Swimming Improvements

This morning, I did another 1km swim TT at Northcote. Happy to report that I took nearly 1min off my time from about 5 weeks ago down to 20:32 (from 21:23). My best time was around 19:52. I know that I can get closer to that time as there were many factors which affected my ability to swim at my pace this morning (won't go into too much) but it was nothing I could control.

Motivation to be a better swimmer

I will continue on working on my upper body strength and being consistent at the swim session.

Melburn Roobaix 2013

Yesterday (23rd June), I participated in my first Melburn Roobaix - organised by FYXO.



Me under the Citylink Overpass towards Manifest 8

This year was the 8th year and it has turned from 100 ppl to 2000 (capped). Tickets sold out in a matter of hours. The route for this event changes every year, you only find out the routes the morning of registration when you pick up your musette. This is a fun event, no prizes for coming first or second. Some choose to wear costumes, some choose to ride their crappiest bikes. I would definitely not bring out the good bike for this event - the cobblestones don't place nice.  

There are 13 Manifests on the 40km(ish) route. Each manifest has a cobblestone laneway and at the end of each segment has a question you have to answer (to make sure you cover off all the manifests). The questions ranged from how many speed humps, the number on the road, the letter on the power pole through to year of establishments on certain buildings.

I did this event with the Canadian. He rides bikes of all shapes and types and he knows all the bike paths and routes throughout Melbourne which wasa great advantage for me...as I know very little apart from the bike paths along Beach Rd.













So we started our day from Abbotsford and rode along the path along the Yarra down to Toorak road. I rode my single speed (George) so I didn't have any gears to worry about. When we reached the Hawthorn Velodrome, the registration process had just started but the line for registration alreadt stretched out from one end to the other.

Once we picked up our pack, off we went. I wished I had gears when we rode up Auburn Rd...I had to stand up on my pedals for most of it and so did most people who rode with single speeds.

My first cobble stone experience was not the greatest. I very rarely ride along cobblestones and my bike skills are not that great. I had to quickly learn to pick my line, relax the shoulders and arms and slightly lift my bum off the seat. The more lanes I rode through, the more comfortable I got. Towards the end, I was riding through them without hesitation.

What I couldn't ride were the cobblestone laneways where it was too steep to pedal through and I had to either edge the stroke through and pulled back and forth or I had to quickly hop off and pushed the bike through. The questions at the end of each segment were easy enough to answer.

My George and the Canadian's CX

At the start of the day - before registration

We did get a few people who complained about the day, the first was when a lady drove their massive 4WD past cyclist on Auburn Rd...they told us that we had to ride single file....on the bike lane. I bet we totally ruined her day! The second incident happened when we crossed the road to go to a cafe for lunch a person asked what was happening and we cheerfulyl explained its the Melburn Roobaix - kinda like a scav hunt on bikes but he ended up whinging that he couldn't get a table in a cafe for lunch because they were full of cyclist, I bet his day was ruined too! Seriously...lighten up!

I was so hungry after we finished manifest #9 that I ordered a massive breakfast to eat for lunch. It has been about 5 years since I had a massive breakfast.

I really loved it how some of the locals got into the spirit of things and provided directions (and even officialling the routes) through to selling drinks and snacks from their garage (as it faces the laneway). Kids were really rallying around the many people riding past especially for the ones who dressed up in superhero costumes.

The route finished at the Brunswick Velodrome where you got to ride a third of it before ending it at the finish line. I wasn't too confident on the velodrome so I ended up just riding on the bottom.

Before I handed in the Manifest

The crowd at the end

As I had mentioned before - this is a fun event - there is no prizes for being fast. There were prizes handed out for the cutest couple (which went to a Horse - tandem bike), cyclist who travelled the furthest for this event, ones who have participated in this event the longest, random prizes of bikes and coffee machines and the grand prize - random draw of the manifest (with correct answers) which included a trip to Paris for the Roubaix in 2014!!!! Amazing prize hey?!

My highlight was taking a photo which I had to collage to make the complete photo (see below) - Cancellara & Sagan. If you don't know the story, I suggest you do some google searching:



Me as Cancellara & Sagan

Overall, I had one of the best days ever. Not only was it a fun day, the weather was perfect. I got to ride the bike trails which I would not have ridden ever and I got to explore the many side streets of Melbourne. Thanks to the Canadian though, without him, I probably would have been frustrated as I would have been riding the main roads rather the bike paths.

