Tri a bit of everything

nomadic

Sunday

3 hour club MTB spin
The weather was fairly poxy this morning. 3 hours around 3rock and cruagh. My legs were a little dead today but I didn't get dropped which was good.

ronanmac wrote: »

Great going, nomadic, a pain about the penalty though. When you say you lost the bike computer, did it stop working, or did it come off the bike?

It fell off. Someone handed it in so I got it back afterwards.

shotgunmcos wrote:

Impressive result nomadic, jazus you really legged it like your shoes were on fire. Yeah you live and learn from those bike incidents. Next time better off to stay a good 15m back. Just keeping a group in sight will propel you anyway. NICE scalp too beating Tunney even if he insists he had a belly full of haribos in him

Yea not a bad scalp. I think he ran out of Haribo mid bike leg and went to get some more.

mloc123

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Impressive result nomadic, jazus you really legged it like your shoes were on fire. Yeah you live and learn from those bike incidents. Next time better off to stay a good 15m back. Just keeping a group in sight will propel you anyway. NICE scalp too beating Tunney even if he insists he had a belly full of haribos in him :D:D

I dd notice he was one of the few in the top 10 without a drafting penalty tho'

nomadic

Monday

2,500m swim
100's and 500's

3.4 mile easy run
Really easy run as my legs were sore


Tuesday
I took the mtb into work and took a bit of a diversion around the park on the way home.

Wednesday

2,500m swim
100 - 500- 100m pyramid set

5.6 mile run @ 6.22 min/miles
Sweet spot run


Thursday

22km bike
I put the race wheels on the bike for the first time and got a couple of laps around the strawberry beds in before it got dark. The wheels are lovely and light and you can really feel the stiffness.


Friday

3.4 mile run @ 6.11 min/miles
It was a toss up between a bit longer and slower or short and fast. My legs were fresh so I went with short and fast.


Saturday

Annaclone GP, Banbridge
My first road race so I didn't really know what to expect. It was a handicapped race with a gap of 5 mins between the A3's and the A1's. The route was 5 laps of a 11.6km hilly route. I first lap started fairly quickly and I found myself at the back after a corner with a bit of chasing down to do. Not good. Burning legs and I'm not even one lap in. I got up near the front after that and tried to break down the road as it was feeling a bit slow. The break got nowhere and I was left sitting on the front for a few km into the wind.:o
I knew my mistake and took it really handy but no one took up the front so I plodded along. I sat in for the next 3 laps staying near the middle out of trouble. The A1's caught us with a lap and a half to go and the pace upped. A couple of groups went off down the road but all I could do was hang on to the main group. I managed that for a lap but got dropped with half a lap left. I was struggling to hang on and gave up and rolled in.

It was really a learning experience today and I learnt lots. How to save energy, not to be hanging off the back or sitting on the front. I'll be better next week. I found the group riding no bother and its a great buzz hitting about 60km zipping down the road in a group. The race averaged about 36km/hr but its the accelerations that really kill you. It was rolling along really slowly at times and it was savage pace at others. Proper leg burning stuff.

My team mate Morty got 6th today which is savage going mixing it with the A1's. A breakawayer made it to the finish and won with Ryan Sherlock leading the first group home in 2nd.

nomadic

Sunday

Nada. I spent my first total rest day for a while nursing quite the hangover.


Monday

2,200m swim
5 x 100m
1500m
2 x 100m

My swimming is plodding along ok. Its my lowest priority for the next 2 months so I'll be happy just to make little gains. I'm going to drop my Wednesday session in favor for a 60k bike spin down in Naas. There's a weekly spin(race) down there that'll be good race practice. I need to up my bike sessions to 5 a week so I'll have to make do with 2 swims a week for now.

5.6 mile run in 35.15, 6.18 min/miles
Fartlek run. My legs were fresh so this was a really nice run. A mixture of easy, 5 mile and quick pace. I'll have to manage my runs better and maybe drop the all out run for a few weeks.



Today is the start of my build period for Gorey. I think I'm going with Friel's 2x3 week build blocks(2 hard , 1 easy). Its basically crash training for 2 weeks with one recovery week times 2. I'll have a 2 week taper after that. I'll see how this week goes anyway but 5 bikes is the plan which I need to hit. I think I'm going to race Saturday and Sunday. Crash training, sounds painful. I'm well rested so its time to flog myself.

