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I'm too young for a midlife crisis
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Bit disappointed you didn't win it.
I know, right? I expected fifth place, at worst!Isaac Delightful Khaki wrote: »A big well done although i was expecting a sub 3 run off the bike with you being a runner.:)
Enjoy some downtime and take in what you have achieved.
The run jog was the best part
31K, still smiling
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Ok so this is the worlds longest race report...but people have been asking for it, so you know...be careful what you wish for
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I'd set Austria 2015 as a goal about 5 years ago. I've no idea now but when I looked back at an old training diary early last summer and saw it written in as a long term goal. At the time, I was feeling rotten, suffering from a lot of fatigue, in and out of the GP and hospital every week and hadn't trained properly in over a year and training was probably at an all time low, so I really didn't fancy doing an Ironman in 13 months time, family stuff had my life all over the place and really stressful. Entering an Ironman would be really stupid, sure, I'd never get ANY training done.
I was registered for the 4K swim in Killiney for June 2014 and with my love of OW and particularly sea swimming I was really looking forward to it. The swim was awful, 2 laps and 700m or so on each lap of fighting the current saw me coming out of the water in 1:4x, extremely fatigued, disappointed and thinking why on earth would ANYONE want to get on a bike and cycle 180km after that!! I was quite adamant in this. Two weeks later, entries opened for Austria 2015. I browsed to the site as entries opened and filled in the form...but backed out. A few days later, someone posted on Facebook that entries were still open and IM Austria Facebook was doing a countdown on available entries remaining. A few exchanges with a few people and I was back onto Ironman.com and this time completing the payment.
I knew at this stage that I really needed to start pulling my training together by September to be able to have a chance of making the start line. I wasn't training very much at the time and any training I did felt awful, I didn't see this as a problem. Sure I'd be grand, right?!
I got back into the pool for coached swims with Tango and the Phoenix lads in September, all were doing Austria too so it was a good fit and I started trying to get into the pool more to work on the basics. I wasn't on the bike yet, but, I was starting to pull my running together a bit more, I did a few short cycles and in November I started getting on the bike again with 80/90k spins.
Christmas came and went and all of a sudden I'd had 3 months continuous training for the first time in I didn't know how long. I was still having a lot of stomach issues and chest pain and getting tests for this but it wasn't massively affecting the training I was doing as it had been during the summer. I put in a good month in January, but in February I got knocked back and spent much of the month battling a head cold...stress in work flared up my stomach and it all carried into March, much of February and March was then spent sick or trying to come back from being sick and it was like a case of deja vú. Unlike previous years, I'd learnt to just sit back and relax when sick rather than trying to push myself through it or panicking.
April arrived and I'd a week and a bit off work for training over easter. 12 weeks to go and a week of fab weather. About 30 hours training over the 10 days and over 500k on the bike (from memory). The body handled it well and the following week was a rest week and I was itching to train harder, but managed to keep it easy. The following week, BAM...sick again.
April week 3 and I was forced to have an easy week and tread carefully, which meant the next week wasn't fully to plan as I didn't want to overdo it while coming back again with a 12 hour week with no long spin. The following week I got back on track and had two good weeks...then again, sick. 6 weeks to go and entering what I would have had as my most important 3 or 4 weeks and I ended up bed bound and going easy for the next three, with Athy double in between.
At this stage I knew I had to re-evaluate properly what I wanted from Austria. I never went into it to just get around, but looking back on my training and seeing the big gaps, I knew that I had to change where I was going here. As I was going along, I didn't realise how much time off I was having.
I had initially thought of a 6ish hour bike and a sub 4 / low 4's run but had no idea how realistic that was anyway. I felt I could still push to a sub 6 or very low 6 bike, if I redlined it...but that could see me with a 6 hour marathon. If I slowed it to 6:30, I thought I should still be able to pull out an OK run time.
The weeks ticked by and all of a sudden I was putting the bike and my race gear on the truck…for the last two weeks I was so excited it was ridiculous. You’d never have known I’d done feck all training for the last few week.
