Chasing the Kona dream and a Mai Tai cocktail

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Ran DCM yesterday. It was fun (for a while) but then became painful, not cardio wise but my legs just felt brutal from around 16 miles onward. 2 IMs and a marathon is too much in 10 weeks, go figure. The initial plan was to try get Tango under 3.10 and we were comfortable going through halfway at 1.35. 3 miles later and both of us were suffering the same faith, at least we stuck out the 26miles with a smile on the face.

Has got me thinking i really need to just get the sub 3hr done early next year. Rotterdam will be the place where it happens.

Mellor

Had my first Mai Thai at the weekend...Thought of you.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

7 years, multiple races and adventures, 5 Ironman finishes and lots of good memories. That's it for now, it's been a blast but other challenges beckon.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

The other challenges I mentioned nearly a year ago are still happening, starting a Masters in Sept amongst other things. Original plan was to step out for 2 years but I heard the 2nd year, 2019 will be brutal so no chance of racing. Which leads to me to 40 year old me next year. Plan is IMCPH but I really want to do Roth (2012 unfinished business) as well but I did not get an entry.
No idea how I will fit in training but as always the family are 100% behind it.

RacoonQueen

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

The other challenges I mentioned nearly a year ago are still happening, starting a Masters in Sept amongst other things. Original plan was to step out for 2 years but I heard the 2nd year, 2019 will be brutal so no chance of racing. Which leads to me to 40 year old me next year. Plan is IMCPH but I really want to do Roth (2012 unfinished business) as well but I did not get an entry.
No idea how I will fit in training but as always the family are 100% behind it.

Do you break for the summer in the masters? Or work right through? I'm studying too but finished exams start of June, one of the reasons I switched to the race later in the year was that I wasn't getting training done during the academic year.

Be good to have you back logging!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Do you break for the summer in the masters? Or work right through? I'm studying too but finished exams start of June, one of the reasons I switched to the race later in the year was that I wasn't getting training done during the academic year.

Be good to have you back logging!

Outline schedule looks like breaking July/Aug in year 1 but year 2 right through with exams, projects and assignments. I heard 30hrs a week is the norm in year 2 including lectures.

mossym

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

. I heard 30hrs a week is the norm in year 2 excluding lectures.

just said i'd correct that for you..:)

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

mossym wrote: »

just said i'd correct that for you..:)

Thanks for that :rolleyes:

You know yourself most of it is reading and absorbing information. Have pre read the text of 3 course modules and condensed into study notes in advance so probably well ahead. The fact I know most of the course material from doing the big piece for me is writing papers, referencing papers etc.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

4 weeks of easy training with some running and cycling, roughly 6-7hrs a week. Hardly surprising i have a lot of work to get back to bike fitness from 2016 (down about 80w) but it will happen. Swimming will start in a few weeks when i get the log cabin sorted as i am not joining back up to the gym/pool.
IM Copenhagen has been entered and the aim to Xmas is to try and hit a few consistent 8-10hrs training a week.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

After years of watching me doing Tri Mrs JB has decided if you can't beat them join them. She has signed up to do a HIM in Marbella in April.

RacoonQueen

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

After years of watching me doing Tri Mrs JB has decided if you can't beat them join them. She has signed up to do a HIM in Marbella in April.

She'll be a better swimmer than you and I by then

RJM85

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

After years of watching me doing Tri Mrs JB has decided if you can't beat them join them. She has signed up to do a HIM in Marbella in April.

I suppose she's on the lookout for a coach? ;-)

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

She'll be a better swimmer than you and I by then

Well that would not be hard

RJM85 wrote: »

I suppose she's on the lookout for a coach? ;-)

Finally i get to tell her what to do.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

After a previous failed attempt I managed to get in for Roth this morning. So a repeat of 2016 with 2 IMs in 7 weeks....it worked last time.

No seafood allowed this time for Roth!

pgibbo

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

After a previous failed attempt I managed to get in for Roth this morning. So a repeat of 2016 with 2 IMs in 7 weeks....it worked last time.

No seafood allowed this time for Roth!

How did you get in? Did it re-open?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

pgibbo wrote: »

How did you get in? Did it re-open?

For those that attempted original entry and did not succeed they sent out another email as some slots became available. I can only assume those that registered and got a place did not follow through with payment as it's a 2 step process this year.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Ah Kona time. Still a dream of mine even it's a good bit away. If i could swim 15mins quicker, bike 5mins quicker and run 20mins quicker I could get there. Seems easy when you say it like that, as if:)

Good luck to all the Irish racing.

RacoonQueen

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Ah Kona time. Still a dream of mine even it's a good bit away. If i could swim 15mins quicker, bike 5mins quicker and run 20mins quicker I could get there. Seems easy when you say it like that, as if:)

Good luck to all the Irish racing.

You're not getting any younger, so times will slower for you

pgibbo

Would it not be easier or better to balance the gains across the bike & run rather than trying to gain 20 on the run?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You're not getting any younger, so times will slower for you

Those old boys are not getting much slower

pgibbo wrote: »

Would it not be easier or better to balance the gains across the bike & run rather than trying to gain 20 on the run?

I was talking relative to the winner in my AG on each split (using IMMT as an example) Swim 20min behind, bike 6mins behind and run 18min behind. The swim and run are the biggest time gains to be had. Obviously, bike strength fits into running well.
For me, the swim (as it always has been) means I am chasing the race all day and not getting into the faster packs on the bike.

