I Am the Master of My Fate

zico10

pgibbo wrote: »

What wheelset did you buy?

This one and this one, both clinchers.

mossym

lovely wheels. been admiring that disc for a while now

zico10

mossym wrote: »

lovely wheels. been admiring that disc for a while now

It's pretty nice alright and their crash replacement policy isn't bad either.;)
http://www.ffwdwheels.com/service/crp?locale=en_US

joey100

Does that disc have an aluminium brake rim or is it carbon Zico?

zico10

joey100 wrote: »

Does that disc have an aluminium brake rim or is it carbon Zico?

Mine has aluminum rims, but I think they're available in carbon as well.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

zico10 wrote: »

Mine has aluminum rims, but I think they're available in carbon as well.

Right choice imo, i have moved away from carbon rims as they are beyond useless in the rain under heavy braking.

zico10

Ahmed Wide Ostrich wrote: »

Right choice imo, i have moved away from carbon rims as they are beyond useless in the rain under heavy braking.

I never went near them in the first place. The thoughts of switching brake pads or sanding them down, anytime I wanted to put on my race wheels, ruled them out.
I don't do complicated.

zico10

Monday 15th June
a.m.
Cycle

I chose to lie in today and instead of any training, I cycled to and from work. It certainly wasn’t a hectic pace and hardly counts as proper training, but I’ll log it anyway as my numbers have been embarrassingly low of late and my confidence needs boosting.
Totals: 0.5hrs – 13.0km

p.m.
Run

12km easy pace to and from swimming

Totals: 1.0hrs – 12.0km

Swim
Coached session, 25m pool

400m warm up
21*25m off 40 seconds, every third one fast
75m easy
5*200m off 3:45 (I was drafting for these and used a pull buoy.)
5*100m off 2:00 descending, times fell from 1:45-1:35 (I resumed lead out duties for this set and got rid of the pull buoy.)
75m easy

Totals: 1.0hrs – 2,550m


Tuesday 16th June
a.m.
Swim
NAC, 50m pool

8*400m alternating p.b./f.s.

Totals: 1.0hrs – 3,200m

p.m.
Run
Club session

7.5km warm up
{15" on & 15" off} x 2 (3:07 & 3:22/km)
{30" on & 30" off} x 2 (3:06 & 3:01/km)
{45" on & 45" off} x 2 (3:05 & 3:02/km)
{60" on & 60" off} x 2 (3:08 & 3:04/km)
90" on & 90" off (3:16/km)
{60" on & 60" off} x 2 (3:08 & 3:13/km)
{45" on & 45" off} x 2 (3:01 & 3:18/km)
{30" on & 30" off} x 2 (3:15 & 3:11/km)
{15" on & 15" off} x 2 (3:09 & 3:11/km)
10 minutes easy
15" on &15" off (3:07/km)
30" on & 30" off (3:23/km)
45" on &45" off (3:10/km)
60" on & 60" off (3:17/km)
90" on & 90" off (3:15/km)
4km cool down

There were some intervals here where my pace wasn't quite as fast as I would have liked, but as they were so short it's not terribly important. I was going to work my way back down through the second set before I finished off, but felt I had enough done when I ran the final 90 seconds hard and left it at that.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 18.01km


Wednesday 17th June
a.m.
Swim
NAC, 50m pool

400m warm up
8*100m descending off 2:10 (Times fell from 1:49-1:36 approximately)
2*400m off 7:30 (7:05 - 1:46/100m & 7:10 - 1:48/100m)
2*400m off 7:20 (6:55 - 1:43/100m & 6:48 - 1:41/100m)
2*400m off 7:10 (6:53 - 1:43/100m & 6:53 - 1:43/100m)
200m cool down

I was swimming with my regular swim partner, who is always happy to lead out. At least that's what I tell myself. He was training for IM Frankfurt and anytime I've swam with him, I've just copied whatever session he had planned.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,800m

p.m.
Cycle

2 hour cycle with 45 minutes building to 30 minute IM race effort

I did this with my housemate who was training for IM Austria at the time. I was humming and hawing about what to do, when he came home. I asked him what he had planned and he told me. It sounded good to me, so I went out with him. I was on my road bike though, while he was on his brand spanking new Shiv Tri Bike. I had no watch or cycle computer and my intention was just hold his wheel once the 30 minute IM effort started, which I managed for the first 15 minutes. After this, we turned at a roundabout and he got away from me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get back onto his wheel and the second 15 minutes proved a lot more difficult than the first.
Like I said I had no Garmin or computer, so I mapped the route on mapmyride when I got home.
Totals: 2.0hrs - 62.02km


Thursday 18th June
a.m.
Swim
Coached session, 25m pool

600m warm up & drills
Approximately 2,300m OW practice
100m cool down

We took the ropes out of the pool today and swam lap after lap around four small buoys, practising drafting, passing people, swimming over others, and generally getting beaten up. I came away with a cut to my eye after someone's elbow connected with my goggles. All in the game I suppose, and I'm just glad it wasn't worse.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,000m

p.m.
Cycle
Club session

My club had been holding bike sessions out in Corkagh Park for the last number of weeks. This was the first one I attended though and I cycled out there on my own. I'd never been there before and wasn't 100% sure where I was going. Even when I got there, it took me another while to find the cycle track and I was over 10 minutes late. Just for me, the coach explained what the session entailed; which was sets of a 1 minute maximum intensity effort with high revs, followed by approximately 7 minutes recovery. I repeated this seven times. I knew what we were supposed to do, but my my poor bike handling skills let me down and I didn't get the full benefit from the session. I just wasn't brave enough to pedal continuously through the bends and my intensity and speed dropped because of that. I never managed to pedal all out for one continuous minute. For whatever it's worth, these were my average speeds for each one minute max effort; 1) 37.6km/hr, 2) 34.9km/hr, 3) 36.7km/hr, 4) 35.1km/hr, 5) 38.3km/hr, 6) 36.5km/hr, 7) 37.8km/hr
After this I cycled back home.
Totals: 2.0hrs - 57.20km

