Buggar!

So last night I lay awake thinking about work, so rather than disturbing the wife, I decided to sneak out of bed and hit the laptop.  Although I got lots of work done, I didnt get to bed until 2am, hence I missed the 5.30am alarm for my morning swim.

So my good mid week has been broken. Need to tackle to wind train session later today and then perhaps I can pick up the swim on Friday as they have a 9am ladies session (I think)

Mid week and on track

Well almost!, I did miss Mondays running drills but have managed to swim Tuesday morn and go to wind trainer in the avo and today pulled off a 50min steady run.  Thanks to a mate who pushed me on the run, otherwise I would have kept working.  Too bad he got us lost! Liza mentioned you have a record so expert a hard time next time we catchup hehe.

Do you like my new blog? The other one kept crashing so my beautiful wife downloaded all previous blogs and comments and has painfully uploaded one by one to this new site.  Nice work !!!!!  Also this site has a spell checker, and you know I need it.

So the rest of the week comprises a swim and wind trainer session tomorrow, part brick on Saturday and a crazy 20K off road run on Sunday.

Practice a Dolphin Dive, Really?

Yup definitely a Tri Club, as I have never practiced dolphin diving or draft swimming in a pool before. This Saturday’s brick (swim session) had us swiming for 20min practing drafting off the swimmer in front, an interesting experience and I think more fun for the person in the draft rather than the person leading. Unfortunately it only proved what I already know, the lane have evicted me and forced me to go up a lane. Which is OK but I have been relucdant because the next lane already has a large number of swimmers. Lets see what happens.

I felt strong today, probably because I have really had a week off training, apart from a few sessions. The bike was fun and the run was comfortable, which is not normally the case. I was planning for a good ride on Sunday however the pooring rain and slippery surface has scared me off. Not so keen to get sick or fall off. So I have decided to get some work done to help with another busy weekend ahead.

Next weekend I have a 20k off road run as part of the Xterra series, I havent run 20k for a while sh should be an interesting challenge especially off road and in the mud.

A shocker week, but expected

Another shocking week for training between Monday and Thursday. But then, not unexpected given working to midnight most nights this week. We have a team of international visitors in town doing an audit on the project before we head to full deployment. Speaking with another athlete who is working towards the same goal, she is taking Wednesday’s off work in the final months leading up to March 2nd. I think this is a great idea, Im hoping to go one better and take leave from Christmas thru to the race day.
This week I have booked in a run with a friend on Wednesday, so Im hoping this will help me to get out and about.

Weekend Training

Saturday morning brick this week was a 60min swim, skip the bike and do a long run. Rejigged the day by going to the early morning swim i.e. 7am, then Liza meet me for the run, which mean’t for the first time I could go join Liza to watch Miss Amelia play netball. Oops Liza did I mention it was a 90min run off road on an undulating track (code for hills) Well done.

The 7am session is a lot busier than the 8am, made for an interesting swim with 15 people in the lane. By the time the last person pushes off from the end the front person is coming back around. We certainly had a few near misses with pool rage, but all is good and it is rather amuzing to watch. hehe

Sunday morning was so cold, although it was a beautiful day, clear blue sky it was only 2 degress, according to the Garmin (bike computer). So cold in fact that no other buggar of our normal Sunday group ride showed, then 5 min late Kelle rocks in. Fingers and toes frozen we head off for our ride, then dam it she got a puncture, just past the carpark. So like all good athletes we decided to park up the bikes and grab a coffee. All was sweet until we got sprung by the coach who is heavily pregnant and had just been to the hospital (across the road) to be induced and they had told her to go for a walk. How unlucky and ironic was that ?&*%! We had contemplated sneaking out the back but unfortunately she had already spied our bikes.

Anyhow it was nice to catchup we stayed for a 2 hour coffee then headed home. Unfortunately when I got home I could not keep a straight face so when Liza asked how was my ride I had to tell her the coffee was yum. But at least I made it out of bed!

