The Good Mood Cookbook

Oryx

Just took a gang of kids to the pool, and I found that it's easier to supervise a bigger group than one or two because they mind each other. Which meant I got a few lengths done as a bonus. 1050 in between duck diving and giving piggybacks and stuff.

Knackered now. Kids still full of beans of course!

Oryx

Monday pm
Kettlebells tonight. I'm slowly improving at these. The overhead stuff feels less risky (12kg dropping on your noggin would not be funny) and I managed bent over row with 2x 16kg. (30 secs 15 reps) And 'my rotation and lateral flexion was better' whatever that means.

I had planned more cycling today but both bikes needed working on so it didn't happen. I may do some serious turbo during the week instead. I fit my lovely new gp4000s today (folding tyres are a doddle) and cant wait to get out and see how they feel. Yeah yeah I know it's all psychological but I'll take any help I can get

Oryx

Tuesday aaaaaaaaaaaam
At half six this morning I was in the pool. It was not an Aquatic Oasis, but I wanted to keep stopping and let the rocking motion of the water lull me back to sleep. The set was supposed to be a warm up then 20 x 100 off 2.20. The first few 100s indicated it was not going to go well. The best came in at 1.58 and my form was all over the place. I was ridiculously tired, which I think was the problem. (Studying anatomy* till midnight did not help) I suffered through ten of the reps, but my times were all around 2.05, and I really wasn't getting anything from it at all, plus I was hating it, and at 7am if your head isn't in it you're wasting your time. It was a clumsy heavy slog. So I gave up.

Instead, I changed to slower, technical 50s. Did lengths of bilateral (which I suck at), hypoxic, focus on catch, and rotation. Threw in a few bc for variety. I relaxed and got through these much better. My 50s were coming in on 1.04 easily when I was just cruising. Not a massive difference tbh. This section salvaged something out of the session at least.

2350 in total. Im back in the pool later for more, hopefully more awake.

*not a euphemism. It was a book on the Essentials of Conditioning and Strength Training.

Oryx

Tuesday pm
More swimming! Club session. A mix of ow based drills and exercises. Including a long swim sighting every five breaths. We did a few crash bang wallop swim starts and finishes, and shallow and deep water starts. All very useful.

This was our last club swim and coach did a prize giving at the end. I got second place in the women. Yay! I may not have talent or speed but I make up for it in doggedness.

Oryx

Bright and breezy turbo this morning. z2 effort.

I read back through this log to the more recent bits, and noticed there is a lot of 'try harder' and 'I'm tired' going on, even though overall I think Ive been doing okay. While this sounds a lot like excuses, I'm hoping its not, that I AM actually tired from putting in 12 -14 hour weeks with more short sharp sessions than before. This week is the last week where I will be pushing like this, then I taper for the HIM. I'm hoping the taper will put Humpty back together again and let me reap the benefits of all this overreaching. That's the plan, anyway. Considering the wobbly start to the year, I'm feeling pretty positive and strong right now, I only hope to god that once I shake off the tiredness, the positivity is justified!

Oryx

Wednesday pm
Sea swim. Its still rough out there but I got the knack of swimming under a breaker and not getting flipped over. It felt tough tonight, either the wind or the current meant it was hard to get anywhere. Its also very hard to find a rhythm in that kind of sea. It wasn't cold once you were moving though and I did enjoy it. 800m or so but it took such a long time. 35 mins I reckon.

Roll on athy where hopefully there will be NO WAVES!

Kurt Godel

You're a bloody inspiration, I mean that seriously. Some great training going on here, I'm going to take a leaf out of your book, I'm shamed from reading your log. Keep it up, keep logging, keep up that good mood.

Oryx

Thanks for that. Tis funny that I read it on the one morning I'm not training and feel very idle.

griffin100

Oryx wrote: »

Thanks for that. Tis funny that I read it on the one morning I'm not training and feel very idle.

What I'd like to know is how much sleep per night do you get? There's an awful lot of early ass training in this log that makes me feel very guilty

Oryx

griffin100 wrote: »

What I'd like to know is how much sleep per night do you get? There's an awful lot of early ass training in this log that makes me feel very guilty

I go to bed anywhere from half ten to half eleven. I read my S&C book as it is like a sleeping pill, I usually nod off with it on my lap.

Years ago, it used to be that 7am was early. Now anything before 5.15 is early.

interested

Kurt Godel wrote: »

You're a bloody inspiration, I mean that seriously. Some great training going on here, I'm going to take a leaf out of your book, I'm shamed from reading your log. Keep it up, keep logging, keep up that good mood.

