DOMS

Done One May Seriously do another...

Riding, pushing to maintain 30-32km average, my clearest thoughts were why and never again. Suffering on the run leg, feeling flatter then ever before, my mantra became pure survival and still never again. Two days later my finger hovered over the 'enter' button for another half in Feb... The mind is a powerful and dangerous thing! 

So I haven't yet entered, still tossing around the idea but my legs a week and half later heavily protested. I'm actually listening for once. 

So a race debrief:

A 4.50am start - apart from my insomniac moments, earliest rise for the program. Managed breakfast and body cooperated with all functioning needs. Checked Monday, poor girl outside all night, still pumped and in one piece. Tub of gear was a smart move but felt insanely amateurish next to the other pros tweaking their bikes.

Lubed or should I say 'glided up' and even applied sunscreen, must have worked as I came out unscathed, none of those moving chauffing spots that seem to find a new location everytime.

Race debrief scared the pants off me with merging swim lanes, buoys that were blue on the map but yellow in the water...but it bonded me with my fellow competitors and I reassured myself with the old school cross country experience - I'm never going to be at the front and someone else will know where to go!

The swim - pleasant surprise:

Low expectations sometimes create great moments. The necessary evil turned out to not be so bad. Shivering with nerves and a little chill, I got some great advice from another first timer. In the words of her coach just use the the first 15 mins of each leg to settle in. Wise, reassuring and workable. Establishing a rhythm was difficult and didn't manage my new 4, 2, 2 breathing regime for the whole race but I surprised myself passing some other purple caps and had a pep in my step when I emerged 42mins later.

The ride - little bit proud:

Mild initial panic when Monday was clinking and my clock appeared to have disconnected. Frantically pressing all combinations of buttons until I just tapped the counter back in and magically my cadence kicked in, thank god as that in hindsight would have been disastrous for maintaining effort. Psychological games a go go for the next three hours, cursing my lack of bike time and realising that beach road rides with coffee breaks and help from the pack doesn't quite cut it for race day. This is probably my proudest effort then, averaging 30km for the 90km of self driven riding. Consciously had to maintain and used some good tricks to keep me focused, 10km pieces, eating/drinking rewards, telling myself never again, chanting push down, pull up. Severe pain through my left butt for the whole second lap, like sitting on a sharp pole. 

The run - lessons learnt:

On the bike I'd decided lap 1 settle in, lap 2 push, lap 3 get home anyway possible. It seemed feasible, I was working hard but despite the bum pain I had confidence in my legs. Managed my loo stop and didn't mind my wobbly lamb legs until I felt the reality of the heat. My knee was hurting and my legs kept buckling but I was sure a couple of k's in I would settle. That first lap was hell and then it got brutal. I was confused geographically as I wasn't expecting a little trip around the lake before the out and back, I then wasn't expecting the out and back to be quite so far out and back. Passed people consistently over the first lap but still felt like I had concrete poles for legs. It never seemed to end and without a watch I was sure I'd barely run 6km pace. Lesson learnt. Wear a watch. I know psychologically if I'd been aware of my pace (4.40ish) I would have lifted. Instead my head started the game playing. I relented and started pouring water over me at every station, Helsinki was coming back. I knew I could do it but I suddenly decided it was just about getting to the end and suddenly the leg I had believed in and never doubted, became the hardest part. TP's hand squeeze was highlight and I kept red dot checking. I lifted a bit as I realized here really was less than 5km to go, collecting the final wristband I suddenly knew I could finish but I also suddenly went completely empty. Though I thought I had consciously been fueling, well at least more than 'normal', the price was about to be paid. Though it was really too late I tried to suck back a gel. More attention in the future to fuel intake for sure. 

The end:

I crossed the line and nearly hugged the lady as she gave me my medal. Actually more like she grabbed me and guided me to a seat to remove my chip and then helped me up and into the recovery tent. The tent was awesome, a real highlight to be completely surrounded by other people who had just been through the same trauma. I can semi liken it to a nightclub experience, strangers united by a common euphoria and in a slight state of disbelief. The ice cream and fruit oscillated in my tummy, one moment it was just what I needed and the next I was lurching, 4 plates worth was probably a little too much! When I finally spotted two of my supporters I lunged from disbelief to emotional wreck. They played yin and yan, one sympathizing and crying in synch with me, the other giving me stern words.

