Weekly Reflection 22/04 - 28/04

Favourite session of the week: I really enjoyed my commute to and from work this week. Due to the crazy weather, I decided to ride home on the Monday night and then ride back into work on the Tuesday. This was a good plan as I didn't need to ride with a backpack. I did have a little mis-hap on Tuesday morning when I rode into work - It was early in the morning and some loser decided to throw tacks on the road and so I received (two) punctures on my tyres. Two tube changes in one morning! That morning I might add was my first ever tube change (on the side of the road).

Second favorite session of the week was Sunday FUNday at the 1000 steps (Dandenong Ranges). There was a big group of about 40 people or so who walked (some ran) up and down the steps for a bit of a workout. I haven't been to the steps since this time last year. They have constructed steps on the Lyre Bird trail which meant that you are able to get a stair workout on both sides. This has also reduced congestion along the traditional steps too. After the session, we went to Coach Daz's place for breakfast. Always a very popular session during April Recovery month.

Least favourite session of the week: I had taken a day off work after ANZAC day to spend time with the family in Geelong. I had a plan of riding from Geelong to Portarlington (return) on Friday. Due to the strong winds, this was not to happen (could not keep myself on the bike due to the winds). Ride to Portarlington did not happen.

Advice of the week: The art of WINTER LAYERS! I have taken for granted the ease of cycling during the summer months. All I needed were my cycling clothes (basics), shoes (no socks), helmet, nutrition and my bike. During the colder months, I have to gauge how cold/wet it really is so I could decide to wear normal bibs with knee warmers or full long bibs. Then its base layer (how many or no base layer), jersey with arm warmers or long sleeve. Then its gloves - fingerless, full, waterproof or warmers as I don't wear gloves during summer or racing, socks (how many layers), booties (toe covers or full waterproof lycra/neoprene), ear warmers or beanie, cycling vest or jacket? By the time I gather what I am to wear (the night before), its a massive pile of lycra and merino on the floor.

Thing I’m looking forward to next week: Week starting 29th April will be my first official week back in training. The week will start with the 6am swim session at Northcote which is something I am really itching to do (get back into the pool). Time to get the calendar filled with training sessions and start the weekly routine of packing.

I am a LUCKY triathlete!!!!

I follow a dozen or so triathletes (pros and age groupers) on their triathlon journeys through their blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Their great (and not-so-great) sessions I have noticed have been somewhat affected by their locations (Northern or Southern hemisphere) and their lifestyle; it has made me appreciate my lifestyle and how lucky I am living in Melbourne (Australia).

We hear so much whining from many triathletes (and non-triathletes) about the terrible weather we have in Melbourne - how one minute it is windy, the next it will be sunny then the day might end with a thunderstorm. In order to maximise our gains in training, we must think positive about our situations and make the most of it. If you don't like something in your life/current situation, why not make a choice - make it into a positive or make changes (move away). This is not just about triathlon, it is also about work, life or where you chose to live.

Here is a list of things which I am grateful for in my triathlon lifestyle (specifically living in Melbourne, Australia) - apologies in advance for making anyone living outside of Melbourne (or Australia) jealous, I don't mean to, don't hate me :-)

1) 50m Swimming Pools
I am lucky that I have access to swim to 50m pools all throughout Melbourne. I remember reading something about how Melbourne has more Olympic sized pools than the whole of the UK. I personally love outdoor pools and love the feeling of swimming under the open sky. I have done a few swim sessions in 25m pools but having to swim 4 laps to do 100m gets annoying. I hate counting laps whilst swimming so the lesser laps I have to take note of, the better. I would love to swim in a 100m+ pool if there is one. Pools in Melbourne are generally kept clean and most people swim with etiquette. Pools which I use throughout the year are:
MSAC
Northcote Aquatic & Recreation
GESAC
Oakleigh Recreational Centre
Monash Aquatic

MSAC and Northcote is where the Tri Alliance Squad (Vic) trains at for our swim sessions. If you want to know when our swim sessions are on - see our timetable.

2) Open Water Swimming
As Melbourne is situated around Port Phillip Bay, we have access to open water swimming (more during the warmer months to hone in our skills required for triathlon races). There are open water comps throughout the year hosted by the many life saving clubs throughout Victoria. There is really nothing stopping anyone from doing open water swims during winter, it is just not as pleasant due to the temperature of the water (< 10 degrees C).