Weekly Reflection 17/06 - 23/06

Favourite session of the week:

In terms of training, I really enjoyed my Thursday morning windtrainer session. The reasons why it was my favourite:

• It was freezing cold
• The session was held outside!!!!
• Even though I didn't sweat as much, I worked extra hard so I could warm up quickly
• I stayed consistent during the main set and pushed beyond my limits

Seeing the dietitian was also a highlight of my week and I have started to see Calories in a different light. Something non-triathlon related - I did the Melburn Roobaix on Sunday - will write about this event in another post. Very memorable day.

Least favourite session of the week:
The lack of sleep over several night really has impacted on my health. I didn't come down with a cold or anything but it felt like it (sinus blocked and really drowsy) and so I didn't get to ride on Saturday morning. Really spewing because I really loved riding through the Dandenongs. Apparently we are doing bike time trials this weekend and will be moving to another destination in the following week (most likely Kinglake).

Advice of the week:
Sleep and planning come hand in hand. I must plan ahead in terms of what to pack for training clothing, work clothing and also what foods to eat as I need more than 5 hours of sleep a night. I have found it to be an issue lately especially on a Thursday-Saturday situation.

What I’m looking forward to next week:
This is recovery week and time trial week. I am looking forward for the swim TT to see how I have improved. I am starting to feel the water again and hopefully the swim stroke correction classes I am doing on a Saturday afternoons are paying off (even if it is only a few seconds faster).

Calves on fire during icy winter

We have been working on strength and technique work within last few running sessions and I am really feeling it in my legs - especially the calves. I have mentioned in one of my previous posts that I have been trying to lift my knees up higher (incorporating the slight bum kick and push off if possible) when I am running.

Doing these sets nice a slow means you will have more steps to cover off within the distance. The more steps, the more pressure on the calves = tight calves.

I felt the calves being activated last night during my 4 x 1km but really felt it tightening up during the hill sets as we were encouraged to lift the knees higher to run up the hills (rather than run into the hills). I could only do 1 x 400m as my calves were burning and tightened up to the point being stiff. The 3 degree coldness did not help either.

The temperature in Melbourne has gotten colder than usual. We have had mornings where it is close to 2 degrees. I don't mind running in cold conditions (I still only wear a singlet), I will just need to manage my hands and ears. Yesterday (double Thursday), I did a windtrainer session outdoors and took 30min of work before I was too hot for my beanie and jacket. Next week, I will also use gloves as I found my hands got too cold and started to hurt. My hands were very painful last night during the run and opening and closing my fist was a struggle. Need gloves!

I also bought a cycling buff which essentially is a piece of stretchy cloth for cycling. I will have it around my neck and be able to pull it over my nose and mouth when I descend. I may have to start to wear the buff during my evening runs too.

The good thing about an icy evening is that the temperature in the Maribynong river is also icy cold. This was therapeutic for my legs and I can actually walk around work this morning!

During the week, turning up to swimming has been a big challenge - driving to the pool 40-50min away and seeing the temperature gauge of the car go down to the point a snowflake appeared on the dashboard is not encouraging in anyway. To add to the madness, we also swim in an outdoor pool which has pre-historic facilities - facilities so old that the hot water does not work for the post-swim showers!

This weekend's training will be slightly altered to cater for family commitments. Today is a loooong day - this morning, I had my 3rd Strength and Conditioning session, tonight I will go to a footy game (Hawks v Eagles) and I may be home around midnight (not ideal). Pack the bike and bag ready for the morning ride.

Saturday will be a ride in the Dandenongs - will be similar to last week but my goal will be to be more comfortable about the hills and if I feel like I can, I will do one more repeat of 1-in-20. Depending on how exhausted I am, I might to a swim at 3pm. I am still in 2 minds as I would like to catch up on my sleep. Family dinner on Sat night

Sunday - I am doing the Melburn Roobaix as a fun day on the single speed bike. I am actually looking forward to the Melburn Roobaix as I really enjoyed riding around and exploring the side streets of Melbourne.

Nutrition & Triathlon - My Journey

As you all know, nutrition is a vital part of triathlon training and racing. I am not an expert in this field and therefore, won't be able to give any advice however there are plenty of qualified professionals out there - my recommendation is to ask a professional you feel comfortable with - either by their reputation, research, publications or even diet/method beliefs.

Every nutritionist/dietitian out there will have their own personal views in terms of nutrition just like a triathlon coach. Methods of weight loss or maintaining energy levels will vary from one to another. Methods of perceiving food/nutrition will also be projected differently. This is why it is good to be comfortable with who you are seeing - if you don't feel comfortable/trust their advice, it will not work.

