God damn that was a very rushed swim. Where usually I get in to pool at about ten to six for a finish time of twenty to seven today I got in to the pool at six on the button.
Just that bit too little time so instead of getting my 2km session in as planned, I only managed to get in 1750m. Not great but not bad all the same, at least it was well over the distance of next weekend. So long as I get a 2km swim in between now and next week I will be more than happy.
Can't enter IM Lanzarote today again, don't know what the problem is. One more try tomorrow before I call in the technical help to see can they solve the issue.
National Fish and Chips day in Ireland today so guess what's for dinner?! Plenty of salt and vinegar please...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
May 25, 2010
What a very strange run that was. If anyone can explain to me why I seem to find it hard to do the first couple of kilometres and then can move far more quickly and less tiringly I would be delighted to know!
Have to say though, running by the see is lovely, there's a lot to recommend it especially on a beautiful summer's evening such as this one.
I can't, however, say the same of the lush and verdant Clonliffe Road. While it's being being tree lined is lovely, the midges that it attracts is blinding. I have definitely swallowed my year's worth of flies and insects on the way home while my eyes have also consumed a couple!! Thankfully its all over now and I can move on to tomorrow, the second last swim session before Tri Athy, hope to get way over 2km... Ah to hell with it, I will go over 2km. Yeah now that's a better attitude.
And in other news, I hope to enter Ironman Lanzarote tomorrow. Tried today but the money didn't transfer to my credit card yet. I'm only going to do this once so I'm going to do the one I want to do. So by this time tomorrow I will have taken a major step towards being an ironman... I will have entered!
Have to say though, running by the see is lovely, there's a lot to recommend it especially on a beautiful summer's evening such as this one.
I can't, however, say the same of the lush and verdant Clonliffe Road. While it's being being tree lined is lovely, the midges that it attracts is blinding. I have definitely swallowed my year's worth of flies and insects on the way home while my eyes have also consumed a couple!! Thankfully its all over now and I can move on to tomorrow, the second last swim session before Tri Athy, hope to get way over 2km... Ah to hell with it, I will go over 2km. Yeah now that's a better attitude.
And in other news, I hope to enter Ironman Lanzarote tomorrow. Tried today but the money didn't transfer to my credit card yet. I'm only going to do this once so I'm going to do the one I want to do. So by this time tomorrow I will have taken a major step towards being an ironman... I will have entered!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Finally...
Okay, its taken a while, a year of swimming to be exact, but if I were 55 years older than I am I would now be the fastest 50m swimmer in my age group in Ireland. I know, I know, unbelievable achievement!
1750m overall, I am thankfully a far faster swimmer than I was this time last year and more importantly, I feel much more efficient too which means I'm not as tired leaving the pool. All in all, quite happy with tonight's session!
1750m overall, I am thankfully a far faster swimmer than I was this time last year and more importantly, I feel much more efficient too which means I'm not as tired leaving the pool. All in all, quite happy with tonight's session!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Break
Sorry folks, been ridiculously busy in the last while with various things so I haven't been giving the ol' blog the attention it deserves!!
But now I'm back and focused on keeping this updated as much as possible!
I suppose a quick run down of the last couple of weeks training is in order so here goes...
In the last couple of weeks I have...
ºCompleted a full length brick for the Olympic I have coming up next week
ºCompleted my first 1,500m continuous swim of the year (last season's efforts seemed so long ago!!)
ºShredded a tyre while out cycling, its a long walk home with a bike on your back!
ºBought some new tri gear and realised that I look bloody ridiculous in a trisuit, the years of rugby haven't exactly helped my triathlon shape
ºBonked twice in a week while out doing my longer cycles
ºRealised that snickers prevent bonking
ºGot a tan
So that's really the rundown of the last couple of weeks, stay tuned, this season is only just getting started!
But now I'm back and focused on keeping this updated as much as possible!
I suppose a quick run down of the last couple of weeks training is in order so here goes...
In the last couple of weeks I have...
