What better way to reboot after christmas than with an event? I'm moving to Melbourne next Wednesday, checked out whats going on down there that weekend, found a triathlon on and decided what the hey? and entered.
Should be fun. I'll fill you in on how I go.
Oh, its race three in the Gatorade Series in Brighton.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Being scary in the gym
School holidays, especially when I'm also on holidays is a weird time for exercise. My normal routines are broken and I have to do find exercise where I can. Today was supposed to be a ride and a run - like I was ever going to find time for that with my wifes and kids expecting time during holidays.
So we went to the gym.
Thats ok, but I have a lot of work to do. I'm getting fitter so getting my heart rate up means I hit the machines pretty hard pushing quite high resistances and speeds. What I noticed is that while everyone else was being almost genteel, barely sweating, and watching their videos, checking out their emails etc I was working my arse off.
I also noticed that I made others uncomfortable. I was sweating like a pig, I was breathing really hard, when I high the hardest point of the 'climb' I was straining to keep pace. Apparently this isnt how one works out. A little space opened around me as people on the machines around me jumped ship as soon as they could. It was really odd.
So right now there are probably all these pretty young things laughing about the funny/scary old man in the gym today. Ah well, its a cross I can bear.
So we went to the gym.
Thats ok, but I have a lot of work to do. I'm getting fitter so getting my heart rate up means I hit the machines pretty hard pushing quite high resistances and speeds. What I noticed is that while everyone else was being almost genteel, barely sweating, and watching their videos, checking out their emails etc I was working my arse off.
I also noticed that I made others uncomfortable. I was sweating like a pig, I was breathing really hard, when I high the hardest point of the 'climb' I was straining to keep pace. Apparently this isnt how one works out. A little space opened around me as people on the machines around me jumped ship as soon as they could. It was really odd.
So right now there are probably all these pretty young things laughing about the funny/scary old man in the gym today. Ah well, its a cross I can bear.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Buying my dream
One of the worst things about triathlon is that it tends to be very gear focussed. Of course, there are compensations, and one of the best things about triathlons is all the gear. Sounds like a contradiction and it is, but whether the gear thing is a plus or a minus really comes down to where you happen to be at the time. Been working your arse off, losing weight, getting strong and have a little spare cash then that new helmet, tyres, suit etc can really cap off all the hard work for little real outlay and let you enjoy a little retail therapy.
On the other hand sometimes it feels like there is no gear that can help, or worse, that there is stuff out there you really need (like the new Shiv Crowie rode to victory in Kona) but cant afford. The idea that there is something out there that you need to make that pb breakthrough and that that is the only thing missing in your preparation is so seductive that it can be hard to resist. Worse, knowing there is gear out ther that will make us faster but also knowing its out of reach can lure us into thinking we cant improve and lead to some learned helplessness. I've experienced this before. Photography, the hobby I've been neglecting of late, has the same trap. Those periods where your creative juices have run out or you just cant be bothered finding out how to make the stuff you have work and its easier to lust after gear.
Anyway, thats why I generally try and steer clear of having lists of dream gear or long and never to be afforded wishlists at Wiggle or Pro Bike Kit.
But I needed something - no really I really NEEDED something. The bike I had was perfectly ok, I didnt need to upgrade, but with my part move to Melbourne during the week and weekend commute home to newcastle I needed bikes for training and competition in both places. So with the broad need established it was then time to go shopping.
So, what were my parameters;
1. I was congratulating myself for losing so much weight so I gave myself a bigger budget than my first bike, about $2500.
2. I was keen to move to a carbon framed bike and hoped I could get Shimano Ultegra running gear.
3. Something a little different would be nice.
So the search began and I quickly found some really interesting bikes for sale and started to narrow down on two bikes in particular, the Pinarello FP2 or the Wilier Izoard XP (I've linked to Port Melbourne Cycles because they were the first place I found these bikes, I dont know if these guys are good, bad or indifferent so dont take it as a recommendation). Of these the Wilier reallt attracted my attention.
1. It was pretty close to my budget.
2. It is carbon, has Ultegra (granted a previous version) running gear. And
3. Is pretty unusual.
In fact, I'd never even heard of the company so I started doing some research. First I found the Izoard got rave reviews across the net and Wilier has a pretty good rep for a variety of bikes. As I did more research I started looking up the food chain of Wilier bikes. Before I knew it I was looking at the Cento, seriously trying to justify spending more for a Granturismo and dreaming for the bike that really suited me for my training/tri aspirations, the Imperiale. Like I said earlier, having a dream bike/camera/car is always dangerous, the Izoard was still a better bike than I was a rider and while the Imperiale was lovely, perhaps even perfect, for me I could never afford it, after all these were selling for $6000 or more in Australia so it was never going to happen.
