a new wetsuit over a month ago and had planned to do some work in open water with my club in the Barrow but water levels have been so high and the flow so strong that i never got to do it and boy did that play a part yesterday.

I was working early at the clontraf half marathon on sat so a long day sat. I was out the door at 7:30 and back at 3pm cover in sunburn ! I got my stuff together and bed for a few hrs, back up and my night gig until 3:30am. Bed for another few hrs and off we went to carrick on suir.

Got there nice and early to get registered, nice little goodie bag with a transition towel etc.

Into transition on grass ( no bike check ) and set up my gear, someone was in the water trying to swim upstream and they were just static !

Anyway i got all my gear on while listening to the guy with the "sound system" play elvis:D and country music, not to mention talking about lost dogs.

Down to the start line and the fun started, i got there, into the water 50m up and all i can say is i got a panic attack. It was my 1st time in open water and i lost it. I scrabled for the bank and out i got with my head in my hands. I think its time to admit i have a problem with water/deep water and i need help to get it sorted.

I just sat on a bench alone for a few mintues and thought what the fcuk am i doing with triathlon if i have this problem with water:(

I started to walk back up and said to myself i've dragged my wife and kids down here i might as well do the cycle and run, i think the worst part of the day was facing them when i got back to transition. I was almost in tears.

I got the wetsuit off, went to put on my runner ( ya my runners ) and then went oh yeah its the bike 1st.

I went to put on my rwce belt and it broke so i had to tie it in a knot:mad:

Helmet on, grabbed bike and off i went. I sat there on the bike sorry for myself until i saw the 1st hill and my game head kicked in. Ahead of me were about 20 guys creeping up the "hill", this wasn't a hill, it didn't even register with my legs..........i dropped the head and took off, past 20 odd in the 1st 2k and then the next fun bit, i dropped my water bottle on the bad part of the road and had no fliuds for the rest of the race:(

As the cycle went on, some nice sharp turns, hills and good straights i kept just passing people but one guy on a planet x TT just kept ahead of me until 10k and i pushed past him until 18k when he passed me going down a hill into town.

One point on the cycle was the amount of drafting, it was everywhere.

my cycle was roughly 35:40 for 19k which wasn't bad.

Back in and runners on, out we went through the start of the muck, road for 2.8k and then onto the river bank which was a mud bath. I lost my runner and had to go back to fish it out, then i fell over in the muck as well:D

Anyway pushed on and got back on the path where i was able to increase my pace and hit the end line carrying my little lad for the last 50m. 5.7k in 30m but i lost a min or so looking for my runner and falling over.

I was smiling and laughing at the end cause it was just a sureal day overall.

Good race but i need to look for help about this swim issue, do i need hypnosis or to start of scratch. I even hate swimming in the deep end of a pool:o

jester1980

Swim part sounds tough buddy. I think get yourself back to basics really. Does the pool you are using have a deep end?

It defo sounds like a proper fear, would you get some more private sessions?

When the club swim in the open water starts back that will help. If its a fear dont worry about swimming out there at the start, get yourself out into the water and just casually swim around, breast stroke even.

Hard one for you but good luck.

couerdelion

Feel for you. Swimming is one of those things that is hard unless you've done it as a kid and already have some confidence. I think as a child you're fearless, as an adult you know the risks hence the freaking out in deep water.

I've seen the adult swimming lessons in the NAC and grown adults almost crying when they are asked to put their head in the water to do backstroke. It's not natural to do it hence the freaking out.

A couple of sessions in a lake should help especially with the wetsuit. No waves or current but still open water. It will show you that the wetsuit will keep you buoyant and that sinking isn't something to worry about. You can then look at swimming after that and getting into a deep pool and having the confidence in your ability to tread water if you get into difficulty and beyond that the confidence in your swimming ability.

elvis jones

This is my problem. I can swim, the cold water didn't get to me at all ( i enjoy ice baths:p) , the just the not being able to feel the bottom of the water i think.

There is no deep end in my pool, perhaps thats why i like it so much.

I know that when the open water starts again with my club i'll have lots of support but i have 2 big races coming up and time is ticking past.

I'm even thinking of putting my wetsuit on in a pool so show myself that i'll float.

$hit, i had fear of heights and i became a qualified sky diver so i know i can and have to beat this as i have these races and my big event in 2013 to think of.