Car trip home included a full bag of S&V chips, double snickers, two gatorades, half a bag of natural confectionary and a beer, nil stretching: 

Double full circle

I've got a few entries to make to bring this epic journey to a close, the first struck me as I dragged myself out of bed hungover last Sunday and mechanically forced myself to run (more like drag) around the standard home 10km track. I think the last time I felt like that was roughly 111 days + two post race weeks earlier. In fact I managed that feeling for the two consecutive post race weekends, I just didn't manage a run the first week!! 

How does that feel? Terrible! Not just from my inward disgust at my imaginary 10kg weight gain, but just terrible for a lack of the exercise euphoria. 

So what has changed after my 16 week effort, not sure yet but definitely chalked up some experiences and decided my theme for 2013 is clearly not to be too presumptuous even about the things you think you have in the bag - which will lead me to my next post actually dissecting the race! 

It's official!!!

I am officially an ironwoman!! Too tired and delirious on a plethora of junk food to do the full wash up right now, but had to confirm it is complete and managed the under 6 hour goal. 

Wow

I wheeled Monday into her bay and actually teared up when I saw this...

I like my number too!

The morning of the day before...

Ahhhhhh....

Food prep ..

Packing ...

Disaster one - spare O2 canisters are MIA...

Red dot focus

Wow just three sleeps to go. Though predicting sat night will be equivalent to a half sleep. Such a manic week at work haven't had time to contemplate - though did get some butterflys after my sister sent through a pic of the countdown! 

Last little jog this morning akin to riding up the champs d'lyse, a victory trot around the tan with my possie, though it did actually felt like an effort, trying really hard to trust this taper process but it is hard. On the upside there are lots of carbs to consume and water to be drunk.

Monday is checked and my preventative flat tyre preparation complete, fingers et al crossed that is not an issue. 

Fuel plan revised and just made up my best yet effort of power balls, almost motivated to start riding just to eat one...almost! 

So with some red dot focus I'm off to bed!

Ridiculous

From unfair to ridiculous. Tired levels are as if I had actually done the event! On top of that I feel like every muscle hurts and like I've gained 5kg! Seven sleeps and counting. 

Unfair

Unfair, awake at 5am on a designated sleep in day! Finally back to sleep and woke up few hours later feeling worse, unfair! Forced myself out for a mini run and felt like I was in slow motion, unfair, not to mention the swooping swallow! I think it must be a little bit like my theory that more sleep breeds sleepiness, hence less training equates to lazy town. I must remember to listen to my head and not my heart for the next week, potentially good general life advice?! Last unfair, out all day with the drinking masses and no drinks for me, though that is completely self-induced unfairness. Off to dream about post race ice cold beers!! 

Milestones

So I have made it to Week 15 of my 16 week training plan. Raise own right hand, bend at elbow, pat on back. I have to say I’m already a little bit proud and a whole lot tired.

 
Speaking of 15, this year marks 15 years of my love affair with running. Of course I had run prior to that, school cross country (propelled by the unfeeling Mrs Kimpton who is probably still a feature of many girls’ nightmare) and sport like most kids. However, not only was the effort despised, it was often interrupted with walking and always seemed like a chore. What I wouldn’t give to see the expression on Mrs Kimpton’s face today (my PE teacher for seven years), to tell her of my progression, weight loss and efforts of the last 15 years.

That first ‘real run’ is still clear as day. Urged on by a new uni acquaintance I hauled myself around Princess Park, managing the full lap without stopping. It wasn’t a pretty site but the feeling captured me. Inward satisfaction, self-control and an awakeness that made everything else in life seem a little easier. The back straight seemed to go on forever, the slight incline past the pond felt like a mountain and the tree that marked the finish point like the end of a marathon. But that was all it took and I was hooked. That park was influential for me and was my rock until I learnt to run for me anytime, anywhere. It was a safety net; the distance, the familiarity and the other people plugging away. If you told me at the end of that lap that I would go on to whittle that lap time down to a 13min something effort, run two marathons, subscribe to Runner’s World magazine monthly and consider buying a new sports bra over jeans, I would have laughed in your face. But I’ve now spent more of my life running than not and I feel like it is part of my fabric. The running leg of the half-ironman is the least of my worries, in fact I’m practically jumping out of my skin to complete it!

