Quick Beat; Slow Feet

Macanri

Sat 03 Apr 14:00
Brick Session 1600m Swim (25m pool)/30km Cycle

Was going to go for a swim tonight after doing the cycle earlier, but decided to combine the two to do my first brick of this kind. Didn't go too bad, was cramping both in the pool and on the bike in spots.

The pool was quite busy with kids but I swerved round all but once when I had to stop. Did 6 x 50m WU (Was readingon the web about calculating your swim golf you do 4 x 50m count the no. of strokes and add the time taken. 80 being a target to beat. Well my swim golf is 60+60=120, so a bit below average). So then did 3 x 250m to see how I would fare out, finished the 750m in 18:xx - no watch. Then did 5 x 100m in 2:15ish with 20sec rest, and 50m SD.

Dried off and into the cycling gear. Was planning on doing 21km loop but after about 8 or 9 was feeling good and decided to increase the loop, which turned out at 30km in 01:01:00 so 29.5km/hr, HR 166avg, 180max. Done on the road bike I have borrowed for Sat next. Got caught in a hail shower and they were belting of me face.

When I arrived home Mrs M was in her Ma's so I had the dinner, during which my phone rang - it was Eoin from Sub4.ie - I have won a free entry to the Great Ireland Run on April 18th, yippee, I never win anything! Had a bit of a chat with him, a nice guy and some runner, hoping to do a serious time for the same run, and there's me talking about hoping to go sub40! So after that, herself was still not back so I went down to the local and had my first pint of stout since St. Patrick's Day, mmmm. Kids all bathed and bedded now, so settling in for a quite evening.

El Director

Sounds like it was a real nice day Macanri, perfect in many ways. Congrats on the competition win!

Macanri

Thanks El D. Yea t'was a grand day to be sure, if only I could swim more efficiently!

Sun 04 Apr 12:00
LSR 15.4km 01:15:00

LSR this morning in the crisp air which was trying it's hardest to gain a little heat from the sun. Tried to keep it steady and HR below 160 avg. 4:52/km, 7:49/ml, HR 160avg, 169max.

Heading down to the next-to-local with the bro-in-law for one or two and a game of pool. Rest day tommorrow. Glad with the training that I have got in since the chest infection. Have to put some form of a plan together to get me to Sat.

W/ending 04.04.10
Swim: 3400m (2 sessions {1 brick incl})
Cycle: 55km/34.1miles (2 sess {2 brick incl})
Run: 25.1km/15.6miles (2 sess {1 brick incl})
Brick sessions above 1. Bike/Run, 2. Swim/Bike

Macanri

Tues 06 Apr 14:00
Swim 1250m (25m)

Mon was a rest day.
This afternoon I did 100WU, 5 x 100 (RT 20sec), 2 x (5 x 50m (RT 20s)), 150m SD. Felt very sluggish, but I blame not going to bed early enough the last few nights - I have to start getting to bed earlier. I noticed half way through it that I was leaving my fingers open, so need to be more concious of this.

Tues 20:30 Run
12.8km with 2 x 2km Tempo

The tempos were 2km in 7:40 (3:50/km, 6:10/ml) and 2km in 7:30 (3:45/km, 6:02/ml) HR high 170s
The total 12.8km took 57:10, so 8.8km in 42min, 4:46/km or 7:41/ml. Avg HR for session was 168.

Plan is a handy swim and maybe a short handy cycle tomorrow, Rest Thurs (maybe a length or two if we're in the pool with the kids, 20min swim, 20min bike and 10min run on Fri early.

Macanri

Wed 07 Apr
Swim PM (20m pool)

Did 300m WU and 8 x 100m with 30sec RT. All easy going.

Wed PM Cycle 10km
Cycled an out and back of the Tri course

Thurs 08 Apr Swim PM 300m handy.

Fri 09 Apr Swim/Cycle/Run
Swim 600m in 50s and 100s.
Cycle 12km of the course
Run 3km of the run course.

Macanri

Got up at 6:45 and snuck out of the hotel room so as not to wake the kids, had a big bowl of porridge and a bit of toast and coffee. The man doing the timing chips was having his breakfast at the same time, so had a bit of a chat with him. He also did the chips for the Naas Duathlon. I was feckin starving come 09:30 and I began to realise that Wave 6 wasn't going to be starting til near 12:00, so I bought a couple of energy bars from the Wheelworx stand and had those.