As I had mentioned before, I am seeing a sports dietitian to refine my weight loss/energy levels to enable me to be a better athlete. I did some research in dietitians who have consulted reputable triathletes as well as knowing what athletes need to perform. The person I am seeing at the moment currently consults for several triathlon squads/clubs, provides advice to cycling/triathlon blogs as well as being part of the SDA's committee. I personally wanted a dietitian who is not necessarily a triathlete themselves but one who knows what a triathlete's regime looks like and also the different phases in training and racing.

So my first appointment was last night. We went through my typical training week and then down to what my typical food plan looks like on a weekday and then a weekend (as my weekends vary).

What I learnt from the consultation was:

• There is no need for me to cut down on fats (like changing from full fat to skim dairy) due to the amount I am currently consuming. This will be different for someone who is obese and needs to cut down on their calories. I do need to watch/monitor the calories which comes from fats/oils.
• I don't need to worry too much about sugar - I was actually advised to consume yogurts with fruits (e.g. Fruit Chobani) in between my double session days (Tues, Thurs, Sat) as my sugar consumption is not that high and the carbohydrates are required.  
• Re-think sugar - carbohydrates can be complex or simple. They are digested the same way in our guts but it is about the choice of sugars we eat. On my days where I don't need to refuel, I can/should reduce my carbohydrates in order to cut down my calories. This can be as simple as reducing portion sizes. Excess carbohydrates will make you fat.
• Fuel up adequately prior to intense sessions rather than re-fueling post sessions to keep up energy levels.
• The body can only use a certain amount of protein and any further extra proteins we consume will be excess calories. A huge steak is not more beneficial than a small (palm size) one as the excess proteins won't be used up by our muscles.
• A vegetarian source of protein will require a greater quantity - e.g. you would require more tofu to make up for the [X]g protein compared to a small serving of steak. Find a balance with calories.

The sports dietitian will provide me with a breakdown of what I need and how much (in terms of proteins, carbs) and when they should be consumed (important for me). I will also see a body scan person to get an accurate measure of my body mass/fat %.

The food plan will be adjusted when my training regime changes closer to racing season. This will be done through the review appointments in the near future.

I did learn plenty of things from this consultation. I think (personally) it is also good to take advice from a single source rather than following various methods. I am comfortable with the advice I have received.

Will keep this updated in the coming weeks.

Weekly Reflection 10/06 - 16/06

Favourite session of the week: I have been living in Melbourne since 1997 and have been doing triathlons since 2008 but Saturday 15th June was my first ever bike ride through the Dandenong Ranges! In the previous years, I had always been in the beginner/first timer group which meant that we would be programmed to ride Beach Rd and slowly over the years include Olivers, Two Bays and through Mornington. This time around, I wanted to be stronger on the bike and being a seasoned athlete, it was time to join the squad in the hills.

We parked at Wantirna Mall (by the way, the car park is not on Baronia Rd, its on Mountain Hwy), rode up to Dorset Rd and rode along Canterbury Rd until the roundabout which lead us on Mount Dandenong Tourst Rd. From there it was a slow and steady (for me it was) up the beautiful hill. I rode on the large chain ring (without realising it) for most of the way up until I reached the intersection for the first turn off to Sky High. I then waited for people to know where to go. They told me that we actually ride up to Sky High on the 2nd intersection and so I rode and waited until the turn off. The climb up to sky high was made challenging with much of the traffic and tourist buses that also used that road but the scenery made up for it.

After the quick stop at Sky High, we made our way to Sassafras to ride down (and up and down) the 1 in 20. I always though (for some reason) that the 1-in-20 was a straight road but the twists and turns made it fun and challenging. I definitely needed to do more of this type of descending to learn how to turn right properly.

Once we did a few repeats, I was starving and so rode back to the carpark along the Mountain Hwy. I really enjoyed this training session as it was the first real session outside of Bike School and the Lorne Camp. I had that exhausted and sore feeling again after a good strength session on the bike. I felt safe riding through the Dandenongs as I was not too far from other cyclists and didn't felt I was in the middle of no where. As we didn't have to ride through too much highway, we didn't have to travel too far to do what we had to do which was what someone in the squad mentioned.

I would definitely venture back out there again without hesitations.

 

Least favourite session of the week: I really didn't have a not-that-great training session this week apart from not being able to attend the Thursday morning windtrainer session due to a 12am airport pickup early on Friday morning.