Bambaata

Some going there Nomadic! Im glad i didnt turn up at that duathlon :P

nomadic

Tuesday

4.5 mile run in 31.51, 7.04 min/miles.
I started off a tad quickly but soon reminded myself that it was supposed to be an easy run.


Bike hill reps session, 22.7km in about 1.20
I did a lap of the strawberry beds then 15 repeats of somerton lane. All seated except the last one. I nearly talked myself into quiting early after 10 but got the 15 done.

nomadic

Wednesday

3.39 mile run in 19.30, 5.45 min/miles
I didn't want to do the usual 5 miler at pace because of a key bike session later but I still wanted to get some speed in so I did a shorter 3 mile loop at pace. I was working hard. Really happy with the pace I held.

60km group bike @ 34.5km/hr
I headed down to naas where a big group heads out weekly. There was so many tonight it was split into 2 groups. It was a really good training spin with lots of race pace stuff and a little bit of a race for the last 10k. I didn't really understand that it had turned into a race so was surprised with the lads breaking down the road. I'll know for next week. Really good session, just what I need heading into the build weeks and race season.

nomadic

Thursday

5.6 mile run in 38.02, 6.47 min/miles
I ran at a fairly decent pace today so I can take it handy tomorrow and rest for the weekend. It turned out I was under fueled and was feeling it after a couple of miles. 2 days with lots of intensity obviously took its toll. I kept the pace up and wasn't totally bonking but I was definitely low on glycogen. I convinced myself that it was good training to be running under fueled and I got through it. Happy that the pace didn't drop and I didn't totally bonk. Time to get fueled up for the weekend now and take it easy. I had originally planned a bike for this evening but I can't do it now which is just as well.

El Director

Good stuff Nomadic. Great result at the Fingal Dua and a nice sclap for nice! Great race report from last week too, I can't wait for my first road race, my plan will be to sit in the main bunch and do nothing at all just obseve and learn.....maybe a 5k TT at the end who knows

That Weds session in Naas sounds like a handy mid week session too. Keep it up dude.

nomadic

Friday
Commute, thats it.
I missed my morning swim due to a few beers and a long day in work yesterday. I had planned an easy run at lunch but I was busy placing an order for the last of the parts for my new MTB race bike and I'm feeling a bit sluggish so I didn't bother.

El Director wrote: »

I can't wait for my first road race, my plan will be to sit in the main bunch and do nothing at all just obseve and learn.....maybe a 5k TT at the end who knows

That's what every triathlete plans alright.
Plan's go straight out the window when you chasing down the pack after 5 mins or have a rush of blood and jump off the front. Keeping a calm head is probably the best option. I'll see can I do any of that tomorrow. I reckon getting away with a small bunch that will work together is probably the best bet. The A3's last week did no work together which was a little frustrating. I think all the tactics are the best bit about road racing. Its pointless planning because anything could and will happen on the day. My only plan for this weekend is to not get dropped.

El Director

Ha, ya I can be a bit simple at times! Well good luck tomorrow man, look forward to the report.

nomadic

El Director wrote: »

Ha, ya I can be a bit simple at times! Well good luck tomorrow man, look forward to the report.

We all have these great plans worked out beforehand but thats the great part about road racing, you can't really plan.

nomadic

Mick Lally Memorial
Today was an A3 only race which was good as there was no waiting to be caught. The group was big, no idea how many but 80 - 100 I'd say. It was 3 laps out near summerhill totalling 67km. It started off fairly pacey and I found myself being fairly active early on. I was going for breaks straight away. Nothing got away and I had plenty of time up near the front. A break got away about half way around the 2nd lap and it ended up being the winning break. I tried to bridge the gap to the break(with a triathlete kamikaze special off the front) on the trim road and a bloke from Usher came with me. I got close and he sat in behind me then he broke away from me. He was only about 10m infront of me and if we had've worked together we'd have got to the break but he had other ideas. We were so close then he gave up. I told him that if we worked together we'd get up but he sat up. I wanted to keep hammering away as we had a nice gap on the pack but the legs were on fire and the break wasn't getting any closer. I changed my mind about 10 times about giving up by which time I was back in the pack.

