This is what I wrote before the half - but didn't get around to posting before I went to the Half Ironman... If you are bored, a read while I write up the race report!
Another couple of weeks have flown past, and the first real test of the season is looming - the Tauranga half ironman. I am not sure what to expect or how I will go, which is a little unusual for me - I generally know where I am at - for better or worse! The last few weeks have certainly been a bit funny, and the indicators for my form have been sending very mixed messages. I guess I will know for sure in a few days anyway!
The long rides and the longer runs are definitely getting better. I feel better and far more controlled during the sessions, and much better after (ie not devastated!). However, I do think the longer rides are knocking me around a little more than I feel they are. I do feel OK the day after, but I have been quite flat on the Tuesday after, and the bike intervals on Tuesdays have been a fair bit down on where they should be - at least where I think they should be! On the other side the run intervals have been getting progressively better. Last week was 7x1km, and they were the fastest and felt the most controlled so far (for over a year at least). That is definitely a positive. They are still a very long way from my best (over 40 seconds per km!), but improvement is good thing! It does not feel that long ago when I did a set of 1 km reps and realized that I had run a marathon in an Ironman at a faster pace than I was doing my 1km reps at!
I also had a crack at a 90km TT a couple of weeks ago (on the trainer). I deliberately started a little conservatively, which ended up being about the right pace. I also deliberately sat up from on the aerobars regularly to stretch out a little - before "I needed to". It was all going well until around the 40km mark, and my butt (glut muscle) started to scream! so I sat up a little more, which relieved it a little but it was certainly not going away. So I have a few choices, pull the pin and call it a day, solder on a bit slower and roll through the 90km at a pretty leisurely time, or try to keep the pace up reasonably well for a bit longer and at least get a 50 or 60km TT done. I Kept going and got through the 50km, then the 60km. I was still holding the same speed/power, and was managing the glut issue OK. I then made a decision to forget about the speed, and make sure I focused on the things that would get me to the end of the TT well - a few gels, a few salt tablets, drink more, and try to relax as much as possible and maintain good form. I really avoided focusing on the glut and the discomfort it was giving me. Figuring if I focus on the pain, it was just going to be painful! Well - it worked! I made it through the TT, not much of a drop off in pace at all, although when I did get off I was not sure I had made the right decision, as my left leg was not working at all - a run was out of the question... It was a solid time, but around 8 minutes off my best time (I think). Power was OK (averaged a bit over 300w), but not a world record. The pinched nerve in my butt was a concern!
How is the half going to go?? I am not sure - a couple of hiccups, with a pinched nerve, and feeling a bit chesty are not helping. My prediction - the swim will be the swim, a solid steady either back of the second pack or in the middle of the third pack, around 4 minutes down on the first bunch - well probably. The bike - I will probably hold a steady pace rather than go for it on the bike - for two reasons - my pinch butt nerve and my poor running (relatively) fitness. The run is really a big unknown for me. Three weeks ago I would have said around 1 hr 40min would be good, now I think if I have a good day I can perhaps give 1hr30min a nudge. The conditions will play a big part - if it is hot I will suffer and be slower... If I have a good swim, I will probably have a good bike too, as I will be around better riders rather than riding on my own. 4 hours 15min will be a good day in the office (my best is 3hr50min), over 4hr 45min and I am having "issues"!!!
First I have to sort my stuff out and find all my gear. Then I probably need to tell myself what I have been telling everyone else all week - be positive and give it your best shot, with the cards you are dealt on the day...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
race number two...
This is what I wrote a week or so ago - but was a bit tardy in posting...
Another couple of weeks have passed. A couple of landmarks in the last two weeks of training have been a descent long run and long ride, and another race. My first proper two hour run was completed last week - it was just over 2 hours, and reasonable running all the way. Ideally at this stage I would have 10 or 12 of those under the belt, but we have to start somewhere. I have done a couple of runs with the watch ticking over two hours, but those were really 1 hour 40min runs that took 2 hours to get through, including a long walk up the short driveway at the end. We also got in a good solid long ride in last Sunday. The weather was not looking that promising, but managed to hold off, and the wind was threatening to be pretty miserable, but also relented a bit. A few punctures on the way sort of took the edge off, and a few people making wrong turns did not help the cause either - but you get that. Good money in the training bank. I think the long run took a bit out of me, I did feel a bit flat for a few days after, which unfortunately included the race. I did feel good after the long ride, although in hindsight the fatigue might have been a bit delayed, as three days later and I am pretty toasted! But performance in training was good for a few days, and then I think it caught up with me a little, or I have a bit of a bug lingering in the background. What ever it is I feel a bit average (understatement) at the moment.