Advice of the week: My core strength has improved over the last few weeks and this was noticeable as my lower back hurts less and less. Having a stable core is very important in minimising injuries and maximising efficiency.
What I’m looking forward to next week: I have an appointment with a reputable sports dietitian on Tuesday evening. I am looking forward to this to learn a thing or two about nutrition for endurance athletes. There are too many conflicting views on what to eat (and when) and general advice won't suit everyone. Questions I will ask will be what I need to eat and at what times and on which days - double training sessions, early morning swims, long endurance rides and runs, late training sessions etc.

So Sore!!

A (biggish) weekend at Lorne training camp plus a newly introduced core balance session this week - my body is slightly sore and sorry.

In training, I have eased myself back into norm. An easy swim session for me on Wednesday morning which was all done in fins was a good way to flush out the legs. My work is quiet good in providing staff with health and wellness initiatives. At NDY (where I am an Associate/Sustainability Consultant) - the following things are provided:

• Fruits, Milk, Bread, Cereal in the breakout space - daily
• Personal Training Sessions - weekly
• Core Balance and Tai Chi Sessions - weekly
• Massages (twice a year)
• Annual cash back of gym memberships of up to $300
• Cooking classes and nutrition seminars

Cooking Classes with Itty Bitty Bert (Amber)

I haven't been able to attend the Wednesday lunch Core Balance sessions over the last few months due to meeting commitments and my own lack of organisation. This week was my first and the effects of this session can still be felt this morning - tight shoulders and back (from activation) and noticeable core.

I attended a Run Technique session in Brighton on Wed evening and refreshed some of the pointers I had learnt from doing Tony Benson's sessions a few years ago. One thing which I need to concentrate on more is the way my elbows move around my body - the motion backwards should exceed the motion forward in order to propel your body forward (easy physics).

Due to my long long Thursday, I decided to not do the first windtrainer session that morning. After work, I went to Essendon for my 2nd ever run with Greg at the North. During this session, we worked on some of the techniques which we needed to make us a stronger runner - for me, it was lifting my knees higher. By lifting up my knees more, I had to concentrate on not leaning back, relaxed my ankles and landing on my forefoot. I did get into the zone regarding forefoot running, landing and pushing off quickly yet with power but I did get tired very quickly.

After the run session, it was a quick shower, eat dinner, a 45min nap and then a drive to the airport at 11:30pm to pick up my dad from the airport - this was why my day was going to be a long one and why I had to forego the windtrainer session that morning.

This morning, after 3 hours of sleep, I attended my 2nd Strength and Conditioning session for more stretching, mobility and stabilisation exercises.

This weekend - I am planning on doing my first road ride (I have decided to forego the Bike School at this point in my training phase) as I am falling behind in cycling training which was considered as my weakness last season. I may also add in JVW's swim session on Sat afternoon as I had only done 1 session of swimming this week. I am not going to Ryan's swim session tonight as I want to catch up on my sleep ready for the road ride in the morning.

Sunday will be another long run session at Fairfield - hoping that my legs will cooperate better. Thursday's run session was not too bad. As we worked on technique rather than speed, I was able to complete the session without being left too far behind.

Lorne Camp Weekend - 7th - 10th June

Here is a quick summary and reflection on my Lorne Camp weekend.

Beautiful Lorne

2013 is my fourth year with Tri Alliance and this was also my fourth Lorne Camp. The first three camps, I had achieved more and more, year by year in terms of cycling and running. The sad news is, this year's Lorne camp was not my best nor did I achieve any significant personal milestones.

Friday - 7th June
So I arrived in Geelong just before 11am to drop off some things for my parents and to also pick up some food which my mum has made for me. Lately, she has been loving her pressure cooker which also does risottos and other rice dishes. She has been making me Zong Zi - which is a rice dish with shitaki mushrooms, chestnuts and sometimes meat. I was never a fan of it when I was younger but now I just crave these traditional dishes as they are often so healthy and good for you.

I left Geelong around 12 after saying bye to my Dad (he went back to Malaysia to see my grandparents for a week). Arriving in Lorne around 1:30pm, I checked into my accommodation which was across the street from the Lorne Life Saving Club. Unpacked, went to the supermarket to buy some essentials (such as bread, butter, eggs, lettuce, cheese and a toothbrush!), had lunch and got ready for the run session which starts at 4pm.

Michelle (housemate for the weekend) also arrived when I was having lunch so she also settled in for the weekend.

The run session was split into 3 groups. This was an optional session for those who arrived in time. I was placed in Group 2. Group 1 did the Mountain to Surf trail and a bit more (through Lorne), Group 2 did the Mountain to Surf trail and Group 3 ran along the flats.