Run

1.66km warm up
3.11km in 12.51, 4:07/km
3:12km in 12:32, 4:02/km
1:11km easy

I was a bit disappointed with how the cycle went earlier and thought I needed to redeem myself by getting some quality training done this evening. It was late when I got home, but I went out for a run nonetheless. As is the case for 90% of the runs I do, it was in The Park. I was targetting sub 4:15/km for the fast parts in the middle, each split being one lap of The Visitors' Centre.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 9.0km


Friday 19th June
a.m.
Swim
NAC, 50m pool

100m warm up
20*100m off 1:55, aiming for 1:40 (At least the guy I was swimming with was aiming for this, I was merely aiming to hold his feet)
1) 1:37, 2) 1:37, 3) 1:39, 4) 1:40, 5) 1:36, 6) 1:38, 7) 1:38, 8) 1:37, 9) 1:37,
10) 1:38, 11) 1:37, 12) 1:37, 13) 1:37, 14) 1:38, 15) 1:38, 16) 1:38, 17) 1:38,
18) 1:38, 19)1:39, 20) 1:40
400m easy pull
16*50m off 1:00 (My club mate left after the 20*100, and I did these on my own.)
1) 49", 2) 50", 3) 49", 4) 50", 5) 49", 6) 49", 7) 47", 8) 49", 9) 50", 10) 50", 11) 47", 12) 48", 13) 49", 14) 50", 15) 48", 16) 49"
200m cool down

Usually 20*100s would be a tough session, but I was drafting for every single one of them and how consistent the times were says more about the pacing of my training partner than it does about me. If I do anything at all on a Friday morning, it's invariably easy, so to make this session easy, I wore buoyancy shorts. The club mate I was swimming with had been training for IM Frankfurt. Now that that's done and dusted, this is probably the last IM focussed pool swim I'll have his company for this year. It's a pity, as I think I got quality work done with him.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,500m

p.m.
Run

21.00km in 1:37:00, 4:37/km

My target setting out was merely to keep my average pace below 4:48/km, which is very manageable once I'm a few kilometres into a long run.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 27.0km


Saturday 20th June
a.m.
Swim
Open water, Camlough Lake

3,17km in 53:49, 1:41/km (assuming my Garmin was accurate)

My regular Wednesday morning swim partner told me he was heading to Camlough, for a long open water swim, in advance of Frankfurt and he invited me along. I woke up early and drove up to meet him there for a 9 a.m. start. Just like when I swim with him in the pool, my intention was to stay on his feet no matter what he did. I was like a dog with a bone, and anytime I thought he was getting away from me, I'd work hard to stay with him. I thought I drafted very well. He's been out of the water a few minutes ahead of me in two races we've done this year and today I stayed with him all the way. I don't think he was killing himself today and even though I must have been annoying him, I don't think he was trying overly hard to drop me. Overall though, I was still pretty happy that I didn't let him get away from me.
Totals;1.0hrs - 3,170m

p.m.
Cycle

93.03km in 3:22, >27.6km/hr

Totals: 3.5hrs - 93.30km

Heading I thought I would have done a longer cycle, so to keep myself honest, I went for a run when I got home.

Run

1.6km easy
3.12km @ P.M.P. (No watch)
600m easy

Totals: 0.5hrs - 5.32/km


Sunday 21st June
Cycle

160.64km in 6:48:06

I headed into The Wicklow Mountains for today's spin. I went up the Sally Gap and The Wicklow Gap. I'd only intended on being out for 6 hours, but didn't really allow for the fact that I'd be slower in the Mountains and I also underestimated the distance home. Still it was a good long day in the saddle and I hope to do a whole lot more of them between now and the end of September. So all's good.
Totals: 7.0hrs - 160.48km


Weekly Totals;
Swim: 7.5hrs - 19,220m
Bike: 15.0hrs - 388.16km
Run: 5.0hrs - 65.33km
S & C: 0.0hrs

Dory Dory

Question for you - the 400s you did on June 17th, were those 6 x 400s done continuously, or was there a slight rest between sets of 2?

How many weeks until your IM??

zico10

Dory Dory wrote: »

Question for you - the 400s you did on June 17th, were those 6 x 400s done continuously, or was there a slight rest between sets of 2?

We took 60 seconds rest after each set of 2*400. Sorry, this was important enough to have mentioned. I probably would have used two smilies, if I managed to swim them straight through.

How many weeks until your IM??

11 weeks from today, slowly but surely creeping up on me.

Dory Dory

zico10 wrote: »

We took 60 seconds rest after each set of 2*400. Sorry, this was important enough to have mentioned. I probably would have used two smilies, if I managed to swim them straight through.

Two smilies?? That's pretty big, right? Perhaps you can post a "zico emoticon legend" for us so we know how to interpret your interior delight and/or assessment of all things zico.

zico10 wrote: »

11 weeks from today, slowly but surely creeping up on me.

It will be no bother for you with the work you've put in and the cumulative training you've done. Which one are you doing again? And will swim be wetsuit....what kind of bike elevations are you looking at....is the run lumpy or flat....and have you got all three courses' twists and turns committed to memory?? :)

zico10

Dory Dory wrote: »

Two smilies?? That's pretty big, right?

Yeah, but it didn't happen and if it ever does, I'm sure I still wouldn't be happy.

Perhaps you can post a "zico emoticon legend" for us so we know how to interpret your interior delight and/or assessment of all things zico.

There aren't enough emoticons in the world for that legend.