Open Water Swimming

3) Cycling Advocacy
Living in Victoria, we have a cycling advocy group called Bicycle Network Victoria. There motto:

Bicycle Network Victoria is a charity that promotes the health of the community. We work with our supporters to get “More People Cycling More Often” and measurably grow the bike riding world.

Without their support, there would not be such a great % of the population riding bikes. Events such as Around the Bay, Great Victorian Bike Ride (just to name a few) organise/promote cycling as a lifestyle and also promote the safe messages. They also lobby for safer bike routes throughout Victoria.
Membership with BV also covers you with personal injury and third party liability insurance and riders' rights support, they make it easy for you to get on the bike and just ride.

Bicycle Victoria

4) Shops
Living in Melbourne, if we ever need anything triathlon related - we are able to buy it quick from a shop. If it is not available, the local bike shop will be able to get it for you in a short time. I know many triathletes out there who don't ever step foot into a shop unless they are to try on things to see how they fit/look in real life and then shop online. I won't hide, there is a cost saving associated with buying goods in Australia online (from overseas) but what I wanted to point out is that we should consider how lucky we are that there are plenty of bike shops around Melbourne. These shops are managed/run by people who love cycling/triathlon - they are supporting what we love doing so I think it is only fair that we show the same level of support for them.

5) Coffee
Melbourne is the coffee capital of Australia. I love a coffee and would drink at least two cups of coffee a day. Not only because I need it to stay awake, I also enjoy the taste and smell of a good brew and the comfortable feeling of holding a warm cup in the between your hands. Triathlon and coffee go together like peas and carrots. Many people either start or end their training with friends over a coffee - sometimes both. I am not an obnoxious coffee drinker - no skinny, soy, decaff, macchiatto - just straight up full fat latte thanks (no sugar). If there is no foam on my latte, its a flat white, I don't really fuss over it.

Some coffee/cafes which I can recommend:
- Blue Bird Espresso on Johnston St, Collingwood
- Main St Cafe - Main St, Mordialloc
- Green Refectory - Sydney Rd, Brunswick

6) Terrain
Melbourne is not pancake flat - it serves some terrain perfect for strength training in cycling and running. A few km away from the CBD and we have Studley Park where you are able to ride a 14km loop with some tricky gradients. Studley and Fairfield parks are also great for running and that's where I do my Sunday endurance runs.

Drive a few hours away from the city centre and you have access to the Great Ocean Road where many cyclist challenge themselves over the rolling hills and climbs. Kinglake, Macedon are also great locations for some hill climbing.

Many people can be seen around the Botanical Gardens (The Tan) where you will find many people running either laps or doing some interval sessions. There is also a short hill around the lap known as Anderson St hill where many hill repeats can be seen.

The Tan

We also have the flat roads where you can see many cyclist on the road. This is known as Beach Rd (although it changes when it goes through Brighton and Port Melbourne). This route is great for a fast pace ride especially when we are in the TTbike phase of our program.

7) The Weather
I do have a love-hate relationship with Melbourne's weather. I actually love its 40+ days but knowing that it will cool down soon is also a nice thought. We do have crazy storms every year and I have done many training sessions in them. It is never pleasant when it is near zero degrees, its windy and its pouring with rain; you are pedalling through because you have to cover X km as part of the program. You are dripping wet from head to toe and you have a headache because you have been shivering so much your jaw sends throbbing beats up the side of your head.

I won't lie, I do comment once in a while that Melbourne's weather is crazy but believe it or not, I wouldn't change it for the world! Training in all types of weather (especially the terrible ones - hot or cold) best prepares you to race in all conditions. So my tip for anyone training in Melbourne, be grateful for the great weather we have, at least we are not training through snow.

8) Training Clubs/Squads
Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia. Triathlon is a popular sport in Melbourne - so much so that the Asian Pacific Championships is held in Melbourne (Ironman Melbourne). No longer do we have to travel to Busselton, Port Mac or Cairns to participate in an Ironman event in Australia. Living in Melbourne, there are over 20 triathlon clubs/squads you can join to help you through your journey. I am with Tri Alliance and have been since the beginning of 2010. Not only is the coaching a great factor about joining a squad, it is also following a program that works, train with others alike yourself but you also get to bounce ideas, advice and give each other support. I have done both the personalised program and the squad. For me, the squad training works better for me as I am an extrovert and love the social aspect of it.

