GaelForce 2009

racso1975

Decided it's time to stop being a part-time lurker and fully commit myself to this forum and sport.

Background

I'm a 33 year old male. 5'9" and weighing in at 15 stone at the moment. Have done a couple of sprint triathlons over the last few years but my main problem has always been maintaining my training programs. For 3 months i will train like a devil and then bang i'll don nothing for a month and worse then that i'll probably go back on the fags and eat like a horse and probably eat the horse too!!!!

Anyhow thats all about to end now!!!!!

Goal

As stated I plan on completing this years Gaelforce takes place at the end of August. the route is as follows:

Stage 1: Beach, Trail and Road Run 12km
Stage 2: Kayaking across Killary Harbour 1.6km
Stage 3: Trail and Road Run 3.5km
Stage 4: Cycling 32.5km
Stage 5: Mountain Run/Hike 4.5km
Stage 6: Cycling 12.5km

The mountain run part is up croagh partrick and obviously down it too.

Current Training

Tuesdays 6k interval running
Wednesday Mountain biking session in Wicklow
Thursday 10k run (best time to date is 47mins but currently doin around 54mins)
Friday 7-10mile run: can do the ten mile in approx 80 mins
Saturday: go for an hour long cycle
Sunday: Same as above
Monday: Rest day

Problems I encountered

My Diet is goddamn awful!!!!!!

For breakfast i'll usully have a bowl of musseli

9 times out of ten i'll skip lunch (i Know I Know I know...)

About 5 i'll be starving and will have a packet of crisps/jelly tots.

about 7 i'll have dinner it is either a pasta dish/stir fry or chicken salad. Reason that it is normally this late is that myself and Mrs Racso have a fairly long commute to work and when we pick up the youngster from creche i just want to spend some quality time with him before putting him to bed.

I drink about 2 litres of water everyday except weekend for some reason and I also have 4-6 cups of coffee a day. I really dont tend to eat after dinner if i do it's 1 or 2 rice cakes.

Only other problem is the same as everybody else not enough hours in the day to fit in family work sleep and exercise.


So here begins my program. As alays any advice info suggestion and critism is always welcome!!!

Let the pain begin

RacoonQueen

Best of luck. Someone has asked me to do this with them, have to say I am very tempted.

Krusty_Clown

Best of luck with the goal. I don't think your diet is that bad, except for the coffee and skipping lunch. I'd be starving if that was all I ate every day.

Slogger Jogger

A nice event to target Racso. Best of luck with your training. You'll certainly have variety in your training with all those stages to prepare for. See if you can rope in a friend to do it with you to share the pain, or someone lurking on the forum might be up to the challenge.

racso1975

Well today was a complete disaster!!! Set out for my usual 10k run except today decided i would try to run with a camel pack on my back as i had been running with just a bottle of water up to this point but thinkin i'd need more water then that and i'd get used to this as i use it for cycling!!!

Had to stop 3 times with the feckin yoke it was a nightmare!!! ended up throwin it in a ditch so i could go back and collect after!!!

All in all took me 55.50 mins to do the run

I will never ever use that pack for running again!!!!!

kennyb3

best of luck. best advice i got was be consistent. dont miss sessions if possible at all. if you do make up for them

Bambaata

best of luck racso1975.

racso1975

weekend training was a bit messy cause i was in dublin for the weekend end. Got a 5 k run on friday night (huge advantage being able to run at night with street lighting....never guess i lived in da sticks!!!) and then on sunday i got a 10k run in.

Cycled into work today cause have a meeting all day and cant get out for run a lunch time.

Good news is that i am down 4 pounds on last week!!!:D

racso1975

actually down 7 pounds my mistake!!!!


While the cycle in yesterday was lovely the cycle home was fargin horrific.... as usual the wind was against me (is it ever anyother way) and the rain lashed me out of it but i have to say i felt good after it!!!

Work lunch today cause hot student is leaving so run will be put to this evening.

Gonna introduce weight training into my routine over the weekend. i reckon if a do half an hour/ 45mins at night will make a big difference

adagio

Hey Rasco,

Good thread.... keep up the updates.
I'm one of a team of four competing in the Gaelforce race this year for the first time... the 'Wanderly Wagon Team'.... ohhhh the nostalgia!
My training is kinda random at the moment:
Running 8 - 10k two/three times p/week
Cycling 30 - 40 miles once p/week (In training for French Alpine cycle in late May)
Mountain running once p/week (training in Ravensdale) and competing once every two/three weeks.
Kayaking in the bath three times p/week.... only kidding!

Your training looks good... I would suggest that you give one/two of the Mountain races a go at some stage during the year... preferably a Marked route.
Check out: http://www.imra.ie/
If you do decide to give the mountain running a go, give me a shout and I'll join ya....I'm no great shakes yet (first race this year was Crone Woods.. category 6 difficulty)... gasp... oohhh the pain.
Check out May 2nd - Croagh Patrick run.
No matter how much running you do on the flat, nothing compares to getting out on the mountains.
Have you decided on what bike you intend to use on the road section?

Good luck and I'll be keeping tabs on your thread.

Cheers.

MrCreosote

Good luck with the training! Been thinking of having a crack off this myself- it looks like a nice day out alright.
Any idea what you'll do for a bike- road vs mountain bike? 40 ks is a long old way on knobbly tyres, but a puncture at the end would do my head in! Do you know if they allow drafting on the bike legs?

adagio

There are as many opinions on what bike you should use as there are bike brands!
From reading many opinions and taking my circumstances into consideration - I am currently training in Wicklow on my old Calnago racing bike for a trip to l'Alpe d'Huez. Therefore, I'm gonna buy some ****ty wheels n tyres and use the road bike.
My reasoning is as follows:
Most of the bike route is on road, with only 3/4 k off road.
Any time lost over the off road stage will be insignificant as I will have made considerable time on the road stage.... and if I have to carry my road bike - it's nice and light.

I guess it depends on what you have at the minute (or not) and what will suit you needs in the future.
You can hire a mountain bike for €50 I think.

Btw... you're all welcome on the 'Wanderly Wagon Team.'

Get up!