It will be no bother for you with the work you've put in and the cumulative training you've done. Which one are you doing again? And will swim be wetsuit....what kind of bike elevations are you looking at....is the run lumpy or flat....and have you got all three courses' twists and turns committed to memory?? :)

Let's hope so. My training hasn't been great this last month and I've slipped into some bad habits. I'm on holidays now for two months, which don't get me wrong is fantastic, but I need to establish a routine pronto to get the most out of my training and recovery. Your definitely right about the cumulative effects of training though and I think some of my performances this year owe more to what I have done over the last 2/3 years than anything else.

I'm going back to Mallorca, so I've no excuses for not knowing the course. There's only one major hill on the bike route. It comes after 120km, but it's the descent off it where I lost most time last year. It'll be same this year, but just hopefully not as bad. The run is flat, it goes along by the beach and through the seaside town of Port d'Alcudia. Even for me, it'd be hard to fnck up. The swim was non wetsuit last year, but we only found this out at the briefing on the eve of the race. All of last year, I was expecting it to be a wetsuit swim. It's the same story this year. Whichever it is, it won't bother me. Que sera sera!

zico10

Monday 22nd June
a.m.
Cycle

For the second week running this was another lazy Monday morning where all I did was cycle to work, then back home in the evening.
Totals: 0.5hrs – 13.6km

p.m.
Run
Easy pace to and from swimming
Totals: 1.0hrs – 11.0km

Swim
Coached session, 25m pool

400m warm up
8*50m off 75", with six three seconds bursts when we had to kick extra hard.
100m max effort; 1:27 (I'm pretty sure I've clocked 1:24 before, so the verdict would be 'Can do better.')
5*200m off 3:30; coming in on :20
100m easy
7*50m off 60", descending 1-4 & 5-7
50m easy

Totals: 1.0hrs – 2,400m


Tuesday 23rd June
a.m.
Cycle
Turbo

1 hour easy

Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km

p.m.
Swim
NAC, 25m pool

6*400m untimed, alternating f.s./p.b. with buoyancy shorts

Totals: 1.0hrs - 2,400m

Run
Club session

6.0km warm up
10 minutes at general aerobic pace;
2.14km in 10:00, 4:41/km
10 minutes at tempo pace;
2.72km in 10:00, 3:41/km
5 minutes flat out;
1.47km in 5:00, 3:25/km
4km cool down

Totals: 1.5hrs - 16.33km


Wednesday 24th June
a.m.
Cycle

1 hour easy turbo

Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km

p.m.
Swim
Open water, Bull Wall

Approximately 1/2 hour with the club

Totals: 0.5hrs - 1,050m


Thursday 25th June
a.m.
Swim
Coached session, 25m pool

Warm up and then some drills, then a mix of fast, steady and easy paced stuff

Totals: 1.5hrs - 3,600m

p.m.
Cycle
Turbo

10:00 warm up
Main set;
{4:00 hard & 4:00 recovery, 2:00 hard & 2:00 recovery, 1:00 hard}
8:00 steady
{4:00 hard & 4:00 recovery, 2:00 hard & 2:00 recovery, 1:00 hard}
6:00 cool down

Once again my club had another cycle session out in Corkagh Park this evening. The coach wasn't able to attend though and had posted details on the club website of what we should do. I didn't have much time to spare, so adapted the session for the turbo.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km


Friday 26th June
a.m.
Morning off

p.m.
I drove down to Kilkee after work. After registering and checking into my accommodation, I went out for a spin on my bike followed by a short run.
Cycle

1 hour easy

Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km

Run

5km with 6*100m strides

Totals: 0.5hrs - 5.0km


Saturday 27th June
Run

3km easy

Totals: 0.5hrs - 3.0km

Race
Hell of the West, Kilkee

Swim: 00:25:33
T1: 00:00:58
Cycle: 01:08:33
T2: 00:00:47
Run: 00:36:37
Overall time: 02:12:24
7th overall

I was happy enough with this. I didn't swim the straightest line possible, but after turning at the second buoy, I saved energy by drafting. I knew the guy in front wasn't swimming straight, but I think staying behind him and conserving energy was the more sensible thing to do.
It was a case of catching as many as I could on the bike and run. I wasn't holding much back on either leg. Tried to focus on form during the run, I think particularly on the downhills there were big savings to be made by concentrating on this. Apart from Bryan Keane, I had the quickest time for the cycle and run combined. If I can say the same for my AG in Mallorca this September, I won't be too far away from the business end of things.
If I ever get on top of this log, I'll post a more detailed report, but that'll have to do for now.
Totals;
Swim: 0.5hrs - 1,500m
Cycle: 1.0hrs - 44.0km
Run: 0.5hrs - 10.0km


Sunday 28th June
Between drinking a lot the night before, driving back up from Kilkee, visiting my brother when I got back to Dublin, but above all else a severe lack of motivation and in general just being an all round lazy git, I got nothing done today.


Weekly Totals;
Swim: 4.5hrs - 10,650m
Bike: 5.5hrs - 157.61km
Run: 4.0hrs - 45.33km
S & C: 0.0hrs


My training hours were quiet low this week. It didn't help that I did absolutely nothing on Sunday and even after the race on Saturday, a 2-3 hour cycle I had planned just never happened. But I was also keeping myself fresh for the Kilkee. Between one thing and another, I felt I hadn't done enough during the month of July. With less than a week to the race though, I decided on Monday I'd arrive in Kilkee as well rested as possible, so as to give the best account of myself as I could. Whether I did that or not, who knows?

BennyMul

Nice meeting you sir and great result.

Dory Dory

Any chance you'll be doing Challenge Galway next year, even just for fun? I'd like to collect on my wine gum if I end up making it to the start line myself.

pgibbo

I'm taking you're not keeping on top of the log as a good sign - training is going very well and your maximising the school holidays! :cool:

Nice going in Kilkee

zico10

Dory Dory wrote: »

Any chance you'll be doing Challenge Galway next year, even just for fun? I'd like to collect on my wine gum if I end up making it to the start line myself.