Good. If you feel that bad, as penance you can swim without a wetsuit for 20 mins this evening.

Kurt Godel

interested wrote: »

Good. If you feel that bad, as penance you can swim without a wetsuit for 20 mins this evening.

Doling out penance suits you, there's an evangelical zeal to you alright. Pity you only think you can walk on water

Oryx

All swim coaches are the same. Evil bastids. They beat the attitude into them in Evil Bastid Swim School.

Out on my wee bike for a short spin tonight. More to check for post service glitches and test the new tyres than anything. Tyres are good and it feels fast at the mo. Maybe that's psychological but whatever works. I have a constant problem changing to the big ring though which is still not solved. Annoying! Anyway did 25k in 52 mins out and back. A decent wind out which helped and hindered in equal measure. Calculating my av speed, that's the fastest I've ridden, well, ever and while I was trying I wasn't going flat out. By golly, I think something might be working. (Fingers crossed)

Oryx

Friday, ohmygoditsearly

Into the pool for half six. No point doing a hard set today, save it for the river tomorrow. So today was all about drills, slow, steady and technical. I'm still working on my catch, which I reckon is the biggest speed issue for me right now. (So much to fix, but this is the worst culprit). Lots of work with the pull buoy, just trying to get power in the stroke, in the hopes my body will remember some of this tomorrow.

Shoulders ache now, but they have 24 hours to recover!

RedB

Oryx wrote: »

I have a constant problem changing to the big ring though which is still not solved.

Problem solved - Leave it in the big ring!

Best of luck tomorrow

Oryx

RedB wrote: »

Problem solved - Leave it in the big ring!

Best of luck tomorrow

It could come to that...

Thanks for the luck!

griffin100

Before changing to the big ring make sure you have the chain on one of the smaller rear sprockets - otherwise it can be difficult to change due to cross chaining (you also need to be spinning the legs rather than slowly churning them when changing).

Best of luck tomorrow.

Oryx

griffin100 wrote: »

Before changing to the big ring make sure you have the chain on one of the smaller rear sprockets - otherwise it can be difficult to change due to cross chaining (you also need to be spinning the legs rather than slowly churning them when changing).

Best of luck tomorrow.

That's the issue, it wont change at all, unless its on the larger part of the cassette, strangely enough. The lever had always been a bit off, but I was used to it. Anyhoo, Im sure it will be fine, as Red says, I'll hardly need the small ring, will I?

Dory Dory

Hey chickie-mama.....best to you tomorrow!! Knock the socks off of it!!!

Solobally8

Best of luck tomorrow, might bump into you. I'm number 1234. Hope this fine weather stays for the day

Kurt Godel

Good luck tomorrow Oryx. If there are to be any bike problems, transition lethargy, swim panics, wardrobe malfunctions, directional discombobulations; we'll expect to read them in someone else's log. But if they are in yours, get 'em out of the way before UK 70.3.

Oryx

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Good luck tomorrow Oryx. If there are to be any bike problems, transition lethargy, swim panics, wardrobe malfunctions, directional discombobulations; we'll expect to read them in someone else's log. But if they are in yours, get 'em out of the way before UK 70.3.

Thanks. I will try to wear only one pair of shoes on the bike.

red face dave

Best of luck tomorrow Oryx, you will probably be at home by the time I start

Oryx

Before I start this report, I want to say special thanks to elvis jones, our mc for the day. He played my favourite song before the start of the race, and every time I entered or left transition during the race, he gave me a big shout out. He called me mrs fruit salad, but hey, its still recognition. Elvis, take a bow, you made a slow woman very happy. You is a star.

I had secret expectations from this race, the times I should hit. I just didn't tell anyone in case it didn't work out. But there was no pressure, and I was a happy bunny this morning, I enjoyed all the pre-race prep and chatter. (Even if I had to get up at 5am)

The water temperature was unexpectedly good today, chilly but bearable, no problems there. I was wave one, so straight in and down to business. I did lose my breath in the madness of the first few minutes of the swim, but told myself to calm down and relax, which got me back on track. I swam my best, and though I'm not a strong swimmer, the 31.xx* is a time I personally can be happy with.

*Official time is a minute slower, a clock start vs gun start issue I reckon, I had even started my watch early.