9) Races/Events
We are really spoilt for events in Melbourne, there is a (triathlon related) sporting event on nearly every week. Not all are advertised or organised by the big event companies but they are as good (sometimes better). They ranged from swimming, cycling, running and triathlons. During the summer months, there are triathlon events ran by two major organisations but there are also small triathlon events hosted by local triathlon clubs. Have a look at the Triathlon Victoria calendar and you can pick events to do. During winter, I only do running events such as Run Melbourne, Sandy Point and the Melbourne Marathon festival. I haven't done the cycling events over the last few years as I have moved to long course training and wanted to concentrate on ticking off the program sessions instead.

The fact that I live in a city which embraces health/fitness/sports every day - I see people out running, cycling or even swimming in the bay during winter, I am a very lucky person and should not forget it. I am grateful for all the opportunities given to me. I chose this lifestyle and it makes me so happy.

Weekly Reflection - 15/04 - 21/04

Favourite session of the week:
I really haven't done too much the past week apart from riding into work on Tuesday (70km) and the latte ride on Saturday.

Tyre Changing with Coach Greg

We rode from St Kilda to Williamstown (and return) making the whole trip just under 50km.

There were plenty of beginners with us as they are not really in a recovery phase to take a break from triathlon training - they only just got into the sport late in the season (Remembering I was in that position in 2010).

We rode (very slowly) to Williamstown with a few hiccups along the way but it is expected when the group is careful. It was the first group ride for some athletes and some of the bike paths are very dangerous (and some motorists wonder why we don't ride the paths more often). It was actually safer to ride on the road as we did that along Footscray rd rather than taking the bike paths.

We did have a session for the beginners on how to change a (clincher) tyre and signalling.

Least favourite session of the week:

I am absolutely itching to get back into the pool but I still have one more week of no chlorine (due to the tattoo on my arm). I think I may be getting back into the pool over the long weekend if not, it will be Monday 29th April. No pool = not happy.

My foot is still not 100% so I am really mindful about running just yet. I am fearing my first run because I know it is not pretty.

Advice of the week:
Get your niggles sorted now in recovery month before we head into winter training. If we don't sort things out, it will delay our progression and when we try to keep up with the program, it will lead to more injuries.

Thing I’m looking forward to next week:
This week is actually great. ANZAC day in on Thursday and so most of the office is taking Friday off work and making it a long weekend. On the training program, I will ride into work sometime this week - it will be either Tuesday or Wednesday, then it is another latte ride on Saturday followed by 1000 steps on Sunday. This session is so much fun and we get to have a great breakfast at Coach Daz's house too.

Sunday afternoon will also be my first footy match (Hawks v Kangas) for 2013.

GROW & Attitude

Last night, I went to the Short Course Goal Setting Workshop (held by Tri Alliance) as a coach/observer. It was conducted by both Ollie and Greg (again). There was a significant difference in last night's presentation by both coaches compared to the Long Course one last Tuesday. I guess the majority of the room were filled with newbies, ones who are new to triathlon, just want to train to get through a season of Active Feet (fun) races or the Gatorade and for general fitness. A small handful of short course guys are doing Olympic Distances and even smaller group are part of the advanced crew who are training to race the World Champs (in London 2013 or Canada in 2014). Tri Alliance is the biggest squad in Victoria so when I talk about a small handful, it is still about a dozen or so.

Ollie spoke about the yearly planner and how (similarly to the Long Course group) the first few weeks will be all about technique, then strength and then comes the speed work before race season starts again. Then Greg did his presentation about goal setting and the other slides which I didn't get a chance to talk about in this entry are the following:



GROW



We use the GROW method to keep track of our GOALS.

G - Restate what the goal is - remind yourself what it is and why it is a goal in the first place.

R - Reality - is what you have set something which is achievable. It is great to set a goal (time) quicker than what your current performances are but are the times actually achievable? Do some basic maths or physics.

O - Options - If your circumstances change - what other options do you have to achieve your goal? You may need to change the to suit the reality of the situation.

W - What you need to do to adapt to the changes in your circumstances to achieve your goals.



PIKE Fish Market



The other part of Greg's talk, is all about our attitudes towards our training. 

PLAY - training is hard work but it is also our choice to do the training. Make training a positive part of your day. Something to look forward to. For most triathletes, we have this covered (thats why we go to training), we often "Can't wait to finish work so we can go training", "Hate being sick because I miss out of training". If we didn't enjoy doing it, we would not be (age group) triathletes. One of the positive things about training with a squad/club is that we get to play with a few of our friends who share the same passions.  

MAKE THEIR DAY - Greg talked about this from the coach's perspective - he hopes that every athlete walks away from every session having learnt something - be it a new technique, something about themselves and what they can achieve or even a different mindset about training. As an athlete, you should come away from every training session having learnt something new or being just proud of the session that you have achieved/ticked off the list. Ticking off small victories always makes me happy!