Operation List

I am a list person. Lists clarify my ticking brain and give me a locus point. Top of today’s ‘to do’ list is the creation of several other lists in race preparation. Operation List is a tangible task to assist me in the psych out of tapering and the impending race: A revised training schedule to stop my twitching body from doing more than is necessary, a nutritional list to hold me to account and remind me to hydrate, a packing list (want to circumvent the disaster of the Lochness Marathon and neglecting to pack a real sports bra!) and of course a miscellaneous list of anything else that might just need a list e.g. really got to finally tri out those damn tri laces!

Tapering, where science battles with psychology and 14 weeks of body battering. A bit of googling and my original taper plan has been slightly modified. Felt a bit guilty about yesterday’s effort (60km ride, 8km run, 2.3km swim) but then discovered that most people operate on a 10 day program. In fact, I found out that most taper programs recommend keeping some high intensity efforts to jog the muscle memory. Still, the doubt factor was there this morning and I kept having to check that my legs hadn’t been replaced with solid concrete stumps. In a really strange way these two weeks are going to bring completely different challenges than the last 14 weeks.
 
Right, according to my list there is much more to be done today, but at least I can now cross this off. Yes, I have been known to add something to a ‘to do’ list after the fact to then be able to enjoy the satisfaction of crossing it off!

Rule 70.3

Gulp. Just had a quick glance at the competitors briefing... My stomach is now in knots, goodbye sleep. There are enough rules and regulations to start an army barracks! 

Sporadic joy

Sporadic joy is so joyful because it is unexpected. I've decided these moments should be celebrated more often because it is far too easy to focus on the negatives (I'm thinking even potentially a blog dedicated to this concept?).

Sporadic joy is more than just a 'win', you know those delightful moments like filling up with petrol right as they are putting the price up, or getting a double yoker when you crack an egg. Sporadic joy can be a glancing moment between two strangers, waking up feeling like the world is just right or just a pure gust of happiness for no apparent reason (my cat Fonzie is prone to these, though equally as a Burmese/Siamese/somethingarother cross, he is equally prone to fits of whinging for no apparent reason).

I came up with this concept this morning on a light jog, which I really needed to dig into the depths of motivation to find the energy to commence. I'm normally a Michelle Bridges go get 'em person at the thought of a weekend lengthy exercise jaunt (ps If you didn't already know I met Michelle this year and squealed loudly in her ear, flapping my hands and requesting a photograph, definitely some sporadic joy there). Anyway, not this morning. Think it is a combination of extra sleep and a week out of routine. However as Dean Karnazes profoundly proclaimed in one of his books (well worth reading) he doesn't know of a person yet who went out for even ten minutes of running and didn't come back feeling better for it. So I soldiered on and low and behold I started to feel great. I will at this point actually give TP a little bit of credit here. I always like to give him shit about how much I have 'given' him, opening him up to the likes of outdoor swimming in the depths of Winter etc. Well, I will begrudge him the benefits of running to good tunes - however I will also argue that there is a time and place for just soaking up the delights of the environment, sans intrusion. Anyway for some reason I enjoyed several gusts of just sporadic joy whilst cruising along this morning, my legs felt strong, the path felt extremely runnable and I was just grateful for being able to start my day like that. 

It also made me think about some sporadic joy of the day before. I took my last day of holiday as a day of solace. Strangely this began at 5amish to head across town and take Monday out for a chilly cruise, a lazy seaside run, followed by my real reasons for crossing the river, a couple of hours R&R at the St Kilda Sea Baths (add that to the pool slut list please!). All washed down with breaky out and the paper. Step in several moments of sporadic joy:

High fiving the guy who was jogging in thongs, lots of silly laughter from both parties.

