Proud of Ollie

The week before Christmas and my last week at work. Early in the week I was treadmillling, then midweek Ollie had an award ceremony. Yeah Ollie has been presented with a certificate for being so amazing at school all year. Well done Ollie, we're really proud of you.

By the end of the week I had a free day. So I emailed Martin and came up with this nutty idea of swimming and then riding. So thats last Friday, up at 6am for 1:30 swimming and then on for a bike ride taking in a few hills. What a great morning, but it was a struggle to get up!

All weekend we had friends to stay and any training went out the window as festiveness and wine drinking came in. By Monday I was ready again and have done a 7.5 mile circuit. I might be missing a few sessions this week!

The waiting is over

My moob is feeling OK again, I'm sure it's not OK and should be rested for longer just to make sure, but I don't have longer and need to get going. My marathon plan starts on the 22^nd (first day is a rest day!), and it assumes you are already running a lot; which I am not. In fact I am just about making it around an 8 mile loop at the moment. I need to target a 13 mile run this coming weekend or maybe before as we have friends coming all weekend.

Since my last post I have done a lot of resting my moob and a little bit of running. Was going to bike last Sunday, but that got changed to an 8 mile run because of the weather and potentially ice on the road. I can do without road rash and a broken bike right now. Monday I went to the running club. Yep, my second visit this year. Chatted with a few people I had not seen for a longtime and then joined the 4 strong fast group. Was this wise? Did it align with my Base training goals? No. Should I have gone with the medium paced group? Yes, but I recognized more people in the fast group. So off we went at a quick pace, led by Graham. Graham did the 2007 FLM on a club entry like me. He did it about 10 minutes quicker than me, but since then he has imporved his marathon time by 30 minutes and is now running a 3:05 marathon, which is truly awesome. So he led us off at a quick pace, I was managing to keep up. Then we did 5 sprint circuits around the library and that was my 'game over', and from there on I just about hung on as a back marker. Tuesday was a treadmill night. I really hope that having the treadmill in the garage now means that I won't miss any training runs like I have in the past.

Swimming tonight, and it's the last day of my contract, so I will have time available and hope to get some decent training in. Just wait for the whinging and whining!

Health Warning

'Before starting/modifying your training consult a doctor ..... ' the sign says. What it does not say is,'assembling this treadmill, can lead to injury .....'.

In assembling the treadmill there was a particularly difficult bit that needed some force. In forcing it, I pulled, sprained, bruised my left moob. Well it was a tad sore but I did not think anything of it and continued on, until Wednesday's swimming. By 50 mins into the swim I had a pain in my moob. By the time I went to bed I was having trouble everytime I flexed the muscle. The next day any sneeze or cough was pain and it felt like I could not get a decent breath. Various diagnoses then took place, from a bit of a bruise, to punctured lung, cracked rib, and sprain. So I took a neurofen, seemed to help and today it feels almost pain free again.

I was doing well until then. Running on the treadmill and swimming so it was a shame for this to happen.

Still another week ahead

treadmill

Dictionary: treadmill (trĕd'mĭl')

n.

An exercise device consisting of a continuous moving belt on which a person can walk or jog while remaining in one place.

Dansk (Danish)n. - trædemølle
Nederlands (Dutch)tredmolen (ook figuurlijk0
Français (French) n. - (Hist) trépineuse, roue à cheville, (fig) train-train, engrenage
Deutsch (German) n. - Tretmühle
Italiano (Italian) lavoro ingrato, mola da tortura, mulino azionato dal camminare
Português (Portuguese) n. - tarefa monótona e árdua (f), uma máquina de exercício (f)
Español (Spanish) n. - rueda de ardilla, rutina
Svenska (Swedish) n. - trampkvarn, ekorrhjul, grottekvarn

It has arrived ....... it has been put together ........ let the beasting begin. But first the weather outside is horrible so ..... time to get out on yer bike then! Thats what I did, poor bike. Cold, wet and hilly for a mornings hill climbing training. In the saddle and out of the saddle. Well done Martin a great time.

I got back home wet and cold but I know what to add to my Christmas list. waterproof overshoes.

So this week really has been a triathlon week, swimming, biking and running. Let it continue.

Unleash the Hamster within

Another week closer to the start of real training and another week of base building missed, but the excuses stop here.  We have the technology to overcome those excuses.  'It's dark', ha, no matter, 'it's cold', just does not cut it anymore.  'Can't leave the kids alone', well we have a solution for that. We now have a hamster wheel, aka 'a treadmill'.  Woooooo, the garage is turning into a gym.  Ollie and Dan are excited and reckon they will be doing 5km every other day.  Sarah is not committing, but I have the BUPA 5km training plan printed out and ready to go.  It will be excellent if Ollie and Dan actually do use it and will help them in all the other sports they do.  Everytime I talk to one of their coaches I get told they need to run to increase their fitness levels, (hold on, how come they have coaches, I want a coach), and as they grow, fitness becomes more important for them.

Wednesday this week saw me in the pool again, no surprise there then, and another 100 lengths.  What I don't understand about all this swimming is, why am I so slow?  Why at the end of a set am I the only one puffing and panting?  How does everyone else manage to do this swimming thing and make it look effortless? 

Thursday, Sarah and I went to Dorking Halls to see some climber chap, Andy Kirkpatrick (or something).  He must be an awesome climber as the place was packed with climbers.  He does loads of climbing in Patagonia and really has a 'down to earth' and humorous view of it all, he was good and you realise that even 'legends' ask themselves, 'what am I doing this for?'

IMUK still has not published a definite location or date and speculation is driving people nuts on Tritalk.  I have been sucked in and have posted a few times.  If the current rumours are true it's early August and the Olympic sail training base in Weymouth, which sounds like an awesome location.  Just like going back to my roots and adds another reason to why I should do it.

Hey slacker, get a move on .............

Are you all comfortable on the 'couch of doom'? Paid the dues and feeling good about laying back whilst I get on with the training? Well, maybe you shouldn't get too comfortable! Even I have been thinking that it is time to do a run. Any run will do.

What have I been doing? Laying on the 'couch of doom' feet up. Ummmm, now would I do that? Yep, too right I would. What I have been doing is swimming. 100 lengths is becoming a new goal to achieve for each session, and I know I can't swim the marathon, but it's good for your 'core strength' and I think there is something is building that up more so I can keep my manly torso : ) above my legs as they whir around in a blur. I have also been in the garage on the turbo trainer. Turbo training is good base training. Then today, just because it is probably the worst weather we have had recently, I thought I should run again. So zero degrees, rain, snow on the ground, I set off for 8 miles across the heath and back up the hill, (OK, start to feel good about laying on the couch again).

Not showing you the speed graph. It's too slow. Carry on like this and I will not be breaking a 4hr marathon.

This graph of elevation is good as I started and finished from home, but apparently my house has gone downhill whilst I was out. I don't remember an earthquake.

Next week I should see the new toy arrive. A treadmill. Apparently Ollie, Dan and I are all going to be running on it all the time and I hope to see my training improve.

Enjoy the 'couch of doom'.

To treadmill or not to treadmill ...... that is the question

100 lengths of the swimming pool. Sounds like a torture handed out to a school boy, so if I tell you I think this is an epic swim, then you will probably think, 'he's nuts'. Your probably right but I am chuffed to have done 100 lengths of the pool on Wednesday. 100 lengths is about 2500m. An Ironman distance swim is 3.8km so I still have a way to go yet. 3000m will be the next target (another 20 lengths).