BE THERE - paying 100% of your time and attention to the session. When your mind is elsewhere, you will not get out of the training session for what it was intended to be. Common examples of this is when you are out on a run and it becomes too painful, rather than giving the run session 100%, your mind starts to drift off to spending time in bed or at the pub or cafe where it is comfortable. When your mind does this, your run session is compromised as your body just doesn't want to be there.

After training, it is also important to Be There for your friends and family - give them their part of your time. When you are with them, it is important to switch off the triathlon brain.

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE - This is similar to what I have written about before. It is our choice to do triathlons (training and racing) so we also choose our attitudes when we train and race. If the weather is bad, we have a choice to think about the positives of training in the wold weather and how it will benefit us on race day or we choose to stay in bed only to regret it later on. Choosing your attitude also plays hand in hand with Control the Controllable which is quoted by many Tri Alliance athletes (firstly by Greg). We can't control the weather or how slippery the roads are, we can only control (choose) how we approach our performance and mindset.

Attitude during a race is also important and it can either make or destroy your race. I am always happy and positive during a race (albeit small sections of the race can be quite difficult to manage). I love seeing my fellow squad members on course and always give them a thumbs up (if I can't call our their names on course). When I hear words of encouragement and support on course - it always lifts me up during a race and it is something which I look forward to (e.g. at the turn around points on course where spectators are located).

We also choose our attitudes and how we behave with the people around us. We have not sacrificed to do this sport, we chose it. No one is forcing us to do this. We then must also choose not to treat our loved ones like sh!t (to put things bluntly) during our training as they are often our biggest supporters. Being able to see their faces during the race is what (personally) gets me over the finish line on race day.

Weekly Reflection - 08/04 - 14/04

Favourite session of the week: Tri Alliance and the Liv/Giant rides were combined on Saturday. We started the ride from Cafe Racer to Mordi and then ended the ride at the Great Provider. It was a very casual ride so I spent 90% of the ride (when I met up with them after I rode from Mentone) on the small chain ring. We took a photo at Mordialloc.

Liv/Giant & Tri Alliance LADIES ride

What I love about this ride was the amount of ladies who actually came out with us - I don't think we have seen a group of females on a bunch ride since the SUB Womens ride which occurred in 2007 and 2008. I bet it was a surprise for all the guys who also stopped at Mordialloc. We had riders of all different abilities on this ride - from professional through to beginners with their trusty but rusty bikes.

Least favourite session of the week: Not really any session which I disliked (as I haven't done anything really....) Other than a few things which annoyed me during my commute to and from work - people not paying attention walking on/across bikepaths etc.

Advice of the week: "Race day is just the VICTORY LAP to celebrate your training."- absolutely love this! How true is it - we stress about race day so much when it should be a celebration of all the hard work you have done in the weeks/months/years leading up to your race event.

Thing I’m looking forward to next week: The Tri Alliance Latte Ride will be heading towards Williamstown this weekend - I remember the ride being quite picturesque. Might ride from my house again like what I did last year and ride home from the starting point. Won't be pushing too hard on the bike - will be a good steady ride.

My Ironman Tattoo

So, over the weekend, I went and had my post Ironman tattoo done. No, I did not get the M-dot. If you want to read more about my personal reasons why, please go see this blog entry...

I wanted to get a tattoo to signify my personal achievements in my first Ironman Race. I decided on a peony rose and had it done on my (left) arm on Saturday (13th April). Peony roses are common in many Chinese art work as a sign of Richness and Honour, it is also a rose without thorns.

My personal reason for getting a Peony Rose as my Ironman Tattoo is for the strength in the core (bud) of the flower. Without a strong core, the beautiful petals would be meaningless.

I believe in having a strong core (values) in everything in life. It builds the foundation for success in work, life, family and even triathlon.

Pre-Pre-Season Activities

I wrote a bit about the Long Course Goal setting workshop Tri Alliance held on Tuesday of this week. There is one for Short Course Tri Alliance athletes next Monday night. I will attend this session as a coach as to gauge what the short course squad are working towards and be on the same page with the coaching group. I am sure that there will be questions and advice required from short course athletes for the next season so we need to provide them with the right answers.