But then something weird happened. I found a shop selling an XL Imperiale with a Campagnolio Chorus groupset and Camppagnolio Zonda wheels for just $4000. Why the bargain? Apparently the integrated seat post had been cut for a previous customer who never came back for it and no the shop just couldnt find a buyer. So what to do, my dream bike, not something I was settling for, not something that was nice but not quite what I wanted, my actual dream bike in near as dammit ideal configuration was being offer to me at a 30% or more discount, just $1200 over my budget. Well I figured, I still didnt know if the bike would fit me so I thought that there's no harm in at least trying it out for size. So a 5 hour drive to Goulburn to visit Greengrocer Cycles who were selling the bike was planned. Well bugger me if the bike didnt fit perfectly. So there I was with a decision to make. Buy my dream or let it go, stick to plan, get a perfectly satisfactory bike and save$1500?
Well, I've spent most of my life not buying my dream, settling, making do. Well not this time! I bought the Imperiale. I have my dream bike. And I love it. It hasnt made me a better cyclist but it has made me a happier one, and thats not a bad outcome.
On the other hand sometimes it feels like there is no gear that can help, or worse, that there is stuff out there you really need (like the new Shiv Crowie rode to victory in Kona) but cant afford. The idea that there is something out there that you need to make that pb breakthrough and that that is the only thing missing in your preparation is so seductive that it can be hard to resist. Worse, knowing there is gear out ther that will make us faster but also knowing its out of reach can lure us into thinking we cant improve and lead to some learned helplessness. I've experienced this before. Photography, the hobby I've been neglecting of late, has the same trap. Those periods where your creative juices have run out or you just cant be bothered finding out how to make the stuff you have work and its easier to lust after gear.
Anyway, thats why I generally try and steer clear of having lists of dream gear or long and never to be afforded wishlists at Wiggle or Pro Bike Kit.
But I needed something - no really I really NEEDED something. The bike I had was perfectly ok, I didnt need to upgrade, but with my part move to Melbourne during the week and weekend commute home to newcastle I needed bikes for training and competition in both places. So with the broad need established it was then time to go shopping.
So, what were my parameters;
1. I was congratulating myself for losing so much weight so I gave myself a bigger budget than my first bike, about $2500.
2. I was keen to move to a carbon framed bike and hoped I could get Shimano Ultegra running gear.
3. Something a little different would be nice.
So the search began and I quickly found some really interesting bikes for sale and started to narrow down on two bikes in particular, the Pinarello FP2 or the Wilier Izoard XP (I've linked to Port Melbourne Cycles because they were the first place I found these bikes, I dont know if these guys are good, bad or indifferent so dont take it as a recommendation). Of these the Wilier reallt attracted my attention.
1. It was pretty close to my budget.
2. It is carbon, has Ultegra (granted a previous version) running gear. And
3. Is pretty unusual.
In fact, I'd never even heard of the company so I started doing some research. First I found the Izoard got rave reviews across the net and Wilier has a pretty good rep for a variety of bikes. As I did more research I started looking up the food chain of Wilier bikes. Before I knew it I was looking at the Cento, seriously trying to justify spending more for a Granturismo and dreaming for the bike that really suited me for my training/tri aspirations, the Imperiale. Like I said earlier, having a dream bike/camera/car is always dangerous, the Izoard was still a better bike than I was a rider and while the Imperiale was lovely, perhaps even perfect, for me I could never afford it, after all these were selling for $6000 or more in Australia so it was never going to happen.
But then something weird happened. I found a shop selling an XL Imperiale with a Campagnolio Chorus groupset and Camppagnolio Zonda wheels for just $4000. Why the bargain? Apparently the integrated seat post had been cut for a previous customer who never came back for it and no the shop just couldnt find a buyer. So what to do, my dream bike, not something I was settling for, not something that was nice but not quite what I wanted, my actual dream bike in near as dammit ideal configuration was being offer to me at a 30% or more discount, just $1200 over my budget. Well I figured, I still didnt know if the bike would fit me so I thought that there's no harm in at least trying it out for size. So a 5 hour drive to Goulburn to visit Greengrocer Cycles who were selling the bike was planned. Well bugger me if the bike didnt fit perfectly. So there I was with a decision to make. Buy my dream or let it go, stick to plan, get a perfectly satisfactory bike and save$1500?