But you cannot swim the London Marathon, so I had better do some running soon. I have been searcing ebay for treadmills recently and the arguments to get one are increasing. The boys and Sarah all think it would be a good idea and even promise me they would use it, well, when I tell them it would be in the garage they suddenly backtrack, and I would have no excuses about the dark and wet, so it would seem like a good idea. Ummmmm, treadmill?

What a week, who would have thought that I would have woken up to find the place covered in snow?


It's been a good training week this week. Sunday I went swimming and had a 8 mile run, Monday I went to the running club! Yeah first time this year! Tuesday, turbo trainer, Wednesday, swimming. Thursday, turbo trainer again, Friday a rest! Saturday was an awesome group bike ride 40 miles taking in Winterfold hill (3rd time I have done that hill!). We got a bit lucky with the rain and I just managed to get back home before it really set in. Sunday I had an 8 mile run and took Sophie and Dan swimming. I have a plan for my training runs. I think they should all include coming back up the Boxhill zig zag road.

'So, hows the training going Andy?'
'Well not too bad, thank you!'.

This week is back to normal. Sarah, Ollie, Dan and Sophie are back which means the house won't be so quiet anymore!

Gardening vs training

I respect gardeners. In my opinion, gardening is harder than swimming, biking or running. I know because I spent 4 hours cutting the tops off some beeches. With the job half done I was, dehydrated, lacked any energy, felt cold and ached all over. Honest it's worse than a marathon. So next time that mild mannered retired gentleman looks over the fence with pruning shears in hand, give him some respect because gardening is right up there with endurance sports.

Today I thought I had better put in some training. I have not done anything all week and feel bad for it. Not got on the turbo trainer or anything, now what sort of base training is that? Rubbish base training thats what. So today I started by swimming. 2000m in Dorking swimming pool, then when the rain stopped off for a 8 mile run. I even met another runner today. The Ballbuster is next weekend and so there are people running and biking the course. Now I feel better, well mentally anyway and I have put in some training 'so you don't have to'.

Finally, a huge thank you to Merk, Gianpaul and 'that fat northern bloke' for sponsoring me this week, I have sent CD's in the post. Ha ha ha, you may not want them but I have a load of them taking up room. No honest they really are crap CD's, you won't be disappointed!

It begins with a Base

Training
In the beginning you need to build a base, in running terms thats base miles. It's like the foundations of a building. Build good foundations and your building will stay up. In running you need to do base miles (lots of slow miles) to be able to run the whole marathon.

All these base miles build mitochondria. Why are mitochondria important? Because they transport Lactate acid away. Whats Lactate Acid? It's bad stuff, it's makes your muscles hurt and it makes you want to stop moving. Nasty, nasty stuff but unfortunately it's a by-product of running.

I have a training plan that will get me to being able to run the marathon that starts in December, until then I will be building base. To do this I will bike and run with my eye on my heartrate. I will also swim as that helps your core and thats got to be good to help keep your body on top of those running legs.

Fundraising
And were off, thank you Paul Deba. A crap CD is on the way to you, I hope it lives up to expectations!

An opportunity to do good

Having been lucky enough to get a ballot entry, I am going to run the Flora London Marathon for charity and will be running to raise money for Cancer Research.

Think of this as an opportunity.

This is an opportunity for you to sponsor me. To read about me doing the training miles, to follow my journey from now until April 26th 2009, when you can feel good about taking your place on the couch holding onto the TV remote control to watch me and 33,999 of my closest friends pound the streets of London.


From now until April 26th 2009 I will be blogging about my training, my Marathon event and how I feel afterwards, ohhhh and giving you new and exciting opportunities to sponsor me! So sit back bookmark this blog and 'feel my pain'.


Heres your first incentive. The first 10 donations each get a crap CD. It's easy, see the JustGiving widget on the righthandside? The widget is your friend, get to know it. Click the Donate button. Go on, give it a go, (click here if it's too difficult). It does not matter how much you donate, I'll be extremely grateful for any amount, and you will get a free crap CD. Donate 5 times and I'll give you 5 crap CD's.

Daniel, you ARE worthy ........

Well done Daniel. Last week he played fantastically at football. His team won 14-0 and he did not stop for the whole match running up and down the wing. He was like a boy on fire, must have been the hot chocolate I got him in Dorking before the match. He was named 'man of the match', and presented with the trophy.

What a trophy, well done Dan.

Then this morning he told me that at school they did a long run around the vineyard next to the school and he came in seventh. Go dood, thats a terrific result. In all the running I have done I have never got anywhere near that good a position. Are we looking at the turning point? Is this the base from which Daniel launches himself on a quest to be an Ironman? Is he now worthy? Go Daniel, imagine the day when you cross the finish line and hear those words I would love to hear ...... 'Daniel Curtis, you ARE an Ironman'.

Look what came through my letterbox

Just as I was wandering what to do next, there it was laying on the hall floor. Ohhhhhh, I said. Ohhhhhh I keep on saying, ohhhhhhh, because I didn't really expect it to happen. Time to dust off that old marathon training plan again. Time to get out on those tracks with the autumn/winter sun shining through the leaves.

ohhhhhhh ...............

Post New Forest MD Triathlon

Did I say, 'I could not have gone any further', a couple of Sundays ago?  'did I really have problems walking properly on the following Monday?  I can't remember any of that.  All I recall is having a good time and sitting here now thinking when can I do another?  Guess I'll have to wait until next year.  Hold on, 'wait'?  No I mean 'train' until next year. I feel a yearning to run tracks again, ipod in, camelback on and a crisp, sunny day.

 

Last night I returned to the swimming pool.  I hopped into lane 2 and started the warm up, but the leader was powering along too fast for me.  So instead of having to swim (flawl around) as fast as I could to try and keep from being lapped and getting on everyones wick, I hopped out and into lane 1 again.  It's so much more relaxed in lane 1 and I led the group for the hour.  What do I need to do to keep up with the lane 2 people?  Whats the missing ingredient?  Maybe it's strength? After all I am Mr Puniverse, maybe it's the size of my hands.  Probably not, probably more to do with technique. 

 

I bought myself a present.  I now have a pair of aerobars.  The hope is that if I use aerobars I won't get the backache on the run.  Nice theory, lets see what happens in practice.  So now I am watching 'You Tube' videos to find out how to position them. 

 

 

I have a new t-shirt

After all the non training whinging and bleating the weekend of reckoning arrived. Saturday I set off for the New Forest along with everyone else from London. I arrived just in time for registration and briefing. A fantastic sunny weekend, the first for the year! As a hundred people and extra support crews stood there in the sun, Richard the race director started his briefing. "We are probably all experienced triathletes here .....", gulp, well actually! Quick look around, is there anyone else here looking at nervous as me? No, and how come everyone is wearing Ironman finisher t-shirts or sporting M dot tattoos? Still feeling hot I took my jumper off to show the world my 'Hayle Sprint Tri' t-shirt. Yep, newbie here over here, yep, right here, new boy, I know nothing.

The first dicipline in Triathlon is understanding the instructions, 3 bags, umpteen stickers to stick everywhere, times to drop off kit, get buses, rack your bike, blah blah blah. My head was a whirl. I have to decide now, what I want to start running with tomorrow? Ohhhhh, decisions. Still I got through it, met Phil and had a chat, racked, bagged and bought new kit before going off to see my bro for pasta and no alcohol.