Then I'm pretty sure I gave some sporadic joy to commuters cycling past me as I stopped for a bite to eat enroute from run to baths (I have a fear of going hungry). Bunkering down I had an awesome view of the world, whilst devouring my new fetish for bircher muesli. Saw lots of people smile as they commuted past:

Post-exercise I ventured to a very south of the river suburby breakfast spot, lacking a bearded barista of the north but still delightful. Highlight was sharing my bench with the woman who openly declared she had just finished a full hour of personal training, without a hair or speck of makeup out of place, armed with Home Beautiful. I did pre-judge her but she was endeared to me when the fireys pulled for a coffee pit stop and she leant over to share a moment with me. Sporadic joy at the random exchange of banter between two strangers - oh and the fireys set up in front of us for their coffee, just in case the paper lost my interest!

OK this has been far too lengthy I feel but I think my drift of sporadic joy definitely explored. Must add some of the pearls from the Wizard too before I forget.

So back to the purpose of the blog again, clocked up an OK'ish week, think I fitted everything in, just felt a bit off being out of routine. Will call today as my last official 'long run' prior to race day - 15km and not a sore spot to mention.
  

All in a days work!

So even whilst on leave I feel like I need my 'two extra hour' superpower. Been enjoying some tinkering in the kitchen, cooking up some of those recipes collecting dust (if that's possible digitally) and stocking the freezer for easy snack access. This has also given me opportunity to stock my supply cupboard with ingredients I dare not put on the weekly shopping list. I decide long ago that Uncle Toby's and the like were a waste of calories and money. My repertoire of such delights has now widened and is getting increasingly 'powerful' as my maverick kitchen like behaviour continues. Anyway my bestie has just given me fuel for post-ironman blog thought, raving about my creations. So might just kick in here the fruits of today's kitchen work - baring in mind I wasn't overly careful with the photography.

1. Zucchini polenta bread - best served warm with lashings with avocado:

2. Raw soup! Care of Ange's Bali health retreat - not overly well received, but I'm still a fan:

3. Seared wasabi tuna, coated in sesame seeds with a self-devised Asian salad, omg is all I can say:

4. Power seed bar - still fridging it up, seemed a bit crumbly, fingers crossed and faith in the recipe, unlike me, but hoping the coconut oil makes a difference:

Final note before logging off for the night. Decided with two weeks (less now- ahh) of proper training to go that embracing chocolate is necessary, if now then when?!!!

Off to see the wizard!!

Off to get some wisdom from someone who has smashed several ironman events. Nerdily I have a list!!! Makes it seem very real.... 😳

Also meant to add this!

Been meaning to add a 'pool slut' list for ages too. Though I'm loyal to my self-indulgence time at the Fitzroy Pool, I do like to always ensure to grab a swim in a new or convenient location. So far this training I've managed to clock up some km in the following locations:

Fitzroy Pool - My one true swimming love. I swear I swim faster and stronger here. Plus I love the voyeuristic affordances and the likes of the locals such as 'Plopper' and her protective change room tendencies.

Doncaster Pool - Love the 5.30am convenient opening time, also the reluctance of other users to embrace the Winter outdoor swim = light lanes.

Work Pool - Free, enough said!

Prahran Pool - Brought back hideous memories of school sports and having to wear bathers as a very plump 15 year old for the first time in front of boys. There were merits to an all girls' school. However the one swim was quite pleasant, especially the steam and spa component.

Byron Bay - Struck my PBD here of 3km (since beaten), beautiful location but brrrrrrrrr.

Harold Holt - Unfair to judge when I only graced its presence briefly on one of the first nice Saturdays since Summer, at 11am, however a distinct south of the river vibe. Willing to retry.

Northote Pool - A close second to Fitzroy. Can always justify a hipster post-swim coffee.

Waverley Pool - Ho hum, nothing to really write home about other than its convenient geography to work. A skinnyish pool without a true athletic feel.