I finished up in work the Tuesday before the race, went for an easy swim with the club and had Wednesday to get my packing done and chill out. My mam, friend and her mam were travelling with me and we had an early flight into Munich on Thursday morning, followed by a long train journey down to Krumpendorf where we were staying. The folks live much closer to the airport than I do and are on the route to the airport my friend was taking so I stayed with them on the Wednesday as it was handier( in honesty I was mostly worried mum wouldn’t get out of bed on time ). A sleepless night on the worlds smallest couch and to the airport we went. I was like an excitable puppy and genuinely couldn’t contain myself, don't think I’ve ever been that excited about anything and it was a really promising sign because it meant that no matter what happened I was going to have an absolute ball on Sunday, at the endof the day, that IS why we do this!
The train went straight from Munich airport with one change in Munich, so it was a handy way to travel. If we’d taken the driving option, I’d have had to do all the driving and I really didn’t fancy that. Train gave the option to snooze or just chill out which was much needed for me. The change in Munich brought me to a platform displaying Klagenfurt. Jaysus the excitement!
Finally arrived in Krumpendorf and were met at the train station by the accommodation host, the apartment was a short walk from the train station which was great, after a day of travelling I was dying for a shower and a snooze. So you can imagine my pure delight when I walked into the crappiest apartment building I've ever seen and into a small and dirty apartment. I'd originally booked a 3 bed apartment a bit further out but after the gang decided they were coming with me, I didn’t hear the end of the bitching and moaning about how far out (8km!! from race area) the apartment was, so I eventually got onto Air B’nB and got something different ( a whole 3k closer to Klagenfurt!). Anyway, this was advertised as having two bedrooms and 3 beds, grand I thought, at least I’ll have my own bed…not as good as the own room I’d have had in the other apartment I’d booked but hey….so the actual host hadn’t a word of English (or German) and his daughter was translating. They gave us a double bed in one room, on empty room and a pull out couch that slept two in an open plan living room. The couch was torn to shreds, the kitchen was manky and the bed covers on the bed they gave us didn't look all too hygenic. We all looked at each other waiting to see who would react…murmers and mumbles, then my oul one, true to form, let rip ( I learnt from the best.. ). All I could think was this is absolutely not what I need right now and how the hell do I find alternative accommodation NOW!!! Yer mans daughter suggested the hotel around the corner. Yeah right love, I’m sure they’ve tonnes of empty rooms.
So onto the internet I go (thank god I work in telecoms and have freebie phone and data overseas)
and back on air b’n’b...what is this I see…an apartment around the corner…€100 cheaper than this sh*thole. I asked could I come see…so around I went and into the cutest little apartment block run by the worlds nicest couple I find…and the apartment, spacious and more importantly CLEAN!
It turns out it had been booked for 13 months and had just been cancelled the previous day. Total stroke of luck for me (who cares about the chap who’d had to pull out of the race)
30 minutes later, the four of us were sitting peacefully in our new place, paid up (in cash so cheaper again to avoid air b’nb fees for both of us) and in search for somewhere to eat. We went to the hotel previously mentioned and I was again totally unimpressed by Austrian cruising (I’d googled the life out of it before travelling) and order a platter to share between two. Oh my holy God...even kingQuez couldn’t have finished off this thing. Two of everything (steak, pork chop, chicken fillet, bratwurst, schnitzel) a HUGE pile of rice and an even bigger pile of chips as well as a bowel of veg. However, challenge accepted!
On Friday, mum had stayed in the apartment as she got a bite on her foot earlier in the week and it swelled up on Thursday with all the travelling so the rest of us headed to Klagenfurt where I registered and picked up my bike ( as well as some quick expo shopping I promised myself a discreet Ironman jacket…only when I got home did I see the huge IRONMAN across the back…) and some teddies for the nephews and a new helmet. I had another nephew due to make an appearance any day but I wasn’t allowed to buy him anything before his arrival.
Back to the apartment on the train and I chilled out for the rest of the day before heading out for dinner.