4:15am the alarm went off, porridge, mixed 3 bottles of drinks, and set off in the dark to Sandy Balls, where I parked and boarded a bus to the lake. Sat down and started chatting with a young south african guy from Bath. He's not done this distance either. Then he said he had been looking at the run course profile and thought it was a flat easy run! Not what I had heard. I thought about it and then told him the scale was in metres not feet. Wander if he noticed later in the day?

The sun came up, the toilets got used, transition was set up and the temperature went from 8 derees ohhh all of to 8.5 degrees. The swim is 2 circuits around the perimeter of the lake. I am in the same wave as Phil, but shortly after getting in the water I lost sight of him. Not surprising really, 70 people in black wetsuits, white swim hats and goggles we all look the same. The hooter went and we were off. White hats, arms flying, bodies bumping, legs kicking and bubbles everywhere. It's tough to swim like this, you can't get a decent stroke going and you don't want to get kicked. Soon there was free space to swim and we were all headed for the bouy that is just a small blob far far far off on the horizon. In fact it was so far off that earlier in the day you could not see it for the fog. But it's green and eventually comes into sight. We all bunch up again round the bouy and you have hold your own, no saying sorry for touching the toes of the guy in front around here. As I started the last long leg I saw green hats. Green set off 3 minutes behind me, and these guys were really moving. Quick sight around, there are other white hats and red hats, how many red hats? Well it looks like quite a few. Now I never expected to be near a red hat, so I assumed they were slow and just got on with it. Out of the swim, up the ramp. Kim (Phils wife), shouts out, 'awesome swim Andy' as I search for the leash and start peeling off my wetsuit, then theres my brother as well. Ha, he got out of bed early. Into T1 and I must admit it took a fair bit of time for T1, mainly just trying to stand up and not wobble about and getting arm warmers/socks/shoes on wet feet.

Got off to a flying start, clipped in easily and pumped on the pedals to get away and off up the first hill. Awesome, awesome countryside, cattlegrids, piggies, deer, cows and ponies. The route dived below the A31 and down Ornamental drive, my water bottle fell off as I went over the cattle grid, as did a couple of other guys bottles. We stopped picked them up figuring its too early to go without the fluid. The course really is fantastically scenic. Back above the A31 down through Lover and off across the top heathland. This is where I was down in my drops when Phil came past me. 'What you doing in front' he asked! I was amazed, all this time I thought he was in front somewhere and I was hoping to catch him, never thought he was behind me. But he soon took off and I could do nothing except watch him as he got out of the saddle to climb the hills. As I struggled up the hills back onto the top heathland I got overtaken by (among others) a chap with straight handlebars, 'no, you can't do that' I protested, 'I'll catch you on the run' I called. 'you'll get me on the flat', he returned. Sure enough, the hill ended, the flat began and I caught him. 'ha, your in trouble now!' We laughed. It's funny as you cycle along overtaking and then being caught again by the same people, you pass banter. Through out the cycle I got aching knees, first the left, then the right, then both, then neither, then the right again. By the end of the bike though I was feeling OK, I had sucked down 2 bottles (1.3 litres) of energy drink and hornet juice mix (thats after 500mls before the swim and close your eye now, left down the wetsuit), 1 energy bar and 3 gels.

Off the bike, run throught he Sandy Balls courtyard echoing with cheering and clapping, ahhhh I felt like Chris McCormack. Rack the bike and off for a run, well lets call it a shuffle, at about a 10min/mile pace it was slow. Luckily there was plenty of energy drink on the run and luckily I was not the only one walking the hills. The leaders passed me as I about 1.5 miles in, so they were about 2 hours ahead of me. Awesome and focused, or super human experiments? 2:30 the run took me. thats the slowest 1/2 marathon ever, so whats my excuse? Big hills? Sandy tracks? The heat? Yeah that will do. Passed Phil again, he's struggling with a knee injury and I thought he was going to walk, but he came in about 11-15mins behind me so he must have run most of it.

Managed a run back into the Finish, a proper finish chute with blow up finish arch. Yeah, hands in the air, give myself a cheer and a cup of water, I think I earned it.

The day after, I ache. Not as bad as after a marathon, but my hips and knees still remember it! Ahhhhh, right when's the next one? I have now done a half Ironman distance triathlon. Just so we are clear here, thats 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run (1.8/56/13.1 miles). If I do another can I then call myself an Ironman? No afraid not, get on with it wimp.

pictures here even one of me coming down the steps into the water. White cap, silver shoulders on my wetsuit.

.... and another non week .....

non-week, blah blah. Ohhhh whoa is me, ahh shut up your bleating, take the pills and get on with it. Oh, OK then. The week before has arrived. I ran out 1:11 this evening, first run in a week or so. The muscles at the back of my legs are sore before I start out and remain sore for the distance. Not sure whats going on, maybe sore from swimming? I dunno. Hopefully a weeks rest will see them OK. Heartrate was OK, I managed to keep it down below 155 and was probably slow but it's all about endurance and lasting the distance this time. If I had been doing some half decent training I might feel better, but hey ho.

Nutrition plan? ummmmm

It's not going to be good ......

OK, I admit it, I've blown it and it's not going to be pretty. My main concern is surviving the swim. You see all of August I did little or no swimming (well any training actually). In fact the 750m swim at the beginning of August was the only decent distance swim. Now I just want to get a few 2000m swims in to prove to myself I am not going to cramp up on the day or get into trouble in the middle of a lake. If I can do this, then the bike should be OK for about 40 miles and I'll see what happens for the remaining 16 miles. Maybe I'll take a fiver at stop at a pub!

The run will just be a painful shuffle I'm sure. Probably better to think in terms of run/walk I think.

The fourth disipline is nutrition. One of my podcasts covered this and it says the body can take in about 250 calories/hour. Thats about 825 calories for the bike and 500 calories for the run. Now all I need to do is work out how to do it and how to carry it all!

Today I went to K2. K2 has an olympic pool. It's awesome and I am probably the worst swimmer in the pool! Still I managed to crank out 2200 slow metres.

Onwards ......

Hallux Rigidus

This morning I saw a Podiatric Surgeon. He knew the answers before I asked the questions! 'I run', I said, 'long distance or medium distance', he asked. So he knows a thing or two about the different ways a foot moves I thought. Then he asked if I ski, well I said I just have been on a dry ski slope for the first time in 20 years. 'And you can turn left OK, but the other way is a problem'. Well how spot on could he be? When I was on the dri ski slope 2 weeks ago, the instructor said your turning to the left fine but the right is weak. So this podiatric surgeon is hitting all the right notes for me. Then he asked me to balance on my right foot, I can do that, not a lot of difficulty, a bit wobbley. Then the left, much, much, surprisingly more stable, which is strange as its my left foot with the problem, but it shows how much the left side of me has learnt to cope without using the toe. Then back on the bench, and he pushed my foot up from underneath, right then left. The right is fine, but my left twists my knee in horribly. 'Aghhhhh, do it again', so we did. This seems to be my problem. My left bio-mechanics are not right (ha ha), and all the way up my leg/hips is compensating for it, resulting is this horrible looking twist in my knee. I am so surprised I am not on a walking stick. Imagine the surpise when a magician does an amazing trick, well that was my reaction this morning.