Not a bad list to have covered in just 12 weeks, might add a couple more to round it out to an even ten. If only it was last year I could add the delightful Vancouver Kits pool. At 137m it would make the counting a hell of a lot easier, the stunning location also a bonus. OK this is purely housework and uni avoidance...

I object!

I object ...

I started this post in my head last Wednesday morning clocking my 3km swim at Doncaster. I do this all the time with text messages, compose great ones in my head and then never actually send them, leaving the non-receiver hanging (I'm sure) and me thinking I'm on top of my game. Anyway, back to my killer post that was written last week.

It started because I object to a few things swimming... I object to the fact that I don't seem to ever get any better, that I'm destined to be the slow medium lane swimmer forever. That is unless you count the people that swim in the medium lane, who should really be in the slow lane - why do people do that?

I object to the price of a swim at Doncaster going up, I would object less if I had time to make full use of my $7 something to jump in the spa but I had to get to work (I again object!). I also really object to the plethora of retired people who clog up the swimming lanes when they could be quite clearly sleeping in and going later in the day! 

I object to my bathers losing their elastic and wearing thin so quickly. I used to always blame my nana for ironing the bathers in primary school, but maybe it really was just the washing...saying that I'm not sure I have actually ever washed my current togs!

I object to TP getting a cold at one of the most inconvenient weeks of training.

Most of all this week I object to the crappy weather that has coincided with my week of leave which was purely intended for exercise goodness and general life admin tasks. Enough said, I OBJECT!

And that's how the day should start...

And that's how the day should start...

Saturday and Sunday were both dream mornings for extended exercise...leads me to my next post...

Ridicurunjealouseous

I have a self-diagnosed disease ridcurunjealouseous. As it's name would indicate it is a ridiculous condition whereby I get jealous of watching others run. The ridiculous part is often seriously ridiculous. You see it can strike while riding a bike, having done a run, hearing others talk about running or while having a much needed rest day.

Accentuated this weekend by the Melbourne Marathon. Positively itching to have gotten out and done a half PB or my third and hopefully final marathon. Oh well. Just five weeks now until my race day.

On a training note I managed an 80km ride and 4 laps of the tan on Saturday - mentally tough but physically pretty ok, barely sore Sunday!

OK sleep time for a race pace run in the morn, thank god TP is back from holiday!

Shattered

Shattered both physically and mentally, mostly due to a lack of sleep, those great expectations keeping me awake. Feel like there is a 60% chance they will falter. 😔

Ps I've decided that if you actually really love someone, I mean really, then you have a right to some pretty great expectations.

Great expectations

I’ve never read this classic piece of literature but I’m going to have a stab in the dark... given that it is set in the late 1800s...I’m guessing there is some class struggle to rise above and that there of course has to be a great love (to maintain reader interest) which has great expectations for the one willing to be loved, only to fall somewhere short, though I’m sure a fairytale ending occurs making the reader somewhat happy to walk away and go back to their own humdrum life...

Anyway Great Expectations, it is to be theme of the week.

Some musings from me in this area... Better start with the exercise first, as after all that is supposed to be the point of the blog. I feel like this whole journey has been one Great big Expectation. Last week I felt like I hit the bottom pit of impossibility when I finished my Sunday effort, realising just how much more the race will still take. But today I’m back to raising expectations, shaving more time off and finishing up feeling better than last week.

So this week brings a variety of Great Expectations...

With only four weeks really left to make a difference, I’m going to aim for an 80-90km run with a 16km run follow up. And that is just the finishing point of the week.

The alcohol ban continues... Week 2. OK I have one slight confession... I had a cheeky sip on Saturday night, but it would have been very rude not to – a friend’s bar opening. 

Last uni assignment for the year looms, ahh damn those self-expectations. 

Most nerve rackingly great expectations to make amends for previously mentioned failures that recently tested my resilience. 

The great thing about great exercise expectations is that you, as in me in this scenario, can actually do something about it. Where the expectation is self-appointed it also means the failure to meet that expectation can provide for some healthy self-berating – where ultimately you are the one you are accountable to anyway. 