Up early on Saturday to go to the race briefing and try get a quick swim in the lake. I got out to Klagenfurt earlier than expected and they were letting people into swim so I decided to go there before hitting up the briefing. I wasn't too pushed about swimming before the race, I knew it would be a wetsuit swim but I wouldn't have been worried if it had been non-wetsuit. As soon as I hit the water, I was glad I’d done a practice swim. Got a bit of a shock at how cold it felt, expected it to feel much warmer. I only stayed in about 10 minutes as I was cutting it fine or making it to the briefing.
The briefing was filed with a mixture of tension and excitement with lots of nervous faces…I questioned why the hell I wasn’t feeling nervous, just pure adrenaline and excitement.
I headed straight back to the apartment after the briefing to relax and cleared everyone else out so I would have some piece, get the bike sorted and get the bags sorted. I had recently got a new club tri suit that I hadn’t had the chance to try much. It felt a bit small but my only other options were a one piece or a two piece that was too big for me and wasn’t designed for long distance or to wear cycling gear on the bike and run gear on the run. The new club two piece was the same make etc as my one piece so I sucked it up and wore that, everyone assured me beforehand that it would be grand. Went for a short practice spin and short run (600m!) and then sorted out my bags. Checked and checked and checked again that I had everything that I needed.
Mum insisted that I shouldn’t go to bike check in alone as I’d never be able to carry the bag and bike...so I had to wait for my friend, who decided she needed to put make up on which saw us miss the train into Klagenfurt West, grand sure there'll be another one in 20 minutes…I'd be cutting it fine for bike check in by getting this one but sure it’d be grand…yeah…it’ll be fine. Fine, it was not…the next train arrived and on we got. A couple of minutes later I said ‘’ummm is it not stopping?’ - well it was, in Klagenfurt, not Klagenfurt West where I needed to be…10 minutes ago. F*ck.
Off the train at Klagenfurt, when is the next train back…sh*t, too late...only one thing for it…I’d have to cycle.Google maps activated and thank God for that Ironman bag they give out at registration that have my bike and run gear in it as I slung that on my back and headed in the general direction of the way the train had come from with google maps trying to calculate my route. Being my first IM I wasn't rue whether I'd still be able to check the bike in after the final check in time which I was now running very close…and being in a mad panic, I missed tonnes of turns and completely missed the signs for bike check in about 4 times once I did get there!
A sigh of relief when I made it with 15 minutes to spare before check in (apparently) closes and off to rack my bike. Racks were already jammed…it seemed I was pretty much the last one to rack and finding my rack was not easy. I thought racking up my bike and hanging up my bags would be where it would all sink in, I was wrong…it still felt very surreal. Total emotional wreck…and a total first time IMer taking photos of everything! I videoed the run in from the swim to my bike bag and out of the tent to my rack and again the way back in with the bike, to the bike rack and to my run bag and set off back to meet the gang for dinner…along with the news a new RacoonNephew had entered the world a few hours earlier and was safe and well
Dinner was…yeah…big, and back to the apartment for an early night. (Pasta wasn't mine!)
They had stressed in the race briefing to make it to transition for 5am, so I’d booked a taxi for 4:30. Getting up at 3:45 has never been so easy and I easily soaked up my breakfast and a cup of tea. My excitement was unbearable, how come it wasn’t 7:20 yet?! The taxi arrived promptly and off we set. Got into transition, removed my bike cover, put my bottles on the bike and bike computer on. Spotted my clubmate, gave her a hug and had a brief chat…pumped up my tires and then went to head back out. Ran into one of the Phoenix guys and had a chat, wished each other luck. Met up with Jonny from Pulse outside and chatted to one of our supporters for a bit before myself and Jonny headed off for an excited walk back to the swim area where we deposited our white bags and got suited up.
Headed into the swim warm up area and wished each other a final good luck as it was unlikely we’d see each other again before we started and I did a bit of a warm up in the water, made sure the suit was fitting as well as possible…my wetsuit is far too big for me now and very uncomfortable around the neck area but it had to do at this stage.