Well, I've spent most of my life not buying my dream, settling, making do. Well not this time! I bought the Imperiale. I have my dream bike. And I love it. It hasnt made me a better cyclist but it has made me a happier one, and thats not a bad outcome.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2012 Training Outline
Following on from my last post, so whats the plan?
Well, so far I've basically followed the plans laid out for training in the Joel Friel book Your First Triathlon and Matt Fitzgerald in Racing Weight. These are great books, not only do they provide a great training/eating plan but they also provide a broader perspective which allows you the ability to modify the plans they give you to fit into your life. I'm still using the Matt Fitzgerald book but I need more than Friels first tri tome. I have Joel Friels follow-up, The Triathletes Training Bible and while its certainly given me even more info that I've built into a training program I've tried to build a comprehensive program but keep getting caught up into much detail and falling in a heap.
But just as I was wondeering what direction to take one of the magazines I subscribe to, 220 triathlon, came to the rescue in their dec 2011 edition. They provided a 20 week traing program for rookies preparing for their first ironman. Given im a rookie and im preparing for a half ironman in about 23 weeks well it seemed close enough for government work and im using it as the basis of my training moving forward.
So, I have the beginnings of a program, what other rules will I apply? In short I have the following.
1. Program starts on sunday 15 jan.
2. There are 9 'core' sessions a week (3 run, 3 swim, 3 ride).
3. I may replace 1 core session a week with gym work. I may add 1 extra session a week in the gym.
4. Try to not run two days in a row.
5. A ride to and from work equals ONE ride session.
6. I will program a forth ride session but may drop 1 session without a catchup required.
Also, there is another consideration. For the next two years I will we commuting between melbourne (where I work during the week) and newcastle (where my family will be living). I will generally fly home to newcastle on fridays and return to melbourne on Mondays.
So broadly, this is the plan.
Monday. Rest (possible catchup)
Tuesday. Ride (to and from work), swim.
Wednesday. Ride (to and from work), run.
Thursday. Ride (to and from work), swim.
Friday. Run.
Saturday. Long ride, swim.
Sunday. Long run.
Well, so far I've basically followed the plans laid out for training in the Joel Friel book Your First Triathlon and Matt Fitzgerald in Racing Weight. These are great books, not only do they provide a great training/eating plan but they also provide a broader perspective which allows you the ability to modify the plans they give you to fit into your life. I'm still using the Matt Fitzgerald book but I need more than Friels first tri tome. I have Joel Friels follow-up, The Triathletes Training Bible and while its certainly given me even more info that I've built into a training program I've tried to build a comprehensive program but keep getting caught up into much detail and falling in a heap.
But just as I was wondeering what direction to take one of the magazines I subscribe to, 220 triathlon, came to the rescue in their dec 2011 edition. They provided a 20 week traing program for rookies preparing for their first ironman. Given im a rookie and im preparing for a half ironman in about 23 weeks well it seemed close enough for government work and im using it as the basis of my training moving forward.
So, I have the beginnings of a program, what other rules will I apply? In short I have the following.
1. Program starts on sunday 15 jan.
2. There are 9 'core' sessions a week (3 run, 3 swim, 3 ride).
3. I may replace 1 core session a week with gym work. I may add 1 extra session a week in the gym.
4. Try to not run two days in a row.
5. A ride to and from work equals ONE ride session.
6. I will program a forth ride session but may drop 1 session without a catchup required.
Also, there is another consideration. For the next two years I will we commuting between melbourne (where I work during the week) and newcastle (where my family will be living). I will generally fly home to newcastle on fridays and return to melbourne on Mondays.
So broadly, this is the plan.
Monday. Rest (possible catchup)
Tuesday. Ride (to and from work), swim.
Wednesday. Ride (to and from work), run.
Thursday. Ride (to and from work), swim.
Friday. Run.
Saturday. Long ride, swim.
Sunday. Long run.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Triathlon Goals for 2012.