So whats the outcome? Well being a runner affects the outcome and it appears to be. Orthotics, injections and surgery. in that order. Surgery to overcome the arthritic bone, injections to replace the synovial fluid missing from the joint and orthotics to prevent it re occuring. Result, 6 weeks no running, can start wearing shoes after 4 weeks, but can't drive for the first 4 weeks and need to wear a surgical shoe.

All this is going to cost 'an arm and a leg', ha ha hah ha ha. Which is cheaper than I thought.

It's all gone horribly wrong

I'm surprised it taken me so long to make a post with this title. I shuld have been training hard for the last month and beginning a tapering period in preparation for the New Forest Middle Distance Triathlon. In reality what I am doing is, no training.

All the time I was planning on riding to the beach or running to the beach has past and we hardly went to the beach. Last time I holiday in Cornwall.

I have managed a few runs with the dog. It's interesting to run with a dog, you would think they are fit young things that keep going all day. But in reality they get tired just like you do. In fact I think humans have more stamina than a dog (for dog read jack russell with long legs and scruffy hair!) So thats my training. Not good and can only leave one conclusion for the upcoming triathlon, and that is ouch, it's going to hurt.

Saturday, today I went for a bike ride, the first in about a month. I headed out and soon hit the hills. On my way down from Ranmore I saw Phil, so doubled back and tagged along with him for a while, then off headed for Leith hill, and then the 'flat lands' the other side of the A24. 42 miles later and I was going back up Pebblecombe Hill. Don't usually go this way, but thought I would give it a go. Pebblecombe Hill is a 16% hill and it was hard going after 42 miles. Still I made it and got home.

Not the 56 miles of a middle distance triathlon which is a bit worrying, but what can you do? 2 more weeks to cram as much in as I can, then taper and hope for the best.

Cross Training? .... Nahhh, just fun

Not alot of training going on around here! Cornish weather is the pits. Still it was booked so we went for a PGL weekend. A PGL weekend is a bit like being on a school trip, you sleep in bunk beds, it's basic, you eat in a refectory and your weekend is structured. So we did loads of new things including, dry ski slope skiing, trapeze, zip wire, kayaks, raft building, abseiling. It was brilliant. And you do it with your kids, so theres no wimping out! That means I was 30ft up a telegraph pole leaping for a trapeze on Sunday morning. It's a first for me.

Need (as Phil would say) 'get my mojo back together'.

Summer ... wheres the sun?

Right now I thought I would be running or cycling to the beach everyday. But I have not been doing this because the sun has disappeared from Cornwall. No sun, no beach. No sun but plenty of wind and rain. It's the worse I have ever known it to be in Cornwall. What a full on washout of a summer.

Moan whinge, whinge, moan .......

The Statistics

Taken from the superb Black Sheep Results Website:

 

Hayle Sprint Triathlon - 2008

This is August, apparently.  I thought August was sunny and hot, but not today, overcast is the best you could say about the weather this morning.  Still I got to the pool in good time and set up my transition.  Bike racked, fiddle with box of stuff, check stuff.  Ohhhh, ohhh dear, stuff missing.  No timing chip.  Aghhhhhhh, what, no!  Quick run back to the car, check car, no chip.  Jump in car and start to drive out of car park.  Blocked in.  Ohhhh no.  Ohhh well, have to do it without timings, bum.  Walked back to the registration desk and asked them if they had a spare timing chip, but no they didn't.  They did let me use their mobile to phone home though, so I phoned Sarah and had the house and shed searched, still no joy.  So at 7:50 I jumped in the water with everyone else, except I did not have a timing chip. 

Me before the start, see, calm, not bugged by no timing chip!

 

 

Oliver got this picture of me going off to the start.

 

 

 

 

At the start, a water start, I got in behind the bouy about 3 people back from the start line, lay in the water, as I remembered Rick Kiddle telling me to do.  

The horn went and we were off.  Unlike last year, when I lurked at the back, today I was in the middle of it all.  I was too far forward really, people were swimming past me left and right, but not over the top.  The start was like a sprint, and soon my body was complaining, 'too fast, not enough oxygen, can't carry on', I thought I was going to pull up and start breast-stroking!  A look up for the racing buoy, it's nowhere in site, all I can see is white water.  Ahhh well, no choice now, keep going.  I saw a lot of white water, but I was on course, very good course actually and got around the first buoy, a bit of bunching, so I was strong and kept going, don't get pushed around!

The second buoy and I did a 'Rick Kiddle racing turn', ohhhhh, get me! Then back along the edge of the pool.  I saw Sarah and the boys taking pictures, even managed a wave at them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I am sighting on the last leg, I'm sure it shows terrible technique! But I was still going and felt stronger at this point than earlier on when I was going too fast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More pictures of me, on the return leg

 

 

 

 

 

Out from the swim and into T1, (no timing), then putting on my bike shoes I found the timing chip.  So T1 took a tad longer as I struggled with the timing chip and my shoes.  I only have proper 'roadie' cycle shoes, so have to crank them up, not just velcro them.  This takes a little longer but is OK.  Maybe I should put talc in them to help me slip them on.  Slipping them on is also a problem when your toe joint does not bend and quite painful.

Note nbr 44 in the background.  His chip timing for the swim was 13:30 so I must have been something around that time for the swim, which would be about 7 minutes better than last year.

 

The bike was good, seemed like a lot of hills and seemed like I was being overtaken by a lot of people, but they all seemed to be 'guns', so I should not feel too bad about that.  I had a bit of a battle with Nbr 83, who I passed and he passed back several times.  He eventually got ahead on the bike.  Then into T2.  Not a bad T2, except I forgot the gel I was going to have at the start of the run.  Out of T2 and I caught Nbr 83 again, but he got away again, he slowly drew out the distance between us. 

In the final straight of the run, I had my mind on a big finish.  The final straight is about 1km long and as some chap came past I fell in behind him, right on his heals, drafting from the slight wind.  I started to match his stride and as we came to about 300m I came out from behind him and started to come forward, he sped up and I thought about all the racing tactics I had read about.  'You have to pass someone commandingly, so they don't feel they can stick to your heals', so I sped up again and saw him drop off.  Next in my sight was the guy in front and to my right, he looked over his shoulder, saw me coming and sped up, I was still drawing him in, and as I past him I kicked again to leave him behind.  He dropped off behind me and I stormed on.  Had I gone too soon? Could I last the final 100 metres?  I did not slow and pushed on with everything I had left, dreading him catching me before the line.  He did not and I crossed the line well ahead.  Chuffed and pleased!

I think I had a final time of 1:20ish, thats 10mins better than last year.  Need to go get the results and check them over.  When I can I will get more pictures off Sarah's camera.

Timings are in.  I ranked 80th overall, (161 in total), 11th in my category (15 in category) and my time was 1:20:07 the only time I can see is the run at 24:47

The Week Before Hayle Sprint Triathlon

On Sunday I will do my 2nd ever triathlon.  It's a sprint tri, and some might say, 'it's not a proper distance'.  Well get over it.  I reckon that with a 750m open water swim, a bike and run course with hills that its a serious sprint tri.

Unlike last year I do not feel worried about the swim.  I now have a proper tri wetsuit and have been swimming in open water/Dorking pool enough to have gotten over a concern about 750m.  So I am hoping to better my swim time this year, the proof will be in the times.

Weather wise it sucks.  Right now its as windy as can be and raining as well.  Is it really the end of July?

