Chasing the Kona dream and a Mai Tai cocktail

menoscemo

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Nutrition was bang on but i was probably off by about 1ltr/1.5ltr in fluids as i only pissed twice on the ride.

Did you do this mid cycle or did you pull over to the bushes? If the former, does this cause any issues such as chafing?
Just curious :pac:

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

menoscemo wrote: »

Did you do this mid cycle or did you pull over to the bushes? If the former, does this cause any issues such as chafing?
Just curious :pac:

No i pulled over, after all it is just a training ride:) I save pissing on the go for races and no it does not chaf that much:D

Abhainn

What a sweet weekend Jackyback. Total envey of your efforts, ...

Izoard

Great work - you are all set, so just keep healthy and it will be a blast on the day.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Week 34 Summary
04th June - 10th July|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|17|26:00|508.01km
Swimming|4|5:40|13.7km
Cycling|7|13:24|420.06km
Running|5|6:11|74.25km
Conditioning|1|00:45|Strengthening Work/Core - Gym
Other|0|0:00|


Totals so far
15th Nov- 10th July|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|391|467:39|8506.84km
Swimming|87|81:08|218.65km
Cycling|129|221:39|6679.45km
Running|146|139:52|1608.74km
Conditioning|23|21:00|Strengthening Work - Gym
Other|6|4:00|Stretching & Swim Coaching


Well this was my biggest week of the whole programme and it came a little bit unexpected given the two weeks previous. I got through the end of the week tired but not broken which someone highlighted as being how you should feel after your last big week. Lots of quality sessions mixed in and i am really happy with how the 3 key sessions went over the weekend.
All the hard graft is done so i just need to ensure that i get the taper right. In the past i have either done to little or much so i need to make sure i get it spot on. Something like reducing down to 16hrs this week, 10 hours the following with 5 or so leading into the race week, thoughts on this?

Watching the updates of Roth yesterday has me rearing to go. Some fantastic performances by the boardsies and they should be very proud with what they have achieved.

@Izoard - should you not be suffering this morning instead of posting:)

Izoard

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

@Izoard - should you not be suffering this morning instead of posting:)

Up early with the road works outside our classy hotel...I'm sure the likes of Chrissie W doesn't have to put up with these problems...:)

El Director

That was a nice weekends training JB. Great that you feel you are ready and of course you are. I'm sure you are inspired by the 3 lads in Roth at the weekend and can't wait now for your turn!

Macanri

+1 A BIG weekend put down there.

Enjoy the taper and the free time it will bring.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Monday
Rest day, well apart from a small hike around the trails in Towney Hall. Had the kids fooled into believing we were lost and had to camp out for the night....bad Daddy:)

Tuesday
Easy Lunchtime Run
This was a laboured effort and the legs were sluggish to start off with but improved as the run went on. Lovely day to be out running.
Distance: 7.17km
Time: 38:30
Pace: 5:22km
HR: 144/172

A gold swim in SBR
Done 2 loops of Clogherhead last night which finally gets me a swim gold in the SBR. When driving home it hit me that i have covered over 200kms of swimming which for me is huge however if i am being honest i would say 100-120km of it is pure junk in terms of quality sessions.
The swim is the only part of my training were i have not seen huge improvements but i know how to fix that for next year by training smarter, following set programmes/structure and group swims with the local tri club. I have an ambitous goal set for the next few years and the swim would need to improve to achieve it.
Distance: 2.4kms
Time: 55 mins

El Director wrote: »

That was a nice weekends training JB. Great that you feel you are ready and of course you are. I'm sure you are inspired by the 3 lads in Roth at the weekend and can't wait now for your turn!

Weird as it may sound but i felt like i was racing it with them. I was even checking updates on my phone when i was out doing my LSR. Great performances and hopefully i can pick up some tips from their reports.

Macanri wrote: »

+1 A BIG weekend put down there.

Enjoy the taper and the free time it will bring.

Already enjoying it Mick. Are you doing that 2.5k swim race in Clogherhead at the weekend with the Prawn Festival on, could be a good training session?
If i am not going camping with the kids i might do it with a cycle straight after if you are interested. I think Interested is heading up to it and cycling back to Dublin after it.