Nothing really triathlon related has occurred within the last week or so. I did ride the bike into work on Wednesday (35km each way). I decided to ride with the THC group (Terry Hammond Cycles) as they were riding behind the Bikeforce guys. When the THC guys turned off on Hampton, I rode with the Bikeforce guys until they turned off on St Kilda Rd. Due to the traffic congestion and I was riding by myself, I decided that it was safer to ride on the bike paths from Elwood onwards to work.

Webb Bridge in Docklands - A place of many near misses

The ride on the bike paths that early in the morning is not too much of a hassle. I do want to point out how dangerous it is to ride through the Webb Bridge in the Docklands. It is a very short section of my commute but as the passage through the bridge is shared with DDA, cyclist (a small single lane in the middle for two way traffic) and pedestrians, I often have to get off my bike and walk the bike through as other bikes and flying down and pedestrians walking on the bike paths. No one seems to be using the DDA passage much but it is there to serve a purpose. Something needs to be done about this section of the bridge before someone gets hurt. A solution might be that a "take off" section of the bridge is required for cyclist so pedestrians and cyclist are not congested over a passage the size of a footpath? The near misses which occur along this bridge is not only due to the size of the passage but also the bend which do not allow users to know what is coming up ahead...

I could tell that my legs are still recovering from Ironman as they are still feeling heavy and loaded with lead. I decided to get a massage yesterday afternoon to loosen up my shoulders (currently compacted with hard knots) and the legs. Let me tell you, I was crying on the massage table! I haven't felt a massage being so uncomfortable for a very long time (even through the heavy training loads leading up to IM). He mentioned that there were a lot of fibrous build-ups throughout my legs which is causing that lead feeling and I should start stretching to loosen them up before I start my build again to prevent injuries. More stretching to be done this week and then book in another massage next week.

I also went and saw a physio about a niggling pressure I have been feeling on the arch of my foot for the last 2 weeks or so. It is not plantar faciatis but the tendon under the foot which is just over stretched from the marathon. The tightness of my calves is also a culprit for the niggle. Gotta do more stretches and maybe get into a lectric soda bath over the weekend to loosen things up.

So what have I got planned for this weekend? I will be joining the Liv/Giant Ladies ride which will be leaving from Cafe Racer at 7:30am with Tri Alliance. We will be riding to Mordi and back. I will see how I am feeling - I might ride all the way back to Cafe Racer and then home, this will depend on how fast/slow the ride will be. I have a (secret) appointment at 2pm so I will need to be back for that. You will find out about the secret appointment after the weekend.

Little Lucy and I will then head to Geelong to spend time with the family (they have come back from their holiday is Dubai and Malaysia). I might go to the local pool for a few laps and some water running to get the blood moving in the legs again.

I can really feel the weight (fat) piling on the waist area...looking forward to seeing it go away again when the training load picks up in May.

GOALLLLLL!!!!!!

So last night, Tri Alliance had a Long Course Goal Setting session to introduce to the long course group (people doing long course racing - be it running or triathlon) within the 2013-2014 season.

As part of this session, Head Coach Ollie spoke about the program and the different sections of the program leading up to the big race so it starts out with technique work and then moves on to strength and then race pace/volume. He stressed the importance of getting the technique and the build up right because it is the only way to correct your technique before the volume and strength kicks in and this is good for two main reasons:
1) Maximise efficiency of your actions be it in your stroke in swimming, running or cycling and
2) Avoid injuries when you are doing the right things.

He also spoke about the importance of training spikes (as in training camps) and the volume leading up to the race week. He also stressed the importance of not going beyond the line in training as to avoid injuries and to also allow the body to properly adapt to the training load and to also allow your body enough time to recover.

We then went into a goal setting session by Coach Greg. This was very similar session to what he hosted 2 years ago in 2011 but he added a few things extra which I will need to post when the slides become available as I wasn't able to write them down. The general gist of the added things he spoke about was more about the mindset of training and how we behave in those sessions. Ironman (or any distance triathlon) is a choice we make and how we go into training and how we treat others around us is our choice. This is very similar sentiment to what I have previously posted before in this blog.

