A big week for me as a triathlete as my sporting life takes a big step up in seriousness. I've entered a half iron man, big deal I've entered one of those before and withdrawn, but I've also realised that I've hit my limit as a self trained athlete and gone and joined a training squad.
I'm sure there are many people out there with all the discipline required to self coach and the world sometimes seems full of lonely triathletes out there pounding up and down the pool, pavement and track by themselves but I'm not one of them, or more accurately, I now realise that if I continue to be one of them I am effectively limiting my progression quite seriously. Why is that?
1. In general I lack the self discipline to drive myself outside my comfort level for long enough in a training session. I know all about tempo run sessions, hill climbing/sprinting rides, properly structured swim sessions but when its gets hard and I'm on my own history has shown I'll back it off just a little, extend the rest just a little, shorten the set just a little. It would be great if I didnt. Theres probably a whole bunch of things I can do to build my personal will power but then again, how long would that take and does it guarantee success? On the other hand, getting a coach and training as part of a squad also has a long history (with me) of being remarkably successful. When part of a group I naturally work my arse off to keep in touch with the leaders, possibly even leading myself, even when I shouldnt.
2. Swimming. I hate swimming training. I can swim, I used to swim - A LOT! Perhaps everyone has only so many black lines in them and after you've seen your share and you're done? I dont know, but what I am certain of is that I will find every excuse I can to avaoid swimming training. But a coach pretty much demands I swim and gives him visibility of when I dont. Also, having a squad of like minded people with me also takes away some of the loneliness of just being out there by yourself trudging up and down the lanes with the public.
3. Knowledge. The internat and magazines are brilliant and I have learnt an enormous amount from them in getting from couch bound slob to an athlete that can do an olympic distance tri. Again though I feel I'm hitting a limit. I cant see myself run/swim/ride - a magazine will give me a good idea of good technique but it wont tell me how my technique compares to the ideal. I know my running especially is pretty dodgy. I have developed a few mental pointers to keep my form in some sort of control but these are designed to avoid pain, not generate speed or endurance, so while useful they only take me so far.
So far I'm one training session in and already I'm 99% sure that I will commit to training with the squad for as long as I am in Melbourne.
PS. I training session I did was swimming. My first 'session' in that sport in 20 years. It was an easy one designed to transition people back into training after the layoff immediately after the end of the Australian 2011/12 season. 3.1 k's, thats it. It killed me. Half way in and my arms were jelly, my lungs felt full of water, both legs were cramping and I could barely support my body position. Still, I made it and I know I'll get better.
Showing posts with label tri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tri. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
First season down, my plan for the next one
So my plan for 2011/12 didn't quite come off. I had planned to do a short course club event with Tomaree (check), a long course with Tomaree (check), a sprint distance in a "big" tri like the Gatorade series( check) and Olympic distance tri - the Sparke Helmore specifically (check) and a half ironman in cairns (fail).
Looking back this wasn't really a bad run for my first year in the sport. Now, what next? Well I'm thinking this broad plan.
1. Port Macquarrie 70.3 in Oct 12.
2. Gatorade Series (sprint) in Melbourne for the 12/13 season.
3. Cairns 70.3 in June 13.
4. Busselton IM Dec 13.
The thinking behind this plan is pretty simple.
A. Build more endurance til October with 20 something clear weeks to prep for my first really long event.
B. Work on speed for few months (and really enjoy some - comparatively - hell for leather racing)
C. Get back into serious endurance lead-in to my second the half ironman.
D. After my second half, take a week or so off and then launch into another 20 week program for my first full ironman until I hear those words:
YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!
That plan means two and a half years from lazy fat arse to ironman. I think that's a nice, realistic plan. Yeah I could do it faster and the magazines are full of stories of people going from zero to hero in less than a year but really, why risk it. I'm 45 years old, my knees, ankles, shoulders arent what they once were. I plan to do these triathlons "well", pressing to meet a meaningless schedule in a race against - well - no one - is a recipe for breaking down and achieving nothing.
Looking back this wasn't really a bad run for my first year in the sport. Now, what next? Well I'm thinking this broad plan.