My running is still pretty shocking (compared to what I was able to achieve 3-4 months ago) and so I drifted to the back during the warm up. When we ran along the trails, I stayed at the back and ran at my own pace. Similar to the Sunday runs, my shoes are not the best for slippery conditions. When we reached the end of the trails, it was a hill climb which meant that I was on my forefoot and doing little steps consistently until I reached the top. I didn't stop until I reached the top which meant that my legs were burning - what a mental game it was.

The soak in the water post run session was my first of many swims in the cold water. From experience, I found it colder and less toleratable to only dip your legs in the bay and fighting to stay dry when the waves hit compared to immersing your full body in it. I had my entire body in the water and only had my head above when the waves were not hitting. This was also a better method when I was past the break as the waves were not as high and I didn't experience any white wash. We then went back to get ready and went to dinner before the camp briefing.

During the camp briefing, we were told which group we were in for both cycling and running. I found out on Thursday night that I was going to be in Group 3 for both. I thought I was going to be placed in Group 2 for cycling but I guess the coaches thought that my pace wouldn't be fast enough for it.

Saturday - 8th June
I kept my bike in the car and drove down to the lifesaving club. This way, I had all my bags ready for the post ride soak.

At the start of Group 3's ride, I was in the middle of the group. I felt the pace was just too slow (even for a cold cold morning) so I decided to ride at my pace. What ended up happening was that I broke away from the main group and had 4 people joining me at my pace. I lead the entire way until I had to stop to remove a layer of clothing around the 1 hour mark.

You see, due to my past experiences with Lorne, I had on too many layers - my Mountain Design merino thermal, my full bib (which covers the chest in a fleece layer), my short sleeve jersey and I had on top of that, my long sleeve jersey. I got too hot too quickly and I couldn't take it any longer when my back was just covered in sweat. To safely pull over, I decided to do a big surge and pulled over the side of the road where there was a lookout so that the pace of the group didn't have to slow down. The removal of the layers I was wearing was such a relief. My thermal layer was soaked. I then pedalled off for about 10min before I decided to turn around as I wanted to do the Benwerrin Climb at the 1:10 mark.

Apart from another girl in the group (who did a slightly shorter ride than me) did the Benwerrin Climb out of Group 3. Only a handful of athletes from Group 1 did the climb on the Saturday.

Climbing Benwerrin was my main goal for the weekend. I needed to tick that goal off considering that there was a big chance that I wouldn't be able to on the Sunday as I needed to do the bike cleaning session.

After the ride, it was a swim and then back to the accommodation for some rest.

We then got ready for the run session which started around 4pm. I was placed in Group 3 with Coach Daz and we started on the flats and ran along the trails close to the beach and turned around. I was towards the back of the group but I wanted to be able to maintain my comfortable pace. About 3km in the run, I stepped into a hole along the boardwalk and rolled my ankle. It became a painful jog/walk and I had to slow down my pace to accommodate for the tenderness of the ankles.

We then did a hill climb from the roundabout opposite the information centre for about 2km. We then ran down one of the many steep roads around Lorne. I swear it was the steepest hill I had ever encountered on a run and luckily we ran down the hill and not up. Coach Daz said that it was a steep enough hill that he would not even drive up in a car.

Another session, another swim in the sea.

My ankle still felt tender during dinner so I made a decision to see how it goes in the morning for the ride but completely stop my run sessions for the weekend. I prepped everything I needed for the ride in the morning.

Sunday - 9th June
I was anxious when the alarm went off at 5:45am....my heart was beating fast as I psyched myself to get out of bed to see how the ankle would hold up....step off the bed, step on the ground, pain was felt when I slightly twist the ankle on an angle. Damn...not good news. I decided to stay off the bike that morning taking to account the repetitive motion of the pedal stroke may make it worse (?)

I had a quick lunch before I got myself ready for the bike cleaning session at 11am. This session was attended by a dozen beginners. Ollie had this session filmed too.

After the bike cleaning session, I finished cleaning off the demo bike and then sat upstairs in the common room to watch a video on nutrition (which was recorded during the QLD training Camp). I learnt a thing or two and a few things were reiterated (currently doing).

We then had a learn to massage session with Bo who works closely with the Endurance.net guys before getting ready for our open water swim session.

What I thought was a Pier to Pub swim became the aquathon. We first started off by getting acclimatised to the water. We swam out and back to adjust to the waves and temperature of the water. My jaw was throbbing from the coldness of the water when we had to put our face in it as we swam but that pain slowly subsided the longer we were in the water.