I wasn’t in for long before they started talking about the pros setting off, so I got out and tried to catch a glimpse, I couldn’t but I joined the queue to enter the swim area anyway. There was more pushing and showing in here than there was in the water. The entry to the swim was narrow and only one could really fit at a time. The girls were protecting each other from the barrage of men trying to force their way through, many from the early waves who were cutting it fine for making it to the start on time.
The amount of people who missed their start time was unbelievable, how do you even do that?
Bumped into Kim again at the swim start when I managed to slot in right behind her one last hug and a good luck..emotion visible on both our faces and then the countdown. AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!
And we were off, got down and started swimming while most around me were still trying to run through the water and got some ground. Got into a good position, our wave was relatively small so there wasn’t much jostling at the start. Tango had drilled in that we needed to find feet and stay with them…so thats what I tried to do but I couldn’t stay behind the first few sets I found, there were few groups and it was difficult to stay on feet. The gap between lubing up my neck and getting in the water was long and it meant the vaseline had pretty much worn off. The velcro was scratching at my neck and I had to keep gliding and refitting the strap.
A few hundred metres in ( I mean a few, we hadn’t even reached the first buoy yet) I got a kick to the lady parts when I hit someone from the wave before us who I hadn’t even felt in the water ahead of me. Ouch…better there than the ribs sure!
The first buoy came quicker than I’d have expected and I managed to turn around it well and stuck with the group I’d found…we were hitting a lot of swimmers from the waves ahead at this stage and it was getting a bit messier…and then the faster swimmers from the wave behind us started arriving…and the second buoy…I started to try and make a move forward at this stage and somehow drifted into the wrong group and ended up swimming wide…way wide…over to the outskirts if the course wide. I turned to my left, saw how far wide I’d gone and let out a very loud “F*ck!”
Getting back on course wasn’t easy as most of the ones of course were from the waves before us and I had to work my way through slower swimmers, I was relieved when I found my way back to the pink hats but absolutely kicking myself for being so stupid. I knew I’d lost ground, but all I could do was relax and try and work back into the swim…the opening for the canal came and I followed the feet in there. I knew before this that the 70 minute swim I had hoped for was long gone…and felt that a 75 may be out of reach too but I wasn’t sure, there were a good few black hats (next wave) that had passed and there were a lot of bodies from the earlier waves in the narrower canal. Their arms were flailing all over the shop and they were stopping and standing up. Annoying? You bet!
I’d watched a video of the swim so I’d identified the turn for home and gave one final effort. Up, out of the water and was extremely surprised to find my legs were able to run. Down to the waist with the wetsuit and legged it past everyone walking to T1. A quick glance at the watch 1:20, balls, ah well...lets get this done.
Swim 1:20:51
Picked up the bike bag and into the tent. Race number on, cycling jersey on, helmet on, glasses on...wetsuit in the bag…volunteer takes the bag and runs off, I make towards my bike…crap my T1 bar is in that bag. To the bike and the long run out of transition, I'd left enough fuel on my bike for a 6:30 bike and some extras just in case so I’d have to use some of that.
T1 5:51
Onto the bike and off we went, I knew the start of the bike course was quite fast and adrenaline would carry me along in the early stages. So I wasn’t too concerned with being a bit faster early on. I was feeling good out of the swim and got the fuel and fluids into me early, have a lovely photo of me with my gob full of food…
The course was busy and I was doing a bit of overtaking at the start but was trying to be mindful not to put too much into lap one. I’d read reports on slowtwitch about the bike course and the plan was to not kill it on lap one. About 20K in, my quads started cramping…what the fudge, says I as I look down at them. Since when do you f*ckers cramp on the bike. Anyway, nothing major maybe just a reminder to keep it calm on lap one, there were many hills to come and lap one was about familiarising myself with them. The first hill came and everyone bunched up, I would normally power up hills and overtake on hills but this was a 180k cycle I didn’t want to do that but everyone I got mashed behind was going up VERY slow…I stuck to my guns and stayed back. To the top and make up time on the way down. More cramping…what the hell IS this? Keep it easy. You have to keep it easy My bike clock just shows time, no distance or pace so I was using that against the distance markers while my watch monitored my HR.