I hadn't planned on it. I hope it succeeds and maybe some other year I'd love to race it. But all going well, the only long distance race I'll have to do next year will be IM Hawaii. The half might interest me, but it'd be an expensive training day when I think there are already some very goof half iron distance races in Ireland for considerably less.

If you do make it over though, I'll make sure you get your Wine Gums. I'll even hand them out to you on the run course, how about that?

Dory Dory

zico10 wrote: »

I hadn't planned on it. I hope it succeeds and maybe some other year I'd love to race it. But all going well, the only long distance race I'll have to do next year will be IM Hawaii. The half might interest me, but it'd be an expensive training day when I think there are already some very goof half iron distance races in Ireland for considerably less.

If you do make it over though, I'll make sure you get your Wine Gums. I'll even hand them out to you on the run course, how about that?

Wow. I'd be flattered and honored!

Shell to Run

zico10 wrote: »

The half might interest me, but it'd be an expensive training day when I think there are already some very goof half iron distance races in Ireland for considerably less.

I thought there was a half in Galway also as part of this event but only full, olympic, sprint. Pity.

zico10

pgibbo wrote: »

I'm taking you're not keeping on top of the log as a good sign - training is going very well and your maximising the school holidays! :cool:

Nice going in Kilkee

Thanks, but training hasn't gone as well as I would have hoped.
What else would you expect me to say?

But honestly it hasn't. It was my brother's wedding during the first week of my holidays. I was best man for it as well, so that ate into my training time. There actually is a limit to how selfish I am with my time.

I flew out to Thailand the week after. I'm here now trying to get some warm weather training in. This wasn't so easy in the totally unplanned urban sprawl that is Bangkok. Now I'm back in the village where my fourth bicycle spent the last two years waiting for me, and the swimming pool I planned on using, now looks more like a silo pit than a swimming pool. Swimming in the sea here isn't very appealing, but I'll have to figure something out sooner or later, as I've only swam three times so far in July.

Kurt_Godel

Personally I prefer the lack of emoticons in your log, makes you seem more focused and batsh*t than you already are.

Which isn't crazy at all; you're making the most of living up to your log title. That will probably get harder in the next few years, so find a way to make swimming happen in Thailand. It's a weak point in your training which should have had better results with your swim volume. There has to be 10-15mins waiting to be plucked.

zico10

Monday 29th June
a.m.
Continuing on the bad form of yesterday, I did nothing this morning either.


p.m.
Swim
Coached session, 25m pool

400m warm up
12*200m off 3:45 (some were pull, some were full stroke)

As he typically does when someone was racing on the weekend, the coach gave me an easier session tonight. I was on my own in the lane, but I don't remember it being too taxing.
Totals: 1.0hrs – 2,800m


Tuesday 30th June
a.m.
It was my final day of work today and with a 12 o'clock finish, I thought I'd have plenty of time to make up for missing out on an a.m. session. It didn't work out like this in the end, but I went to bed late last night and took the morning off.

p.m.
Cycle
Road Bike

72.54km in 2:27:39, avg. moving speed > 29.5km/hr

Totals: 2.5hrs - 72.54km


Wednesday 1st July
a.m.
Run
14.0km in 1:08:45, 4:54/km
Totals: 1.0hrs - 14.0km

Swim
NAC, 50m pool

200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m

The above were untimed and done without any aids.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 3,200m

p.m.
My evening was taken up with preparations for my brother's wedding, so the two morning sessions are all I could manage today.


Thursday 2nd July
It was my brother's wedding today and with that happening I was unable to train.


Friday 3rd July
a.m.
Morning off

p.m.
Cycle
Turbo

1 hour moderate effort

Totals: 1.0hrs - 27.5km


Saturday 4th July
Cycle
Turbo

2 hours, steady effort

Totals: 2.0hrs - 60.0km


Sunday 5th June
Cycle

149.10km in 5:17:43, avg. moving speed >28.2km/ hr

Totals: 5.5hrs - 149.10km

Run

4.43km easy

I met some friends for pints last night and the main purpose of this run was to pick up my car.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 4.43km



This was a poor training week. My brother's wedding and best man duties took away a lot of training opportunities, but I should have juggled things better. After an easy week the week before, I didn't need the recovery. Anyway what's done is done.



Weekly Totals;
Swim: 2.0hrs - 6,000m
Bike: 11.0hrs - 309.14km
Run: 1.5hrs - 18.43km
S & C: 0.0hrs

zico10

Monday 6th July
a.m.
I should have done my turbo earlier in the day, but with no work to go to, I've lost the routine in my life. I know I won't get any sympathy from anybody and it's a problem you'd all love to have.

p.m.
Cycle
Turbo

15:00 warm up, 15:00 HIM effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 Olympic effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 HIM effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 Olympic effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 HIM effort, 10:00 cool down

I was holding 88-90 rpm for the half iron efforts and 78-79rpm for the Olympic ones. These are higher cadences than I race at and they don't guide my training, but I like to make note of them nonetheless.
Totals: 2.0hrs - 63.65km

Run
To and from swimming. I walked for a bit as I was drinking a Yazoo I bought in a shop along the way.
Totals. 1.0hrs - 10.2km

Swim
Coached session, 25m pool

400m warm up
8*50m off 60 seconds, every fourth one fast
16*25m off 40 seconds, every fourth one fast
6*200m off 3:45, (f.s., p.b., f.s. & p.b., p.b., p.b., p.b.)
I wanted to do these alternating between pull and full stroke, but I started to cramp during the third 200 and stuck with the pull buoy from there.)
6*50m off 60 seconds, descending 1-3 & 4-6

The times weren't particularly difficult to hit, but my legs were in a bad state by the end of the hour. I'm sure it had more to do with the turbo earlier in the evening. I hadn't given myself enough time to recover between the two sessions and I was worried my legs were going to seize up as soon as I got out of the pool. Sure enough this is what happened. It dampened my enthusiasm for the run home, but it was either that or walk.
Totals: 1.0hrs – 2,700m


Tuesday 7th July
a.m.
Cycle

1 hour easy turbo

Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km

p.m.
Run
21km with 13km at PMP.