I didn't get to register on the night before so I was down at registration around 07:45, got my race bibs and then got drawn on my arm and opposite leg! :cool: :P. Went and brought my bike round to transition and tought I would do the rest later as there would be plenty of time between then and my wave (never dawned on me that they would not let people into transition once the 1st wave started, dooh). But luckily I met a bloke from my home town at the race briefing (Hi Don if your reading) and he advised me to do it asap. So a dash to the car and back, and got all set up without any hassle.

So hung around between the leisure centre and the car while waiting for Wave 6 to start. When wave 4 was off I went and got warmed up and then changed into my gear. Then Wave 6 started to assemble getting ready for off. Wasn't nervous about the swim but I knew it would be tough. So once wave 5 finished we assembled - there were 7 in lane 3! A few of us did a 2 length WU. We organised ourselves into positions based on predicted times, 1st guy said 15mins then 5 of us were all saying 18-19mins and 1 guy said 22 or so. So I was 3rd heading off. For the first 4 lengths I was right tight to the 2nd guys ankles and he was the same to the 1st guy. I could feel my ankles been mauled by the guy behind me - it felt very congested. After the 5th length the 1st guy was held up to let no2 and me past. Then it was just a blur of people being stopped to let others by and ankles been hit and people hitting my ankles and having to breaststroke for a few strokes to not run into the guy in front. It was a mess. So I decided to let whoever was behind me at that stage to pass by and I waited for a few seconds for them to get a bit ahead of me and started into it again before the 22min guy got to where I was. So I was a bit more relaxed then but I found my self gulping in water when passing the lads on their way back. Ended up stopping at the wall after some lengths and eventually the guys lapped me and I continued on again. So when they all completed their 750m I still had 2 lengths to swim. I was 2nd last out of my lane. There were others in other lanes but I'm not sure how many - maybe 10 in total. I was dissapointed that I had to stop at the wall for a breather during some of the lengths.

Ran out to transition into the glorious sunshine, the weather was great. Elvis Jones was manning the microphone and copped me as I had introduced myself earlier and he calls out on the mike "The Boardsies would be proud".:D The transition was slow enough and I knew I was slow. Dried my hair and feet a bit, and put on the socks and runners first, then a top, race belt, helmet and sunglasses. Did the cycle on a road bike borrowed from a work mate. Out on to the road and took some drink and a gel. I noticed I had a fair pain in my head but obviously couldn't do much about that then. I had drove the cycle on Thursday so I knew what to expect more or less. I tought the route was hilly enough in comparison to what I would be used to training on. (Need to get some hilly routes around N Co Dublin (Howth Head a few times maybe)). There was quite a bit of a headwind for a lot of it. I was passed by about 3 people within the first 5 or 6 km and then I held my position and took about 3 or 4 in the last 5 or 6 km. I found the marshals difficult to hear and shouted "What?" to a few of them so they could repeat themselves. One or two had said "x kms to go - all down hill". Were they having a laugh? Turned the next bend and there'ld be an uphill staring you in the face. But I suppose it was generally downhill!

Having made the mistake of not taking my water and gel just before finishing the bike leg at the duathlon a few weeks back I made sure I had that done this time. So back to the centre and into transition. 2nd transition was quick - rack the bike (ouch! caught my finger between the saddle and the scaffold tube), off with the helmet and shades and away out on the run. The run went well, a bloke passed me fairly soon and I passed him about another 2 or 300m ahead. I passed about 10 or 12 during the run out and back. I didn't notice the 'turnaround cone' in the middle of the road and the marshal had to let a shout at me after I was about 5m past it and heading out the country! There was a few people giving out small bottles of water around half way through the run. Man I was glad to get some water. On arriving back to the leisure centre grounds there was 800m to do so I picked it up a bit and had a good sprint finish. Done. Was happy to have finished my first triathlon.

The event was well run - as much as I know. We got a nice teeshirt and cup in the goodie bag. And after the race there was tea and sandwiches laid on, which was much appriciated.