I spent most of the rest of the race near the front doing no work as we had a team-mate up the road in the break. The teamwork thing is hard to take but it worked out well in the end. The bunch did no work to catch the break and had pretty much given up with about 10k to go. Myself and a few teammates got a bit more active when it was clear that the break wasn't going to be caught. I did another pointless attack off the front more for a bit of a workout than anything else. Coming up to the finish the break were really close to being caught and were only about 200m down the road. I rolled over the finish near the front of the pack happy enough with my day.

Today was so much easier than last week. Sitting in the bunch today was effortless and I was delighted to get involved in a bit of action. Our team mate Morty came 2nd in the end so all ended well. I think it averaged about 37km/hr. Really happy with today and hopefully I can rest the legs and get in the action tomorrow in Navan.

nomadic

Cycleways Cup

Another A3 only race today out in Navan. The weather was a little drizzly this morning and the roads were wet which I didn't like the look of. My legs were feeling it after yesterday but were ok. The plan was to sit tight for the first half and see how it goes.

It started off the usual frantic pace and was a little dangerous with lots of traffic on the opposite side of the road. My teammate Morty made a break and was joined By Richie from MAD so I tried to get up to them early on. No idea why, just to get a bit of work into the legs early on. I sat tight for the next 40k or so. A break went away but was caught at about 50k. There were no other serious breaks so it came down to a bunch sprint. I thought the race was 72k and I had no idea where the finish was so I made a break at 70k with another chap. 72k came and the finish was no where in sight:o. There was actually about another 10k before the line. Anyway we were swallowed by the bunch soon after and I spent most of ther last 10k on or near the front. I know its stupid to be on the front near the end but I was feeling good and not exactly overextending. The finish eventually came in sight and I was in the mix. It was unnerving up the front with lots of movement and very little room. I think I managed to block my teammate(who managed 8th in the end despite me blocking him) as things got tight in the last couple of hundred meters. I never really got a proper sprint in and think I was probably in the top 20. I think I could have done better but the whole situation near the end was new to me and I wasn't really focused on the task of sprinting. Next time.

The plan for this weekend was to get 2 races in to get used to multi day racing for the Gorey. I was feeling it a bit today after 50k but I felt really strong at the end which I'm delighted with. I reckon I can get in the mix at these races if I race a little smarter but I'm new to this and really enjoying racing. I did plenty of work both days so a good weekends training.

Thats week one of the first 3 week build block done and I'm happy with it. 4 quality bike sessions and 368km for the week. I'll maybe get an extra bike in this week and another 2 races next weekend. Its into a rest week then. I only got one swim in last week but got 4 runs in so it's no all bad.

El Director

Excellent stuff nomadic, enjoyed reading those reports, reading them makes me want to do one! You seem to be learning a lot along the way too. Well done.

nomadic

Monday

3.39 mile run in 25.00, 7.22 min/miles
A nice handy recovery run to get over the weekend. I'm not too sure if running acts as a recovery for cycling but there ya go. I spun it out on the commute aswell so a grand recovery day. I also ignored my 5.30 alarm call for swimming.


Tuesday

4.5 mile run in 28.45, 6.23 min/miles
Fartlek run. A nice mixture of paces over the shorter lunch route. I'm a bit cagey about my running at the mo. I want to keep up the improvements but I don't want it to affect the cycling.

Hill repeats, 29.45 km in 1.22.35 - 21.3km/hr
A warm up lap of the strawberry beds followed by 17 repeats of somerton lane. 15 seated with the last 2 standing for the top bit. 17 sounded like an awful lot at the start but some mind tricks got me through it.

ronanmac

El Director wrote: »

Excellent stuff nomadic, enjoyed reading those reports, reading them makes me want to do one! You seem to be learning a lot along the way too. Well done.

+1. These cycle race reports are fascinating... different world! Great stuff, nomadic, you're going well.

catweazle

ronanmac wrote: »

+1. These cycle race reports are fascinating... different world! Great stuff, nomadic, you're going well.

Yes I remember reading Kennyb3's and Showrys last year, the teamwork and equiette is very interesting, I know their average speeds are massaged by being within the group but its intimidating seeing average speeds of 37k for 70k

nomadic

Wednesday

5.6 mile run in 36.12, 6.28min/miles
Not a lot to say about this one. A nice steadily paces run.