I’d cut my bars up into fours and had shot blocks on the bike. Was getting a whole bar and two shot blocks into me every hour and taking bananas at every aid station. My drinks bottles had power bar tablets in them and it was going down well, my error was not taking my own tablets with me and putting this in water on the course, the iso they gave out, you couldn’t rely on it being strong, it certainly didn’t taste it. Anyway…about 60k into lap one, I was enjoying the bike and I knew the biggest hill was too come, my cramps had spread to my calves and I couldn’t believe this was happening. I have never once cramped on the bike. After the big hill of lap one somewhere between 60 and 70k I knew it was pretty much flat after that and I tried to calm myself…then my adductors in my left leg started cramping and oh holy jesus the pain. I couldn’t complete a pedal stroke and had to free wheel…as the bike slowed I tried to stroke again, no…into spasm. F*CK!!!! Into the easy gears and ok…now I can get the pedals turning, feel the cramp ease off. Now, I need to revert to plan C…crap, I don’t have a plan C. Legs were ok now, cramps were gone so I keep going, move up the gears and power through as I went on and cramps came and went I began to worry about the run. I’m going to have to reign it in more on the bike or I may not make it onto the bike course. These thoughts were compounded when an Aussie chap, Robert, came up alongside me with his matching bike and commented on my lovely bike ‘’Shame about the engine” says I
“I’m struggling with this bike course” he says, “ I’m worried about the second lap of the bike”
“Me too mate, not the second lap I’m worried about though, it’s the run I’m worried about” I pulled ahead at that stage and didn’t see him again for a while.
I reached the half way point on 3:11, pretty good for my 6:30 startline target, if all went well I could almost match that on lap two but I had to weigh up what I do if the cramps continued or worsened…I knew I could power through the quads but when it travelled into the adductors, I couldn’t push the same way. Lap two was slow, a lot more painful than I’d planned for and I knew I was getting slower with every km. The hills seemed easier this time round and the course had opened up. The descents were a welcome relief and I was glad that I’d overcome the fear I had of descending earlier in the year as I tucked in and took them fast.
There was plenty of draft marshalls on lap one, but they were nowhere to be seen on lap two. I saw two Italian girls cycling side by side numerous times the whole way throughout the race…nothing done and they weren’t the only ones I spotted offending numerous times.
Towards the end of lap two the road in front of me was empty, everyone else must have maintained speed and I’d slowed down. It was getting lonely out there and then I started recognising the sights and realised how close I was to the finish and put the foot down. The 500m to dismount sign appeared and I got myself out of the shoes and ready to dismount. Off the bike and the legs turning as I ran back to rack the bike.
Bike 6:41:18 ( a lot more painful than I expected, hills tougher than I expected, still, a lot of fun)
Got the right red bag (woohoo) and straight into the tent. Helmet off, bike glasses off. Shoes on, hat on, run glasses on, suncream borrowed and splashed on, cycling jersey off…volunteer takes the bag. I leg it.
T2 6:36
Legs felt fine on the run from the off and I felt comfortable. I was flying past people who had come out of transition ahead of me. A quick glance at the watch told me I was running 5:20 pace…my body told me it felt great, my head told my I probably couldn’t maintain this pace…but I ignored that and headed on. I took a shot block and some water, grand…15 minutes later another shot block and a few minutes later ‘’oh holy crap my bloody stomach’’- “no, no, please, no” I eased off a bit…got some more water into me but knew I was now in search of a portaloo, they were meant to be at every aid station but I couldn’t see one. I ran by my supporters and described the experience as bloomin horrendous (with a smile) and was merry to find a loo right after I saw them. In and out in about 40 seconds and back on the run. Feeling better but comtemplating whether to risk anymore shot blocks. They were hit and miss in training but they were the best thing I tried. I opted to dump them and rely on what was given out at the aid stations water, iso, flat coke and fruit. My pace had already slowed but I settled into a slow 6:xx pace. I felt fine, I was enjoying it haling the bants with people I was passing, cheering every familiar Irish tri suit and lapping up the atmosphere. We were back along the canal 12, 13, 14, 15k…feeling strong…16k loving it…16.3k OH DEAR GOD…adductors spasmed again and I came to a complete stop. A marshall came running over ‘’Are you OK? Will I call you an ambulace???”