ºCompleted a full length brick for the Olympic I have coming up next week
ºCompleted my first 1,500m continuous swim of the year (last season's efforts seemed so long ago!!)
ºShredded a tyre while out cycling, its a long walk home with a bike on your back!
ºBought some new tri gear and realised that I look bloody ridiculous in a trisuit, the years of rugby haven't exactly helped my triathlon shape
ºBonked twice in a week while out doing my longer cycles
ºRealised that snickers prevent bonking
ºGot a tan
So that's really the rundown of the last couple of weeks, stay tuned, this season is only just getting started!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Day Twenty Four – May 4, 2010
I was right, the good night’s sleep sorted me out no end.
So with the blustery conditions in Dublin today I decided that to cycle out by the sea would have been a fruitless exercise. Instead I headed inland, towards the rolling countryside of Meath. Yeah, I didn’t know it was rolling either but I was uphill and down dale quite regularly during my stint in the saddle. Not knowing quite what direction I was going or whether I could loop back in towards Dublin meant that my cycling was somewhat cagey, affecting my time a bit. Happily though I now have a nice 50km route mapped out on relatively quiet roads. One I will most certainly be taking advantage of in the coming weeks. But back to the present, going to brave the wilds of Belvedere College again for swimming tomorrow, fingers crossed I have slightly less hassle this time!
So with the blustery conditions in Dublin today I decided that to cycle out by the sea would have been a fruitless exercise. Instead I headed inland, towards the rolling countryside of Meath. Yeah, I didn’t know it was rolling either but I was uphill and down dale quite regularly during my stint in the saddle. Not knowing quite what direction I was going or whether I could loop back in towards Dublin meant that my cycling was somewhat cagey, affecting my time a bit. Happily though I now have a nice 50km route mapped out on relatively quiet roads. One I will most certainly be taking advantage of in the coming weeks. But back to the present, going to brave the wilds of Belvedere College again for swimming tomorrow, fingers crossed I have slightly less hassle this time!
Day Twenty Three – May 3, 2010
This is going to be a short one, I write this as I sit on the train back to Dublin. Pretty stiff today, suppose it’s a combination of the run yesterday and the celebratory few (many) drinks afterwards!! Still a good sleep tonight should do me the world of good, aided and abetted by a stretch when I get home and I will hopefully be ready for my cycle tomorrow.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Day Twenty Two – Sunday, May 2, 2010
Well that was some race. It started in the driving rain and finished in the brilliant sunshine which basically sums up my own performance too, good and bad.
I managed to cover the distance in 1hr 43m 17s and placed in 245th. A personal best… which I suppose isnt all that hard considering Ive never done it before!! Something to build on for the next time though, and there will most certainly be quite a few next times.
Two gels on the way round was more than enough energy and cups of water wherever I could lay my hands on them did a world of good too. Learned a lot about the whole long distance stuff today I have to say. Going to put it in to use for the rest of the season and beyond, hopefully.
I have to say though, I think I had the adrenaline rush about finishing just a tad early, about 2km from the finish I was floating. Then about 500m from the finish the adrenaline stopped pumping and I hit a slump. I was actually in a pretty atrocious mood when I finished because of it!!
Nice course too, took in all of Limerick’s major sights and challenging enough but not overly taxing. So fair play to the organisers for that, already looking forward to next year’s event. Might even try the marathon.
I managed to cover the distance in 1hr 43m 17s and placed in 245th. A personal best… which I suppose isnt all that hard considering Ive never done it before!! Something to build on for the next time though, and there will most certainly be quite a few next times.
Two gels on the way round was more than enough energy and cups of water wherever I could lay my hands on them did a world of good too. Learned a lot about the whole long distance stuff today I have to say. Going to put it in to use for the rest of the season and beyond, hopefully.
I have to say though, I think I had the adrenaline rush about finishing just a tad early, about 2km from the finish I was floating. Then about 500m from the finish the adrenaline stopped pumping and I hit a slump. I was actually in a pretty atrocious mood when I finished because of it!!