I was half joking anyhow, I cannot give it the proper time commitment it needs and deserves to qualify so have to make do with what I can get done...which right now is 6-7hrs a week.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Mon 16th - 45min run in the new pain cave. 5.18km pace very easy
Tue 17th- 40min turbo with 5x3BG work
Wed 18th - 30min easy run. 5.27km pace & 20min core work (shocking)
Thurs 19th - 2hr easy cycle before college, wind was brutal so was not as easy as I had planned.
Fri 20th - Nothing, assignments and work took priority
Sat 21st - 90min turbo on zwift at IM intensity on the TT bike which went better than I expected, short 15min run off it, 2k @ 4:30km pace and 1k easy
Sun 22nd - 10k steady @ 4.20km pace with 3k cool down afterwards.
7hrs for the week will have to make do.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Mon 23rd - 30min easy run, 6.2km at marathon pacers pace
Tue 24th- 45min turbo with 4x4BG work, it was after 11pm when I got started but after a busy day I wanted to get some training in, turned out to be a good session.
Wed 25th - 45min easy run at lunchtime. 9km & 30min core work (ouch)
Thurs 26th - 75min easy cycle before college
Fri 27th - Nothing, rest day
Sat 28th - A short 25min run on Zwift with 2x1km fast at sub 3 pace
Sun 29th - A 42k run around Dublin - One of the 3:30 pacers for DCM, very enjoyable and job done with a 3:29:38. Got a good few across the line and the legs held up well.

7.5hrs for the week and 62k of running. Swimming starts back this week and that's going to be a big focus over Winter.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Very little done this week until the back end of the week. Mon-Fri I was focussed on getting the Endless Pool assembled, given I done all the work myself I have a better understanding of what goes where and how it works.

Sat 04th - AM 90min cycle with Dolan, lower back sore for most of the cycle due to doing some manual labour for a change. Working hard for the last 20mins holding his wheel as I needed to get back for a kids football match so were pushing the pace.
PM - 30min E/Pool, the first session in it. After a few minutes (thanks to the swim mirror) I can see what I am doing wrong, will just need to focus on one thing at a time to fix my stroke. The main set was 10x2mins @ 1.50 pace, I had set it to 1.45 but that was a tad ambitious with my 1st swim back in over a year. The E/Pool really makes you work harder on body position and stay streamlined. It's more akin to OW swimming than pool swimming.

Sun 05th - Another 30min swim. Main set 5x4mins & a more controlled and slower 2min per 100 pace. Focusing on left-hand entry which in turn was helping with another issue (snaking in the water). Enjoyable session.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Mon 06th - 30min easy lunchtime run, 4.58k pace, 30min swim, main set 10x1:50 pace and 10sec recovery.
Tue 07th- BG turbo, all at 55rpm. 4x5min @ +250w
Wed 08th - 40min swim, main 2 sets of 10x1min @ 1:40 pace. Found the pace tough to hold but a bit like a treadmill, you either keep up or get thrown out the back:o 30min S&C workout
Thurs 09th - 1hr IM effort on the turbo, about 30-40w off from 2016 levels but it will come back. Brick run - just the 15mins @ 4.50 pace
Fri 10th - Quick swim before heading out, straight 30min @ 1.55 pace setting.
Sat 11th - 35min swim with the main set of 2x8mins @ 1.50 pace and 5x2mins @1.45 pace.
Sun 12th - 9k run, was not pushing the pace at all and I thought the garmin was misreading as this was very comfortable. 4.12k pace.

6hrs for the week and 4 swims. Not earth shattering hours by any means but with 32hrs of coursework on top of the day job for last week, I will take it.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Some great swimming on holidays the last week and much needed RnR. Isla Mujeres in Mexico is without doubt the best place I have ever swam in, crystal clear water and I had 3 dolphins for company!

shotgunmcos

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Some great swimming on holidays the last week and much needed RnR. Isla Mujeres in Mexico is without doubt the best place I have ever swam in, crystal clear water and I had 3 dolphins for company!

Jealous doesn't cut it.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

It is 6 weeks since I last updated, I have been managing 6hrs a week on average although that dropped off a small bit on holiday. Having to be very creative with my training time in between family, work, and study but enjoying it all the same as it takes my mind to a different place. At the moment nearly all the training is done indoors, whilst not ideal it's better than doing nothing. Finding some real benefit with the endless pool, immediate feedback and takes away any excuses for not being able to get to the pool.
Roth is only 173 days away where I will find out what return you get for 6hrs a week:)

Kurt.Godel

Are you doing any specific sessions with your Endless Pool? How do you manage sinking legs at slower speeds?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Are you doing any specific sessions with your Endless Pool? How do you manage sinking legs at slower speeds?

Just the usual sets I did in the pool, the key point I am being more consistent. Working on addressing a few issues most notably body position and sinking legs. I find the endless pool really highlights poor body position and you have to work that bit extra to keep yourself streamlined in the water.
I noticed a difference in OW whilst away but must do some 100/200/400 tt in the local pool to see how the endless pool transfers across.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Managed 11.5hrs last week and there was a good chunk of quality work in there. Nice 90min progression run to above race pace (above HIM effort) probably a stand out session.covered the HM distance in 1:33 but was struggling with the faster efforts towards the end but managed to hit what I needed to