The second triathlon of the season was a week and a half ago. It was just done as a training race (training wheels, no rest up for the day). It was a bit windy, but not too bad a day- well that is what I thought until I did a swim warm-up. The water was a fair bit rougher in the water than it looked. But that was good for me. It was a quite a big field for a more "fun" event, with a couple of other big events on the same weekend (two half ironmans). The gun goes off, and into the water - with a good start. No getting knocked around, although I could see a couple of bigger groups on each side. Round the first buoy, and it is quite "busy", but no majors - all good. Then things thin out quite a bit. On the second of two laps I recognize I am swimming with the main competitors. I try drafting a little, but it is harder to try and follow with the rougher water than it is to take your own line. So take my own lines as I feel I am swimming straighter and feel pretty comfy in the water. On the third (of 3) lap heading for shore, the others head off way left, and I am darn sure I am taking a really good straight line in. I put a bit of a burner in and get around 20m ahead of the others around me and am quite happy with that, given they are also going in the wrong direction. Out of the water, and on the bike, with an OK transition, not the fastest, but don't lose any time either. It is a flat bike, with drafting, and a short run to the first turn-around. Reuben was cleaning my toes in the swim, which I thought was good for the bike, as he might prove helpful on the bike - at least a little. The first turn-around is where you find out just where everyone is. Bugger me- those that I swore were well behind in the swim had somehow managed to get a lead by the first turn-around, the second bit of bad news is Reuben has had a shocker transition and is way behind. I am on my own, with a group of 4-5 up the road working together. I still backed myself to do OK, at this point. Although I am sure those up the road thought it was game over. 20km later and it is pretty much the same situation. No in roads, but they are not taking big time out of me either. And no threats from behind. Then two get dropped from the front group and I catch them. I sit on them for a couple of km's which is good, just to bring the HR down a bit and relax somewhat. Now the waterfront bike course is not really technical, there are a few corners, but nothing you have to really slow down for. Coming into a corner and there is some braking by the two in front - well I don't need to do that, so I keep pedaling and ride around the outside. Look back after a few hundred meters and I am 100m ahead. So they are no use anymore! Head down again and just ride steady. Off the bike and there are 3 well up the road, and the two I passed with around 10km to go on the bike look like they are 2 minutes back. Steady out on the run and see what happens. Status quo. Apparently I make up well over a minute on the next two ahead in the second 5km of the run, but I am still well short by the finish. Feel OK at the end. I think I could have gone perhaps 50% longer at the same sort of speed, but did not have much more speed to give on the day. If it was shorter I doubt I would have gone faster. A good hit-out, and good to see where I am at with a race pretty much on my own. Time is OK for the conditions, so all in all a 6 out of 10 day I think (slightly above average).
Another couple of weeks have passed. A couple of landmarks in the last two weeks of training have been a descent long run and long ride, and another race. My first proper two hour run was completed last week - it was just over 2 hours, and reasonable running all the way. Ideally at this stage I would have 10 or 12 of those under the belt, but we have to start somewhere. I have done a couple of runs with the watch ticking over two hours, but those were really 1 hour 40min runs that took 2 hours to get through, including a long walk up the short driveway at the end. We also got in a good solid long ride in last Sunday. The weather was not looking that promising, but managed to hold off, and the wind was threatening to be pretty miserable, but also relented a bit. A few punctures on the way sort of took the edge off, and a few people making wrong turns did not help the cause either - but you get that. Good money in the training bank. I think the long run took a bit out of me, I did feel a bit flat for a few days after, which unfortunately included the race. I did feel good after the long ride, although in hindsight the fatigue might have been a bit delayed, as three days later and I am pretty toasted! But performance in training was good for a few days, and then I think it caught up with me a little, or I have a bit of a bug lingering in the background. What ever it is I feel a bit average (understatement) at the moment.
The second triathlon of the season was a week and a half ago. It was just done as a training race (training wheels, no rest up for the day). It was a bit windy, but not too bad a day- well that is what I thought until I did a swim warm-up. The water was a fair bit rougher in the water than it looked. But that was good for me. It was a quite a big field for a more "fun" event, with a couple of other big events on the same weekend (two half ironmans). The gun goes off, and into the water - with a good start. No getting knocked around, although I could see a couple of bigger groups on each side. Round the first buoy, and it is quite "busy", but no majors - all good. Then things thin out quite a bit. On the second of two laps I recognize I am swimming with the main competitors. I try drafting a little, but it is harder to try and follow with the rougher water than it is to take your own line. So take my own lines as I feel I am swimming straighter and feel pretty comfy in the water. On the third (of 3) lap heading for shore, the others head off way left, and I am darn sure I am taking a really good straight line in. I put a bit of a burner in and get around 20m ahead of the others around me and am quite happy with that, given they are also going in the wrong direction. Out of the water, and on the bike, with an OK transition, not the fastest, but don't lose any time either. It is a flat bike, with drafting, and a short run to the first turn-around. Reuben was cleaning my toes in the swim, which I thought was good for the bike, as he might prove helpful on the bike - at least a little. The first turn-around is where you find out just where everyone is. Bugger me- those that I swore were well behind in the swim had somehow managed to get a lead by the first turn-around, the second bit of bad news is Reuben has had a shocker transition and is way behind. I am on my own, with a group of 4-5 up the road working together. I still backed myself to do OK, at this point. Although I am sure those up the road thought it was game over. 20km later and it is pretty much the same situation. No in roads, but they are not taking big time out of me either. And no threats from behind. Then two get dropped from the front group and I catch them. I sit on them for a couple of km's which is good, just to bring the HR down a bit and relax somewhat. Now the waterfront bike course is not really technical, there are a few corners, but nothing you have to really slow down for. Coming into a corner and there is some braking by the two in front - well I don't need to do that, so I keep pedaling and ride around the outside. Look back after a few hundred meters and I am 100m ahead. So they are no use anymore! Head down again and just ride steady. Off the bike and there are 3 well up the road, and the two I passed with around 10km to go on the bike look like they are 2 minutes back. Steady out on the run and see what happens. Status quo. Apparently I make up well over a minute on the next two ahead in the second 5km of the run, but I am still well short by the finish. Feel OK at the end. I think I could have gone perhaps 50% longer at the same sort of speed, but did not have much more speed to give on the day. If it was shorter I doubt I would have gone faster. A good hit-out, and good to see where I am at with a race pretty much on my own. Time is OK for the conditions, so all in all a 6 out of 10 day I think (slightly above average).
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