Well its getting close now. Lots of emails from IM NZ with schedules and information guides. Makes it really seem like its about to happen and well it is. In less than 3 weeks I will be in NZ hopefully enjoying the atmosphere of the big event. But before we look too far ahead I guess I should look back over the weekend.
Well Saturdays last long training session was where I left off. So the plan was 2.5km swim, 90min break, 150km ride, 90min break and then 20km run. John (the coach) wanted us to have a break in-between legs so we didn't smash ourselves to much. Mike and I decided to skip the first 90min break as it would get us out on the road early and avoid the heat if the sun came out. So Mike had organised to gain access to one of the training pools in the area early before any of the squads had started. I had to get up about 4:15am to be at the pool with my bike and gear by 5am. We started about on time. It was a good swim. No one around to have to worry about. Only issue was its a 25m pool so 100 laps. Boring... But lucky the watch did all the counting and I just thought about life outside of the pool. With that over we dried off and got on the bike. For the first 20km it all went as planned. Nothing special. I was keeping to my pace I wanted and seemed to be fueling well. Then I hit something and got a flat. No big deal but I was behind Mike so he didn't know that I had stopped. Its all good I will meet him at home after lap one was done. I changed the tube making sure I had removed the cause of the puncture and thought I was good to go. As I was packing up my rubbish I hear the rear leaking again. This time it sounded like the valve. It was pretty icy from being filled from the cylinder so maybe the valve was stuck. Not wanting to risk my last cylinder I thought I better just swap the tube again. Once again I made sure there was nothing sharp inside the tyre and put the tube in. This time it was good but what a waist of time. I wasn't happy. I packed up and took off. As I was riding I could not see Mike anywhere so I kept thinking he was just completing the lap. Thats ok with me as I will be riding on my own in the race so I have to keep getting used to it.
I completed the first lap and went to Mikes place where I was told my refill drink bottles would be. Hmm no one home. I decided I needed to get a tube and air for the last 60kms anyway so I would go home. At home grab what I need and decide to have a bathroom break while I am here. Next thing I know Dee walks through the door calling for me and wondering where I have been. I said just riding like I told her. Supposedly Mike turned around to find me and couldn't so called the girls to come and look for me. They drove the course but had not found me. I had obviously beat them home. I don't know how Mike and I missed each other but anyway.
When Mike made it back a short time later we started on a slightly modified and shorter second lap. It was a little hilly and tough but nothing crazy. Finishing that I went home to have my 90min rest. I did suggest we take longer as it was now the middle of the day and the heat was starting to pick up but Mike said he liked pain so I went with it.
90min later we were running. We split the run into 3 loops. A 10km and two 5km loops. This was to simulate the drinks stops and helped not have to carry much. The first 10 went pretty good. We had some nice places where the breeze would hit and cool you down nicely. Unfortunately the 5km loops didn't have many spots like this so it got hot. The last lap was going to be a walk / run effort due to the heat but I was happy that I was able to push myself to just keep going. It wasn't fast or pretty but I got through it without stopping. I took it as a mind game and I had won that round. There will be more like that to come soon and I know this was an easy battle compared to what I will have.
The rest of the day I just sat around the house trying to recover. I probably wasn't the most fun person to be around that night. Sunday was a rest day so that was good then the this week is recovery week.
So far this week I have not felt well. I don't know what it is but I train lightly and feel like I have been hit by a truck. So much so I have missed some sessions to help recover. We will see how the rest of the week goes and I hope its not something more than just the body recovering.
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
The last build
Well I am midway through the final build session. It has not been easy but maybe I am getting used to it. So whats been happening.
The weekend sessions have been slowly getting longer. I have been lucky that I have a lot of holiday time owing as I have taken a couple of Fridays off work to train. Its a strange thing to take a day off and all you do is train. I would not say that the most fun thing I can think doing when not at work. But it does give me a chance to break up the two long weekend sessions with a Saturday rest day.
The rest week was tougher than it should have been. Not because of the training but it was the time I had to do it. We had a few work visitors in from the US so I was helping show them around. So that means getting up before 5am so I can get my training done before work. I can't even bring myself to saying the time as it hurts to think about it. When you see a 4 as the first number of the time it makes it so much harder to drag yourself out of bed. I was lucky it was an easy week though or I would have missed a lot of things. On the bright side of the week it was good to meet a catch up with the guys while they were out here. Always fun times.
Last week was the first week of the final build sessions. Its a two week block. I once again had the Friday off to do the 180km ride. I did a two lap course so I was able to stop at home and refill the bike with food and drink. It was painful but better than expected. I didn't try to push the speed too much so I had energy to complete the ride. I had learn that from the 160km ride a few weeks before where I had blistering speed at the start but from the 145km mark I was in pain and falling apart. So this ride was better. Sure it hurt still and the head wind coming back home the last 30kms was not pleasant but I did not spit the dummy.
The Sunday run was my longest I had dine yet. 25km of running and it was not that bad. I felt tired and the legs where heavy at the end but I could of kept going if needed. We were a little lucky that the sun was hidden by clouds for most of the run which kept the heat away. This week will be the last hard week before the big race and I have one long weekend brick session to do. 2.5km swim, 150km ride and 20km run. I know it is going to be a long hard day but I guess it has to be done.
The weekend sessions have been slowly getting longer. I have been lucky that I have a lot of holiday time owing as I have taken a couple of Fridays off work to train. Its a strange thing to take a day off and all you do is train. I would not say that the most fun thing I can think doing when not at work. But it does give me a chance to break up the two long weekend sessions with a Saturday rest day.
The rest week was tougher than it should have been. Not because of the training but it was the time I had to do it. We had a few work visitors in from the US so I was helping show them around. So that means getting up before 5am so I can get my training done before work. I can't even bring myself to saying the time as it hurts to think about it. When you see a 4 as the first number of the time it makes it so much harder to drag yourself out of bed. I was lucky it was an easy week though or I would have missed a lot of things. On the bright side of the week it was good to meet a catch up with the guys while they were out here. Always fun times.
Last week was the first week of the final build sessions. Its a two week block. I once again had the Friday off to do the 180km ride. I did a two lap course so I was able to stop at home and refill the bike with food and drink. It was painful but better than expected. I didn't try to push the speed too much so I had energy to complete the ride. I had learn that from the 160km ride a few weeks before where I had blistering speed at the start but from the 145km mark I was in pain and falling apart. So this ride was better. Sure it hurt still and the head wind coming back home the last 30kms was not pleasant but I did not spit the dummy.
The Sunday run was my longest I had dine yet. 25km of running and it was not that bad. I felt tired and the legs where heavy at the end but I could of kept going if needed. We were a little lucky that the sun was hidden by clouds for most of the run which kept the heat away. This week will be the last hard week before the big race and I have one long weekend brick session to do. 2.5km swim, 150km ride and 20km run. I know it is going to be a long hard day but I guess it has to be done.
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