Chilly morning

ooh a bit cold this morning! a chilly 3 degress. Normally I would prepare the night before i.e. pack the swim bag, remember to get a towel and underwear, throw the togs and clothes in the bathroom. All ready for the quick leap from the bed to the bathroom, then dressed. Unfortunately I had shorts and a t-shirt this morning, by the time I got to the pool I was so cold I had to get in the water to warm up. Another good session, lots of steady 100m sets.
Hamish Carter are you missing your shorts? I spied them today on the clubs head coach, whos name is not H Carter.

Building a base

Swimming has transitioned from drills and skills to base building, which means 2.5k sessions to 4.5k plus. And Im feeling it this morning. Todays session was a 600m, then set of 5 x 400, set of 5 x 200, set 7 x 100 get the picture …. my body feels tired. But I love this feeling, especially when I have time to blob on the couch and enjoy my breaky and coffee (go the Nespresso !)

Mud and lots of it!

The Xterra Riverhead run today was interesting and heaps of fun, my type of ‘off road’. You know everyone talks about the mud but its not until you experience it!!. It took me 2:11 for 12k, seems a bit long, but hills/mud ^%$&^! Perhaps this should be expected. Especially when I got home and learned Liza had been for a 14k run in 1:45. Must have been the mud and mountains hehe.

A girl running next to me slipped off the track into the dirty puddle, expected!, but we all had a laugh when she was suddenly waist deep. Then approx. ½ k from the end there were 2 ladies in white t-shirts, I assume had done the short course which I suspect had less mud, cos they took about 10min to get themselves over this large puddle. I think they got more wet from the other folks already covered in mud who just barrelled thru it. Funny
Continuing to have work and training clashes during the week!, managing to get all training done in the weekends. Unfortunately weekends only make up 2 out of 7 days of the training week.

And its Saturday again

Im on the couch enjoying my morning coffee (loving the Nespresso!) and toast with banana. Did the normal routine last night, prepacked the car with all the goodies and gears required for todays brick session. I contemplated the earlier session but then thought better of it and rolled over to give my wife another cuddle.

Because I have the Xterra Riverhead off road run tomorrow, todays session will be a little lite, 60min swim, 60min bike then 10min run. Easy!. Bummer I will miss another group ride on Sunday, although those guys are planning to bike out to Riverhead as support crew.

Not Feeling Very Athletic

I think its been three plus weeks since I did a full week session as per the training program, missed a swim or missed a wind trainer. Im not feeling very athletic (perhaps because Im not in pain), although I know I do more training than most. Today is Friday, my planned day off! although yesterday turned out to be a day off also.

How do I get back on track? Or is, winter and work just going to be the challenges I need to overcome if Iam ever to make it to the start line of the NZ Ironman. Goodness, taking the time to reread the above I sound pathetic, if someone said that to me I say, “harden up, of course its not easy, if that was the case everyone would do it, dum ass!”

OK time to harden up! thanks for the motivation

Swim, run, swim?

Back into the training on Tuesday with an early morning swim. We have certainly moved on from drills, now into a steady program of 5K plus. Didn’t make it to wind trainer Tuesday evening as had work telecons until 7.30pm. DAME IT!

On Wednesday, went for an early morning run. Good job too cos the rain kicked in mid morning and the tempature dropped. The schedule called for a flat run, funny when you think the undulations around home are practically flat, especially when they started out as mountains a few months ago.

Thursday is not a good start! skipped the early morning swim. Heavy rain last night will mean the outdoor pool would be cold. I need to be more hard core. Need to fit in a wind trainer session (at home) later today, not sure when I will fit that in given the current work load.

Big day yesterday, my brother had a heart operation which I hear went really well! AWESOME.

Also our friend Rach had a wee Rach jnr out the sun roof. CONGRATS!!

Queens Bday Weekend

Its been a wonderful weekend, Liza and I travelled to Christchurch to catchup with the family and attend Tayla’s 2nd birthday party. On a traning front coach ammended the weekend program to exclude the bike work. So Saturday morning was a 60min swim followed by a 120min run. My dedicated wife decided she would join me so I took her thru the Bottle Lake blue track, nice sand! But this time we were determined not to get lost. We repeated the off road run on Monday morning, showing a cousin the track. We are both a little stiff, but nice to run a constant 80min.

The focus for this week will be to complete the full program and not allow work to take over. A good start with the run on Monday and a swim this morning.