7km at PMP +10% (kilometre splits; 4:26, 4:20, 4:21, 4:27, 4:22, 4:21, 4:24, avg. split = 4:23)
12km at PMP (kilometre splits; 3:55, 3:54, 3:52, 3:46, 3:51, 3:51, 3:51, 3:48, 3:54, 3:52, 3;53, 3;55, avg. split = 3:52)
1km flat out (3:35)
1km at PMP +10% (4:19)

I was pretty happy with how this went. I've started the 55 miles per 12 week schedule from Pfitzinger& Douglas in preparation for my Ironman Marathon. I'm hoping to run sub 3 on the day. I managed 3:04 last year, so I don't think I was too far off. I followed a plan from Pfitzinger & Douglas last year as well, but I modified it by only doing 60% of the real hard running the plan called for. I plan to stick rigidly to their plan this time and hope I can handle it. I know I only need to run <4:15/km pace for a three hour marathon, but I figure if train for a faster target pace, then sub 3 pace will feel comparatively easy on race day. I've chosen <4:00/km, as is the same target pace I used for Connemarathon 2014 and I know I am capable if holding it for whatever duration a long run might be.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 21.01km


Wednesday 8th July
I was flying to Bangkok today, but it wasn't until 5 past 8 in the evening. I really should have managed to get some training done today, but I drove up from Roscrea to Dublin in the morning and I'd left packing my bags until the last minute. My procrastinating nature put paid to any training.


Thursday 9th July
It was late in the evening when I arrived in Thailand. I knew it was going to be too late to get to a public pool, so I booked into a hotel with a swimming pool. When I got to the hotel, the 'pool' turned out to be more of a decorative feature than a proper pool. It was so small, I would have already covered half a length if I stretched out straight. Needles to say I didn't bother trying to get a swim in. I went to the nearest 7-Eleven, bought some beers, sat down to drink them outside my hotel, and began acclimatising to the heat and humidity.


Friday 10th July
Swim
50m pool

400m f.s., 400m pull, 500m f.s., 500m pull, 600m f.s., 600m pull

The above were all untimed and I just took whatever rest I felt like. I swam these in an outdoor pool at the National Stadium in Bangkok. I'd booked into a hotel near it, as it is the only place I know of in Bangkok that I can get a decent swim in. Also outside of the city parks, this stadium is the only place I have seen people running in Bangkok.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 3,000m

Run

12km with 8*100m strides

I did this run in The National Stadium as well. I was expecting the heat (>30c) to be a problem, but I managed fine for my first run in this climate in nearly two years. I was running on a 200m track with a proper synthetic surface. This probably helped increase my pace, but given the heat I was a lot quicker than I would have expected. I was wearing my Garmin, but it seemed to have deleted about two weeks' worth of activities when I looked for it a few days later. To the best of my knowledge, my average pace came in on 4:3?/km.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 12.0km


Saturday 11th July
Run

14km

I think my average pace for this run was 4:29/km. I can't be sure as my Garmin seems to have wiped it from its history. I was back in the National Stadium in Bangkok for this. I was a little bit earlier starting off than yesterday and was able to do 6km of the run on a 400m track. I was still running round and round in circles, but at least I was doing half the amount. After 8 p.m., the lights were switched off and I had to move to the adjacent 200m track. Same as yesterday, I remember being quiet surprised how easy it was to hold the pace. The mere 5 hours of swimming and cycling I've done this week is probably the main reason for this.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 14.0km


Sunday 12th June
I flew out of Bangkok today and didn't manage to get any training done.



Weekly Totals;
Swim: 2.0hrs - 5,700m
Bike: 3.0hrs - 88.65km
Run: 4.5hrs - 57.21km
S & C: 0.0hrs


This was always going to be a messy week as regards training, so I was never going to beat myself up too much about how little I got done. Despite the low volume, I feel like I got two quality days in on Monday and Tuesday. More than that though I am happy I at least got through all the runs hitting the times I wanted to hit in Week 1 of the P & D plan I'm going to follow.

zico10

Monday 13th July
Cycle

> 3 hour cycle, approximately 96km

This was another one of the activities my Garmin seems to have erased. The time and distance are accurate enough to the best of my knowledge.
Totals: 3.0hrs - 96.0km

Run

8.05km in 36:39, 4:33/km

This was down as a recovery run in the plan I'm following. So it really should have been slower. I was running on the same loop I used to train on for Ironman 70.3 Phuket in 2012. I didn't gave a GPS watch back then and according to my Garmin tonight it isn't as long as I thought it was. So all those run paces I quoted in my original log here were out by a second or two. Ah well!
Totals: 0.5hrs - 8.05km


Tuesday 14th July
Run

24.01km in 1:47:50, 4:29/km
Kilometre splits; 1) 4:26/km, 2) 4:26/km, 3) 4:23/km, 4) 4:26/km, 5) 4:32/km, 6) 4:33/km, 7) 4:30/km, 8) 4:26/km, 9) 4:26/km, 10) 4:28/km, 11) 4:26/km, 12) 4:26/km, 13) 4:25/km, 14) 4:27/km, 15) 4:28/km, 16) 4:30/km, 17) 4:31/km, 18) 4:30/km, 19) 4:30/km, 20) 4:33/km, 21) 4:33/km, 22) 4:34/km, 23) 4:36/km, 24) 4:33/km