So the swim was difficult and needs a lot of work if I am do any olympic distances and even so I can complete the sprint distance without having to take a breather and improve my time a bit. I could have given a bit more of a push on the bike and on the run, and looking back I should have tried harder in general. I have to say that I found it tough which made it difficult to really enjoy. But am glad to have the first one done. The results are up now, my time was 01:22:19, 67th / 200.
Swim 18:44, T1 01:38, Bike 39:43, T2 00:26, Run 21:50
I forgot to press start on my watch so it was a waste of time wearing it!
So swim was 2:30 / 100m
bike 19km in 39:43, 28.7km/hr!
run 5km in 21:50, 4:22/km or 7:03/ml

catweazle

Thats a good start for the year, took me a good while to break 1.30 for a triathlon. I hated the pool swim in North Tipp last year, I found the stress ruined my rhythm I much prefer the open water where after a quick bit of banging at the start you can swim at your own pace.

I was laughing at the drying of the feet and hair, by the end of the year you wont be doing that or putting on socks for a sprint race. Have you the elastic shoelaces, these are a good timesaver and get used to doing short runs without socks

Macanri

Cheers CW.
Since I have been laid low twice this year already, I had a concern about catching a cold from not drying my hair (it was a quick dry). I am aware it is a little unorthodox! No elastic shoe laces - I have been placing my shoes, runners etc on and them all laced and tied up for most of my life so don't need them. Will have to try the short runs without socks and see how I fare out.

DustyBin

Great result and nice report Macanri!
Looks like you've got the bike sorted at any rate, and thats a great time for a 750 pool swim - I wish I found swimming that easy :rolleyes:
67th out of 200th is a great return for your first as well
Well done

Macanri

Sun 11 Apr 12:00
LSR 21.2km 01:42:00

Since I have volunteered for pacing the Limerick Half Marathon (1:50 group) I decided I would lengthen the LSR today and do 21.1km at a comfortable pace and see how I would get on. 21.1km in 01:50:00 is 5:10/km. The split for the first and second 10.5km were very close at around 51mins. So happy to be able to do it comfortably at 4:49/km or 7:44/ml. HR was 159avg, 169max. Didn't take anything during it and was sweating buckets having been for 3 pints of stout on Sat night. I will do another few LSRs of 25km or so to stay on the feet for over 01:50:00. I will have to do a few short runs also at the 5:10/km pace to get a feel for that pace.

W/ending 11.04.10
Swim: 4050m (4 sessions {+1 race})
Cycle: 41km/25.5miles (2 sess {1 brick incl + 1 race})
Run: 45km/28.3miles (3 sess {1 brick incl + 1 race})
Brick sessions above 1. Bike/Run.
1 Race (TriLaoise)

El Director

Great stuff Mac! Well done on your first tri! The swim seemed to be a nightmare. It's great in the open water as, apart from the first 100m, you can find your own bit of space, relax, and get into a rythm. Great goin on your borrowed bike and a great sign if you are passing 10/12 guys on the run. All in all a terrific first tri!

Macanri

Thanks Dusty and El D,

Yea the swim was tough. Just a total new experience for me, now I know what to expect for the next one. I'm not that impressed with the bike, I think I could have pushed it more. Also, I don't think the bike was that great. I weighed it and the mountain bike over the weekend and there was very little in the difference, the road bike was 12.2kg and the MTB was 12.9kg or thereabouts (can't fully remember - but it was very close). Anyway, seriously considering getting a tri starter pack with bike and wetsuit!

Macanri

Tues 13 Apr 21:00
Cycle 27km

00:56:44, 28.6km/hr HR 158avg, 181max. Done on my MTB.

catweazle

Macanri wrote: »

Anyway, seriously considering getting a tri starter pack with bike and wetsuit!

Ohhh watch out Mrs Mac. Before it was just a passing fad that he will grow out of, mid life crisis....now it is going to start hitting her in the pocket. Wait till you try and justify that you have to spend at least :eek::eek::eek::eek: to get a half decent bike.

Then comes the wet suit, tri suit, the Garmin, the Turbo Trainer, the extra tv and dvd player for the turbo....later on comes the aero bars and the bling wheels as you just cant compete without them.