The area that is probably harder and much more difficult to navigate are the great expectation of others. I made a concerted effort over the last year to expect less of others, to appreciate what they can ‘bring’. I think I’ve let this slip lately and it only ends up in self-hurt ultimately. 

So to finish off this was an unexpected delight when I returned to my car today.  See no expectations and I was easily lifted to the heights of delight through the simple action of a thoughtful Powerade!

A week at a clothing glance!

Supposed to be studying, last assignment for the year, so procrastination at a minimum. Just hung out a load of washing, my exercise clothes for the week in summary. Now that's even with my unsightly habit of doubling up on exercise gear from time to time, partly to blame is the fickle Melbourne spring weather. Right some study now...

No Instagram required

This is pure iPhone glory on a glorious morning. I'm a serial photographer. Drives my husband mad. It has in fact been my biggest joy in the inception of the iPhone. Love to stop and snap and share. Hesitated as I was in full flight and hate to stop, but couldn't resist the colours and empty path. Photography in general is on my list of things to do and concentrate on, one day, when I get that superpower I mentioned earlier happening.

Anyway, one of my other biggest joys is also connected to this photo. The early morning exercise. In years gone by I always tapped into the weekend morning exercise to start the day and loved it. But more recently this is just my favourite start to any day of the week. In fact I find it difficult to face breakfast without it! There is a certain smugness but even more than that it is frequently the loveliest part of a day. Today was no exception. However the length of my run also meant I copped the not so nice elements of the day too. On that note for some reason the 25km this morning was a drag, despite it being a km drop. I also have a few whingeries (thanks to bro-in-law for the invention of that term), toenail chaffing, random short chaff on my back (ouchy ouch in the shower) and a generally sore right side (calf and hamy). Must book in to see magician. Oops this was supposed to be a quickie. Here is evidence of my morn:

Ps tones of roos out this morning too. 

Self impressive

Motivation stakes were pretty low for this mornings ride, back in Melbourne, no training buddies and rain to boot... Still managed to make it out and felt pretty happy with myself. 

Slimmed the ride down to just 80km, caught a couple of small rides with some packs but mostly on my own, which is probably better training for me.

Justified the 'slim' ride with two laps of the tan to finish, enter self-impressive. The first lap clocked in at 18 mins flat, not bad considering the numb feet and shaky legs. Second lap 16 and half mins (exact). I was just quietly impressed and felt a third wouldn't have even been out of the question! 

Makes me think this is entirely achievable...

Travel destination training

I've always wanted to write a book about running, particularly my travel adventures and running. I'm still sure there is a lonely planetesque guide waiting to be written for the travel exerciser enthusiast, particularly these days. I used to be pretty much the lone crazy runner from the hostel, these days I'm not so sure. 

Anyway writing this blog is giving me the opp to realise some of those lost opportunities.

So over my many years of backpacking and travelling it is customary for me to start my running reccy as whatever mode of transport brings you into town. There are generalities that abide to most locations. A source of water is always gold. River, beach, lake, water normally equates to a path. Enter my favourite overseas run of all time - lake in Hanoi. More to follow. If no water source is apparent or you know it is unlikely that a suitable road will be available (eg Sth East Asia) a local oval is always good to satisfy the running itch. 

So as my husband/travel buddy is scoping the best pubs my eye is keenly scanning the surrounds to tap into local paths, notice where other people seem to be gravitating to. I feel like I have almost developed a sixth sense for it. 

One of the other benefits to getting out for a jaunt, aside from the obvious - more room for good travel food and drink, is that often it gives you a head start as to local hotspots. The ground you cover is greater and the sights you see endlessly entertaining. The number of good bars, cafes, local handouts I have gleaned through this mode of transport is endless. Again more to follow. 

Anyway back to travel destination training. Byron Bay definitely comes in at a high on my list of training destinations. These last couple of days have been a delight and some milestones, albeit small, achieved. Managed a midweek rest day to start, gasp, then a cheeky 12km lighthouse trip, a casual roll the legs over before a chilly 3km swim in the local pool, supposed to do a 30km run this morn but due to GPS trouble and heat, think it was only 27km, made up for it with a plunge straight into the ocean and about 12km walking. 