The primary thought on my mind is not about this triathlon, it's more about the New Forest Middle Tri in Sept and the amount of training I'm not doing for this event, but even more than this is the constant thoughts about my left big toe. 

Everyone has an Achilles' heel (well maybe Chris Mac Cormack doesn't) and this is mine.  I have been ignoring it for 3 years, moaning about it but doing nothing about it.  But it's definitely worse now.  I'm not going to whinge on, but I will be going to the doctors and getting something done. The time has come.

hallux rigidus

The Boxhill Challenge

The Boxhill Challenge has been met by Ollie Curtis.  On his last day at school before the summer holidays, Ollie took on the challenge and successfully set the course record. Riding his new GT Avalanche 2.0 MTB, he cycled from the bottom of the zig zag road to the tea shop at the top.  The sweat dripped from the gelled up spikes in his hair and his face flushed at the effort in the heat, yet he pushed on and gave a final push to speed his way to the tea shop. 

At the tea shop, expecting a large ice cream, I had to confess to not having any money on me.  Ha ha, his reward disappeared, ha ha, what a wicked daddy I am!  He had to go another 1.3 miles home before getting a reward from the freezer at home.

It's all good training for him.  Hopefully we should do more of this during the summer so when the football season resumes he will be fit and fast.  Ohhhhh I feel a plan coming on!

No work, no excuses

Agents.  They string you along then drop you. So when I thought I was going to start a new contract last week, I was mistaken. On the upside though I have been out on the bike to clock up over 6 hours.  Wed was Sophies sports day.  What a great day and Sophie did really well in her races.  Sophie is an Irongirl.  Well done Sophie, her second places helped the team win.  Go Sophie, go Sophie, go Sophie

Thursday I did a ramp test to get a decent figure for my Anaerobic Threshold.  That was hard work, I did not expect it to be quite so painful, but it revealed my AT as 154 and my max as 160 on the bike.  So now I know if I keep my HR below 154 I can keep going through that 1/2 Ironman and make the finish.

Friday, Martin had come up with a great idea of going to Worthing for a swim.  At about 10:30 we inched our way into the water.  Colder than we expected, and what looked pretty flat, turned out warmer and rougher.  Swimming was tough going, well for me anyway, the lake is easier.  (watch out for those sea swims).

Saturday and Sunday were no training days.  Daniels party, (7 eleven year old boys in a cinema, when the couple in front start having some 'pash'), well you can imagine how the boys giggled and jumped about.  Sunday, after sending all the boys home, they slept over, we then had a BBQ all afternoon.

Roll on next week.

I support double yellow lines for the zigzag road

Last Saturday I had a great 40 mile ride, out down through Pixham, Punchbowl Lane and south through Newdigate until I was completely lost.  Nothing new there for the man who does not take a map with him.  On South I went until Crawley.  Here I turned North and headed back through Leigh, Betchworth, Brockham and back to Pixham and back along past Denbies and yes, up Boxhill again, and yes I got overtaken by 2 people, ... again .... I looked at the lead bike and it said Rocco Forte on the downtube.  Now my theory is that the chap pedalling was the real Rocco Forte.  I did an internet search and did not find a bike called the Rocco Forte, but who knows.  He was going well.  The second guy with him also left me standing, so I put my head down and huffed and puffed a bit more to catch him, (I did at the top of the hill).  Half way up the 2nd zigzag, head down, pumping the pedals, doing about 9mph (not bad for me), I hit a motorbike.  Well I glanced it.  Some chap on some old WW2 mudplugger of a bike was parked on the edge of the road.  Well I did not see him until the footpeg and my shin collided. 

Owwww, but still wanting to catch the guy in front I kept going.  So now I have a footpeg dent in my left shin.  For a moment I thought I would stop and give him a mouthful, but then I thought it was my own fault, I should have been looking where I was going.  So I didn't and he did not say anything to me either as he overtook me a minute later.  Note to me, 'keep looking up, dumbkopf'.  But then, you, well I, just don't expect someone to park half way up a hill.  Ummm dumbkopf, he was probably picking up roadkill.

So, finally not a bad week, training wise.  I feel good too, I feel like there is some strength in my legs.  Must keep it up.  Swimming has suffered a tad and I should go back to the lake sometime soon.

Sophies school sports day coming up this week, I'm on the bench so have time off to fit in some training. 

School Sports Day

It use to be that there was a dads race and all the dads could establish a pecking order for when they passed by dropping and picking up their kids from school.  Now that I have been running for a few years, 'I fancy my chances!', but they don't do it in Brockham middle school, probably because its a bigger school and maybe because of insurance! I'll just have to settle for the 3rd place Personal Best set a few years ago at Daniel's primary school.

Daniel did 'stormingly' well in his races.  2nd in the obstacle race and 2nd in the running race.  I'm convinced he could easily have come first if he had not been watching the others in the race and had focused on the finish line more.  Ohhhh now I'm sounding a little like a 'pushy daddy'.  Well done Daniel, 'You will be an Ironman'.

Sophies sportsday is scheduled for Wednesday, but Wednesday is a total washout.  I guess/hope it will be rescheduled.  'Come on Sophie'.

I have added my training plan for the New Forest Middle Distance Triathlon at the top of the sidebar

Blah blah blah ......

Another week, more swimming, more turbo training and a little bit of running.  Who would have thought that in July I would be on the turbo trainer in the garage? 

 Come Sunday I was going to go biking no matter what, drink, shoes, socks, shorts, new shirt, new jacket, helmet, stuff, gear, HRM, more stuff, more stuff in the pockets and I was ready.  'Ohhhh darling, could you get 2 packs of butter and a milk fro the shop?' 'but, but, but ..... I .... yes of course darling'.  Right, I'll cycle to the shop, get the butter and milk, come back and then go.  Great. Clip, clap, clip, clap around the shop. Have you tried walking in cycling shoes?  2 packs of Stork, big milk, in the rucksack, pay and back home.  'Darling, butter delivery'. 

'Noooooooooo, urghhhhhh, thats not butter, its margarine.' 'But its a block, its in a packet, it says great for making puff pastry, it has to be butter', 'no its margarine'.  'dohhhhhh', quick, back to the shop. 'sorry, blah blah, butter, blah blah, wife, blah cooking, blah no good, blah', got a refund, went to the other shop, 2 blocks of butter.  It's yellow, its a block, it says butter on the packet.  I can't believe this is not butter!  Pay, back home, 'darling, butter'.  Right I'm off, turn around and the heavens open.  Rain?  Rain, its bloody July, whats going on?  The bike on the turbo trainer thats whats going on.  Back in the garage, sweat, sweat, pedal pedal, grrrrrrr turbo trainer ..........

Well Done Ollie

I did quite well last week, turbo trainer when I could not get out, early and late swimming. 

Then the weekend came, Ollie started to get ill, the car has had it's last chance, a couple of BBQ's to increase that protein intake and a footy presentation.  Any idea how long it takes to buy a car?  Bliming ages, but heres a hot tip.  Buy a car on the last day of the month.  Salesmen will negotiate.  It's all about monthly sales figures.  So we have a new car.  What else could take up time?  Ohhhhh school sports days? Work?  Ha, This latest contract is proving to be an issue.  Might be finding myself with time on my hands! 