Lots of negotiation ahead

Macanri

catweazle wrote: »

Ohhh watch out Mrs Mac. Before it was just a passing fad that he will grow out of, mid life crisis....now it is going to start hitting her in the pocket. Wait till you try and justify that you have to spend at least :eek::eek::eek::eek: to get a half decent bike.

Then comes the wet suit, tri suit, the Garmin, the Turbo Trainer, the extra tv and dvd player for the turbo....later on comes the aero bars and the bling wheels as you just cant compete without them.

Lots of negotiation ahead

Haardee har, Would you believe me if I told you that before I sat down to the computer I noticed that Mrs M was looking at cyclingpersuits.com? She said she was looking for a bike for the little lad who is turning 2 next week! So she's either checking out the prices or she's going to get me one:D. 2 hopes I'ld say!

Macanri

Wed 14 Apr 21:00
Run Track Session

2.75km WU then on to track stretch and 6 x 800m with 400m recovery after each.
Splits: 2:41, 2:47, 2:45, 2:51, 2:44 and 2:44. Effort was about 90%. HR was from 175 to 185 avg per 800m. 2.75km CD. So 12.7km/7.9ml total.

Don't know whether I should be doing a session like that before a race on Sunday (GI Run). Thinking about going for a 3 - 4km jog on Sun morning about 7:00ish before the race. Tergat recommended it in a post a while back.

Thurs 15 Apr 06:30
Swim 1600m (50m NAC)

I need to come up with some swim training plans fast. I feel very aimless in the pool lately not really knowing what I'm trying to do each session.
2 x 50m and 3 x 100m WU.
then did 200m, 100m, 100m, 200, and 6 x 100m. Took to long rest between some of these. Why? I felt wrecked. It was a very tough session especially having only done the track session 8hrs before.

There was a lesson going on in the lane about 3 from my lane. They were doing 4 x (2x50 followed by 200m). i asked the lads later what was the lesson for. It was speciffic to olympic distance tri training and that was the first lesson. So I spoke to the coach and he has let me join it for the following 9 weeks. I may be biting off more than I can chew as I would say i'm going to find it very tough, but as interested has said before you have to push yourself in the pool! Oh Sh!t.

Have done nothing since. I had planned to go swimming this morning but was up late the last few nights assembling a swings and slide as a combined birthday present fro the kids. Still have about 2 or 3 hours to do to finish it in the morning before the birthday party at lunch time.

catweazle

Dont let her get you one as a surprise, no doubt she wont know the difference between Sora and Dura-ace and carbon or alloy. Either do I but I just got the most expensive one that i could afford

I dont know much about the cycle to work scheme but a self employed friend constantly brags to me about his 1000 euro Lapierre only costing him 520. Get a self employed friend to buy it for you and reimburse him

DustyBin

You don't need to be self employed, just employed will do. As I understand, work register for scheme, buy and pay for bike and other stuff like helmet and so on, then you repay work out of your gross salary saving you the PAYE element (like a pension). Repayments can be spread out over long time like a loan. You also need to sign a form to say that you will use the bike for full or part of your journey to/from work most days. Google it

Macanri

Mrs M knows not to get a bike as a surprise.

I asked at work about the CTW scheme and they are not doing it unfortunately.

Macanri

Sun 18 Apr
07:00 Run

Did a light wam up run before the Great Ireland Run as per Tergat's suggestions in a previous thread. Worked well (39:10 for the 10k). Did 4.4km in 22 mins HR 146avg 158max.

13:30 Great Ireland Run

My bro in law was running this, as was his bro in law and some friends so was a good buzz before and after. We headed in and did a 1.2km warm up to the start line.