Macanri

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Already enjoying it Mick. Are you doing that 2.5k swim race in Clogherhead at the weekend with the Prawn Festival on, could be a good training session?
If i am not going camping with the kids i might do it with a cycle straight after if you are interested. I think Interested is heading up to it and cycling back to Dublin after it.

Good stuff.

Yea I heard about this swim last year and was thinking about it for this year. But Mrs Mac is heading away with the girls overnight Sat. So I'll have to leave it til next year. Thanks for the heads up anyway.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Wednesday
Easy club cycle
I ended up going out with a few from the tri club but it turned out to be a very slow affair and i got nothing out of it bar an easy recovery spin. I dropped in some intensity for about 10 minutes as i left the group and joined back up with them. Another nice evening.
Distance: 45.15km
Time: 1:41:56
Avg speed: 26.6kmph
HR: No hrm but very low 100's i reckon.

Thursday
22km - Reduced LSR
Decided to get this shorter LSR out of the way midweek to free up time at the weekend for family fun. Joined in with a few from the club for half the run who were doing laps as most of them are racing the 5 miler at the weekend.
Distance: 22km
Time: 1:49:47
Pace: 4:59km
HR:156

Just sitting down now to watch the fun start in the TDF, i have stuck a small bet on Evans for the GC.

Mellor

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Easy club cycle
Distance: 45.15km

22km - Reduced LSR
Distance: 22km
Time: 1:49:47

There isn't an smiley face to describe this...

El Director

Well done JB on swim gold, 200 km of swimming is immense when you think about it...The Channel almost 6 times!

griffin100

Try and 'enjoy' the taper;) You got the logistics for Bolton sorted out?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Mellor wrote: »

There isn't an smiley face to describe this...

Not even this one

El Director wrote: »

Well done JB on swim gold, 200 km of swimming is immense when you think about it...The Channel almost 6 times!

When you put it like that:eek:

griffin100 wrote: »

Try and 'enjoy' the taper;) You got the logistics for Bolton sorted out?

Oh i am very much enjoying it probably a little too much. Yeah logistics sorted out, taking the ferry over early on Friday morning which gives me plenty of time to suss out the course. Did you do one loop of the bike course as a recce when you went last year? They have the lake open on the Saturday morning so i will try get an easy 30 minutes in just to get used to gulping down duck crap:o

griffin100

Did you do one loop of the bike course as a recce when you went last year? They have the lake open on the Saturday morning so i will try get an easy 30 minutes in just to get used to gulping down duck crap

I didn't bother sussing out the course, I had enough time on the day to get to know it:o. It might be an idea to have a look at Sheep Lane Hill if you get the time but I think you'll get more from a swim in the lake. Definitely try and get a swim in so you know what's in store for the big day. I found the practice swim a big help. Jitters must be starting about now:)

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

griffin100 wrote: »

I didn't bother sussing out the course, I had enough time on the day to get to know it:o. It might be an idea to have a look at Sheep Lane Hill if you get the time but I think you'll get more from a swim in the lake. Definitely try and get a swim in so you know what's in store for the big day. I found the practice swim a big help. Jitters must be starting about now:)

No jitters just yet although that will change as i get into race week. I will probably recce the bike course on the Friday and do a practice swim on Satuday and then laze about the rest of Saturday eating kebabs and skulling a few pints for the race build up:)

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Friday
Lunchtime Swim
Just done a 100/200/300/400/500/400/300/200/100 pyramid. Felt sluggish in the pool today and took a long break....joys of being the boss.
Distance: 2500mtrs
Time: 55 mins

Friday evening spin
Do not have the garmin file to hand as up North but i was out with a mate that i have not cycled with in a while. For the first 35km we had a slight tailwind/crosswind and averaging 34kmph and he was going well. I was thinking to myself fck he has improved or else i am **** all of a sudden. On the way back was a different story, for those who have cycled castlebellingham into drogheda via dunleer will tell you its tough enough with rolling hills but add in a a 30km headwind its tough going. We averaged about 26km coming back in and i had to tow the mate in all the way as he was fcked. Obviously not as sharp as i first thought:)
Distance: 61.2km
Time: 2:01 or something
Avg speed: 30.1kmph
HR: 139