Back in May 2011 I decided to change my life. I wanted to lose weight and get fit. Like lots of people in this position this wasn't a new desire, I'd dreamed of being lean and mean for ages but had few ideas of how to make it real. Triathlon, the idea of competing, the training this required and the lycra it required me to wear all conspired to give me a focus and and framework I had lacked until then and its worked. In the 7 months since then I've lost 28kg and gone from struggling to run/walk 3ks to routinely running 16+ k's and while the goal I'd once had of averaging 30 kph on the ride to work has become my average speed on a bad day.
So, here we are, approaching 2012 with a pretty successful 2011 behind me and its time to set new goals. So what will they be? Well the core of my new goals will be tri based and thats what I'll discuss here:
1. Finish Sparke Helmore Olympic distance triathlon in Mar 2012.
2. Finish the Cairns Challenge 2.80.20 half(ish) ironman in Jun 2012.
3. Finish losing weight - get to 90.0 kgs average (about 10% body fat)
4. Come up with some other goals for the back half of the year.
Based on 2011 form these should be achievable. What I need now is a plan. And I have one! Buts thats for tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
A weighty issue
At the moment I find myself obsessing a little about my
weight. There are three basic reasons
for that:
1. Its a number. Weight is measureable against an easily
understood standard, be it in pounds, kilograms or stone. Its also pretty easy to measure. How I feel, the spring in my step, the
feeling of lightness when I run can been felt but not really measured. Do I feel lighter than I did six months ago?
Yes. Do I feel lighter than last week?
Well, I don’t know, actually I don’t think I do (in reality I am lighter but
I’ve pushed up my running load so everything ‘feels’ heavy right now). I could do the same with body fat, strength,
VO2 max, power max etc – those are great numbers, probably better than weight
to track – but they are hard to track too.
These output measures require all sort of special tests, equipment,
skills etc. Weight just requires a
scales and the ability to stand still for a few seconds.
2. It’s a number that
really puts my transformation into perspective.
I started this trip at 128 kg, I’m now 106 kg, I’ve lost 22 kg. I’ve lost almost 15% of my body weight. Put it another way, I used to try and run,
ride and swim with one of those big 20 kg plate weights strapped to my guts.
But I’m not finished. My goal is around
(not sure what my final race weight is) 97 kg.
That means I’ve got another 9 kg to lose, that’s 9% of my current
weight. When I’m done I will have lost
31 kg (almost 70 pounds!) or nearly a quarter of my body weight. That’s a barrage of numbers I know but it’s a
barrage that makes me feel great, those numbers are like friends cheering me
on, saying “look what you’ve done!”.
3. I can control
weight. I can’t get taller, I can’t make
my hands and feet bigger, my hips narrower, etc but I can make myself lighter
and leaner. In a sense this is the real
point of monitoring my weight. That
weight is a nice easily measured and understood number is handy but not really
a reason to measure it. After all I’ve
spent most of my professional life complaining about pointless measures put in
place solely because they are easy to get.
But my ultimate purpose isn’t to be light; its actually to live longer
and better. My purpose is to compete,
maybe even excel, at something again.
Weight, especially the useless fat I was carrying (and still am to be
honest) gets in the way of those aims.
And I can remove it! Its hard,
I’m often hungry, often sore, always a little tired but I can do it – if I know
what ‘it’ is. Watching, managing and
ultimately reducing my weight is a big part of ‘it’.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Gear review. Tyres. Continental Ultra Race
Context.
I have been back on a road bike for approximately 4 months after 15 years away from the sport. I have (seriously) ridden one bike in that time, my Avanti Giro 4. I have ridden about 2500 km in that time. I'm a big guy, when I started I weighed 127kg and even now I'm 108 kg. I ride around Newcastle NSW, an industrial city whose roads are rough and strewn with debris.
Tyres I've used.
Continental Ultra Race. These are the subject of this review.
Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite. These are the principle basis of comparison (but wont get a detailed review themselves yet.)
Feeling.
The Continental Ultra Races felt great. They provided fantastic feed back, I always felt confident that I knew exactly what was happening under me, I knew what the road was doing and how the bike was going to react so I felt in control. Given that these were the first 'modern' tyres I've ridden on in 15 years I think that these tyres, so skinny and so hard made me comfortable is a testament to them.
The Continental Ultra Races are far superior to the Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elites here.
Performance.
Ok, not a great database here. I havent ridden a lot of tyres and I dont have a store of carefully conducted performance tests to give you a clear idea of the quality of the Continental Ultra Races. What I have is seat of the pants feel.