I was hoping for a PB since my last 10k was the Great Run last year in which I ran 41:59 (my 3rd ever race). About 15mins before it we were looking for the others and I was thinking that I wasn't that keen on this race for some unkown reason. But that passed a little before the start. We headed to the start and we met the other bro in law and his mate "foleyalan, of Boards AC" - small world. My aim was to keep in and around 4 mins / km and see how things went towards the end from there. So we were off shortly and I stuck more or less with foleyalan passing 1km in 4:00, 2km was 3:50 after which I lost sight of foleyalan. 3km was 4:00 and 4km was 3:40, got water around 5km and missed 6km marker, I knew at 7km when I glanced at the watch that I was on for near 39 if I kept it going. I had felt very comfortable all the way to this point and handled the long inclines well. I picked it up slightly than and came through 8km planning to keep the pace up but the hill at 8km surprised me and slowed me down. Came through 9km and tought I may be able to give the sub 39 a go. Kept going and picked up the pace to a track session speed when I hit 400m mark. Delighted with my time of 39:10 (chip). My new 10km PB

Heading up to Drogheda with Mrs M shortly for a meal with the lads and their OHs. Looking forward to it

W/ending 18.04.10
Swim: 1600m (1 sessions)
Cycle: 27km/16.8miles (1 sess)
Run: 28.3km/17.6miles (2 sess {+ 1 race})
1 Race (Great Ire Run 2010)

misty floyd

Brilliant stuff Macanri, for a tough course too, well done.

Macanri

misty floyd wrote: »

Brilliant stuff Macanri, for a tough course too, well done.

Cheers man, and thanks for your pre-race PM. The pain didn't really start til about 7.5k. The legs are feeling it today though. Comfortably numb!

misty floyd

Macanri wrote: »

Comfortably numb!

.....:D nice.

Macanri

Mon 19 Apr 20:20
Recovery Type Run 13.4km

Got out earlier for once and was nice to run in the half light. Did 1km WU then back into the house to stretch - legs still sore from yesterday. The plan was to aim for the 1:50 half marathon pace which is 5:13/km. HR was 154 avg. Times and distances were:

13:00 2.5km 5:12/km
24:00 4.6km 5:14/km
36:00 7km 5:00/km
54:00 10.3km 5:27/km
1:05:20 12.4km 5:24/km

I will have to give this another go to try and hold a more consistant pace.

Killerz

Well done on the PB. GI Run course is damn tough aswell - I went 40:24 on that last year, just didnt have it in the legs to get those 25 secs and go sub 40.

foleyalan

Great running Macanri. Well done on the PB.

mloc123

Congrats on the 10k, did the crowds hold you up at all? Got any Tris coming up soon?

interested

Macanri wrote: »

There was a lesson going on in the lane about 3 from my lane. They were doing 4 x (2x50 followed by 200m). i asked the lads later what was the lesson for. It was speciffic to olympic distance tri training and that was the first lesson. So I spoke to the coach and he has let me join it for the following 9 weeks. I may be biting off more than I can chew as I would say i'm going to find it very tough, but as interested has said before you have to push yourself in the pool! Oh Sh!t.

Bjorn will sort you out alright Enjoy -
I think swimming with others will really help you focus. I tweaked a shoulder a couple of weeks ago and stepped up some bike and ... yes ...dare I say it .. run training ... and Im finding it hard to refocus again in the pool. That said, if youre in there swimming its all good conditioning or recovery work.
Good luck at the NAC - you'll be glad you did it in 4 weeks ... just keep going back for more and it'll be worth it ...

Macanri

mloc123 wrote: »

Congrats on the 10k, did the crowds hold you up at all? Got any Tris coming up soon?

Cheers man, I was in the 35 - 45 pen and was close enough to the top of it. The crowds at the start didn't really hold me up as I ran the first km in 4 mins which was predicated race pace. But there were still people in front of me who were nowhere near that pace. On on or two occassions in the first k I had a wall of people in front of me so I just went for the largest gap and squeezed through.

Next tri is in Limavady 15th May. I also signed up to Athlone sprint yesterday.

Macanri

interested wrote: »

Bjorn will sort you out alright Enjoy -
I think swimming with others will really help you focus. I tweaked a shoulder a couple of weeks ago and stepped up some bike and ... yes ...dare I say it .. run training ... and Im finding it hard to refocus again in the pool. That said, if youre in there swimming its all good conditioning or recovery work.
Good luck at the NAC - you'll be glad you did it in 4 weeks ... just keep going back for more and it'll be worth it ...

I couldn't remember his name. Yea I will have to rearrange the training schedule a bit so that I'm not doing any heavy session on Wed evening so that I'm fresh for the Thurs morn swim. Thanks for the words of encouragement, it's exactly what the doctor ordered as I was starting to think I had bitten of more than I could chew!