All of that equals a delightful drunk dizzy feeling in my legs with the first beer of evening. Yum.

Bit of new razzle dazzle

Not a bad first spin for my new razzle dazzle shoes which are going to take me through to race day. Four days in Byron Bay, four days of golden training opportunities. Joined the locals in a jaunt to the lighthouse this morning, what separated me and them was my shorts and singlet, their leggings and long sleeves! 

Slight toe blister in new shoes, had to get some karma for ignoring the advice of the salesman who said they should be used for long distance running!!

Normal is the new black

Normal or rather what is normal has been the training theme of the last couple of weeks. I’m happy to concede that my view of training normality is a little skewed, but I kind of like that.

So hit some big km on the weekend. At the half way point of my Sat run (14km) I felt I had barely started, does concern me for life post half-ironman! Saying that the Sunday ride wasn’t easy and I don’t feel like progress is as forthcoming as I would like. I have almost hit my longest  training ride at 110km. Amazing difference from the 60km starting point.  

 
At the end of the day even though my view of what is ‘normal’ fitness or training wise is skewed, someone else out there has an even crazier view of normal. Casing point – crazy guy on the news Fri morning who has just circumnavigated the world running a marathon everyday for two years, that is OTT.  

OK about to go road test some new runners, very light weight and very bright. Will be sure to report back.

 

Can't be cross at this cross training!

Feeling strangely un-tired and unspent after a weekend, probably how you are supposed to feel after a weekend. Unfortunately I also feel slightly guilty for the lack of km in my legs, but then you can't be too cross when you have gotten to cross train like this! One day of skiing and then a cheeky jog/walk to start the day, could have been worse! 

I'm slightly concerned/pleased by my sadistic quest to feel the burn yesterday. Didn't quite happen as much as I anticipated, I reckon a dual combination of fitness and my body expecting the European terrain. I'm sure however a change is as good as a holiday. 

Start of Sept, getting lighter and the race getting closer. Must get that ninth in this week and remember september's mantra, my body is a temple and not a seven 11 store! 

If I had a super power...

I decided not long ago that if I had a superpower as an adult it would be to have an extra hour in the day that no one else has... I say as an adult because I'm well aware this isn't the most exciting superpower, it's very adult like and boring. Because I'm not talking about an hour where everyone else is frozen and I go around changing things, putting things right etc. I'm talking about an extra hour to squeeze in unfinished work, chores, uni reading, training or even, gasp sleep! 

That's just about the sum of why my blogging has slipped and why this will be relatively short. This wouldn't always have been my superpower, funnily enough as a kid I wished and wished that I could get a pair of imaginary flippers to wear to the school swimming sports so I could blitz, make the school team and score myself a pair of the illustrious blue, red and gold togs. Oh to have a pair of those for swimming and not just the plain navy ones...! 

Alas not much else seems to have changed in the swimming stakes, must just not have it in my jeans. Seems very unfair given the amount of my youth spent cutting laps in the pool. So in an effort to improve have started some stroke correction, watch this space, old habits are hard to break. But I will give it my all. 

In other training news I've hit my longest run for ages, 24km, and didn't I know it. Haven't felt that running pain for ages, kind of good but kind of a wake up too, I will blame a small part of it on having to run in old runners. Managed 90km on Monday today, felt the thrill and the pain of riding in a pack. The great ease of sitting on the back and the helplessness of falling off the back of it. Must keep resilience building! 

Bed post all that training calls... My aim this week is to fit that illusive ninth session in...if only I had an extra hour in the day!

Get a grip

Took a few days before I could write this. But I am a firm believer in the healing powers of time. The thing about this mission and training regime of mine is that at times I feel so strong and then at others I feel so weak. I don't think anyone can debate the fact that I am fit at the moment, granted one can always be fitter, but in a likert scale I'm ranking myself in the upper echelons. Anyway clearly fit doesn't equate to strength. Despite a weekly weights regime I had the most grounding, earth shattering, resilience testing moment when I failed a grip strength test on the weekend.