My two MAJOR triathlon goals for the 2013-2014 are as follows:

Shepparton Half Ironman - 17th Nov 2013
I, Evalin Ling will complete my 3rd half ironman-distance triathlon. This will be my second Shepparton 70.3 event. This will happen on the November 2013 in Shepparton, VIC. I will aim for a time of 5:45 hours. In order for me to get below 5:45 hours, my times for the race will need to be:
Swim - 1.9km < 35min
Ride - 90km < 3 hours
Run - 21.1km < 2 hours

Melbourne Ironman - 23rd March 2014
I, Evalin Ling will complete my 2nd FULL Ironman-Distance Triathlon at Melbourne Ironman. This will be my second 140.6 event. This will happen in Melbourne, VIC during March 2014. I will aim for a time of 12 hours. In order for me to get below 12 hours, my times for the race will need to be:
Swim - 3.8km < 1:15min
Ride - 180km < 6 hours
Run - 42.2km < 4:30 hours

I will achieve the goals above by:
- Improving on my swim technique as I don't feel that I have mastered the art of a complete catch (with high elbows). I may need to invest in some swim technique classes outside of the Tri Alliance program. Swim at least 3 sessions a week.
- Increase strength in cycling. This will be done through the introduction of intensity in training rather than just getting through the volume (as per the first-timer program). Must do hills in winter as this was not provided to first timer program in 2012.
- Stay consistent with using the tri bike on all windtrainer sessions
- Stay consistent with running training. Tuesday mornings is a must as well as Sunday long runs with Coach Greg at Fairfield. Thursday evenings will depend on my coaching commitments with the club.
- Run a half marathon < 1:50 in June 2013.
- Run a marathon < 4:45 hours in October 2013

I am a realist about my goals - I rely on facts. I know what my capabilities are and I don't just pluck random numbers off the top of my head just so the goals look good. Reflecting back on my 2012-2013 season, my weakness in the bike (over the long distance) was evident as I wasn't able to race the bike leg but it felt like I was just riding the distances. I will need to speak to the coaches on how I should approach my bike training sessions especially during training camps. I enjoy the swim sessions but I know that I will always of room for improvement. It is just a matter of getting up at 4:30am to head to the sessions 45km away - its the only way I can do the sessions themselves and giving my afternoons free for other requirements without ending my evenings too late for another 4:30am alarm the next morning. My comfort in the run has improved over the 2012-2013 season and I did my first marathon (as part of the Ironman). I know that if I manage my (hyper mobile) joints, this will minimise my injuries and I will be able to actually do more sessions successfully. I must also find the funds and the time to do more core strengthening sessions such as pilates and yoga in the next season.

I will formalise them and post then as a PAGE along the header similar to what I had done previously - that way it is easily found (by myself) and also get an update/reflection. I had these goals pretty much set after each event but was waiting on extra information from last night before I would finalise them on this blog.

I know that the goals above are achievable and within my means and capabilities. If I achieve them by more than I had expected, then I do need to revisit them and change to suit. But for now, I am comfortable about them and they will be what I will work towards for the up and coming months.

Goals Set - Ready to Rock and Roll.

Change of Domain Name

I have changed the domain name for this blog from:

eattrainlaughforhalf.blogspot.com.au to eattrainlaugh.blogspot.com.au (as I am no longer training just for half marathons and half Ironmans anymore)

Not sure how you are following this blog but you may need to change some of the settings...

Apologies for any inconvenience caused!!!

Weekly Reflection 01/04 - 07/04

Coach Greg running through the chute

Apologies for inconsistent updates of the Weekly Reflection. Due to the lack of training, I have been slack in this update but the purpose of this (Weekly Reflection) is to reflect on every aspect of triathlon (even during Recovery Phase) and not just about the Training Phase so it here goes...

Favourite session of the week:

Due to the vast amounts of chocolates and the lack of movement over the Easter break apart from house cleaning, I decided to venture off to the pool on the Tuesday night. It didn't take much effort to swim 1km but I decided to stop at 1km - don't want to do too much during recovery month! :)

Also rode the road bike on Saturday as part of the casual bike ride. Rode from my house to Catani Gardens in St Kilda, we then waited at Cafe Racer before heading to Mordialloc and return. I turned off at Black Rock to home. It felt very weird to be on the road bike compared to the TT.

Least favourite session of the week:

Missing the interaction with squad friends due to the lack of training sessions.

Advice(s) of the week:

1) Spend time with loved ones after your race especially during recovery phase.

2) Support others in their events even though you are done with triathlon for the season - friendship and support is a two-way street.

Thing I’m looking forward to next week:
We have the Tri Alliance Long Course Goal Setting workshop on Tuesday night which I am looking forward to. I have got my plan prepared for the next season 2013-2014 with Melbourne Ironman as one of my A races (Shepparton 70.3 being the other).

The Ironman Triathlon - Respect?