“God no, I’ll be ok, I’ll walk it off” he looked at my pain stricken face with confusion
“Are you sure?”
“Yes thanks, I’ll be fine” I said as I waved and hobbled off…16k in, if this doesn’t walk off I’m in for a long afternoon…I got running again after about 60 metres.
Got to the town where there was a nice gang of Irish people (finally people who can pronounce my name) and got some enthusiastic cheers, had to stop so I could reach up and ring the bell, around the fountain and back out. As I head back towards the square I saw K running against me and gave her a shout, she was heading for home at this stage and as I ran back along the canal heard a supporter shout her name, turned around and saw her right behind me and congratulated her on a great race. The distance signs along the canal reading 40K etc were a good boost because they were my markers for lap two and I knew how ‘close’ they now where. I was walking for one minute of every ten, which was slowing my pace but was a good mental boost for me. It stopped me wanting to walk at other stages as I knew I *could* walk for that one minute.
Lap two of the run was fine, I wasn’t killing myself but I was enjoying every step. I bumped into my Australian Argon buddy on lap two who told me my strategy was working well. I could see all around me that I was actually gaining on the people who were running continuously. My run pace was faster than theirs and a red tri suited girl who I recognised from the bike was up ahead, not making any ground on me ( I finished just ahead of her in the end). After leaving the train tracks and heading back along the canal I had left the Aussie dude behind and didn’t see him again. My pace remained steady enough, kept in the walk breaks…took my fill at every aid station. Right now I would tell you I wasn’t killing myself, I could probably have done the run like WAY faster…but I have some very vague memories of there being pain! Back into the town, past the bell, around the fountain, past the bell again, cheers from the Irish and on the road home. Only about 4k to go now and feeling really good.
I savoured every step of the last 4k..I knew I was far off my original target when I’d registered a year ago, but I didn’t care. I knew I’d be comfortably under 13 hours and I was content with that. This was the last few k, my last few and I was going to love it.
As the sound of the finish line came into earshot, adrenaline started pumping…I’d remembered everyone saying that you should try get down the finish chute on your own and there were a few around me who would be finishing with me so I picked up the pace a little and left them behind. Up ahead was a girl in blue who had done the same but I knew I wouldn’t catch her. All of a sudden I was in the finish chute and I can literally remember absolutely none of it. I’m told I ran right through the finish line and you’re actually meant to stop and that I looked fresh as a daisy – I felt it!
Run 4:35:42
Finish 12:50:21
To say I loved every step, absolute understatement. I feel so incredibly lucky to have made it to that start line and to get to be a part of something like this even if I am terribly slow It was rocky for me along the way and I looked back on my training now and see the huge gaps and I’m glad I didn’t look into that in too much detail before I raced as I think it would have got me down.
There was nothing in the world I would have preferred to be doing that day, has got to be the most awesome way to be reminded how f*cking great it is to be alive!
Then I got to come home to this cool little dude.
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griffin100 wrote: »Now that's a race report!! Great reading and racing, well done.
That's the shortened version 0 -
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Reading it has been on my to do list for 7 days Kurt, finally got to the end of it.
Great report RQ, it's refreshing to read a report where someone enjoys racing so much. I've KG's to get through next. Well done on getting to the startline and also getting through your first Ironman.