Now I am what one calls a 'preparer'. Casing point one, my training program. But this work fitness test, I just thought I had in the bag. Turns out I was wrong. My plate is pretty full at the moment and I just didn't factor this as a concern. Now kicking myself. But in terms of getting a grip, despite having a testified good handshake, I am determined to get a grip.

Now back to training proper, did a kick arse (feeling wise) tempo run on Tuesday and slogged out a 2.4km swim this morning. Must stop eating whatever I feel like soon though!

The corner of Blackburn Road and Burwood Highway

Long rides and getting kms in my legs is the hardest part of this training malarkey I reckon. So it's the small things that I cling on to - the corner of Blackburn Road and Burwood Highway is proving to be one of these! 

Discovering long rides beyond the Kew Boulevard has been really enjoyable and I sadistically actually love the 1 in 20 section of the Mt Dandenong ride. TP1 co and I have tackled this a couple of times in recent weeks and this morning Monday (my beautiful new bike)  got her longest ride yet. Finishing up the 70km circuit (not that long in the scheme of things I know - but Monday is still pretty new) 'the corner' did not fail to disappoint. Normally it's a local starting their day with a cheeky JD can or someone looking like they are off to Kmart to test security measures. Today I got the hugest belly laugh when I saw this lady's innovative transport method for her newly acquired tree. After numerous travels to South East Asia this really didn't surprise me - photo isn't the best but check out the use of the pram to balance the tree! 

Ps I did all of this on an almighty hangover - it was an uncle v v moment which hasn't been experienced since the Oxford days.

My running pals

Was just lamenting on my long run today that this is the first time I'm blogging my training, with probably the least exciting terrain to blog about. In comparison to my marathon training for Lochness and Helsinki, which managed to include runs far and wide, from the banks of the Hudson River, throughout the country side of France, heavily hungover in Amsterdam to cobbled streets of Eastern Europe. Anyway just as I was sighing about lost photo opps and tracking of exciting km on my iPhone I stumbled across this and felt pretty satisfied to be home:

Quotable quote

"Swimming is the necessary evil before the ride and the run leg"

A chook day

I'm a firm believer that everyday is a school day, or as renamed by predictive text a 'chook' day. This week has been no different and I would say this journey will be full of chook days. Enter lessons learnt 1&2.

Lesson 1 - training programs hold you accountable, it's just that life gets in the way sometimes. The real lesson I learnt this week isn't so much that training always comes first, but that others don't put work first and I have to remember this frustration when adapting my training program. Bottom line, don't adapt training for work unless it is for my benefit. Giving up my Wednesday morning swim to prepare for a cancelled meeting was not a satisfying outcome.

Lesson 2 was much more practical and a no brainier in hindsight. Don't cut the dead skin off your toes, which has clearly been serving a buffering purpose, right before a run, ouch! 

Otherwise progressing. Have to say it is week one, but really nothing different from a normal training week, I suspect week 3-4 is where I will feel a change. 

Saw Tegan the magician as she will now be known, but only 24 hours after the fact. Because eight hours after the fact she is more Tegan the inflicter. A bit of an overdue tune up. 

One down, one hundred and eleven to go

A 5.10am start. Ouch. I'm no stranger to an early start. What was foreign was the early start post a weekend of frivolity. I'm not sure that hosting a fancy dress house party was necessarily the best plan to the official start of my half-ironman sojourn. But it was too late and happily I survived and am on the couch in a post-magnum fog, justified by being two sessions down! 

So it is a day one of my full attempt to complete a half-ironman, as a woman. I'm OK about the man part, still not so sure about the half part of the title. We will see...

This is a first, both the training and the blogging. It's an attempt to add some extra motivation and accountability. We will see.

My aim ultimately is to survive, I'll mark out some times closer to the event. Plenty of time, 111 days to be precise. Apart from finishing, the aim come November 17 is to be the fittest and strongest of my 33 years. This is my 'Jesus' year apparently, the year to make things happen, so here goes nothing...

Oh a quick run down of today, lovely slow run, circuit in the gym, full day of work and 30mins of swim efforts in the pool. Confirmed, I hate swim efforts! Time to work on it I guess.