The entries for Ironman Melbourne have finally sold out. Entries were available over 2 days:

• Tuesday for Triathlon Australia membership holders (sold out in 20min)
• Thursday for general public (sold out in about 6 hours)

I had secured my place on Tuesday but by the sound of things through social media, this was not the easiest task for most as the server only allowed a certain number of windows opened by people at the one time and if you had multiple windows open, it was taking up a slot. I pretty much had a teleconference at work so I booked out a meeting room and at the same time, entered myself into the 2014 Ironman Melbourne - two things at the same time. Looking at my bank account - I can't believe that I am down to about $20 as I handed over to WTC, $890 for an event which will occur in 12 months time and there is still no guarantee that I will be fit enough part of the starting line...crazy isn't it.

Personally, I have a mission to accomplish and that is to happily state that I have done a full Ironman and I raced it well. I don't believe deep down in my heart that I have done a full ironman distance triathlon and I was far from pleased about my results (of the bike leg). This is something which I need to work on for the next 11 months (post Recovery). After IM Melbourne 2014, I am aiming to also race Busselton in 2014 so this is something which I need to save up enough money for close to Dec 2013.

I respect the Ironman Distance of 3.8km Swim, 180km Ride and a 42.2km run triathlon. This is why I am diligent about my training and committed to giving 100% into the sport (finances included).

The following paragraphs are my own personal opinion so please don't take it personally or harshly

 - there are plenty of people who have signed up to this event without respecting the sport nor do they comprehend the time you need to set aside to train for this event. Sure I know a handful of people who can race an Ironman with little training as they have excellent fitness base or they have their youth - I know of someone in their mid 20s who is an excellent cyclist and has access to the best equipment but has done hardly any swim training and his longest endurance run was 16km....he finished IM Melbourne in a much quicker time than me (yes I am annoyed).

There are also a handful of people who have also signed up to this event as one of their bucket list things to do BUT will put in 100% in training. We had a small group of these gents who joined the squad and their dedication to the sport was admirable.  Their perception of the Ironman triathlon did change dramatically once they started training with us as they learnt so much more about the sport, the hours required and the structure in order to minimise injuries and maximise performance. They wanted to give it a go and they did respected the sport. These guys did very well during 2013 Ironman Melbourne.

Lastly, there are the handful of people who want to do this event but only as a result of a bet/joke/dare or they want to be able to gloat/brag that they have done an event such as Tough Mudder and the natural progression is to jump to an Ironman Triathlon (obviously)...this group of people, I am personally not a fan unless they respect the ironman distance and what is required to get there.

You hear the Ironman term: "Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life" Brag? To who? Would you seriously brag that you are an Ironman to fellow triathletes? (Can you just imagine doing that to a beginner in a squad?! - terrible isn't it!!!)....Brag to a non-triathlete? Would they really care (as they don't really care much in the first place about triathlon?) What type of reaction do you expect from a non-triathlon person if you do brag?! (I am curious to know)

Personally, I don't brag (purposely) about my training and about my races. I do express my achievements on social media but more of an expression of "Holy crap!! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to ride 100km 5 years ago when I was overweight..." and definitely not in a "Oh yeah, I rode 100km today because I am so much better than you..." I am just super proud of my own achievements, it is not competition and it is not to psych out others in my category (I am just not in that racing mind set).  I am also a supporter of other athletes achieving their goals to - be it doing their first triathlon, riding their longest distance on a bike, their first olympic distance tri through to qualifying for Kona. Supporting others is an important part of triathlon which often does not get recognised or acted upon as triathlon is such a selfish sport.

I have not bragged that I have completed an ironman (and better than anyone else out there) - it is something which I am not comfortable about nor do I feel the need to rub it in people's faces. So signing up for another Ironman race is something which I need to do for myself. If you have signed up for an Ironman race, who/what reasons are you doing this event for? Is "I am doing this as a bet..." a good enough reason why a person is to enter this event? I suppose it is their own $900 and their own hours, I shouldn't be too caught up in it myself but a very small part of me just gets annoyed at these clowns...everyone has their own reasons and they shouldn't be the same as mine, I know.

I don't know how other triathletes feel about what I have just written down...I know that there are many many many facets why one enters such an event. It has been fascinating to learn about them as the days go by.

Endurance Eating and Sleeping...

My Ironman Mug

Other than the usual AIDS (After Ironman Depression Symptoms) or PIDS (Post Ironman Depression Symptoms) that you hear common to most triathletes after they complete their major events, most will also experience what I have called PIES - Post Ironman Eating and Sleeping...

That is pretty much what I have been doing in abundance of since the 24th March 2013.

Monday 25th - The Day After...

