Race Day Simulation

Lunching with the squad

Wind Trainer Session  :(

Half Ironman Training Camp this weekend, well sort of, the weather has turned to beep beep beep meaning we will swim in the pool rather than the ocean and wind train instead of road riding, and we know how much I hate winder trainer !!!.  Plus we are not actually going anywhere, just hanging in Auckland, so really just like a normal Saturday brick... with an afternoon catchup and chit chat with mates.

Kick off at 8.15am, but need to arrive early to setup the bike etc... into the water for a few lengths warmup, then all on for a 2k swim, that is 60 lengths of the pool.  The consensus in the changing room is everyone lost count around lap 10, so I waited until the fastest guy in our lane finished, then added a few more lengths as figured he must have lapped me a few times.  Anyway jumped out at around 38mins which was ok for a steady swim.

Now dam it onto the blinkin bike, and the best news of all, the 2 hour clock doesnt start until everyone is out of the water so anything between now and then is extra.  I did contemplate hanging out in the changing shed, but that might have been a bit obvious.  I did volunteer my music today, wary that some may not find Neil Diamond inspirational ??, it was infact Liza's ipod which I stole. I guess most liked it as there were a few singalongs and a request for a copy.  mmmm perhaps she does have some good music taste ??

2hour 15mins and 75k later, it was off with the bike and on with the shoes, for a run down to Birkenhead wharf and back.  The downhill is nice on the way out, even with the wobbly legs, but the uphill on return sucked.  At one point I was run two lamp posts, walk one.

Yum Yum

After a mere 3hour and 50min session, it was rush home for a shower and back to someones home for lunch, see the spread and that was after we had eaten, thats what you get when you hang with Iron Maori guys, sweet !!!  Coach talked on nutrition and race day preparartions.  Now I was temped to bring along some beer, but as the talk was on what we should and shouln't put into our bodies I didn't think it would be proper.  Actually I just didn't want to get any ribbing from everyone :).  My beauitiful wife wipped up some muffins as my contribution, I think I eat everyones food but mine, oops.  But the muffins were great, lots of kisses xxx



 

A Wonderful Morning

Yesterday (Wednesday) I had a wee sleep in as both Liza and I worked late last night, as a result we missed our run with the Crew.  But sounds like that was a good option as they slugged out 80min on hills with tried legs. But plans were to meet down at Takapuna Beach at 5.15pm for a swim and maybe do the Run/Swim Series, Race 1.

Come 5pm Im slipping into my togs whilst on a work telecon.  Thank goodness we don't have video conference !!.  By the time I got to the beach approx. 5.20pm, I had assumed they would be in the water already, so I lugged my stuff and headed to the water edge.  Waving out to a group of bobbing heads in the distance a small wave washed over my feet #$%@!! COLD and then it started to rain .... after 10min of frantic waving and NO acknowledgement I thought blow this and headed back to the car.

As folks were arriving for the Swim/Run Series I tried to sneak away only to be sprung by a training colleague, dam it!.  Oh what a shame I forgot to bring my running shoes :) !!  Anyways at ride group this morning it was revealed that neither of them went swimming and I was the only buggar to show ....

What a wonderful morning, no rain and only a breeze.  Another 5.30am start with the Quay St guys, folks are trying add more distance to the ride so today we took an extra detour, see map below.  If you are ever thinking of buying a house, which we are, then I recommend riding in the local neighbourhood, there are some areas which have noticeable cold spots. 

PS Nice to see Liza at breakfast at the cafe this morning, after her run!

Some refer to the little loop at the point as the nipple :)

Comradeship in Sport

Never really experienced before now, but today I got to feel the comradeship that sport can generate, a sense of extended family that gives you the right to enjoy the company of folks whom you have never meet simply because of a common interest in cycling and a mutural friend.

Quay St riders welcomed my mates friend in our ride this morning, unfortunately it didn't work out as planned and I can promise it has never happend before, but we did infact lose her on a downhill. Buggar! Some mild panic and searching by the boys but still no luck so we opted to skip the last hill, praying she was able to find her way back.  Did I mention she is not from Auckland.

Thank goodness, she was already ordering her fruit smoothy when we pulled into the cafe!!! And we breath again ...... so sorry ..... and please comeback to join us again !

A couple of pics from Liza's 40th, a quiet affair ....

Liza and myself, I am Wilma Flinstone can you tell?

The Training Support Crew

Back in the C

Takapuna Beach

Saturday morning 7am, 60 + people gathered on the beach edge listening to the race simulation instructions, with only a few weeks until the ITU World Champ Race in Auckland many of the club members are in final preparation for the big day.  Normally we would still enjoy the warm water of the swim pool, but race simulation means experiencing the chills of the ocean. And goodness it was #$%@! COLD!. 

Thank the bee gees the wetsuit still fits!, a swim suit is more snug that your average suit, showing
 my every mountain and valley as I try to graciously slide into it with the help of a plastic bag.  I notice some slick up with the olive oil to aid a quick escape in transition.  The water seepage thru the zip is always something to look forward to when creeping into the icy chill.