Oryx

You need to relax. When you first start a swim in ow the combination of cold and being rushed can make you lose your breath, which causes panic and is hard to recover from. Regardless of water levels and flow, you HAVE to get into ow somewhere. Practice is the only thing that will fix this. Stay near the shore and float first, then try a few strokes. Tell yourself to relax and glide. Get used to turning onto your back if you tire or get breathless. And almost everyone has a terrible time in their first ow tri, so don't stress.

I did a practice swim in Austria when they said it was non wetsuit and I freaked out in the water when I realised I had no buoyancy. So I floated on my back to make sure I could if I needed to, I just needed to stay calm about it. It worked to get my mind right. And thats all you need to learn to do. Be calm!

griffin100

One suggestion for you Elvis is to spend some time in your wet suit in some open water (shallow) learning to have faith in the buoyancy properties of the suit. Once you realise that you will float when wearing the wetsuit and that you wont sink this will help you relax I think. It's all about building up your confidence and race day isn't perhaps the best time to introduce yourself to OW.

elvis jones

griffin100 wrote: »

One suggestion for you Elvis is to spend some time in your wet suit in some open water (shallow) learning to have faith in the buoyancy properties of the suit. Once you realise that you will float when wearing the wetsuit and that you wont sink this will help you relax I think. It's all about building up your confidence and race day isn't perhaps the best time to introduce yourself to OW.

That i know:p

But with the water levels all my club OW were cancelled over the last month and it left me with the decision do i try or do i just not go ?

couerdelion

Lough Lene in West Meath would be ideal for you to try to swim in. Shallow enough swimming area and you cna go further out when you get used to it. Not sure how much of a trip it is for you though.

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Lough Lene in West Meath would be ideal for you to try to swim in. Shallow enough swimming area and you cna go further out when you get used to it. Not sure how much of a trip it is for you though.

My ma is from near there so i know it. I hope to use Lough Ennell as well as i am DOING CK there as well !

Oh i'll let you know about lunch/coffee one of the days this week as well !

elvis jones

Got out at lunch for a quick 4.1k as i was time restricted, done at roughly 5:18 pace. Legs were a bit sore this morning so wanted to get out to stretch them.

Felt good but i know the spare runners i used yesterday are gone. The front of my feet are sore when i walk in just my socks today so bye bye asics, time to order a new pair of Brooks:)

Swim:o in the morning and turbo tomorrow evening if my wife heads out cycling.

elvis jones

Nothing yesterday as i let my wife go on the club cycle.

Its actually better for me to take tuesday as a rest day if possible. I can do long tough weekends, some recovery sessions on a monday and recharge on a tuesday to build again.

Anyway Up and Over is taking over:D I was working on it all last evening and 2 meetings today and tomorrow.

10k at lunch !

Got a bit of good news in that i passed the interview and am now being sent forward for medical and physical.............another step forward !

couerdelion

elvis jones wrote: »

Nothing yesterday as i let my wife go on the club cycle.

Its actually better for me to take tuesday as a rest day if possible. I can do long tough weekends, some recovery sessions on a monday and recharge on a tuesday to build again.

Anyway Up and Over is taking over:D I was working on it all last evening and 2 meetings today and tomorrow.

10k at lunch !

Got a bit of good news in that i passed the interview and am now being sent forward for medical and physical.............another step forward !

Good news on the interview. You won't know what to do with yourself if you get the commuting time right down!

elvis jones

couerdelion wrote: »

Good news on the interview. You won't know what to do with yourself if you get the commuting time right down!

13k commute, i could run or cycle it in the "summer"

elvis jones

Out i went running at lunch and my legs felt the best in a long time so i changed from 10k to 5k at speed.

I was hitting 4:40 per km and the legs were happy with that so i kept it up to finish the 5k in 24:05 which is a new PB:D by 1:07

So happy with that and its proof that i'm starting to gain better fitness and move forward.

Turbo before work and swim in the evening.

Oh and they say you should never meet your idols they'll be a let down............not for me, i met Gerry Duffy this evening for a meeting about Up and Over and he was a gent !

elvis jones

Busy weekend, i had 2 gigs and had to go to Longford to se my mam.

Just did a 5k race this morning, 24:07 so missed out on a PB by 3 sec

I moved my long/tough cycle to tomorrow and i'll be hitting the mountains after work. I might only be about 45k but it will have grade 3 climbs so a good workout.