Nice course too, took in all of Limerick’s major sights and challenging enough but not overly taxing. So fair play to the organisers for that, already looking forward to next year’s event. Might even try the marathon.
Day Twenty One – Saturday, May 1, 2010
Okay so a short session today just to stay loose for tomorrow. A quick 2.5km run followed by quite a bit of stretching and contemplating race strategy for tomorrow.
I really don’t like that term, it seems to imply that I actually may win the thing and I will be battling it out with a competitor in a battle of wits to the finish line.
But race strategy is precisely what I was thinking of. And I have decided that I will be doing my damnedest to find a rhythm early and stick with it, regardless of how fast or slow it is. Attack up the hills and let myself coast down the other side, all of this seems eminently sensible but until its put in to practice I cant be sure whether it is or not! Either way bring it on… One last thing, anything under two hours and I will be bloody delighted!
I really don’t like that term, it seems to imply that I actually may win the thing and I will be battling it out with a competitor in a battle of wits to the finish line.
But race strategy is precisely what I was thinking of. And I have decided that I will be doing my damnedest to find a rhythm early and stick with it, regardless of how fast or slow it is. Attack up the hills and let myself coast down the other side, all of this seems eminently sensible but until its put in to practice I cant be sure whether it is or not! Either way bring it on… One last thing, anything under two hours and I will be bloody delighted!
Day Twenty – Friday, April 30, 2010
Some rest day that turned out to be. The resting part was easy, however as of yesterday the focus of my training has changed a tad. A friend and I have decided to enter the Race Around Ireland. A 2,500km cycling ultra-marathon that takes place in September. Lovely stuff. 152 hours to complete it, or five and a half days depending on how you want to look at it. Eight hour shifts on the bike, saddle sores and Irish weather, looking forward to it already… Really I am!
Not sure what I’ll do about the HIM really. Must see is there one available in August.
Not sure what I’ll do about the HIM really. Must see is there one available in August.
Day Nineteen – Thursday, April 29, 2010
Today it was time for a longer, slightly more leisurely paced cycle. And that’s precisely what happened. 50km is an alright distance to be covering in the middle of the week I reckon. Quite happy with it. Managed to avoid being robbed too, no Dick Turpin style bandits telling me stand and deliver so all in all quite a positive session. Going to up the cycling distances considerably now I reckon, make 40km look easy when confronted with it.
Strangely another week of training has absolutely flown by. Facing in to another rest day tomorrow and it seems to have come too soon in a way! But I suppose with the run coming up on Sunday it probably is wise to have a rest day tomorrow and a light session on Saturday to prepare.
Strangely another week of training has absolutely flown by. Facing in to another rest day tomorrow and it seems to have come too soon in a way! But I suppose with the run coming up on Sunday it probably is wise to have a rest day tomorrow and a light session on Saturday to prepare.
Day Eighteen – Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Well this was just a disaster. Plain and simple. Off I went for a swim in my local pool and I managed to get robbed while I was in the pool. My phone, wallet and, maybe worst of all, a 1/20th full bottle of aftershave are now residing with someone else. The joys of triathlon training eh?! Its not so much the robbery that gets to me, it’s the inconvenience of it all… Cards to be reissued, phone to be bought, numbers to be retrieved. Ugh. A right pain.
I suppose at least the session went well… Some small consolation!
I suppose at least the session went well… Some small consolation!
Day Seventeen – Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Phew… I’m wrecked, my legs are like jelly and have taken on a mind of their own and I am in dire need of a stretch!! But now I know that I can do 40km in 75 minutes which, to be honest, is far quicker than I thought I would be able to manage it so that really is good to know. And that included Howth head which is an even bigger plus to it all. Hopefully the nice flat bike course in my first tri of the year will mean that the time comes down, however false an economy that may be.
Day Sixteen – Monday, April 26, 2010
Well now that wasn’t so bad at all, slight bit of discomfort in the should to start off with but that was overcome by a good stretch after my first 150m. Manged to get over the 1500m hurdle too, got out to 1650m before I just ran out of time in the pool, I don’t think work would take too kindly to me being late back after lunch with the excuse that training just had to come first!!
