Raising the bar a little...

Abhainn

Weekly Summary 25th August
Mon – Eve: Pool 2.55k swim. Pace 1:52 / 100m
Tue – Lunch Run. 11.4km (04:15/km).
Eve 4.0k Pool Swim. Through 3.8k in 68:30. Pace 1:48/100m
Wed – Early am. 52km bike commute to work @ 28.0kph. HR 116
PM. 53km TT bike home @ 30.0kph. HR 114
Thurs –Lunch Run. 13.63km with 5 x 1km progressive intervals with 500m recovery.
Avg 3:28 / 1km interval
Fri – Eve: Swim session 3500m
400m WU, then 5 sets of
(200 off 4min. 150 off 3 min, 100 off 2min, 50 off 1min) with 50 easy between
sets
200’s avg 03:18,
150’s avg, avg 02:27
100’s avg,01:36
50’s avg 0:46
400 WD
Sat – AM Long brick. TT Bike – 155k. 32.5Kph, HR 127
Run 8k @ 04:17. HR 139.
Sun – AM. Long run 34km @ 04:14/km. HR 139

Summary:
Totals:
Swim x 3 – 10.05km. Time – 3hr 13min
Bike x 3 – 260km. Time - 8h 22min
Run x 4 - 67km. Time - 4hr 44 min

Total Time – 16hr 19 min.


Peak week and feeling good
For once I managed to get all planned sessions in Ideally I would have liked to get in an extra recovery session in each discipline and maybe a few extra clicks on the brick run on Sat but all in all I’m happy with how week turned out.

Swim: First pool straight IM swim and 3rd swim day in a row. Feared I would struggle in the last 1km but I held form well throughout building it from 750m in. I was a little surprised initially at coming in 4 mins quick in a similar session last year. Took two x quick water breaks in this. Fri session was a variation on the one previous Fri. Again a tester but was strong right through the last set.

Bike: Legs were unresponsive on Wed’s bikes but they had come well around for the long TT on Sat. with little achiness in my back just some tightness on my neck.

Run: Just 4 runs but running legs are starting to come good.
Thurs progressive interval session was supposed to start off a bit slower but I felt well in control on these. It was the first time since Jan that my groin hasn’t felt sore after a harder session too
I would have been on fire in the brick run but for the fact that the kids joined me on their bikes. They kept me in control, I had to slow up on a few occasions to let Liam catch up or push him up the hills
Sundays long run was good also, little fatigue and feeling strong.

Kurt Godel

Abhainn wrote: »

Fri – Eve: Swim session 3500m
400m WU, then 5 sets of
(200 off 4min. 150 off 3 min, 100 off 2min, 50 off 1min) with 50 easy between
sets
200’s avg 03:18,
150’s avg, avg 02:27
100’s avg,01:36
50’s avg 0:46
400 WD

Your swimming seems to be coming on very well. That set in particular looks a nice bit faster than you were going a few months back. We were just discussing swim lessons again last night, hard to believe its almost that time of year again.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

3 sweet sessions in there, you know which ones:) Looks like you are hitting form at just about the right time for the big day.

Abhainn

Weekly Summary 1st September

Mon – Lunch. Easy Run. 6.6km (04:30/km).
Eve: Pool 2.50k swim. Pace 1:50 / 100m
Tue – Early am. 52km bike commute to work @ 27.2kph. HR 114
Wed – Eve. Run. 13.3km (04:12/km). HR 141
Thurs – AM. 4.0km OW in 71:50. Pace 1:47. HR 134
PM. Turbo 75min 42.5m. Avg watts 222. HR 119
3 x increasing efforts of 20min up to avg 245w.
Fri – Eve: Run. 11.2km (04:10/km).
Sat – AM Long TT Bike – 122k. 31.0Kph, HR 125
Sun – AM. Long run 26.4km @ 04:11/km. HR 140
PM 2.25km steady pool swim. Pace 1:48/100m.

Summary:

Totals:
Swim x 3 – 8.75km. Time – 2hr 39min
Bike x 3 – 215km. Time - 7h 04min
Run x 4 - 58km. Time - 4hr 03 min

Total Time – 13hr 46 min.

I didn’t say “touch wood”

I mentioned last week about after some 1km reps the troublesome groin and feeling no pain? On the early Tues bike to work that area of the groin adductor muscle to the knee was very tender. Not sure how this appeared again but I had to cancel higher intensity running this week. The rep session got canned as did the brick run on Sat, while I did plan an easy run that evening it never transpired.
However during the long Sun run the body felt very good and responsive.
A couple of planned easy swims on Mon and Sun turned out to be steady as I am feeling really good in the water.
Thurs was back to school. I took the day off and sneaked in the OW swim before I collected the monkeys again before lunch. 5 laps of Wicklow harbour and the pace was fine 2/3rds of the route around. But as the tide was on the way out I was fighting against it coming around by and along the south pier on each lap. I expected it to be a few mins quicker but not too bothered.
I managed to get in the turbo in then that afternoon, God it was warm outside.

The last long TT was rather sad in a way. Not sure when I’ll be dodging the Garda traffic core along the M11 again. Pace wasn’t great though, as going south there seemed to be a headwind and when coming back north again it was full on in the last 30km.

Can’t believe it’s now only 10 days to go. Getting a bit anxious. Usual stuff including Nicole is sick again with throat issues. Just trying to ensure I have all prepared. I'm for a deep tissue rub on Fri, God that will hurt like hell

Carbon wheels kindly loaned to me,(thanks for the other offers chaps) I will try them out a few times before next week. I never used tubulars in a race so “touch wood” I get by ok.