1. Port Macquarrie 70.3 in Oct 12.
2. Gatorade Series (sprint) in Melbourne for the 12/13 season.
3. Cairns 70.3 in June 13.
4. Busselton IM Dec 13.
The thinking behind this plan is pretty simple.
A. Build more endurance til October with 20 something clear weeks to prep for my first really long event.
B. Work on speed for few months (and really enjoy some - comparatively - hell for leather racing)
C. Get back into serious endurance lead-in to my second the half ironman.
D. After my second half, take a week or so off and then launch into another 20 week program for my first full ironman until I hear those words:
YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!
That plan means two and a half years from lazy fat arse to ironman. I think that's a nice, realistic plan. Yeah I could do it faster and the magazines are full of stories of people going from zero to hero in less than a year but really, why risk it. I'm 45 years old, my knees, ankles, shoulders arent what they once were. I plan to do these triathlons "well", pressing to meet a meaningless schedule in a race against - well - no one - is a recipe for breaking down and achieving nothing.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
A painful day. My first withdrawal.
Today I will be withdrawing from my 2.80.20 Cairns. I'm not injured, I'm probably fit enough, I've got the essential gear and I could get the time off so what gives? Basically, while I could just about squeeze everything in that's exactly what it would be, a squeeze. My gravel was reduced go getting there as late as possible, leaving virtually as soon as the race finished, going alone with the family staying behind and with none of the little upgrades( some Aero wheels, bar end Shifters etc) I'd promised myself.
So I could do it I just don't want to start my ironmonger experience that way. So rather than half search it I have withdrawn.
But this is a tactical redeployment, not a retreat from ironman distances. Stay tuned for news on my replacement event.
So I could do it I just don't want to start my ironmonger experience that way. So rather than half search it I have withdrawn.
But this is a tactical redeployment, not a retreat from ironman distances. Stay tuned for news on my replacement event.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Sparke Helmore triathlon review
OK, putting aside my performance what did I think of the sparke helmore triathlon overall. Well here goes:
Course. Swim. Brilliant. A little bit of a pain having a start a k and a bit from the transition and bag areas but the benefit of the straight 1.5k swim along the shore to the beach makes that minor inconvenience fade to nothing. Nice cool, but not cold, water. Clear and fresh. Well timed so we were just on the outgoing tide so there was a touch of a tailing current but that was all. Loved it.
Ride. Unique amongst every mainstream tri I've heard of. A really short course, only about 6.6 k per lap and 6 laps. So keeping count was really important. Also the course is super hilly. I reakon I spent about 25% of each lap standing, climbing. I'm not going to say a hilly course is good or bad. Personally I hated it but that probably says more about my climbing ability, or lack of, than the merits of the course. That said, I was disappointed that there was virtually no opportunity to employ 'normal tri techniques of getting down on the bars, getting up to speed and holding it. Instead, with the tight little course, lots of tight corners which often had cyclists three abreast going through them it didn't really feel like a triathlon, it felt like a bike race with a run and swim tacked on.
Run. Like the ride course, the run felt cramped, axis if the organizers simply didn't have enough room to squeeze everything in and so created quite a tight little course that coiled in on itself, wound in and around transition areas, crisscrossed other paths.
Personally I found it difficult to establish a rthymn on this course and never really settled in. On the other hand, this might also have been a reflection of my almost total collapse after the ride. But I think there was more to it that my personal issues. Some quick research I've found it difficult to find too many other 'big' events that require 4,5,6 laps of ride or run courses and I suspect I'm not alone in feeling these tight little courses a bit of a pain.
Overall course design. I've pretty much said it all. The swim course was brilliant mainly for being utterly different to the ride and run. A lovely, open and straight 1500m, a real delight. The ride and run suffered precisely the same problems. The courses were to small, too stop/start, and didn't allow the rider or runner any chance to settle into the event. The amount of energy I had to put into simple tasks like checking my lap count was a distraction I could have done without.
Organisation. Entry was dead easy, registration well organised and the transition areas well set up. The materials describing the event were OK but not great. I assumed there would be a bag check area, and guessed right, but the website and other materials didn't state there would be one or (obviously) where it would be, when it would open, close etc. Also, the course maps were just OK, but didn't really make clear precisely how some of the courses and transition areas would mix and mingle, making the first lap of the run in particular a bit of a voyage of discovery.