I slowed towards the end of this run even though I was keeping up the same effort. I didn't drink or take any nutrition throughout, so it's not something that concerns me. I weighed myself afterwards with what little gear I was wearing. I weighed in at 74.4kg, which considering I sweated buckets during the run is way too heavy. I need to get this down. A positive though is that the runs I've been doing recently have felt comfortable enough and when I get closer to my racing weight, I hope they'll be even easier still.
Totals: 2.0hrs - 24.01km


Wednesday 15th July
Cycle

167.55km in 5:14:34, 32.0km/hr
10 kilometre splits; 1) 32.9km/hr, 2) 32.3km/hr, 3) 33.6km/hr, 4) 33.0km/hr, 5) 34.1km/hr, 6) 31.3km/hr, 7) 30.8km/hr, 8) 31.5km/hr, 9) 32.6km/hr, 10) 31.7km/hr, 11) 33.7km/hr, 12) 32.3km/hr, 13) 33.1km/hr, 14) 30.1km/hr, 15) 31.5km/hr, 16) 31.4km/hr, 17) 32.2km/hr, (5.74km)

I put tri-bars on my bike for today's cycle, which was as much about reacquainting myself with the roads around here as anything else. There was an initial 2km spin to a bike shop that I didn't have my Garmin switched on for that I am going to log. There were no serious hills on today's route, but there were some parts where the road was in a terrible state. It was the exact same two years ago, so if you think County Councils are slow to do things in Ireland, just know it could be worse.
Totals: 5.5hrs - 169.55km


Thursday 16th July
Cycle

84.50km in 3:10:14, 26.6km/hr

Totals: 3.0hrs - 84.50km

Run

13km with 6km at half marathon pace (<3:35/km)
6km building up to the HM paced section
6.01km in 25:37, 4:15/km average
Kilometre splits; 1) 4:38, 2) 4:09, 3) 3:57, 4) 3:58, 5) 4:30, 6) 4:21 with 5*10" sprints
6.03km in 21:29, 3:34/km average
Kilometre splits; 1) 3:25, 2) 3:32, 3) 3:30, 4) 3:37, 5) 3:39, 6) 3:39
1.01km very easy

These lactate threshold runs are the toughest runs I have to do and I dread the thoughts of them from the moment I see them in the plan. To improve my chances of hitting the pace, I wore my go-faster racing shoes and took a psychologically empowering caffeine laced gel before starting the fast stuff. The loop I'm running is just slightly over 1km and has six 90º turns. These must slow me down, but I lost too much time on the final two loops for this to be an excuse. It would have been nice to be able to come in on target for all six splits, but overall I'm happy with how things went. Today was a key session and however marginal it might have been I'm glad that my overall average pace for the 6km HM section was under target. This took a huge effort and I don't remember feeling as wrecked after a run in a long time. It was one of those rare sessions after which I thought 'Why the fnck do I do this to myself?' The heat was no doubt a factor in how tough the session felt. It started to spit rain about halfway through the tempo paced section, which was a most welcome relief.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 13.05km


Friday 17th July
Cycle

Easy one and a half hour recovery spin

Totals: 1.5hrs - 34.53km

Cycle
Turbo

10:00 warm up,
{20:00 HIM effort & 8:00 recovery} x 3
2:00 cool down

I did this in my hotel room with the air-con set to 16ºC and a fan at full blast pointing directly at me. I started off planning to do only two 20 minute efforts, but they didn't take too much out of me, so I did a third. I probably just wasn't working hard enough, if truth be told. I was using the same gearing and same resistance and my rpm climbed from 95 to 98 over the three efforts.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 53.0km


Saturday 18th July
Cycle

2km easy
107.97km in 2:57:54, 36.2km/hr
Speed for 10km splits; 1) 34.0km/hr, 2) 36.5km/hr, 3) 36.2km/hr, 4) 36.3km/hr, 5) 36.6km/hr, 6) 36.2km/hr, 7) 37.3km/hr, 8) 37.2km/hr, 9) 37.1km/hr, 10) 35.2km/hr, 11) 35.5km/hr (7.29km)
2km easy

After getting out of the town, I started my Garmin. >36km/hr is the magic number I want to hit next September in Mallorca, so it was nice to be able to do so today. I hadn't planned on going so fast, it just sort of happened and there were times when it was much easier hold the pace than it was at others. I aimed to hold a higher cadence than I usually do and dropped down a gear and tried to power through when the road got lumpy. I realise I'll have to hold the speed for an additional two hours come September, but the roads are a lot better in Mallorca, I'll be on my tri-bike, I'll have much better wheels, I'll be wearing a go-faster helmet, it won't be as hot, I'll be better fueled and hydrated, I'll be properly rested, and I think I have every reason to expect to break 5 hours there.
I had three gels, a bottle of water and a bottle of High-5 Zero during the cycle. I could have done with more, but I need to lose weight as well, so it's a catch 22 situation. Today's cycle was by no means easy and I was bunched by the end of it. I had planned on running straight after finishing, but I took about a 40 minute break. During this time I drank a 500ml bottle of coke, about the same amount of water and a glass of lemon juice. This is probably not the ideal way to rehydrate and refuel, but I felt better for it and was in more of a mood for running 18km after consuming all these liquids than I was when I got off my bike.
Totals: 3.0hrs - 111.29km

Run

18.01km in 1:23:40, 4:38/km
Kilometre splits; 1) 4:35, 2) 4:38, 3) 4:31, 4) 4:33, 5) 4:40, 6) 4:41, 7) 4:39, 8) 4:42, 9) 4:42, 10) 4:37, 11) 4:31, 12) 4:41, 13) 4:35, 14) 4:38, 15) 4:41, 16) 4:37, 17) 4:42, 18) 4:40