There was a buoy placed out a few hundred metres away and the first task was a swim to the buoy and back. I was tossed about amongst a large wave so I didn't make it back to shore in any sort of reasonable pace.

What we ended up doing was that the coaches had us line up in the order which we arrived back to shore. We had 22 athletes within this session so Sarah counted 1 through to 11 until the middle and then 1 through to 11 from the other end. We had to then match up with our paired number for a handicapped relay race.

Passing on the rubber band baton

Finished 2nd place

Avril and I - 2nd Place Superstars

I was number 6 (from the slow end) and paired up with Avril (6 from the fast end). I sent her off first in the relay and she did well. She came out of the water first! She then handed over to me the baton (which was a rubber band) and off I went. I ended up coming out of the water 2nd place having one person pass me around the buoy.

As I decided to not run that afternoon, I went back to the house to eat and do some reading.

During the Sunday night's camp briefing, Ollie mentioned about what the Monday's ride was about - a ride out (for Group 1 and 2, it was an hour) and Group 3 was 45min and then a staggered (handicapped) TT back (all guns blazing). I really wanted to do a 2 hour ride but not the TT in case my ankle would not hold up...I decided to do Group 3's ride instead (45min out and then TT back). Group 4 was a latte ride with a coffee stop at Wye River.

Monday - 10th June
Again, similar to Saturday, I was at the front of the group, mainly due to my fresh legs. At this point, I agreed to do the TT back as my ankles were feeling ok. We then self seeded ourselves ready for the TT back to Lorne. I was again paired up with Avril as she was considered one of the stronger cyclists amongst that group that morning. We were the last to start the ride back to Lorne.

I was surprising myself that I was actually having a good crack at this TT thing...maybe because I had fresher legs compared to others or maybe because I was considered the strongest out of the group that morning. There was a point where I was slowly catching up (and about to overtake) when.....PING.....something flew off my bike and I could no longer turn the cranks.....my chain broke.

I ended up calling the sag wagon and that was the end of my ride...15km from Lorne. I stayed with the Sag Wagon until the last person arrived back in Lorne from Groups 1 and 2. A quick soak then it was packing the bags to check out.

I went back to the club to attend the Strength and Conditioning session with Kemble before I finished packing and checked out of the house.

We had a BBQ at the club which was a great way to end the weekend. Prizes were awarded and I received my 2nd prize pack which contained a Giant Drink Bottle (I have 4 from the weekend now), a new Tri Alliance Swim cap and Rocket Science swim goggles.

After lunch, I stayed back to help with some of the cleaning before the drive back to Geelong to have dinner with my mum.

-------------------

Compared to previous years, I had completed the least amount of training ever and I had not reached new benchmarks. I guess I am a different athlete compared to what I was this time last year. My load has dramatically increased over the last 12 months and having just finished my first Ironman triathlon.

The journey back into the groove of things has taken a little longer and turned out to be more painful than I had anticipated. No one has really mentioned this lately - how painful it is to get back on the wagon, maybe it's not that painful and maybe I am just very unfit....I don't know, only time will tell.

Totals for the weekend (guesstimate for now):
Swim - Plenty
Bike - 70km + 30km = 100km
Run - 8km + 9km = 17km

Weekly Reflection 03/06 - 09/06 - CAMP WEEKEND!

Firstly - I need to apologise for the delay of this post. I usually post my weekly reflections on a Sunday or Monday when I have access to the internet (I don't have internet at home). So here is my weekly reflection post for last week!

Favourite session of the week: I will write more detail on the Lorne Camp in my next post and the reasons why (in more detail) but my favorite and most memorable session would have been my long bike ride on the Saturday. It was literally my first long ride on the road since the latte rides in the month of April as I have been doing Bike School. I lead the group due to my pace and then ended up also riding up (and down) Deans Marsh Road up to Benwerrin. I felt like I was back at real training again and to be able to ride up the hill was my main goal for the weekend and I achieved it on the Saturday.

Note - Deans Marsh Rd is a 10km climb of about 4% average. I am still not the World's best descender.

Least favourite session of the week: Rolled the ankle during Saturday's run. Enough said.

Advice of the week: The hardest part about doing an Ironman is not the training, the race nor is it the things you miss out of leading up to the big day, it is the months (post recovery) where you are building up your fitness again from scratch. The last few weeks have not been pretty, they have been the hardest weeks I have experienced in my triathlon career.

What I’m looking forward to next week: I have a seminar/practical session on running with Tony Benson on Wednesday night. Looking forward to refreshing my skills on running - hoping to learn a thing or two.