T1 was a freaking nightmare. It all went well at first, till I had to get the wetsuit off my legs. I swear, I must have put copydex on instead of lube. Stuck solid. I was sitting on the ground cursing at it, unable to budge it. Its given problems before, but never like this. A marshal came over and offered help, which I turned down (risk of dq?) but it turned out she was a TO, and said it was fine. It took two of us to get the bloody thing off. Ridiculous. I may practice with it and if necessary get out the scissors. So, once free, I threw my helmet on, and finally got out of transition. A lot of time wasted here.

After all the fuss, it took me 15 minutes to get my breathing under control on the bike. This I wanted to work at, I have to start getting my times down. Legs weren't the freshest, I could feel that, but I kept the cad up and pushed on as much as I could. Stayed on the drops for the whole thing. I was chasing a club-mate, who is a proper fish and would have had ten minutes on me; with the turnarounds I could see I was gaining, but didn't reel her in, unfortunately. The course is a kind one, I know it well and found it good to ride. A few windy spots slowed me at times, but all in all, I think I did okay. I always have the 'I have to run after this' mantra in my head, I need to banish that, and see what happens, really see if I can go an extra 5%. 1.21 approx for this (no accurate splits).

I wasted no time in T2, shoes on and gone. I was still fuming over T1. Set off at a steady jog, and the surprise was how good my legs felt. No bike residue at all, really. Caught one girl I had been doing up and overs with on the bike, but many many guys from later waves caught me. No club fish, which was strange. It turned out she took toilet break in T2 and I passed her by. I stayed ahead and put a few minutes between us, its kinda nice to have someone to chase/be chased by. I settled into a nice rhythm, and had to remind myself to push on a few times and not get too comfy. I do hate running on grass, but somehow it was better than other years. Maybe I'm getting used to it. I didn't catch many for the first 5k, but after the turnaround I started to nip past quite a few. By 8k my legs were beginning to feel it, but not even close to burnout, I was still just dandy. Still, I was glad to see the finish line @ 47 mins.

I stopped my watch at 2.45 dead. My chip time is 2.45.5x, so I definitely think there is a discrepancy in the timing, but hey ho. I'll take 2.45 anyday, its bang on my pre race expectation/hopes. The last time I did Athy Oly was 2011, and I did 3.02. So seventeen minutes down. I am slowly leaving the realms of mediocrity, and approaching the borders of respectable times. Give me another 5 years or so and I might even get quite good!

This was good prep for the torture in two weeks (flatter though!) and hopefully Ill manage to sort the wetsuit issues in the meantime. It could well become the most expensive 'shorty' suit ever.

Thank you Athy, for a great race and the usual fantastic atmosphere. I'm coming back with new expectations next year!

Kurt Godel

Good race Oryx, it looks like your consistant training is paying off, solid work through all disciplines. T1, will be sorted for the UK, better now than then (stunningly brilliant prediction from my good self)

griffin100

A great result with the potential for better times if you can sort out your suit removal - a good day all round

RacoonQueen

Oryx wrote: »

T1 was a freaking nightmare. It all went well at first, till I had to get the wetsuit off my legs. I swear, I must have put copydex on instead of lube. Stuck solid. I was sitting on the ground cursing at it, unable to budge it. Its given problems before, but never like this. A marshal came over and offered help, which I turned down (risk of dq?) but it turned out she was a TO, and said it was fine. It took two of us to get the bloody thing off. Ridiculous. I may practice with it and if necessary get out the scissors. So, once free, I threw my helmet on, and finally got out of transition. A lot of time wasted here.

That was hilarious to read

Well done Oryx, smashing time.

Oryx

RacoonQueen wrote: »

That was hilarious to read

Well done Oryx, smashing time.

Were you racing yesterday?

RacoonQueen

Oryx wrote: »

Were you racing yesterday?

Nope, decided against it in the end. Racing the next four weekends so 5 in a row might have been stretching it.

Sounds like I can just sit behind you for the beast I'd have hoped to be hitting 2:40ish in something like Athy. the OW swimming is so hard to predict since I don't have anything to really work off for gauging times

Oryx

I'll be sitting behind you at that rate. Chasing is good. Tho my time from yesterday has been revised to 2.44.29 which looks better at least and a little closer!

Another day, another bike ride. Such a gorgeous day, perfect for cycling. Such a change to ride in sunshine, with bare arms! I didn't go for speed today, this was just punching some steady numbers. I even had a teabreak in the sun at halfway. Bliss. 90.4k in 3.35 ride time, not including my leisurely break. Such a grand morning.