So, these tyres felt grippy. Unless I was riding through sand or gravel across the road I never once slipped or slid in 2000 km or riding. I didnt ride in the rain a lot but in the wet they still felt nice and stable. When I braked hard I had plenty of retarding force and never had to worry that the brakes would overpower the tyres. I'm sure the brakes can overpower the tyres but I never had to push it that far.
Despite the feel issue, I've got to admit however that the Continental Ultra Races arent actually superior to the Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elites here however. Both these tyres seem to be pretty sticky.
The Ultra Races also felt light. I havent got figures to back this up but the bike felt responsive and ready to pounce with the Continental's fitted. The Specialized cant match the Continentals here, by comparison the Armadillo's feel heavy.
Durability.
Now this is where the Continental Ultra Races low price is explained. These tyres were going great, I felt I had uncovered the impossible, the tyre that was fast, cheap and reliable (whereas usually you have to just pick two of these three possibilities). But then I had five punctures in four days. I had a hard look at the tyres and found that they were done. The contact area was completely rounded off and in the thinned areas on the tyres there were lots of holes and cracks. It really looks like the tyres do ok for a while but when they gos they really fall off the cliff.
Conclusion.
The Continental Ultra Races arent mythically good. They are light, responsive, grippy and give you a lovely connectedness with the road. They are also pretty cheap - which is always nice. But they arent that tough, I've found that they will wear quickly and when they wear a bit they will go down hill very very fast. I acknowledge my conditions (heavy rider, crap roads) are pretty rigorous but ultimately I cant really recommend the Ultra Races because I'd always worry that one day they will let me down, leaving me out of spare tubes and CO2 canisters, and that's not a place I like to be.
I have been back on a road bike for approximately 4 months after 15 years away from the sport. I have (seriously) ridden one bike in that time, my Avanti Giro 4. I have ridden about 2500 km in that time. I'm a big guy, when I started I weighed 127kg and even now I'm 108 kg. I ride around Newcastle NSW, an industrial city whose roads are rough and strewn with debris.
Tyres I've used.
Continental Ultra Race. These are the subject of this review.
Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite. These are the principle basis of comparison (but wont get a detailed review themselves yet.)
Feeling.
The Continental Ultra Races felt great. They provided fantastic feed back, I always felt confident that I knew exactly what was happening under me, I knew what the road was doing and how the bike was going to react so I felt in control. Given that these were the first 'modern' tyres I've ridden on in 15 years I think that these tyres, so skinny and so hard made me comfortable is a testament to them.
The Continental Ultra Races are far superior to the Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elites here.
Performance.
Ok, not a great database here. I havent ridden a lot of tyres and I dont have a store of carefully conducted performance tests to give you a clear idea of the quality of the Continental Ultra Races. What I have is seat of the pants feel.
So, these tyres felt grippy. Unless I was riding through sand or gravel across the road I never once slipped or slid in 2000 km or riding. I didnt ride in the rain a lot but in the wet they still felt nice and stable. When I braked hard I had plenty of retarding force and never had to worry that the brakes would overpower the tyres. I'm sure the brakes can overpower the tyres but I never had to push it that far.
Despite the feel issue, I've got to admit however that the Continental Ultra Races arent actually superior to the Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elites here however. Both these tyres seem to be pretty sticky.
The Ultra Races also felt light. I havent got figures to back this up but the bike felt responsive and ready to pounce with the Continental's fitted. The Specialized cant match the Continentals here, by comparison the Armadillo's feel heavy.
Durability.
Now this is where the Continental Ultra Races low price is explained. These tyres were going great, I felt I had uncovered the impossible, the tyre that was fast, cheap and reliable (whereas usually you have to just pick two of these three possibilities). But then I had five punctures in four days. I had a hard look at the tyres and found that they were done. The contact area was completely rounded off and in the thinned areas on the tyres there were lots of holes and cracks. It really looks like the tyres do ok for a while but when they gos they really fall off the cliff.
Conclusion.
The Continental Ultra Races arent mythically good. They are light, responsive, grippy and give you a lovely connectedness with the road. They are also pretty cheap - which is always nice. But they arent that tough, I've found that they will wear quickly and when they wear a bit they will go down hill very very fast. I acknowledge my conditions (heavy rider, crap roads) are pretty rigorous but ultimately I cant really recommend the Ultra Races because I'd always worry that one day they will let me down, leaving me out of spare tubes and CO2 canisters, and that's not a place I like to be.
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