But just two things, there is no man in the world who wouldn't choose a kick to his ribs over a kick to his man parts.:)
Secondly, I'd say the mountains of food you photographed and consumed in the days before the race probably had more to do with the GI issues you had, than the minuscule amounts of sustenance you took on board during the race. Without trying to be too crude when talking to a lady, but 'Food goes in, sh!t comes out.' More often than not, it's no more complicated than this.0 -
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So...it's been a mad oul 18 months since I did Austria. I promised my mammy in the months before the race that after it was all over I would concentrate on getting my health up to scratch. Those that have been reading my rubbish for long enough on here will know I've had my ups and downs and I was in and out of hospital appointments that year and waiting for some further tests. I was battling a lot of digestive system issues in the months leading up to the race and had been sick in the weeks before...thinking back over the last few weeks I remember how drained I felt even on lap one of the bike. Yawning less than halfway into an Ironman probably isn't ideal race conditions But it was what it was - one of the overriding reasons for going ahead with the race, even from the day I entered, was knowing that there was a chance I may never get another opportunity to do an Ironman.
As it transpired - the doctors (and my) fears were just that but I still go through oesphagus/stomach/bowel spells that are still undiagnosed and unmanaged which can leave me in agony and training poorly for weeks, frustrating, but again, it is what it is. I can only do the best I can do with what I've got to work with...and this is something I have to work around.
2016 started with my good news and good intentions to get going again to run a couple of marathons and maybe tackle national series...got injured training for Rotterdam and it all went downhill from there...mam was diagnosed with lung cancer in April - had a lung removed in June. Dad, heart surgery in July. So much of my year was spent being your regular Florence Nightingale. Unfortunately, my brother also fell ill in September and it's an ongoing, heartbreaking battle with his mental health right now...so my training in 2016 has been aimed towards keeping sane and racing has been non-existent. But, that's ok, there are more important things in life than obsessing over a training schedule and there are some times when having hobbies is one of life's great gifts - 30 minutes away from real life to squeeze in a short, easy run is sometimes all you need to turnaround your day.
Anyway, after a horrendous bike leg in Austria in 2015, I registered for the race again for 2017..I've barely been on the bike since the last time I was there save for a few short easy spins and I'm studying part-time on top of working so things are pretty full on for the next 6 months...right now the chances of a better race than last time are probably pretty slim...but I'm getting more training in now and starting to feel better, fitter and more comfortable..there be less weekend on-call work in the new year too so it'll be easier to get out for long bikes at the weekend without constantly checking your phone to see if the world is about to end. Still very early days to be writing off a race that is 7 months away but sure ye wouldn't expect any less from me 0 -
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RacoonQueen wrote: »there are some times when having hobbies is one of life's great gifts - 30 minutes away from real life to squeeze in a short, easy run is sometimes all you need to turnaround your day.
Amen to that. Best of luck with everything 0 -
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Jan 2nd AM
Up early and out for longish run to run off the christmas excesses...I'm not usually one for eating and drinking like a mad thing over christmas but let my hair down a little bit this year...even had a few bottles of beer over christmas and new year!
Had planned for 14 but stomach didn't play ball and I was fighting pain from around 8.5 miles...can see pace just drift dramatically slower when I look at the stats. History dictates that it will kick in a few miles later on the next long run.
Jan 2nd PM
1 hour easy spinning on the turbo watching netflix.
Jan 3rd am
Back in for an early morning swim after crappy christmas gym and pool hours keeping me away. All easy, slow, extra slow...technique. Trying to get a bit more fluid....getting a bit bored with the slow now. Need to get myself to another coached swim to have someone look at my stroke soon.
Jan 3rd PM
6 miles easy running after work.
Jan 4th
Dropped car home at lunch, ran back to office. Plan with method is to get the proper run in on the way home from work...or get home from work quickly after work to hop on the turbo. Only 2 miles back to work but went the long way for 3.1
Plan was for a turbo session but binned this as got out of work late and had study to do
Run home again, with couple of loops round the 600m hilly loop in the estate. 2.8
Jan 5th
AM
Swim..same easy enough with a bit of speed put in for this one. Session of 100s and 200s...doing odd numbered lengths fast, but controlled...even numbers slower, focusing on technique. I like this - I find it easier to 'feel' when I'm slipping when I'm trying to go that bit faster when I'm constantly reminding my body what better technique feels like.