Although the pace wasn't blistering this took it out of me. All the liquids I drank immediately prior to starting didn't seem like a good idea a few kilometres into this run. It turned into a bit of a slog and I was glad it finished when it did.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 18.01km


Sunday 19th July
Cycle

Approximately 2 hours easy, rolling terrain

Totals: 2.0hrs - 46.03km



Weekly Totals;
Swim: 0.0hrs
Bike: 19.5hrs - 595.90km
Run: 5.0hrs - 63.12km
S & C: 0.0hrs

Absolutely zero swimming done, this wasn't the plan when I came over to Thailand. The hotel I'm staying in has a pool and it's where I used to swim when I was teaching English over here. I don't know what the hell the owner is doing with it, but it's out of commission right now. The other pool in the town uses some some sort of chemical instead of chlorine and they use so much of it, continuously swimming there three years ago eroded the enamel in my teeth. I value my teeth more than any slight gains I might make in the pool, so I'm not too keen on going back there. There is the sea though, which even though is dirty and murky I should be using.
Despite that though, my first full week in Thailand has given me cause for optimism. I nailed key sessions in the both bike and run, and I managed both while feeling like a fat bastard. I need to shed a few kilos. I'm hoping that along with this warm weather training has me close enough to peak condition when I next race in Ireland.

MojoMaker

You and fat bastard does not compute!

zico10

MojoMaker wrote: »

You and fat bastard does not compute!

Well the scales don't lie. I'm regularly weighing in 2-3kg above what I was at this stage last year. This extra weight has to be the biggest reason I'm not running as well as I was last year. The computation is pretty straightforward. I've plenty of time to hit racing weight, but I haven't made any real determined and prolonged effort to shed weight this year. I thought I'd kickstart it here in Thailand, but food here is delicious and absolutely everywhere. I just can't resist. Maybe 'gluttonous bastard' would be a more accurate description.

MojoMaker

I can only imagine

zico10

Monday 20th July
Cycle

Turbo
10:00 warm up, 15:00 IM effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 HIM effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 Olympic effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 HIM effort, 4:00 recovery, 15:00 IM effort, 10:00 cool down

Totals: 2.0hrs - 58.5km

Run

6km easy

Nothing spectacular about this, I didn't wear a watch and started within 20 minutes of finishing the earlier turbo session.
Totals: 0.5hrs - 6.0km


Tuesday 21st July
Cycle
Turbo

1½ hours steady

Totals: 1.5hrs - 41.25km

Run

13km general aerobic run with 10*100m strides
13.01km in 1:02:32, 4:48/km

I did this as quickly as I could after finishing the turbo. Apart from that there is nothing to note.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 13.01km


Wednesday 22nd July
Swim

25m pool
200m warm up
4*400m (6:56, 7:39, ?:??, 7:35)
4*200m off 4:00(3:43, 3:53, 3:59, 3:59)
4*100m off 2:00 (1:48, 1:50, 1:50, 1:51)

Finally got a swim in. It was in the pool with an enamel corroding chemical in the water and I was always conscious of this. The times were incredibly slow compared to what I would do back in Dublin. I planned to swim the first 400m fast off 6:15, but there are no markings on the pool floor to follow. I wasn't swimming straight at all, at all and this undoubtedly cost me a couple seconds per length. I was annoyed after seeing my watch after the first 400 and mentally just couldn't get into the zone that is required to push hard. I moved closer to the wall after the second 400 and tried to use this as a guide to swim straight. In theory at least it seemed better than swimming in the centre of the pool, but I was still veering all over the place and the 200s were even worse than the 400s. I tried to concentrate more for the 100s and there was a marginal improvement in my times. It wasn't a great session by any means, but at least I got a swim in. I've less than a week left in Thailand though and I doubt I'll be going back. Hoping I've plenty of time to catch up in Ireland.
Totals: 1.0hrs - 3,000m

Cycle

3 hours turbo, steady effort

This was more done in my hotel room with a fan and the air-con set to 16°C. This sort of defeats the purpose of warm weather training, but feck it.
Totals: 3.0hrs - 90.0km


Thursday 23rd July
Cycle

1 hour easy turbo

Totals: 1.0hrs - 25.0km

Run

26km with 16km at PMP (<4:00/km)
9.04km in 41:05, 4:32/km
Kilometre splits; 1) 4:40, 2) 4:39, 3) 4:36, 4) 4:38, 5) 4:25, 6) 4:26, 7) 4:26, 8) 4:24, 9) 4:38
16.01km in 1:02:17, 3:53/km
Kilometre splits; 1) 4:00, 2) 3:53, 3) 3:56, 4) 3:59, 5) 3:56, 6) 3:55, 7) 3:53, 8) 3:56, 9) 3:54, 10) 3:52, 11) 3:52, 12) 3:53, 13) 3:54, 14) 3:57, 15) 3:26
1.01km in 4:47, 4:44/km

This was the key run session of the week. I wasn't looking forward to running 16km at PMP in this climate, so I'm glad it went the way it did and I feel I managed to hold a good overall pace.
Totals: 2.0hrs - 26.06km


Friday 24th July
Cycle

Approximately 2 hours easy

Totals: 2.0hrs - 58.92km

Run

6km easy, no watch

Totals: 0.5hrs - 6.0km


Saturday 25th July
Cycle

160.02km in 5:31:31, 29.0km/hr + 4km easy

I was a big hungover starting this cycle and it took me a while to get going. I rode late into the evening and I eased off once it got dark. Stray dogs, random potholes, and the blinding lights of oncoming cars made easing off the smart thing to do. I stayed out of the hardest gears throughout. I was never looking to hammer this, but I feel I should have been pushing a little bit harder when I look back on it.
Totals: 5.5hrs - 164.02km