Lorne Camp 2013 - The Plan...

So here we are again, the day before Lorne Camp and I am yet to pack for the weekend... We received our training itinerary on Tuesday and there are several changes compared to the last 3 years I have attended as Jarrod Evans (and his Endurance athletes) won't be joining us this year.

So here is what I am planning on doing:

Friday
Get there in time to check in and get ready for run session at 4pm. I will most likely be part of Group 2 which is an easy-moderate run of about 50min.

We will be having dinner at 6pm then the team meeting/briefing at 7:30 where we will find out what we are doing for the next day and also which group we will be riding with. Here is where the coaches will outline expectations and the houserules for using the life saving club.
Saturday
Rides will start at 7am (onwards) and I am guessing that I will either be placed in the following:
Group 2 - 3.5-4 hours (otherwise Group 3 - 2.5-3 hours)
I am guessing group 2 because I am a long course athlete and I have been attending Lorne camp for a few years now. I am hoping to be able to do Deans Marsh road again this day.

After lunch, there is a seminar with Lakeside Sports Medicine from 1:30 - 2:45pm followed by a run seminar by Mizuno from 3:15-4pm.

Runs will start at 4:15 and I am guessing I will be part of either:
Group 2 - 60-70min
Group 3 - 50-60min

Then it is dinner at 6pm followed by team meeting/briefing at 7:45pm.

Sunday
As I am been allocated to do bike cleaning session at 11:15am, I will need to be back (inc soak) and ready by 11am. Depending on which group I am to be placed in:
Group 2 - 4 hours
Group 3 - 3-3.5hours
I may have to start an hour earlier than everyone else as I will need to be back early yet cover the distance on the program.

We will have an open water swim session at 2-3pm which I am looking forward to. I am hoping to swim from the pier to the life saving club.

Runs will start at 4pm and I will be doing either:
Group 2 -70-80min
Group 3 -60-70min

Then it is dinner at 6pm followed by team meeting/briefing at 7:45pm.

Monday
The rides will start from 7am onwards and most likely, I will be riding for 2 hours followed by a Strength and Conditioning session with Kemble at 10:15am.

The final lunch/bbq will be at 11:45 followed by camp de-brief and then we can leave Lorne around 2pm.

I am planning on staying at Geelong on Monday night to spend time with mum (dad is flying to Malaysia on Friday and Sam is in LA for a wedding).

Not sure if I will be covering as much riding this year as I did last due to the bike cleaning session which will be immediately after Sunday's run session - I am guessing Sarah placed me there so that I can teach the newbies who will benefit more than the advanced guys.

Looking forward to a training spike this weekend.

Half Marathon Hesitations...

A few weeks ago, I signed up for the Run Melbourne Half Marathon (the event is on the 21st July 2013).

First Half Marathon in 2010

The first time I competed in this event (was also my first half marathon) was in 2010, a few months after I started with Tri Alliance. My first half marathon was completed in 2:08:36. I had no idea how my body would handle that distance when my longest (long) run was only around 16km. I was also not aware of how my body would cope with clothing layers nor did I tune in my nutrition. The goal of that day was to finish the race and that I did. my first long run, I had on a singlet, a running vest and arm warmers - as you can see from the photo, the arm warmers quickly came off during the run and if I could, I would have ditched the vest. I think I had about 3 gels throughout this event...

I have since Run Melbourne 2010, ran 4 official half marathon events but have done several long runs which exceed the half marathon distances since. My longest run was (my first) marathon as part of my first Ironman triathlon.

I have a confession to make, I am sh!t scared about the half marathon event coming up in less than 7 weeks. My long runs over the last few weeks have not been the best - my legs just didn't want to move, they feel heavy and sluggish, I am carrying about 2-3kg more than I was prior to my Ironman and I am short of breath due to the chilly/dry air. I am still grateful that I am able to run long distances but I am still super slow. I am yet to push myself beyond my comfort zone that I am happy with but I am also scared of injuries especially shin splints (my kryptonite).

I know that I can finish the event but I know that no PBs will be achieved....I will try my darn hardest to get < 2 hours but I know that this may not be a possibility as I only achieved that goal last year in October when my running resembled something fairly descent.

Nervousness, pressure, anxiety, hesitation are a few words that come in mind when someone asks me how I am travelling for this event. I know this event is 7 weeks away, I know that I have several run sessions to get through but I am still worried/have anxiety about my lack of strength and speed at this point in time.