60k Naas spin
It was bloody windy out there tonight but the pace didn't let up. Good group of 20 out tonight and a few dropped off early with the pace. I got caught out a couple of times and had to drill it into the wind to get back on the pain train. Another good tough workout.

nomadic

Thursday

Just the work commute done. I had planned another bike but I was sore and tired after 2 hard sessions so I gave that and the lunch run a miss.

Friday


2,300m swim
My first swim in nearly 2 weeks. It went ok.

3.39 mile run in 20.08, 5.56 min/miles
It was lashing rain so a quick blast at lunch was really refreshing.


Saturday

Ras Naoimh Finian, Clonard
Todays race was a handicap for all of the catergories over 70km. It was an out and back course with one turnaround point and that was it for corners. The A4's stayed away last year so they had a tougher handicap this year. The A4's had 2 mins on the A3's then the A1/A2's started 4 mins after the A3's.

It started raining at the start and was freezing. The A3 bunch started fairly quickly with the task of reeling in the A4's at hand. I got stuck into some work early on and did more than my fair share at the front. It only took 7km to catch the A4's. I took it handy after about 20km as I'd already done way too much work and was feeling it a little. There were no real serious breaks and it stayed together. The rain turned to snow nearing the halfway point and it was fairly grim heading into the wind. At the turnaround point we headed back towards clonard and we got to see the gap we had on the A1/A2 bunch. It was still at 3 mins at that stage and as we were with the wind now we were surely going to stay away. I saw my clubmate Morty making a move towards the front and I followed knowing he was going to attack. I was wrecked by the time we got to the front and couldn't go with him when he went. The move brough a few but it didn't get far. I jumped off the front just as that break got clawed in but I didn't get far before tiring. I actually ended up drifting right to the back of the 100+ bunch after being reeled in as I was really tired. I spent a bit near the back which was hard work so I headed towards ther front again to sit in. The A1/A2's never caught up so it was down to a bunch sprint again. I never got a decent place in the bunch and it was fast and furious at the end. I somehow had a bit of a coming together with one bloke about 200m out from the line and we were lucky to stay up. I broke a front spoke in the collision:( somehow and ended up walking over the line.

2 of the lads in the club came 3rd and 7th so it was a good day for EPIC. It averaged 40.4km/hr for the race so was a quick one.Hopefully I'll have a better day tomorrow in Newbridge.

nomadic

Sunday

Newbridge GP
This one was an A3 only race. 4 x 17.5km laps. There were 2 nice hills on it. One steep and short and the other not so steep but a bit of a long drag. I got my front wheel fixed last night and my legs were feeling good after yesterday.

A break went on the first lap and were caught on the 3rd. I had a bit of an incident on the first lap where a teammate tried a ridiculous overtaking maneuver on my left and managed to hit my front wheel(with his derailer I think) as he cut across me. The wheel seem ok, it was turning anyway. I started to struggle on the 3rd lap and having to slam on the breaks ans stop because someone came down infront had me detached from the group. I was struggling to get back on until the chap that fell passed me and towed me back to the pack. I struggled to hang onto the back of the pack for the next few km and got dropped on one of the climbs so I called it a day after the 3rd lap.

I considered suffering at the back of the pack for the last lap but it was obvious I wasn't myself and was suffering in the pack when usually it'd be easy. 5 races in 3 weeks has taken its toll. Rest week this week is needed. It turns out my front wheel got a good smack and was out of true. The brakes were rubbing the rim so this probably was part of why it was feeling so tough. I tried to true the wheel last night and and managed to round off a couple of nipples and write off a spoke. I'll have to drop it into a shop now.



Monday

3.39 mile run in 24.30, 7.13 min/miles

Just a nice handy recovery run in the sunshine.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I would love to eventually get into some racing when my cycling improves. Is it easy enough to get into and how do they work out what grade you sit in? Sorry for the newbie questions but i don't have a notion:o

shotgunmcos

+1, and whats the quality of bikes like. My aluminium roadie with bricks for wheels and a compact drivetrain may single me out as a complete rookie. Have you got race wheel on yours? How long does the season run? Did you jusmp straight into A3 wthout trying A4 first? Sorry about all the questions

nomadic

Edison Wooden Haze wrote: »

I would love to eventually get into some racing when my cycling improves. Is it easy enough to get into and how do they work out what grade you sit in? Sorry for the newbie questions but i don't have a notion:o

A4 beginners
A3 Majority
A2 Very good Cyclists
A1 Deadly/semi pro

A4 is totally beginner friendly so jump on in there or A3 if your feeling a bit stronger. Loads of people doing their first race or first season in A4.