Sunday 26th July
Cycle

136.49km in 3:44:59, 36.4km/hr + 9km easy
Speed for 10 kilometre splits; 1) 35.8km/hr, 2) 37.1km/hr, 3) 37.7km/hr, 4) 37.0km/hr, 5) 36.6km/hr, 6) 34.7km/hr, 7) 36.6km/hr, 8) 37.0km/hr, 9) 35.7km/hr, 10) 35.7km/hr, 11) 37.3km/hr, 12) 36.4km/hr, 13) 35.5km/hr, 14) 37.1km/hr (6.49km)

My intentions for this spin were to hold an average speed of greater than 36km/hr. I managed it for three hours last week, but wanted to see could I keep it going for 4 hours today. I had to cut it short on account of darkness falling though, but being only 15 minutes short of the 4 hours mark and being well ahead of target, I'm confident I would have managed it.
The plan was to cycle straight out for exactly 2 hours and then turn back. I got caught out in a thunderstorm after about 50km which forced me to cycle a bit more cautiously. I was getting near to the 2 hour mark, when I came to the first of lights I had to go through since I started my watch over 70km before. I was about 200m away from them and they were green. I thought I'd get through them before they turned red. I sprinted to make it, but they changed earlier than I was expecting. I didn't want to lose momentum, so I swung to take the road to the left. As I had originally planned on going straight ahead, I was carrying a lot of speed into the turn. After straightening up, I had to break hard or else I was going to hit a traffic island. With this the back wheel skidded and went from under me, and I came off the bike. My right hip bore the brunt of the fall and I banged my inner left knee the crossbar. It wasn't as sore as it might have looked though. I knew I was coming off a few seconds before it actually happened and I tried to brace myself for it. There is a little bit of road rash, but I think the wet road lessened it. I was actually surprised how little it hurt and I had the presence of mind to stop my Garmin while I was still lying on the ground. (It was essential I kept my average speed above 36km/hr.)
This happened directly opposite an obliquitous Thai restaurant, and the owner who had witnessed what happened came over to help me. She cleaned and disinfected the wounds and after this, I was back on my bike and starting the return trip to Lang Suan. My bar tape was sliced on the right hand drop and the rear wheel was slightly buckled, but apart from these two things the bike was okay. The rain eased off, but the road was still wet for a good while afterwards and I was nervous going around even the slightest bend. I got my speed back up to where I wanted it to be and didn't abandon the purpose of the session.
I stopped for Coke and coffee about 40 minutes later and it was harder to get back on the bike after this, than it was when I had fallen. I was running out of daylight hours though and it was this more than anything else that expedited me getting on with the cycle. Between the two stoppages I had wasted a lot of time and despite more or less keeping up the speed I set during the first 2 hours, I ended up cycling in darkness. I had about 72km clocked when I fell and I thought if I could just get 140km covered, it wouldn't be a bad day's work. I was gung-ho for the 140km mark and my pace increased on the 14th 10km split. I realised the ridiculousness of what I was doing after being blinded by an approaching car. Both bike and body taking a good rattling as the surface deteriorated just at that precise moment. With that I sat up and stopped my Garmin and I cycled the remaining distance at a casual pace.
Totals: 4.0hrs - 145.49km

Run

18.01km in 1:20:36, 4:28/km
Kilometre splits; 1) 4:36, 2) 4:32, 3) 4:33, 4) 4:28, 5) 4:26, 6) 4:28, 7) 4:26, 8) 4:27, 9) 4:24, 10) 4:25, 11) 4:28,, 12) 4:29, 13) 4:27, 14) 4:25, 15) 4:26, 16) 4:27, 17) 4:29, 18) 4:28

After the earlier fall on my bike, I was seriously considering not doing this. If there had been another day in the week, I probably wouldn't have, but not only was Sunday my designated 'brick' day, it was also the last chance I had to complete the scheduled weekly runs in the P & D program I'm following. I headed to the venue where I've done all my runs in Lang Suan and started the 18km run, telling myself I could bail out after 6k if it was proving tough. Once I started, I noticed pain in the side and back of my ribs that wasn't noticeable on the bike. It wasn't torturous though and I was able to put up with it. As always happens in Thailand no matter how slowly I run, I started to pour sweat. I hadn't applied Vaseline and my 'liathróidī' were chaffing. This worked as pain aversion therapy and I forgot about any other feelings of discomfort I had. Bit by bit, I got through the 18km and was happy with the overall pace I held. Apart from the fueling I did on the bike and a bottle of Coke I drank afterwards, I didn't take any fluids or sugar on board for this run. Given the circumstances, I was glad to get through the full 18km in the manner I did.
Totals: 1.5hrs - 18.01km


Weekly Totals;
Swim: 1.0hrs - 3,000m
Bike: 19.0hrs - 582.68km
Run: 5.5hrs - 69.08km
S & C: 0.0hrs

This was my last full week in Thailand. Next week is going to be a bit messy as I'm travelling back to Ireland. From a training point of view, it's hard to know if it was worth coming here. Swimming certainly didn't work out the way I had planned. It will be interesting to see how far I have slipped when I'm back at my first club session. I think I got in two quality weeks of cycling and running though. There wouldn't have been too much preventing me from doing the same in Ireland, but hopefully training in a tropical climate counts for something. Apart from that though, I was back in a town which was my home for 2 years. It was good to be back and see some familiar faces. Despite the fact that I did very little touristy stuff, it was a holiday and I drank a lot more than I would have done in Ireland. I ate quiet a bit as well, so I've a hard few weeks of abstinence and starvation to endure when I get back to Ireland.

catweazle

Where did you get the turbo - it's not something I would guess would be common over there

pgibbo

Enjoy your last few days in Thailand.

Is your marathon pace in the above sessions your planned IM run pace?