Still Ollies doing well, he got the 'Golden Boot' award again and has the 'Team Fair Play' award at home for the summer.  All the footy coaches/team managers really, really rate his 'finishing'.  He plays centre forward and its his job to score goals, which he does very well.  I don't know how he does it, but he does and he does it very well, all the people with opinions that matter and are knowledgeable tell me so.  Good on you young Ollie.  Better buy him a new bike then.  We did think we would go to the Evans Sale, but the queue was unbelievable.  Maybe get there another day.

Picking up my skirt

There is nothing quite like someone suggesting you have not got what it takes, the weather picking up and a denied opportunity to go for a bike to get you going again.  When I blogged, 'Got any Thoughts', I got one.  A clonking great big one, that set me off thinking 'I'm not worthy' for the weekend!  Then the weather picked up and it got warmer, which is always a bonus to making you feel good about things. Finally there was, I thought, an opportunity to go for a bike ride on Sunday, but let us say Sarah did not agree!

Saturday morning I woke early, thanks to not sleeping because of that 'clonking great thought' and thought swimming.  Looked out the window and saw 'wet', too wet to go to the lake I thought!  So I went to the Dorking Masters Session instead.  A busy session with half the running club there, so I went into the second lane and had a storming swim (storming for me anyway).

Come Monday, I was in full on, 'I will do this' mode and knocked out a 40 min run.  This is a run that normally takes 45 mins to cover, I felt like I was flying.  Then on Tuesday I did 80 mins on the turbo trainer in the garage.  Pity to not be on the road, but 2 sleeping children in doors meant I needed to be at home.

I asked, and all I can say is:

Got any Thoughts - anyone?

I feel the time is coming.  The time when, if I am going to do and Ironman, I should decide which one I am going to do.  When I start to think about this more and more factors come into play.  Should I do an Ironman syndicated event or a Long Distance Triathlon? Where is the flattest course?  Should I go abroad to do it?  What about time of year/temperature?  Should I do it at all?  What about all the training?  Will I be ready - ever? What about my toe?  And on and on and on.  Can I make a decision? Nope, hopelessly lost without a clue.  One thing I know for sure is that if I don't enter one, I will never do one, and when I sit in my chair in the old peoples home, the one by the window, back against the wall and across the room from the TV with daytime TV showing.  What will I think then?  Will I always regret never having done an Ironman? Will I think I should have done an Ironman syndicated event?

 

I guess 1 answer is, play it safe and just enter one, enter an Ironman sanctioned event and if I fail, then I fail trying.  Another is, you only live once, you don't know whats coming around the next corner, so get on with it.  And finally, no one said it was going to be easy, in fact if it was it would not be worth doing.

 

I know all these things, so what to do?

Some Progress

The weekend came the trainers beckoned me.  'Come running, come running', they whispered.  First I had a car exhaust to deal with, so it was not leap in the car and drive to a lake at 6am, it was ring around the exhaust fitters and find somewhere with the part.  Kwikfit it was, so bike in the back of the car I drove to Kwikfit left the car and cycled back up the hill for 30 mins cycling.  Why is it even with fresh legs people cruise past me going up this hill?  What do you need to do to improve at it?  The rest of the day was gardening, housework, teaching Sophie to ride (well done Sophie, you will be my triathlete), and buying gerbils.  Well what else do you do on a Saturday?  The car never came back as Kwikfit couldn't get the exhaust part until Monday. Grrrrr, cars, what a pain.  Saturday evening and I did that run for just over an hour, felt good not like last week.  

 

Sunday was the Brockham Badgers FC big tournament and I was on parking duty, (no Daddies Day lay in for me).  No, 7am on my bike (only one car remember) down to Brockham, where I stayed until mid afternoon doing parking and watching Dan play footy.  This is an amazingly big event done each year and it really is amazing to see what can be done all by volunteers.  Instead of cycling home again, I took the long route south out of Brockham, Blackborough, Dorking, Ranmore, Westhumble, Leatherhead, Fetcham, Bookham, some road to Shere and take a left up a great long hill (ahhh I remember this hill now, its got a flint bridge over it, and I almost lost the will to live going up it when I followed the 'Legs of Steel' route), then back along Ranmore, down to Dorking, back up Boxhill.  Quite nice really, hills at Blackborough, Ranmore, Fetcham, 'that road' and Boxhill.

 

Then I could get a 'Daddies Day' rest! (should have done a brick run really!)

  

Swim Technique Video

'Yer a big girlpants Curtis!'

'I have a dream ...... I have a plan ...... but I am a big girlpants'.

I could get up early in the morning and go for a run, is 5:30 too early? I could run at lunchtime, but I don't, I work through to get stuff done. I could run after work, but what if someone sees me in a pair of running shorts? I could run/bike/swim when I get home, but after 2 hrs driving my desire to get up and do something is low. I have even missed 2 masters swim sessions now. I am a girlpants, I can imagine any excuse possible to not do something and yet I know if I don't do it I am on a road to failure/disaster/pain. Consequently this is the second week I have been looking at my plan and seeing sessions slip past and no effort put in. Thats all base thats not getting done, I need that base. '5 miles is a hard run for me at the moment, come on ..... get your motivation back'.

What a loser.

On a positive note. Sophie can ride her bike now, she has cycled unaided. Woooooooooo, she is going to be a triathlete, go Sophie, soon be cycling up and down the Close like Chrissy Wellington. Go Sophie, go Sophie, go Sophie.

Ohhh and about riding bikes. An insight I learnt this week.

I came back from my 'big skirt' ride with a painful soft and squishy area. Well you would too after sitting on a saddle for so long. Well I got thinking. When I bought the bike the bike shop guy wiped out a jar of stuff from 'under the counter', and asked 'something for the weekend sir?' No, really he said, 'something to help with chaffing?'

'No' I replied, 'I don't get chaffing'. But after my 'big skirt' ride I thought and wandered if it would help with the discomfort I was now feeling. So I went back to the bike shop and had a discussion with the bike shop guy about cream to slap on your soft places! (what else do you discuss in a bike shop?) 'Would it help?' I asked.

'Yes', he told me assuredly. So I bought the pot of Assos cream.

Last Saturday I got ready for my ride and thought I would try the cream. I unscrewed the lid, remove foil, stuck my fingers in and slapped it on liberaly, 'as directed by the bike shop guy'. Now my thought was that this stuff was like Vaseline. I thought it lubricated those parts that need taking care of. But, I was wrong! How did I know I was wrong? Well something to do with the burning sensation of 'having rubbed aftershave into my sac', might have been a pointer, as I walked around like John Wayne looking for ice. Time to read the label I think, I hope I haven't got it mixed up with chain lube!

A Big Skirt

Todays bike ride was a big skirt because it goes all the way around an area thats full of hills and I avoided them like the plague. The consequence was a 50 mile bike ride. That will teach you for whimping out from a hill! Didn't really set out to do that far, it just kind of ended up that way.

The day started with a swim in the lake. A couple of curcuits to knock up 1900m.

Then after all this to balance out my ying and my yang I have done some house work and went to the garden centre to make up some hanging baskets and put all the Waitrose shopping away. So now feeling balanced, I am putting my feet up.

Tomorrow is the Dorking 10, luckily I'm not running it, I'm a marshall so you will find me standing on a corner in the country.

Bye

Holy fly in my eye

Summer early evening rides ...... a fantastic time to ride your bike as you race along country roads, greenery everywhere. A time of day that you share the countryside with a few million insects flying the opposite way. Someone needs to send these flys to flight school and tell them to fly on the left. That way we could avoid the air accidents and near misses.