Saturday
Clogherhead 2.5km "Round the Head Swim"
Ended up not doing this as the missus had headed up the North with the kids and had my bloody wetsuit in the back. Decided to head down with just my togs but bottled out of doing it commando:) Met up with Interested before kick off and got some great swim and general IM advice from. Ended up doing a gentle run over the head whilst watching the swim. There was one guy i watched out front and he was miles in front of everyone, i thought to myself that guy must have an onboard motor fitted.
Ended up on the slipway before the finish and low and behold the guy with the onboard motor was Interested in 35 mins and first home in tough conditions with 2nd place some 5 mins away:pac:

Up North with the family so i will probably aim for a 100k turbo on the IM Austria or Roth course tomorrow. Plans being put in place for next year and i am pretty much happy in the way i am approaching it compared to this year. IM is very much a lifestyle change!!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Sunday
I had planned to do about 100km easy on the turbo on the Challenge Roth course. I ended up getting off the bike at 68.5km as its obvious the gpx file i imported is wrong with 2500mtrs of climbing which cannot be right. Some of the climbing was in excess of 18% gradient At least i managed to get the HRM working on the Tacx. Having failed to get the garmin hrm to link up to it i purchased a polar t31 hrm and it seems to be working fine:)

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Week 35 Summary - Week 1 Taper
11th June - 17th July|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|9|11:13|213.96km
Swimming|2|1:50|4.9km
Cycling|3|5:58|174.89km
Running|3|2:55|34.17km
Conditioning|1|00:30|Strengthening Work/Core - Gym
Other|0|0:00|


Totals so far
15th Nov- 17th July|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|400|478:52|8720.8km
Swimming|89|82:58|223.55km
Cycling|132|227:37|6854.34km
Running|149|142:47|1642.91km
Conditioning|24|21:30|Strengthening Work - Gym
Other|6|4:00|Stretching & Swim Coaching


A fairly easy week and probably 4 or 5 hours lighter than i would have liked but sure less is probably more at this stage of the game. Dissapointed to miss that swim on Saturday as i was looking forward to it. Booking myself in for a rub down midweek as taper madness is slowly setting in as i feel little niggles in the calfs/hams/quads/everywhere really:rolleyes:

I alluded in an earlier post to making plans for next year. I would have much rather waited until after my first IM to consider if i want to do another one but the way they are selling out so fast i had to commit. I have really enjoyed the IM training experience this year and it has changed me as a person for the better!! I would have done a lot of lazing about in the past and not using my time well. With all the juggling this year my time management is now excellent and i manage to fit a huge amount in each week with keeping family life as the main focus and everything built around that.

Approval was sought and granted for another go at IM next year but off a shorter period as there will be no need to have such a huge base like this year as long as i maintain fitness over the Winter. Some changes will be made most notably i have recruited the services of a coach which i am very pleased about. I think this will save me plenty of time but more importantly focus around effective and time efficient training along with the guidance i badly need at times. I have no doubt i can achieve more with less volume but i am under no illusions that it will be much tougher training. I will be tailoring the programme along with my coach to fit in with family/work life so for me it was a no brainer to go down this route.

Approval of such things as doing another IM does come at a price however, Mrs JB will be going to either Vegas/NY on a girls holiday/shopping trip next year and i have a long list of DIY items to clear off the list prior to commencing my training for next year:)
So next year........

Congratulations, your participation in "Challenge Roth" was successfully transfered and accepted. We are looking forward to see you in Roth at 08.07.2012.
See you at the finishline.

TEAMChallenge GmbH

This IM distance lark is infectious:)

menoscemo

You'll still be doing the Conn ultra though, won't you? Looking forward to some long runs with you through the winter...

When Is the race exactly and what is the goal? From my limited IM knowledge, Roth is a fair bit fast than UKIM?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

menoscemo wrote: »

You'll still be doing the Conn ultra though, won't you? Looking forward to some long runs with you through the winter...

When Is the race exactly and what is the goal? From my limited IM knowledge, Roth is a fair bit fast than UKIM?

I was looking forward to Conn but it will have to be postponed until 2013(easy money for you) as the two simply do not gel. Tri is what i want to be focussing on next year.