Todays swim was a 1500m down and back across Takapuna Beach, taking at least 20min to recover ones breath, only when your extremities i.e. hands, feet and face came down to water temperature did it seem to warm slighty.  The return leg was motion sickness stuff, white caps off the top of the waves, so bad there was a scattering of swimmers who had opted to get out and wander back along the sand.

Plan was to swim, bike for an hour then meet up with Liza for the run and help her to knock off a few more Ks.  However whilst trying to peel off the wetsuit (perhaps I need to look into this olive oil trick), the heavens opened and the wind swirled.  I looked across at my mate and we both opted to skip the bike leg and head out for a run.  Don't worry! no opportunity to slack off as we had already agreed to meet Liza at the beach we ended up going for two runs, approx 10k.

A bit of a slow start to the week but the support team went running on Friday (usually my day off), just so we could laze around on Sunday. Recovery from Liza's 40th on Saturday night.  Happy Birthday Beautiful ! :) So in all not a bad week.

Triathletes vs Cyclists

Previoulsy I have made comment on my observations between triathletes and swimmers, now it would seem there is also a comparison to be had between triathletes and cyclists, so I am told.  A practical example may relate to our Tuesday/Thursday rides.  This Tuesday was a shocker, raining, windy and dark, a 5.30am kick off and the only shows for our ride were triathletes and one lone cyclist.  On Thursday the morning was better, however still wet and cold and again prodominatly trialthletes in attendance.

Now one might pitch an argument that cyclists ride faster hence bad weather will impact them more or one might say triathletes are straight out crazy! And when you think of swimming, biking then going for a run then perhaps that last point holds weight.  Triathletes are crazy !!.

But crazy is all good, today I put out the call to my new crazy mates.  Wanting to know who is up for a few runs to help Liza meet her own personal goal of running a marathon, and wouldn't you know it everyone is in!.  Nice work all and many thanks from both Liza and myself.

Spinning out of Control

Spinning out of control, is how I feel ... desparately trying to get my environment (home, work and personal) back into an orderly LIST!.  I have been so busy lately I hardly know what to tackle first, unfortunately it impacts on my training plans. Last night I was to go swimming but missed the opportunity with meetings over running then again today I was going to sneak away until lunch time and go for a long ride with a mate.....

I have written a list and today I plan to make a start at ticking each one off and hopefully at least feel like I am achieving something....if I can get work back in control it will allow time for personal.

I did meet with coach yesterday .... we revisited the proposed objective of doing K2, it was mainly about going the distance..with this in mind I have decided not to do K2 this year but tackle it, as its own event next year.  Support buddies have committed to going the distance at another time, plus I have the opportunity to pick up long rides with them as they train for Round Taupo. 

Also means I can now help to support Liza as she heads into the final prep for her chosen challenge, the Auckland Marathon.  My opportunity to take on a support role.

To do K2 or not?

The Bach

Our big weekend away in the Coromandal, the misson: to ride the largest of the K2 hills (Kopu) and confirm whether the thought of riding K2 is possible.  The operatives:  include Liza (of course) and two mates from the support team, Carron (aka Camp Mother) and Christine (aka Jason).  Camp Mother has co-ordinated the perfect kiwi bach and provided a minimum of 3 bike routes for Saturday.  We travelled down on Friday night with plans to awake Saturday morning fresh and ready to ride.  Unfortunately the weather was not favourable with low cloud and misty/medium rain.  A quick look around the room Im sure we were all ready to bail, it was lucky we had made such an effort to be there, it just had to be done.

Carron and Christine at the Top

Time taken to eat a good breaky and check over the bikes, finally we headed away around 9ish.  Riding from Wangamata heading towards Kopu.  The first set of undulations to the turn off was fun, some mild hills for warm up and a nice we down hill.  Whilst we contemplated the Kopu hill, parked on the elbow of the road. Actually we were trying to convince one of us (not me) that the down hill would not be too bad despite the slippery conditions.  Perhaps it was not a great time for a milk tanker to go screaming by, especially since it took all the road (no room for a bike and rider) and highlighting the wet roads with its water spray.

Carron (red) and myself at the Top

We all headed for the Kopu hill, from memory only a 10k slog to the top.  Approx 500 metres from the top (actually I thought we had reached the top) hence why I likely lost concentration and had a wee mishap which saw me fall off the bike into the path of Camp Mother who had no choice but to land on me and the bike.  Lucky for us we were heading up hill so NOT a high speed crash but we did manage to score a couple of war wounds.  Unfortunately for us Mrs Jason kept riding to enjoy the glory of the top all to herself! How selfish :).  Anyways we dusted oursleves off and continued our ride to the top, where Mrs Jason came from behind and stole our glory once again!!.

Momento from the ride

Opting not to head down the other side of the hill we headed back the way we had come and decided to call in reinforcements (Liza) to meet us in Tairua for a spot of lunch, oh and a car which could take us home for a few beers and a competitive game of UNO.

We did knock off a tidy 70k and some of us even went for a run off the bike (ok I might have been kicking and screaming!) :) we followed up the weekend with a little 30k on Sunday with a ride out to Onemana and back.

Many thanks to Camp Mother, Mrs Jason and my wife, Liza for a great weekend and all your inspiration. Now whether to take on K2? Lets see what happens once I talk with coach tomorrow ....