Last night I was determined to get a brick session done. Thats twice around the 8 mile 'Ballbuster' loop and then a 9km run. Powered by 4 macaroons and a Hornet Juice. The bike route comes back up Boxhill twice, and its not the climb thats the problem its the speed or lack of speed at which I do it. But last night not having ridden 30 odd miles before reaching the hill I climbed it a bit better. In fact I felt better on the second climb, was this the HJ kicking in? Still I felt good throughout the ride, and my heartrate was good and low as well.

I came off the bike and straight into a run. My legs felt like jelly at first, but soon became running legs. Hopefully as I do more of these bricks this will improve and by September I will be OK for the triathlon. After 45 minutes running I felt good, and still had energy to go. Thats the second time I have felt good towards the end of a run and both times I have used HJ.

Andy's Awesome Triathlon Training Day

Andy’s Awesome Triathlon Training Day, bought to you by 3 servings of Hornet Juice, a hot cross bun and a cup of tea. Every Englishman needs a cup of tea first thing in the morning, theres a gene for it. So with that out of the way, I had my first HJ. Swam 1900m around a cold lake, came home, mixed a second HJ with energy drink and hopped on my bike for a 4 hour ride. Once back I was straight out for a 2.5 mile run and then the last serving to help recovery.
'But, how do you feel Andy?’
'Well not too bad, ache a bit but feel good and ready to get on with the rest of my day. Not hungry, not dizzy and no stomache upset either.'

‘So, Hornet Juice is good for you then.’
‘Heck yeah boy, I mean yes it is jolly good.’

It's a real surprise that I made any of this today. It was 7am before I thought about setting off for the lake, I thought I would be too late. Then there was no diesel in the car, so I decided to go in the opposite direction to a garage, fill up and go home again, but a sudden rush off blood to my head said 'No' and I found myself heading for the lake. I had 1hr when I got there before it shut. So quick park, pull on my wetsuit and head straight for the water. Spent a short time acclimatizing and then in and off. 2 curcuits in about 45 minutes, straight off and without going off course too much. So excellent.

After that I returned home to get on my bike. Now theres a hill out of Westhumble, I have never seen it, but heard about it. I have seen it now and the sign before it saying 20%. But 20% is not so bad at the beginning of a ride. Can't say the same at the end of the ride as I made my way back up Boxhill being overtaken by everyone.

Back home I pulled on my trainers and set off, I was going to go for a 8 mile run, but 2.5 miles seemed a much better idea. Again I had that terrible backache thing going on.

My thoughts? Well certainly not so worried about the swim anymore, more worried about the saddle soreness on the bike and the back pain on the run!

It begins

Sunday I got up early to jump in the lake again.  First the Hornet Juice, 250ml before I set off, this stuff is a mixture of amino acids and helps your body to convert its fat into energy.  Does it work?  Yep I think it does do something, anyhow I drank it back, eat a clif bar and drove to the lake.  The water was not any warmer than the week before but thankfully my wetsuit works a treat.  After a short while on the pontoon getting use to the water, adjusting my goggles, being nervous, I plunged in and started on a circuit (950 metres apparently).  Sighting as I went I did not go to far off course, but probably could sight less and end up faster.  Up the lake to the bouys, round the bouys, sighting as I rounded.  Follow the lake bank down to the bottom bouy.  You can't see it until close by.  Round the bouy and sighting for the blue motorway sign, looking straight into the sun.  Nightmare and way off course, found the last bouys and headed back for the pontoon.  Back on the pontoon I thought about my swim, looked at the bouys again thinking of ways to not go off course next time.  A lady who had set off ahead of me then swam up.  Ohhhhh, I've managed to overtake someone somewhere.  Then I jumped in again, not expecting to be able to make another circuit, but I did.  Sighting was better and I came out feeling good.  A bit wobbly but full of energy.  Called it a day right there and drove home to find everyone just getting out of bed! 

 

Monday, Tuesday - Nothing. 

 

Wednesday, got home early and thought I would go for a run.  Oliver was going to come with me, then Dan and Sophie came home and they were going to come as well.  Whilst Sophie got a drink and changed into trainers, I checked out the garage to find Oliver and Daniel having a row about Oliver using Dans bike, and Dan wearing Ollies belt.  For goodness sake I said, your just turning a simple fun thing like a run into a nightmare.  Boys, or is it 2 boys 2 years apart in age?  They can play together great, but they can also be such pains.  Neither will share with the other, and they both end up in these confrontations about their stuff and before you know where you are one of them will get hurt.  This just gets on my whick, so I told them they were not coming with me and Sophie and I went for a run.  For 6 years old she ran awesomely and we did a mile, and it was great, and it would be great if the boys can get over their issues and come too. 

 

Wed night, more HJ and a masters swim session.  Does this HJ work?  Well I did the session and was still in the pool after everyone else had left.  So after this and Sundays lake swim that I did not expect to be able to do, I have believe it does do something.  Lets see what happens at the weekend.

 

 

Let the training begin

Time is ticking down to the start date (Sun 18th) for my training plan. 'you have one? well thats an eye opener'. Well actually I don't have one but it starts Sunday. Top of the plan is to get to swim better and the first step was an open water swim session with a proper triathlete. Thats why I found myself upto my neck in a cold lake at 7am last Saturday morning. So first tick, test new wetsuit. It works hurray. Next tick to get is to pick up my running to a decent distance again. ohhh and make a plan. ohhhh and stop being such a wuss. Rick (full on triatlete and awesome fit guy) showed us how to turn a bouy, sight and breathe, get the wetsuit off and experience close quarter swimming. It was great fun

Look away if you are not worthy!

This is a picture from Busselton. The Ironman course is marked out on the pavement with this M dot logo.

I showed it to Dan and Ollie and then told them to look away because they were 'not worthy' to look at the Ironman logo. Only Ironmen and Ironmen pretenders (like me), are allowed to look at the logo. Needless to say, they took no notice and laughed at me, told me I would never be an Ironman and then jumped on it. Sometimes I wander what impression I am leaving on their developing minds!

But I'm over it now! This week I have been getting back to normal. Dealing with the post took 2 days. Took the opportunity to get the car serviced, which allowed me to run up Boxhill and cycle down again, also went out for a ride with Martin (just back from IM South Africa), think he did a time of 12hrs (ish). Quite awesome I think, sure I could not do that. But we rode 40 miles and whilst he struggled on a few of the hills, he left me on the serious ones, even though he did an Ironman a week or 2 ago.

Work looked thin on the ground until Friday when all of a sudden it appears I could be in demand. I have a couple of weeks work starting Tuesday (in Newbury!) but then hopefully something more longterm nearer to home to see me back in the harness and complaining about not having any time! Hey ho, onwards.

Is this the closest I will get to the start of an Ironman?

(Me at the start of the Ironman WA swim course)

We are back. We have been on holiday for the last month in Western Australia. Home for everything thats out to get you. Fish that eat you, venomous snakes and poisonous spiders. It's also got an Ironman.

