Today is like the first day of spring. The sun comes up and you know that your favourite part of the year is about to begin (realistically, it's bloody cold outside and the ground is covered in deep snow). The drive is being reawakened. The dreaming has begun. The suffering of the last race all to easily forgotten and replaced by grandiose finishing celebrations. "I will do it better this time" "I know my mistakes. Won't make them again". These form of thoughts conveniently enter the psych and drive you on.
Ironically, the first day of my purchased training plan is "watch videos". Not a bad start really. Who can argue with sitting around and doing bugger all on the first day of the Ironman season. The body is certainly not as fresh as it was the first day of the first season of this, but I'm sure with a little grease and oil the joints can be freshened up and cranked back to life. The major muscle that needs awakening is the brain. Content in the winter mindset of "plod on" it needs to be enlivened and reset to structure and training.
The next 24 weeks are dedicated to training for my 3rd Ironman in Boulder, CO. The real goal of this training is to make sure it appears seamless to my family. Mildly unobtrusive and certainly not obsessive (as was the first year of all this). That's where the blog comes in. A mental vent to the unknown world so that I may not flood the family with it. Instead, I will flood Mitch and my training partners with it. Ha!
The pool appears to be calling my name the strongest. Much time was spent pedalling and running in the recent months and a re-focus is needed on the water. The masters swim team has helped enormously already, after only a few freezing plunges in to the winter indoor pool (it never feels that warm!). Improving that aspect is a goal of mine. Be more efficient, to allow a better shot a improving on the bike split.
All that nice drivel aside, in reality, just finishing the mammoth challenge of completing an Ironman in Boulder is plenty. It is highly unlikely that records will be set and that the finish line will be crossed in any earth shattering time. However, the subconscious will always be behind you, tapping on your shoulder, saying "you know, there's always a chance".
The training plan has been purchased. The bike will be tuned up soon. The structure that is needed to complete this particular race is in place. Let the games begin. Remember, we're not crazy, we're nuts.
Good luck to us all!
Monday, February 17, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Tri-U-Mah: The Race
This was an entirely new event and format for myself. My race partner and I arrived nice and early, vying for an early heat, but were left wanting due to the popularity of the event and stuck with a 12:45 slot.
They day had not begun well. Awaking in Washington, DC to a flight that was two hours late and the prospect of no racing at all. The proverbial bullet was bitten and after an expensive cab ride to Washington National Airport, I was back on time, headed home to the cold tundra and the first race of the season.
The format was as follows. Each discipline was allotted 30 minutes to go as far as possible. The setting was the University of Minnesota's glorious swimming pool. Performance went well, although the floral swim suit of the young lady swimming next to me was an all too common sight as she lapped no less than 3 times!
The lack of sleep was soon to show it's face and I quickly felt the pang of sleep deprivation and hunger! However, as is the need sometimes, such pangs were suppressed for the greater good of competitiveness! "Oh yes", I said to myself, "this is a good early test event with no reason to push it". That plan was right out the window the first time the floral swimming machine passed me on lap one.
After the swim, you have 10 minutes to gather yourself for the bike. Frankly, this is where this race format is won. Ignore all requests for your legs to stop and ride until they fall off. The normal triathlon mentality ceases here. There is not a worry of saving yourself for the run, as the winner is one who accumulates the most miles. Thus, a "smash festival" on the bike will do that more so than on the run. An enormous effort on the bike and a steady consistent effort on the treadmill will win this race. However, this did not occur to me until the 5 minute warning on the bike, which, by most arguments, was a tad late in the day.
Thus, a serious effort on the run was needed. All "steady as you go" mentalities were a thing of the not so distant past. Sticking to any reasonable mentality was not helped by the information I had accrued on the bike. The fact that England had lost to France in the rugby and without doubt my phone was being bombarded by texts from Napoleon. With that to drive me on, the treadmill speed was steadily increased to a speed that made me weak at the knees (exaggerated by the lack of food and sleep) and slightly hallucinogenic.
The positives were clear. I had learnt a great deal from this race. That my body was capable of more than this time last year. That I recovered well from the hard effort (with help from Hammer) and that I really don't enjoy the high intensity of a short race! Long and slow, that's the way to go!
With less than two weeks to official training start date, this was a nice test and a well organized one at that. I will definitely do it again. Why, even though the high intensity was a misery? Largely, in a twisted way, the pain and suffering was great fun (just not for the immediate 20 minutes after the finish!).
Now off to buy an expensive training plan from TrainingPeaks.
Good luck to us all!
They day had not begun well. Awaking in Washington, DC to a flight that was two hours late and the prospect of no racing at all. The proverbial bullet was bitten and after an expensive cab ride to Washington National Airport, I was back on time, headed home to the cold tundra and the first race of the season.
The format was as follows. Each discipline was allotted 30 minutes to go as far as possible. The setting was the University of Minnesota's glorious swimming pool. Performance went well, although the floral swim suit of the young lady swimming next to me was an all too common sight as she lapped no less than 3 times!
The lack of sleep was soon to show it's face and I quickly felt the pang of sleep deprivation and hunger! However, as is the need sometimes, such pangs were suppressed for the greater good of competitiveness! "Oh yes", I said to myself, "this is a good early test event with no reason to push it". That plan was right out the window the first time the floral swimming machine passed me on lap one.
After the swim, you have 10 minutes to gather yourself for the bike. Frankly, this is where this race format is won. Ignore all requests for your legs to stop and ride until they fall off. The normal triathlon mentality ceases here. There is not a worry of saving yourself for the run, as the winner is one who accumulates the most miles. Thus, a "smash festival" on the bike will do that more so than on the run. An enormous effort on the bike and a steady consistent effort on the treadmill will win this race. However, this did not occur to me until the 5 minute warning on the bike, which, by most arguments, was a tad late in the day.
Thus, a serious effort on the run was needed. All "steady as you go" mentalities were a thing of the not so distant past. Sticking to any reasonable mentality was not helped by the information I had accrued on the bike. The fact that England had lost to France in the rugby and without doubt my phone was being bombarded by texts from Napoleon. With that to drive me on, the treadmill speed was steadily increased to a speed that made me weak at the knees (exaggerated by the lack of food and sleep) and slightly hallucinogenic.
The positives were clear. I had learnt a great deal from this race. That my body was capable of more than this time last year. That I recovered well from the hard effort (with help from Hammer) and that I really don't enjoy the high intensity of a short race! Long and slow, that's the way to go!
With less than two weeks to official training start date, this was a nice test and a well organized one at that. I will definitely do it again. Why, even though the high intensity was a misery? Largely, in a twisted way, the pain and suffering was great fun (just not for the immediate 20 minutes after the finish!).
Now off to buy an expensive training plan from TrainingPeaks.
Good luck to us all!
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