PM
Tempo run - straight from the office. This is my time management plan at the moment. Run straight from the office after work then go back and quick shower and go home to get my run in. If I go straight home I'm A) sitting in traffic B)always end up sitting down with a cup of tea and then have to drag myself out for a run at 7pm. By doing my run straight from work and then heading home. I'm home and sitting down to dinner most evenings by 7 leaving me with plenty of fun study time
Jan 6th
Didn't sleep last night so stayed in bed and opted to go to Pulse swim that evening to take the minute bit of sleep once I did finally get to sleep at about 4/4:30 (my alarm normally goes off a 4:50!)
Only the fast lane had spots availalbe in the pulse swim used to swim there but nowhere near that at the moment...fell asleep after work anyway and woke up after the session would have started...
Rest
Jan 7th
Hadn't been outdoors on the bike in exactly 2 months Few pulse people were going out so I said I'd join them for a bit and cut off as they were doing a 100k route + commute to start / finish point. Was checking pressure in my tyres on way out only for the valve to come off my front tyre as I removed the cap. Great. Had to change tube and hightail it to meet up point with one of the guys who lives in my estate. Then off we went. Since the longest spin I've done since IM Austria 2015 was 80/90k last January and since I'd be surprised if the number of times I've been out on my bike since IM Austria hit double figures (it certainly isn't far into double figures) and since the amount of times I've been on the turbo in the same period is equally as minimal...I certainly had no intentions of doing the full route with the gang.
Anyway, off I went with them...pace was a bit too hot for me here and there and they had to wait on me...I fully intended on taking the shortcut through Naas to Blessington rather than go onto Dunlavin but got too absorbed in the spin and ended up in Dunlavin where they finally fecked off and left me on my own.
A couple of K's of slower cycling and I got a second wind, stopped off to refill my water bottle and hit the road again. It was probably only about 10 minutes after they left me that I started to enjoy the spin.
What I learnt here is something I already knew, I don't really enjoy cycling with other people all that much. The introvert in me gets too...what word am I looking for here...overwhelmed/frustrated/pissed off with the company and I just want to be on my own...I'm ok for an hour or 2 but at the stage I just want to do my own thing. The pace kept drifting to being a bit too fast for me anyway - I could have held it if I wanted to but I really just wanted them to feck off and leave me on my own.
~120k @ ~26kph
0 to 120k is not a bad days work I suppose
4 mile run easy in the evening to loosen out the legs
Jan 8th
Had plans to meet a friend for lunch so opted to leave my morning run after I accidently slept through two alarms. She cancelled at 11am just after I'd stuffed myself with breakfast over at my folks house....grrr...afternoon was spent studying to the point where I couldn't motivate myself to do anything. Ended up with a mere 3.5 mile run for the day. Waste of a training day. Would have got this done early if it wasn't for having plans and needing to visit my folks before meeting her. Had all day to do what needed to be done for them in the end so could have got long run done if I'd known earlier
Jan 9th
Another bad nights sleep. Skipped morning swim and ended up nearly late for work...didn't get up till 7:20 :eek:
Had a tutorial on Monday night...decided to take a quick 'nap' after work and woke up an hour later just in time for the tutorial.
Rest :mad:
Jan 10th
Easy 40 min swim. Not much to say. Technique. Drills. Drills. Swim.
8 x 1k run after work
Was getting changed only to find I had no sports socks with me...which meant either driving home first (knowing that option would likely leave me not doing much or anything at all) or running sockless. Went for the no socks...no issue until the end of rep 7. No point binning rep 8 as I had to run back that way to get back to office anyway. Stumbled the quick way back to the office for a much shortened warm down.
Session was good..considering I don't do intervals nearly consistency enough I can't expect to make progress on them but my 'baseline' for these never seems to change. I need to get some consistency in for things like this.
Feet sore now. Blisters will be fun tomorrow.0
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