Up and Over is taking off in a world of its own and looks like we'll have one major public marathon/half marathon on Aug 31 2013 !

elvis jones

Busy week.

30k on the bike Monday, nothing too exciting

Tuesday i had the medical for my job so had a bottle of wine that evening just to mark the end of the process and really now there is nothing i can do !

Yesterday i spent my evening putting together a futon which was stressful by itself:D

6.4k done at lunch today (4 miles ) at 5:02 which is roughly 32 min. Which is great to see as in 2010 4 miles took me 40 min and now i'm running a constant 8 min/mile compared to 10 min/mile !

It just shows how over time i've getting fitter and faster, i can only imagine what times i'd be running if i was a lot lighter:o

Over for dinner tomorrow evening and if i can get out of work early i'll do a quick cycle.

elvis jones

Also to add i still haven't got my bike, there is a problem with seat post.

At this stage i'm thinking of leaving the credit there and holding off for a 2013 model and adding a bit more cash to get a better bike:o

elvis jones

Going for the Felt B12, i headed over the shop on Friday and sorted it all out.

Felt rubbish on Sunday and ended up in bed instead of running.

11k run last night at 5:44 pace, it was really good and i enjoyed it more than any run in a long time. As the km's passed i was getting faster and stronger.

I'm way ahead of where i was this time last yr and want to keep that up going forward.

Cycle or turbo this evening.

Solobally8

elvis jones wrote: »

6.4k done at lunch today (4 miles ) at 5:02 which is roughly 32 min. Which is great to see as in 2010 4 miles took me 40 min and now i'm running a constant 8 min/mile compared to 10 min/mile !

That's brilliant elvis, well done. I'd love to eventually see that kind of improvement in my times. I've only got about 7lbs to lose so it will be more down to consistent training instead of weight loss for me.

elvis jones

Solobally8 wrote: »

That's brilliant elvis, well done. I'd love to eventually see that kind of improvement in my times. I've only got about 7lbs to lose so it will be more down to consistent training instead of weight loss for me.

Thanks !

The weight loss continues and i know have at least another 2 stone to go and as you drop you do get faster.

elvis jones

Had the final part of my medical today which was a step test as my BMI is over 30.

This had me annoyed as just because your BMI is over 30 doesn't mean your unfit.

So i went in wearing my marathon finishers t shirt:D

I did the step test and aced it. I was told i was the fittest person they've had in. I have the BMI:mad:

Anyway its all done now and my name has been put forward so all i can do now is wait for an outcome in the next 2 weeks or so.

elvis jones

Quick 21k on the bike last night in 40 min. Pace was nice and there were 2 ok hills in it. I wasn't going flat out so its good to know a 38 min 20k is in the legs without full effort.

Off today looking after the kids so i hope to get out for an LSR in the afternoon.

elvis jones

No LSR, would you believe i tweaked/strained my calf on the step test:(

Running is an no go today and maybe tomorrow as well. The best thing is to give it time and not to rush it. I'll try a slow cycle and see how that goes.

OW swim cancelled so i might hit the pool if i can get someone to look after the kids for an hr

elvis jones

I finally got my TT bike on Friday. Felt B12 and its a lovely ride.

I did the cycle relay of Kilkenny sprint on Sat and it was its maiden voyage. 24k in 43:50 so i was happy with that, i didn't push it to the max as i was still finding my "feet" on the bike.

A few tweaks to be done. Aero bars to be moved up about 1/2 inch, brake cables to be cleaned up and smaller saddle bag at the back as well

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77434653@N06/7664028796/


I went straight from Kilkenny to a 6 hr gig on my feet in Dublin and my calves are in bits since then. I spent yesterday helping my sister to move house so calories were burned:D

Good feeling this morning putting another hole in my belt. I looked at a pic from Jan 09 and eariler this yr and i can finally start to see a difference.

LSR this evening, very slow as i want to get some feeling back into my calves.

elvis jones

Run was moved to today as my calves were still sore last night.

I did 10.5k at 6:14 pace, nice and slow in the rain. It was a lovely run and at the end by breathing was the same as when i started so i was very happy with that.

Its good to know i can do 10k in aorund 1hr was lots left in the tank:)

Hill work on the bike tomorrow evening:(