Getting back on the training wagon 18/9 - 02/10

Since my arrival back into Melbourne on the 18^th of September, I have been trying to get myself back to cementing some manageable routines. No point striving to squeeze too many training sessions in with life and not able to give 100% to anything.

I wanted to get myself back swimming but not joining the squad just yet. I am pretty much starting from square one – not having done any swimming since July when I had my bike crash. I had a splash here and there when I was on holidays but not actual swimming.

The first session was on Monday 22^nd, where I just headed down to GESAC after work and aimed to do a 1km. This ended up being about 1.4km albeit that I had to deal with many people in the Medium lane swimming different speeds and doing different strokes (inc breast stroke...in the medium lane). I tried to not let it get to me too much and just swam past people where I could. I wasn't able to move to the fast lane as it already contained too many people too.

I had to drop my car off to get serviced on Tuesday so what I ended up doing was riding into work from the dealership (only around 3km) and then riding home that afternoon (35km). The ride home was horrid. The weather being fantastic, brought people onto the beach in the hundreds which meant that people were walking all over the shop from about Port Melbourne through to Sandringham (pretty much where I turned off). Riding through St Kilda was a nightmare! I was careful and personally, the bell works much better than a voice and the general public are very blaze about voices but a bike bell is distinct enough. As I was on the CX bike, I don't ride on the main road as I am not able to ride at a great speed compared to the road bike.

Back in the pool on the Friday and kinda (but not really) smashed out a 2.4km. It was really 6 x 400m with F (warm up), F & P, PB & P, F & P, F and then cool down which I incorporated paddles and fins doing backstroke. The swim was done on the Friday night and I had the entire lane to myself.

Due to the Grand Final (Hawks back-to-back premiers yiewwww!!!), I did my long run Saturday morning. I aimed at a 10km first seeing that I haven’t ran since June and only had 2 short runs in Canada (both being 6km each with plenty of stops) during my holidays. I ended up doing 12km at a really slow but consistent pace. No way can I pull off a half marathon now.

With no bike to ride on the Sunday, I decided to just do house things like unpack from my holiday, clean, sort out closet (culling), played with the dog. 

It is now the 2^nd week back at work/life and it is going good so far. I did my own swim on the Monday night and windtrainer on the Tuesday with the squad. Could not put in 100% towards windtrainer as it was my first session back and the set was a shock to the system, so much so I took Wednesday off as a recovery session for my legs as well due to the lack of sleep.

I attended by first “Lady Bombs” session – this is a session started up by some of the girls from the squad I am with. We are currently riding laps of Albert Park lake. I did a few of these sessions last season before they changed the program to have a run session instead. This morning 2^nd Oct, some of us ended up riding 7 laps.

During my holidays, I didn’t train and this was done on purpose. I had worked hard with a company for the last 8 years and I had long service leave accrued. It doesn’t come overnight and nowadays, who stays with the same company for more than 5 years? I wanted to spend quality time this holiday with my partner (and his family) and not seclude myself in a swim, ride or run apart from the Gran Fondo which we both entered and finished.

So far I have paid for 2 triathlon events – Challenge Shepparton 16^th November and Challenge Melbourne on the 1^st February 2015 (jumping up to the 35-39 category). These are not my “goal races”, they are my events. I am not going to put so much pressure on myself and about times. This is also a reason why I haven’t pulled out of Shepparton (an event about 5 weeks away....) as I haven’t set expectations for this, I know that I am able to finish the event, I know that it will hurt (what race hasn’t) and I will complete it. Challenge Melbourne is 4 months away but once again, no pressure, it is just an event.

Since being back, I have signed up for the Afterglow Trail Run. It is a half marathon from Point Addis to Torquay. The run starts at 6:30pm and it is compulsory for all competitors to have a head torch (need to buy a head torch).

There is the Giant Odessey on the same weekend as Melbourne Ironman. If I do this, I will sign up for the 50km (not 100km) but this will mean that I will need to get some MTB riding in between now and then, it is not an easy event, nothing like the Dirty Gran Fondo. I might do some riding the same weekend as the Afterglow run out at the You Yangs.

Apart of two triathlons and a trail run, there may other events on the cards. Won't dwell on them too much for now.

Tonight is the last Thursday night run session before we move back to Elwood for the Thursday afternoon combo sessions starting next week. It will be my first run session with the squad in over 3 months. I will take it nice and slow, my legs are pretty smashed for Lady Bombs this morning.

Favourite session of the week: Loved my first Lady Bombs session. There was no tough love handed out which I actually appreciated. At the moment, I just want to get back into training without the pressure. First session out on the road with the TT Bike (Foxy) since Ironman in March. I even cleaned it for the first time on the Sunday since the race. We did race efforts, sprints, hardest gear with plenty of recovery breaks in between.

Least favourite session of the week: Windtrainer on Tuesday - I just couldn't keep up with the intensity since I haven't been training in that environment (humid) and around that intensity in months. I felt dehydrated on Wednesday morning even after I drank about 1.5 litres of electrolytes after the session. Must reset my mindset for this session next week and concentrate better at technique.

Advice of the week: Slow, steady, smart.

Thing I’m looking forward to next week: After tonight's run session, I am looking forward to my Friday swim which I am committing myself to do in the morning so I don't stuff up my sleep for the Saturday morning ride which I am coaching. Having to be there by 6:20am - I am deciding if I should ride in so I can do my run off the bike from home or drive to Elwood and do it from there...

I am also in two minds about where I should do my long run. Head to Fairfield to run/support the duathlon or have a sleep in and do my run around home...decisions decisions...