I just had to go there and see the place. Busselton WA. Theres an awesome long pier there and the swim course goes around it. I thought I would swim around it, but my head did overtime about sharks and I got nervous. I did swim to a bathing platform, I got there at the same time as a couple of young guys who swam from the pier. Their first words were, 'wheres the shark net?'. Ummm confidence booster? Not. I swam back double fast. Back on dry land I was admiring a Trek with aerobars, (Modone?), started to chat to the guy and got another bit of advice about sharks. 'Don't be at the back'. He called it the sick seal principle! So what with there not being another swimmer in sight I chickened out. I have done some other swims though, including in the Southern Ocean and also at Cottesloe Beach, Perth (where there were loads of swimmers).

Pictures from the Ballbuster

Click the title for pictures.

Thoughts

3 days after the event and I have done the usual cut and paste the results into Excel, sort, resort, review and pour over them and reflect.

Well I expected to be near the back of the field, when I have found I am usually in the first 1/3 of the field in a running event, I believe these 'endurance' events attract a fitter field. So being near the back after not following a consistent training plan before the event is no surprise to me.

I should have put in twice the base training I did, that's more running miles. That would have helped me on the last run where I just ran out of steam.

Second I need to work on the mental side as well to push on and not give up. That last run, I basically gave up at the start, pushed on through 6 miles to Mickleham but failed as soon as I was faced with a hill. The burning in my legs and the pain in my back did me in mentally, time for the self help podcasts.

Third I need to do brick sessions to get used to the bike to run transition. I really did set off at a shuffle, it was quite embarrassing.

Fourth, I need to do it again. The course beat me this time, and I need to do the training and get revenge.

Fifth, I need to cycle hills, the world and his dog overtakes me on hills. I stormed past people going down through Headley (technical) and Lodge Bottom road (downhill), but they all caught me and left me on the climb up the zigzag.

Time to draw up a plan for the New Forest Middle Distance Tri in Sept.

My Balluster

My Ballbuster 15/03/2008

Food:
Before: bowl of porridge with golden syrup and a mug of coffee.
During: 7 SIS Go gels, 1 cereal bar, 600ml High 5 4:1 Energy mix, 2 cups of water (720 calories)
Total distance: 39.99 miles
Total time: 3:53:40
Total calories: 3564 calories
Total Ascent/Descent: 2510ft/2703ft

First Run: 1:02 approximately
Bike: 1:34 approximately
Last Run: 1:15 approximately

My day started at 6:00am with me shouting out ‘Sophie’ as I had a bad dream about Sophie being to near to a snake. Is this a sign about the day ahead of me? I got up, made my porridge, stirred in a good helping of golden syrup, drank a coffee, made up my drink mix, gave Sarah a cup of tea and headed off for the event.

The start was a mile down the road by Boxhill viewpoint. I paid my BTA day licence money, picked up my race number, shirt and goody bag and headed to transition to rack my bike and fuss about how I should prepare my T1 and T2 kit. In the end as I thought it would rain, I had a bag with more plastic bags inside (the environmental option), so I would only need to grab my T1 or T2 bag and go. Nice idea?

The start is outside the bike racking and marked with a bag of flour 10 minutes before the start, (the high tech option). We all milled around warming up and asking questions about which way to go as we all peered into the fog the other side of the Donkey Green.

Then we were off, 'pacing Curtis, pacing, you’ve done this circuit plenty of times (not 5 times at one time tough), remember the last mile is coming up the zigzag hill'. The pack ran along and we chatted about the course ahead. My heartrate was in the 165 range so I thought I would slow down to bring it down. I did, to the 160 range, still not low enough, but on perceived effort I felt good. As the run went on it felt like I was being passed by everyone. I thought I was at the back of the pack as we set off, so by now I must be last (ohhh no). We ran on and soon reached the first ascent, more people passed me, half way up, I looked over the edge to see how many people were down below, no one! (gulp).

Then into T1, and hey look at all those bikes. I’m not last, in fact I’m just over half way back in the pack by the looks of it. T1, shoes, gels, helmet, bike go. A long run out of T1 across the Donkey Green and carpark before you reach tarmac. Then on the bike and off. Ohhhh yeah, I feel good, felt tired after the run, but now I’m on the bike and I’m flying (or is this just my overactive imagination and dream I could be Lance!). But fly along I did. I came to Headley and the bends/downhill incline. I found that I did not need to slow down, I felt comfortable though the bends (my first ever ride was through here and I nearly ended under a bus), come the corner into Lodge Bottom Rd and I absolutely flew, take the corner wide and power up, then its downhill and you fly. This must be the fastest bit of the course and where I got 38mph.

Speed graph, first run is definitely faster than the second run

Down to Mickleham and the uphill starts. Again people started to overtake me, I really need to learn how to do hills quicker. Up I went, zig follws zag follows zig. At the top I started to shift up a few gears and speed up as I approached te Viewpoint. Then bang, arghhhh, cramp in my right calf. Then it came on stronger and stronger. I had to stop, unclip and stretch it out. You can see this in the Pace graph as the second spike. Me at a total stop stretching out my calf as the field cycled past.

3 spikes, T1 T2 and at 1:30 where I had a horrible cramp and had to stop to stretch it out.

Back on the bike and a few more twinges later I was still going. The 3 bike climbs were not too bad, but getting off the bike at T2 was hard. My head said run into T2, my legs said, ‘no way’, so I walked/trotted to the racking, trying to take off my jacket. Racked the bike, changed shoes, picked out my T2 bag of gels, and ran off. Ohhh run back, leave helmet. Run off. Ha, did I say run, how about shuffle. Message to legs, ‘do you remember how to run?’. After cycling it took about 2 miles of shuffling before my legs felt vaguely like a running motion. Well lets be honest here from the start of the run my head was in damage limitation mode. I kept asking myself how long I could continue. Along Boxhill road is mainly flat, then a slight incline to Headley, then downhill from there to Mickleham. I somehow convinced myself I could run to Mickleham and started to sup the gels. People were passing me and I actually passed a few as well. I kept going feeling pleased as I slowly overhauled people. But then we were at Mickleham and the uphill started. I calculated that if I ran it would be 30 mins and an hour to walk back uphill. An our would take me well over the 4hour mark. But I was done. The first hill, before the zigzag and I walked the final 20metres, the damage was done, that mental border had been crossed, walking was going to happen. I ran down to the beginning of the zig zag road, turned up and the pain started. The pain and burning leg muscles, the pain in my back muscles. Walk, fast walk, swing your arms, stride along, try a run, pain, walk, run, pain, walk. And so it continued all the way up. I was not te only one though, and as I started to run I would catch them again. Coming to the last bend and I started running again, the final incline and I had to run it, just past it was the end. I just had to grit my teeth and do it. ‘Do it’ I did and I crossed the line in 3:53 on my Garmin.

What can I say? That was tough, very tough, the field must be made up of good athletes, so being near the back will not be a surprise to me. Very tough, the second run is super hard, I can’t believe I have ever run any slower than this before.

I am entered for a Middle distance triathlon (1/2 Ironman) in Sept. That is going to be super super tough. There is no way I will be able to do this with proper training. I haven’t done a lot of training for this event and I have suffered for it, but managed to make it through.

If you start at the top the only way is down, then up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down and up again. Is it any wander you loose the will to live on the final up?

What can you say about my heart rate, except, ‘how come your still alive?’ I think the first run shows up here as the erratic bit upto about 1hr. The smoother less erratic bit in the middle is the bike and the final ‘spider trail’ from 2:45 is me hanging on and eventually loosing the will to live coming back up the hill. I think this must be me going anaerobic and not able to clear the lactate out of my muscles.