Abhainn

Weekly Summary 8th September

Mon – Rest
Tue - Eve: Pool 3k steady swim. Pace 1:49 / 100m
Wed – Lunch Run. 11.6k with 6 x 400’s (avg 79sec). HR 137.
Thurs – Eve. 54k TT bike @ 34.0kph. HR 130
Fri – Lunch Run. 10.1km (04:15/km). HR 132
PM. Pool Swim 2.2km.
Incl. 12 x 50 off 75secs (avg 46 secs)
400m in 06:37.
Sat – PM Run 15km (04:07km). HR 134
Sun – AM. Brick. 61km. TT bike @ 32.2km. HR 122
Run 6.4km. (04:15 / km). HR 134

Summary:

Totals:
Swim x 2 – 5.2km. Time – 1hr 44min
Bike x 2 – 114km. Time - 3h 27 min
Run x 4 - 43km. Time - 3hr 01 min

Total Time – 8hr 12 min.


The 1st week of taper saw a reduction in volume. I would have liked another easy bike and swim in there. Hurling wasn’t bad was it?!

Thankfully I haven’t had the taper blues yet, no time really.
The sharpening sessions in swim, bike, and run have been useful in avoiding this.

It was the first time with Dura Ace C50’s on the Thurs eve TT ride. I was battling against the oncoming darkness but the wheels felt really good.
I was planning on a good 400m TT swim on Fri evening but I wasn’t feeling the love in the 50’s. I felt a bit flat I knew the 400 was never going to be, just went out steady in the end

I got a good rub down Fri night. Surprisingly it wasn’t torture as I was expecting
I the past it has been unpleasant but the regular stretching I’ve been doing seems to be working out.

That’s it again. We’re flying out Thur morning. Some support also coming from Stuggart and Manchester.
I’m feeling good, feeling confident.
07:30 CET Sat here we come. Weather looks dry about 20C. Bring it on.

pgibbo

The very best of luck Joe. Give it socks!!! Safe trip

TRR

Good luck Joe. You know what time you have to do! You're more than capable, just need the bit of luck.

shotgunmcos

Give it Socks Joe, can't wait to track you and hear how you get on. You deserve that mark!

Pronator

Up Sligo. Give it loads Joe. Best of luck

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Best of luck, i hope you nail it.

Bambaata

All the best Joe. Hopefully catch up with you soon to hear all about it

pgibbo

Just saw this link posted on twitter to track the event

Kurt Godel

Go get it Joe, best of luck!

Izoard

All the best with it, Joe.

I guess the "70's german p0rn star", will have the reflected glory of his wheels doing a sub-10 IM:)

Inspirational.

RacoonQueen

Best of luck Joe

Dory Dory

Knock it out of the park, Joe. You really, really, really deserve a fantastic result.

Krusty_Clown

Swim like a fish.
Cycle like a Roche.
Run like a cheetah.

BTH

Best of luck Joe.

jaymack75

Have a great race joe, i've been keeping an eye on your log and you've def done the hard work now!!

Enjoy the day ;-)

RacoonQueen

I hope you packed your bike.

Kurt Godel

Joe Cawley Wicklow H40 IRL 01:08:52 00:06:36

Link

That's probably his fastest IM swim, so a solid start. Looks like the conditions are very rainy.

Kurt Godel

Is it unfair to raise an eyebrow on that slow trans? I'm sat here in my dressing gown sipping coffee. C'mon Joe ya lazy bollix...

BTH

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Is it unfair to raise an eyebrow on that slow trans? I'm sat here in my dressing gown sipping coffee. C'mon Joe ya lazy bollix...

Would ya look at Hugh Heifner over here.

griffin100

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Is it unfair to raise an eyebrow on that slow trans? I'm sat here in my dressing gown sipping coffee. C'mon Joe ya lazy bollix...

The new forum rules are that you can't comment on something unless you've done it yourself so keep quiet

I thought this race was next week, belated good wishes Joe.

catweazle

griffin100 wrote: »

I thought this race was next week, belated good wishes Joe.

Yes me too

Slow transition - I was going to say a change into more comfortable bib shorts, sun cream perhaps. Sometimes the run into transition from the water at these events can be very long.

Joe is well able to throw out some fist pumps and general gurning in these events so perhaps he is getting his money worths and doing it at the end of each discipline as well

Some of the pro's are over 3 minutes so probably thats the case

BeepBeep67

1st bike split 2:39:04 (overall position 167th)

Kurt Godel

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

1st bike split 2:39:04 (overall position 167th)

Hard to gauge speed from the bike splits without knowing their distance (3 splits totalling 180k), but the leaders splits are (Bike 1)02:19:35 (Bike 2)02:22:35 (Bike 3)00:04:24 (Total)04:46:34,

So Joe's 2:39 has him on for a 5:30 bike, give or take.

Dory Dory

GO JOE!!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

That site/tracking is brutal. Should come off the bike and off onto the run with 6hr 50 on the clock so will need to run a sub 3:10 for his mark. Surprised with fastest bike splits as I imagined it was a faster bike course!!
Come on lad!!

Kurt Godel

Celeste Rotten Tile wrote: »

That site/tracking is brutal. Should come off the bike and off onto the run with 6hr 50 on the clock so will need to run a sub 3:10 for his mark. Surprised with fastest bike splits as I imagined it was a faster bike course!!
Come on lad!!

Conditions look to be pretty bad with the rain at the finish. A lot of the second lap bike splits are down 20+ mins from the first lap. Fingers crossed...