Finally, the portaloos ran out of paper, again. (Yes I had spare).
Conditions. I've tacked this bit on the end because it's not really fair to be critical, or positive, of events outside the organizer's control. Basically conditions on the day were mixed. The swim association brilliant. The water was cool, not cold, could have been clearer but it certainly wasn't soupy, and there was an ever so slight tailing tide. The ride was truly awful. The roads were wet and the wind was both strong and unpredictability gusty. Combine this with the very technical course and tight lap and there were lots of slow descents, crowded corners, spills and thrills. Hardcore cyclists might have loved it, I hated it. By the time of the run it had all settled down to be very nice. Some good sun but a gentle cool breeze, the rain was gone, the roads pretty dry and all in all not a bad time at all.
So score? Trying to put aside my personal bias I'd give Sparke Helmore 2012 three stars. I might do this event again next year but it will never be an 'A' race for me again.
Course. Swim. Brilliant. A little bit of a pain having a start a k and a bit from the transition and bag areas but the benefit of the straight 1.5k swim along the shore to the beach makes that minor inconvenience fade to nothing. Nice cool, but not cold, water. Clear and fresh. Well timed so we were just on the outgoing tide so there was a touch of a tailing current but that was all. Loved it.
Ride. Unique amongst every mainstream tri I've heard of. A really short course, only about 6.6 k per lap and 6 laps. So keeping count was really important. Also the course is super hilly. I reakon I spent about 25% of each lap standing, climbing. I'm not going to say a hilly course is good or bad. Personally I hated it but that probably says more about my climbing ability, or lack of, than the merits of the course. That said, I was disappointed that there was virtually no opportunity to employ 'normal tri techniques of getting down on the bars, getting up to speed and holding it. Instead, with the tight little course, lots of tight corners which often had cyclists three abreast going through them it didn't really feel like a triathlon, it felt like a bike race with a run and swim tacked on.
Run. Like the ride course, the run felt cramped, axis if the organizers simply didn't have enough room to squeeze everything in and so created quite a tight little course that coiled in on itself, wound in and around transition areas, crisscrossed other paths.
Personally I found it difficult to establish a rthymn on this course and never really settled in. On the other hand, this might also have been a reflection of my almost total collapse after the ride. But I think there was more to it that my personal issues. Some quick research I've found it difficult to find too many other 'big' events that require 4,5,6 laps of ride or run courses and I suspect I'm not alone in feeling these tight little courses a bit of a pain.
Overall course design. I've pretty much said it all. The swim course was brilliant mainly for being utterly different to the ride and run. A lovely, open and straight 1500m, a real delight. The ride and run suffered precisely the same problems. The courses were to small, too stop/start, and didn't allow the rider or runner any chance to settle into the event. The amount of energy I had to put into simple tasks like checking my lap count was a distraction I could have done without.
Organisation. Entry was dead easy, registration well organised and the transition areas well set up. The materials describing the event were OK but not great. I assumed there would be a bag check area, and guessed right, but the website and other materials didn't state there would be one or (obviously) where it would be, when it would open, close etc. Also, the course maps were just OK, but didn't really make clear precisely how some of the courses and transition areas would mix and mingle, making the first lap of the run in particular a bit of a voyage of discovery.
Finally, the portaloos ran out of paper, again. (Yes I had spare).
Conditions. I've tacked this bit on the end because it's not really fair to be critical, or positive, of events outside the organizer's control. Basically conditions on the day were mixed. The swim association brilliant. The water was cool, not cold, could have been clearer but it certainly wasn't soupy, and there was an ever so slight tailing tide. The ride was truly awful. The roads were wet and the wind was both strong and unpredictability gusty. Combine this with the very technical course and tight lap and there were lots of slow descents, crowded corners, spills and thrills. Hardcore cyclists might have loved it, I hated it. By the time of the run it had all settled down to be very nice. Some good sun but a gentle cool breeze, the rain was gone, the roads pretty dry and all in all not a bad time at all.