Roth is very much the A goal for next year along with a fast marathon attempt which is yet to be finalised as waiting on my coaches input regarding fitting it into the plan. Roth is way faster than UKIM so i will be training for a super fast time although its way to early to even consider time projections.
I am sure i will still get out for a few long runs with you in the Winter just not as long as you are doing:)

menoscemo

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I was looking forward to Conn but it will have to be postponed until 2013(easy money for you) as the two simply do not gel. Tri is what i want to be focussing on next year.

Roth is very much the A goal for next year along with a fast marathon attempt which is yet to be finalised as waiting on my coaches input regarding fitting it into the plan. Roth is way faster than UKIM so i will be training for a super fast time although its way to early to even consider time projections.
I am sure i will still get out for a few long runs with you in the Winter just not as long as you are doing:)

Awww shucks, so that was all just drunken Bravado from you and Brain n Limerick then :pac:. I guess I'll hold onto Brian's forfeit money now as I'll be the only one doing it. That reminds me, I better book it asap, sold out pretty quickly last year...

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

menoscemo wrote: »

Awww shucks, so that was all just drunken Bravado from you and Brain n Limerick then :pac:. I guess I'll hold onto Brian's forfeit money now as I'll be the only one doing it. That reminds me, I better book it asap, sold out pretty quickly last year...

Not at all i was genuinely doing it but when i sat down to plan out what i want to do next year Ultras had to fall off the list:) I will have my victory another day:p

Izoard

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I was looking forward to Conn but it will have to be postponed until 2013(easy money for you) as the two simply do not gel. Tri is what i want to be focussing on next year.

Roth is very much the A goal for next year along with a fast marathon attempt which is yet to be finalised as waiting on my coaches input regarding fitting it into the plan. Roth is way faster than UKIM so i will be training for a super fast time although its way to early to even consider time projections.
I am sure i will still get out for a few long runs with you in the Winter just not as long as you are doing:)

How very dare you!:)

JB - all the best with IM UK, really looking forward to the report.

I've no doubt you'd kill a course like Roth...I'm already wondering if I can again weasle out of my solemn promise not to do an IM next year...:eek:

kennyb3

Hi JB,

Signed up for another IM before doing your first - hero!

Anyway just wondering about the coaching thing, as might be something i consider some day and there are not many here who have gone about it so hope you dont mind be bending your ear. Anyway just wondering how you went about selecting one? What level of input you expect/will get?

Drop me a PM if you dont mind answering the questions but dont wanna disclose too much.

Anyway I defo think you'll come on a load for it you ll see much better results for less time no doubt.

PS did you ever get them fulcrum 3's? What you think of them?

Have a look at schwalbe ZX's if you are changing tyres any time soon - savage, they roll unbelievably.

El Director

kennyb3 wrote: »

Hi JB,

Signed up for another IM before doing your first - hero!

Anyway just wondering about the coaching thing, as might be something i consider some day and there are not many here who have gone about it so hope you dont mind be bending your ear. Anyway just wondering how you went about selecting one? What level of input you expect/will get?

Drop me a PM if you dont mind answering the questions but dont wanna disclose too much.

Anyway I defo think you'll come on a load for it you ll see much better results for less time no doubt.

PS did you ever get them fulcrum 3's? What you think of them?

Have a look at schwalbe ZX's if you are changing tyres any time soon - savage, they roll unbelievably.

+1 on that JB - I'd be interested in the answer to those questions too if you don't mind.

So Roth next year, you're some man...ya haven't even one done and following you and shotgun has put me of forever

So booked my flights to Manchester for Sat 30th and looking forward to supporting Ronan (Linda's bro) and you! Also looking forward to seeing what the atmosphere is like at an IM event...it might inspire me.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

@ Izo - If you did get permission:rolleyes: which one would you target for next year?

@KB/ElD - I sent you guys a pm rather than discuss on here.

Izoard

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

@ Izo - If you did get permission:rolleyes: which one would you target for next year?

At the moment, Austria, but the timing is terrible work-wise...:(

griffin100

Interested in your choice of big race for next year. Were you not tempted by a Kona qualifier?