Back to Basics

So I started my triathlon training again around May of this year having taken a whole month off after my Ironman. This time of the triathlon periodisation phase is all about getting the technique right before building up strength, volume and speed. I have signed up for a few things to help me with getting things right.

Swim
Aside from the Monday, Wednesday swim sessions with Tri Alliance, I have also started to attend Stroke Correction sessions with Coach Ryan (Friday evenings) and on Saturdays with John Van Wisse. John's swim sessions are held at the King Club (Sandringham Leisure Centre) which is (seriously) a 4 min drive from my house. If I really wanted to join his 5:15am sessions on Mon, Wed or Fri, I could. For now, I am only attending the stroke correction sessions to help me with my swim stroke and to mix up my training before I am too tired to do these sessions (as I peak for Ironman again). He also hosts open water swim sessions on Wednesday nights which I will pick up when it comes around.

Ryan's stroke correction classes will only run for another 3 weeks and the sessions work on basic skills rather than placing a big load on legs or arms. We learn to feel the water and the correct techniques through the full rotation of a swim stroke. JVW's sessions are more intense and depending on the week's program, I may skip Monday and/or Friday. No point in smashing myself now when I don't need to.

Bike
I have posted before that I have signed up to a 6-week bike skills course (bike school) with Coach Daz. So far I have learnt how to better hill climb and cornering. It is always good to have the opportunity to learn these basic skills at the time of the year when there is less pressure to knock out the massive ks out of the road. On top of bike school, I have also done a few loops of Studley Park to make up for my lack of distance done with the main squad.

I know that I am slightly behind in the cycling side of training (riding on the road and hills) but I am hoping to be consistent in the sessions post bikeschool. Windtrainer sessions have (as always) been great and I am consciously pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. Still using the tri-bike in these sessions and only keeping the road bike for Saturdays.

Run
Apart from incorporating drills into my run sessions (as instructed by the coach), I have also signed up for a few run courses (done by Tony Benson) in the month of June and July. I am using it as a refresher to the 6 week run course I had done with Tony a few years ago. These sessions will be held at Brighton.

Strength & Conditioning
I have signed up for a 6 week S&C course with Kemble Edelsten who will be working with Tri Alliance. The first session was last Friday and we worked on posture, how to hold yourself and learning to always be concious of your core and activation. In the next few weeks, he will provide us with our individual programs to cater for what we need. What I need to work on are:

• Core Strength
• Upper body strength especially my shoulders
• Strength around my ankles and feet

Due to my hypermobility (I have an issue of being too flexible), I often find myself rolling my ankles when I am running. I don't have issues with my ITB, hip flexors but have noticed that my lower back tightens up very quick, not sure if it is to do with my tight hamstrings or vice versa. Trying to work on activating my glutes more than my hamstrings.

I have also started back on the Pilates Reformer classes (on a Monday nights). I found them very good for my core stability and strength work. I always increase the spring tension or add on springs (or no springs depending on the routine) in the classes to work harder.

I am grateful that I have access to the help I need to improve on the next season's races. Key to a successful season to be consistent in training and to work on weaknesses and maintain your strengths.

Weekly Reflection 27/05 - 02/06

Favourite session of the week: I tried out a stroke correction swim squad on Saturday afternoon with John Van Wisse and I got so much out of the session (will write a separate post about going back to basics soon). I know that I have a weak upper body and doing simple technique sessions such as sculling, fists, single arms really helped with feeling the water again - made a big difference.

Least favourite session of the week: My long run on Sunday was not my best. I did a stroke correction session with a swim coach on Saturday afternoon and I was still feeling the affects of using my glutes. Further more my arches did ache a bit due to the use of fins. Although I didn't ride on Saturday, my legs just didn't want to move during the run!  I found it hard to lift my knees high and did not feel the power in my legs when we were doing the leaping exercises. I got very frustrated indeed.

Advice of the week: Know where your limits are and don't let your ego get in the way of your training. I will write more about this in another post - I knew that I wasn't able to keep up with the faster swimmers in the squad doing single arm strokes so rather than having the squad wait for me until I finish (which was what the coach wanted - First in, last out), I decided to move down a lane so that they didn't have to wait for me and get on with their set. In addition, I worked on my stroke rather than speed to try and keep up with the big boys. 

What I’m looking forward to next week: No doubt about it, I am really looking forward to the training spike I will have during Lorne Training Camp. I use this weekend as a benchmark year after year to see my personal improvements and setting higher benchmarks in training. Once more information is provided by the coaches, I will provide my plan of attack for the weekend.