So score? Trying to put aside my personal bias I'd give Sparke Helmore 2012 three stars. I might do this event again next year but it will never be an 'A' race for me again.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
My first big goal done - an Olympic Distance tri
Finished my first olympic distance tri today, I did the Sparke Helmore in Newcastle. Toughest day in the office I've had in my short Tri 'career'. The swim was really sweet, I was worried about the 1500m distance, but it went really nicely.
Unfortunately, it was all horrible after that. A new bike course - now 6 laps of King Edward Park, 6 laps around Fort Scratchley, and so much wind that on the flats I still couldnt get off the small ring up front. Virtually zero time down on the tri bars as the cross winds were so strong it was hard to control the bike, the roads were so wet I tip toed through the decents and spent about a third of the ride in the stand climbing. After this I was wrecked for the run so my only aim was to tough it out and finish running not walking. I made it., it was slow, my knees hurt, my ankles hurt, my thighs were just dead, but I made it.
This distance at this tri was the goal I set myself in May 2011. To get here I've lost 35kg and done a shit load of work. Frankly I'm feeling sore but pretty good right now.
This distance at this tri was the goal I set myself in May 2011. To get here I've lost 35kg and done a shit load of work. Frankly I'm feeling sore but pretty good right now.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The value of tri magazines to us noobs
As a self coached tri noob, magazines are an invaluable source.of information. This week i've employed.twotraining techniques I picked up from these mags and so far they've proven themselves.to be brilliant ideas.
The first is the use of treadmills in speed training. Early in the week I missed my morning ride, got home too late to ride after work and didnt have a lot of time anyway. Then I remembered the story I had just read where a number of elite athletes discussed their use of treadmills, specifically I remembered a couple of athletes saying that the treadmill was great for short, sharp speed sessions, driving you to hit particular speeds.and to,keep your stride short and cadence up. So in that spirit I set myself a 5k time trial on the treadmill.
This was fantastic for a couple of reasons.
1. No drifting off and letting your speed slacken
2. No cheating by streching out my stride too far
3. I could see, and increase my speed at will.
So why is this great. Well speed is my major problem with running, distancee is coming along nicely but im stuck in a speed.rut, it like my body has decided that a 5:30 to 6:00 minute k is the fastest im going to do.
But on the treadmill I cansee that speed and withthe press of a little button make it faster. So starting at 10 kph (6 minute ks) I gradually drove ths up. 10.5 kph, 11 kph, 11.2, 11.5, 11.7, 12, 12.3, 12.5, 12.7, 13, 13.5...
I held 13.5 kph for the last 1.5 ks of my indoor timetrial.
So big deal, I ran fast on one treadmill session, so what. Well, the next day I went for a 'real' run. And im certain my body remebered that speed. Suddenly my average speed for 7ks out there on the road jumped 0.5 kph faster than ive ever managed before. Im convinced it was the speed session the previous.night that caused this.
So now the 5k time trial will be part of my weekly routine. It doesnt take long, doesnt hurt much, requires little recovery but has huge.payoffs.
I strongly recommend it as a workout for others.
The first is the use of treadmills in speed training. Early in the week I missed my morning ride, got home too late to ride after work and didnt have a lot of time anyway. Then I remembered the story I had just read where a number of elite athletes discussed their use of treadmills, specifically I remembered a couple of athletes saying that the treadmill was great for short, sharp speed sessions, driving you to hit particular speeds.and to,keep your stride short and cadence up. So in that spirit I set myself a 5k time trial on the treadmill.
This was fantastic for a couple of reasons.
1. No drifting off and letting your speed slacken
2. No cheating by streching out my stride too far
3. I could see, and increase my speed at will.
So why is this great. Well speed is my major problem with running, distancee is coming along nicely but im stuck in a speed.rut, it like my body has decided that a 5:30 to 6:00 minute k is the fastest im going to do.
But on the treadmill I cansee that speed and withthe press of a little button make it faster. So starting at 10 kph (6 minute ks) I gradually drove ths up. 10.5 kph, 11 kph, 11.2, 11.5, 11.7, 12, 12.3, 12.5, 12.7, 13, 13.5...
I held 13.5 kph for the last 1.5 ks of my indoor timetrial.