Think I’m going to try a time trial ride tomorrow on the bike. It calls for a 40km bike so what better excuse to just go flat out for as long as my legs will allow and see how quickly I could do the distance in if I really put my mind to it and didn’t have any distractions, like a 10k run to follow!
Think I’m going to try a time trial ride tomorrow on the bike. It calls for a 40km bike so what better excuse to just go flat out for as long as my legs will allow and see how quickly I could do the distance in if I really put my mind to it and didn’t have any distractions, like a 10k run to follow!
Day Fifteen – Sunday, April 25, 2010
Okay this was more like it. 16.5km done so I’m not as worried as I was yesterday. Once I hit a bit a rhythm and a steady pace (usually I am all over the place with this bit!) I was alright. Took me an hour and a half so taking that in to conisderation anything under two hours next weekend I will be more than happy with. I reckon running under five minute kilometres should be very do-able… That right there is a big should!
Time to get my mind off the run tomorrow though and back on to swimming. I’ve given my shoulder a week, it feels fine so tomorrow will be a fitness test of sorts for it. I think its about time that I went a bit further in my sessions too. I’m just over a month out from my first Olympic tri so this glass ceiling of 1500m needs to be removed!
Time to get my mind off the run tomorrow though and back on to swimming. I’ve given my shoulder a week, it feels fine so tomorrow will be a fitness test of sorts for it. I think its about time that I went a bit further in my sessions too. I’m just over a month out from my first Olympic tri so this glass ceiling of 1500m needs to be removed!
Day Fourteen – Saturday, April 24, 2010
I have to say I am still pretty nervous about the idea of this half marathon. Coming in to a week out from the event there hasn’t really been much to ease the nerves! Try as I might today I just couldn’t shake lethargy from my legs and what I had planned to be a 15km run to give myself a bit of confidence just turned in to a struggled-through 10km. I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able for this.
I’m presuming two and a half weeks training wont be enough!
I’m presuming two and a half weeks training wont be enough!
Day Thirteen – Friday, April 23, 2010
What a great idea rest days are!! Don’t think there is much more to be said about it really!
Day Twelve – Thursday, April 22, 2010
My first brick session of the year and I’ll hold my hands up, it was tough going.
To get a feel for where I am conditioning wise I wanted to replicate the two distances in a Sprint Triathlon. A 20km cycle followed by a 5km run.
I feel the Sutton thing is getting a bit repetitive for cycling so thought it was time to change things up. Off I went to the Phoenix Park for myself and in spite of it being quite difficult to get to with early evening traffic and being squashed between a van and a bus on my way home from there it was most certainly a worthwhile journey. A beautiful place to cycle to say the least. Once I had the bike parked up again it was time to get on the road for a run. I had forgotten what the feeling is like of having to engage completely different muscles to run after even a short bike ride. I’m sure I looked ridiculous at times but sure these things happen. The 5km which is usually quite an easy loop when I do it turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be.
Oh well, at least its done now and I can focus on my rest day tomorrow and my preparations for the Great Limerick Run over the weekend.
To get a feel for where I am conditioning wise I wanted to replicate the two distances in a Sprint Triathlon. A 20km cycle followed by a 5km run.
I feel the Sutton thing is getting a bit repetitive for cycling so thought it was time to change things up. Off I went to the Phoenix Park for myself and in spite of it being quite difficult to get to with early evening traffic and being squashed between a van and a bus on my way home from there it was most certainly a worthwhile journey. A beautiful place to cycle to say the least. Once I had the bike parked up again it was time to get on the road for a run. I had forgotten what the feeling is like of having to engage completely different muscles to run after even a short bike ride. I’m sure I looked ridiculous at times but sure these things happen. The 5km which is usually quite an easy loop when I do it turned out to be much harder than I thought it would be.
Oh well, at least its done now and I can focus on my rest day tomorrow and my preparations for the Great Limerick Run over the weekend.
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