You need a race licence(€120 if in a cycling club) or day licences(€20 a pop I think). Just rock on up to any race and sign on. The licence is expensive but races are only €10 a go so it works out cheaper than triathlon.

shotgunmcos wrote:

+1, and whats the quality of bikes like. My aluminium roadie with bricks for wheels and a compact drivetrain may single me out as a complete rookie. Have you got race wheel on yours? How long does the season run? Did you jusmp straight into A3 wthout trying A4 first? Sorry about all the questions

Don't worry about the bike. All types of bikes about, usually the really flash dudes with carbon wheels are crap anyway. I'm running a compact as well. Seems ideal, I haven't gone into the small ring yet. The season ends about September I think. I got a set of race wheels but their nothing too flash, fulcrum racing 3's. I'll probably have to stick the old front wheel back on until I get the new one fixed. I jumped straight into A3 because I thought I'd be strong enough and I was, eventually. Don't even think of going near A4 unless your up for some glory. You're more than able for A3.

El Director

Tough weekend Nomadic there but I'm sure you are learning loads. Are these races mainly for training? If not then maybe concentrate on one at the weekend instead of two high intensity races you could have one and one easy spin then.

Thanks for answering those questions too. I want to race on the weekend of April 8/9th but there are no duathlons so I think I will come along to one of those races, I have a club comp licence so I can pay on the day for a one day competition licence right?

nomadic

El Director wrote: »

Tough weekend Nomadic there but I'm sure you are learning loads. Are these races mainly for training?

Training for the Gorey 3 day, yea. It's my first A race of the season. 3 day, 4 stage race on the easter weekend so its not far away now. The double races are mainly to get used to racing on tired legs.

I have a club comp licence so I can pay on the day for a one day competition licence right?

Yup, day licence is €10 with a club competition licence.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Last question promise:) Where can i find a list of road races, i tried cycling ireland and their calenders seems fairly empty?
I think i will do my first one in A4 and take it from there.

nomadic

Edison Wooden Haze wrote: »

Last question promise:) Where can i find a list of road races, i tried cycling ireland and their calenders seems fairly empty?
I think i will do my first one in A4 and take it from there.

http://www.irishcycling.com/events/calendar/ is usually the best spot.

nomadic

Tuesday

5.6 mile run in 35.05, 6.16 min miles
Tempo run

Wednesday

5.6 mile run in 36.52, 6.35 min/miles
Fartlek

Thursday

1 hour MTB spin
I got my new race bike put together and took it out for a test run.


Friday

Just the commute to work

Saturday

Fingal Duathlon 2

I had an easy week this week so should have been fresh. There were some familiar faces out again and some not so familiar. I felt fairly sluggish on the first flat bit of the run and was letting the first few drift off in front. The hill arrived and it was the usual pumping the arms and legs to get up it. I passed a few on the hill. I picked off a few heading back down and was in about 10th heading into transition. Out on the bike and I was about 6th leaving transition. 1st and 2nd were well down the road. I was passed early on and sat 4th for a while. I was passed again by the big man about 5k in and I never let him far from sight. The bike was uneventful. The first 3 disappeared into the distance and I stayed 5th not far from the big lad. I knew I'd take him on the run. I passed him early on the run and didn't really have anything to chase after that so finished 4th again.

Run 1: 8.46 (8 seconds slower than first race)
Bike: 33.55 (3 seconds quicker than first race)
Run 2: 9.42 (5 seconds slower than first race)
Total:52.24 (9 seconds slower)

I don't know why I was slower running, just wasn't really feeling it and I'm a bit disappointed with the bike split. I should be fresh but it just didn't happen.

There was no drafting today which was good. You can really see who benefited from the drafting last time out with the 2nd and 3rd place people from last time out being 1 min, and 1.30 off there bike times from last time and finishing 8th and 6th. I was 3 seconds quicker thankfully.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Well done Nomadic good placing. I finished about 7 minutes behind you:o