So big deal, I ran fast on one treadmill session, so what. Well, the next day I went for a 'real' run. And im certain my body remebered that speed. Suddenly my average speed for 7ks out there on the road jumped 0.5 kph faster than ive ever managed before. Im convinced it was the speed session the previous.night that caused this.
So now the 5k time trial will be part of my weekly routine. It doesnt take long, doesnt hurt much, requires little recovery but has huge.payoffs.
I strongly recommend it as a workout for others.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
I survived another event
Well I got another tri under my belt today. Nothing huge, just a little club event, but on the other hand its a useful step between my longest tri so far (a classic sprint of 750m/20k/5k) and the Olympic distance I'm shooting for in a few weeks.
First a little on my club.
My club (when I'm in Newcastle) is Tomaree Tri Club, a great little club based around Soldiers Point just north of Nelson Bay in NSW. There are a couple of tri clubs in and around Newcastle and I'm sure there are great people in all of then but I chose (and recommend) Tomaree for one reason. The swim course for its club tris. Whereas all the other clubs in the region make do with pools for their swims, Tomaree has a truly gorgeous open water swim. Its lovely.
Anyway, the club runs an event each month in spring and summer. Each event has a short and long course. So far I've only done the short course at Tomaree, a 250m swim, an 11k ride, and a 3k run. I did ok but wanted more. I did that back in Sep 2011 and since then I've lost a bunch of weight (probably about 15kg), got fitter and done a full distance sprint so I was ready.
The long course is a slightly shorter than normal swim (about 500m) but then slightly longer than normal ride (22k) and run (6k).
So did that today and went pretty well.
As I discovered at my Gatorade tri, I'm a decent swimmer in a wetsuit. As a result while there is a bunch of way better athlete's there than me I was second out of the water. As usual I sucked in T1 and got passed by a bunch of people. But on the ride I stabilized the damage, I got passed by 1 guy and I passed 1 guy, so all ok. Actually not quite that great, I suspect a few others closed up on me without actually getting to pass. And that all came home to roost on the run, again I was slow and again it cost me a bunch of spots and I tumbled backwards.
Still, this time my form was strong and all in all I am happy. The swim was excellent, I still dont train enough but I'm getting though. My ride was solid, I was down of the bars for 90% of the ride, I powered out of the corners and hills and kept up my cadence. I need to get fitter and stronger but all in all ok. My run sucked. I need more speed.
Ok, so all this analysis is based on feel so far. The club hasnt done the timings yet. I'll post those when they come through.
First a little on my club.
My club (when I'm in Newcastle) is Tomaree Tri Club, a great little club based around Soldiers Point just north of Nelson Bay in NSW. There are a couple of tri clubs in and around Newcastle and I'm sure there are great people in all of then but I chose (and recommend) Tomaree for one reason. The swim course for its club tris. Whereas all the other clubs in the region make do with pools for their swims, Tomaree has a truly gorgeous open water swim. Its lovely.
Anyway, the club runs an event each month in spring and summer. Each event has a short and long course. So far I've only done the short course at Tomaree, a 250m swim, an 11k ride, and a 3k run. I did ok but wanted more. I did that back in Sep 2011 and since then I've lost a bunch of weight (probably about 15kg), got fitter and done a full distance sprint so I was ready.
The long course is a slightly shorter than normal swim (about 500m) but then slightly longer than normal ride (22k) and run (6k).
So did that today and went pretty well.
As I discovered at my Gatorade tri, I'm a decent swimmer in a wetsuit. As a result while there is a bunch of way better athlete's there than me I was second out of the water. As usual I sucked in T1 and got passed by a bunch of people. But on the ride I stabilized the damage, I got passed by 1 guy and I passed 1 guy, so all ok. Actually not quite that great, I suspect a few others closed up on me without actually getting to pass. And that all came home to roost on the run, again I was slow and again it cost me a bunch of spots and I tumbled backwards.
Still, this time my form was strong and all in all I am happy. The swim was excellent, I still dont train enough but I'm getting though. My ride was solid, I was down of the bars for 90% of the ride, I powered out of the corners and hills and kept up my cadence. I need to get fitter and stronger but all in all ok. My run sucked. I need more speed.
Ok, so all this analysis is based on feel so far. The club hasnt done the timings yet. I'll post those when they come through.
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