Someone cruel must have organised that tired and sore athletes should go all the way to St Kilda to pick up their bikes and bags between the hours of 8am - 11am. The sights and sounds of athletes around Catani Gardens around that time of the morning was pretty funny. Not only do people reflect on their event with fellow athletes and supporters, they were also showing signs of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), wearing compression garments and drinking to replenish the fluids lost during the event.

Photo of my family on my handlebars

I forgot to mention in my Race Report that I had lost > 6kg (appox 20% of my body weight) during the race (this also included 3 toilet stops) and I still didn't get the drip when I collapsed over the finish line.

As my athlete wrist band was cut off in the medical tent after the race, I was not able match my bike to me (the athlete) the standard way but luckily, I had a photo of my family (including myself) on the handlebars of my bike and the marshal laughed when I told them about my story and when I placed my face next to the photo to claim little Dale (the Cannondale) is truly my steed.

 

What I thought would be my next challenge was to match my T1 and T2 bag to me, well they (marshals) didn't seem to care much as I told them that I had my band cut off by the medics. Boring story, got my bags.

After stuffing bags and bike into the car, we went to the Royal Melb Yatch club to hear the roll down for the Kona slots. We had 3 people in our squad who had slots from their placings but no one else received a slot from the roll down.

Post roll down, I devoured a chorizo pizza and some hot chips and then ventured off to the expo for some finishers merchandise. To be honest, very disappointed. You had a choice between red or pink. I didn't see anything I liked or would wear and there was nothing in my size. The smallest was a S/10 which was still too big. I bought an ironman t-shirt and a few decals for the car and that was it. Oh and where do I start with the green finishers shirt we received post race....I will not be wearing that shirt....ever. Sorry.

After spending a few hours with the squad at Republica, I ventured home to have a nap (14/28 gels caffeinated + coke = no sleep post race).

The Awards dinner was held at Etihad stadium. I use the word "dinner" lightly as we were given meat pies and hot dogs to tie us over during the ceremony. Some people (non IM participants) paid $50 for this and it was not well received. Dietery needs of some athletes were not met - vegetarians, vegans, gluten-intolerances. I had no intentions of staying past the Awards ceremony as I had no spare cash to spend as I needed to save up for the next Ironman registration which opened today (more news on this later).

Tuesday 26th - Post Ironman Winery and Bday celebrations

One of the girls from our squad kindly organised a winery day at Mornington to celebrate that we are Ironmen/women and her bday which was on the Wednesday before the Ironman Race. I decided to not go too hard on this day and slept in and drove myself to T'Gallant to meet them for lunch. Lunch was amazing and I believe I ate my own weight in pizza and baked potatoes...so much butter and garlic, oh so so good!

I had a massage booked in at 6:30pm so I left the group at True South (in Black Rock). I did have an ice bath after the race but didn't have enough time to fill up the bath enough to cover my quads so those were still sore. My hammies, calves and hips were fine. I also had my shoulders done which was a relief as I had trouble reaching in between my shoulder blades.

Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th - Back to Work...

Nothing much to report except that I went back to work but I did write up my race report and post race reflection pieces and uploaded the professional photos I had purchased.

Easter Weekend - I did the following:

One of the "Gifts" I received from
 friends who supported me on race day

• Moved furniture/cleaned the house - I have now moved the bed into the smaller room and moved all my bikes, clothing and tubs of stuff to the larger room. I ended up with 4 garbage bags of clothing to the salvos, 1 bag of shoes (salvos), 3 bags of rubbish and a whole recycling bin filled to the brim.
• Had real breakfast cooked by someone else with real company and conversation
• Ate so much junk food without regrets - chips, chocolates, processed fried stuff (I don't even know what it was...), ribs (800g of it), custard desserts, cake, chocolate biscuits, ice cream, lollies...
• Went to bed late and slept in until 9am (earliest), 11am (latest)...

I gave myself a 1 week window post Ironman to eat junk (that I normally would not eat) and now I am back on eating real food (not a diet of any sorts). I may still have some left over processed foods which I will be happily bringing into work to share.

No real training sessions for me this week. I will be heading down to Catani Gardens for Tips & Tricks clinic again on Saturday followed by supporting my squad (and others I know) on Sunday for the last triathlon race for the season.

I am now in the recovery phase of the Tri Alliance Program and before I sign

off this entry, just wanted to share some good news - I have a slot into the 2014 Melbourne Ironman. Won't be doing any training for this until May (post Recovery Month of April). Grateful that I was able to get a place without much trouble. I will be establishing my plan for the next season soon and will share as soon as I can.