Rocky Road to Rot(h)...

kingQuez · 03-05-2011 1:31pm

Izoard wrote: »

TCD pool closed for a month! WTF?????

hmm... glad i didn't renew my membership when it died a couple of months ago! sure isnt it time to be in the OW anyway?

Izoard · 03-05-2011 1:37pm

kingQuez wrote: »

hmm... glad i didn't renew my membership when it died a couple of months ago! sure isnt it time to be in the OW anyway?

I'll probably re-locate to Carlisle...that will feel like swimming in the OW anyways...:rolleyes:

Oryx · 03-05-2011 1:39pm

We start OW in two weeks. Am taking high strength HTFU at the moment in preparation.

Izoard · 04-05-2011 2:03pm

OW? A bit early for all that, eh?:)

Braved Carlisle this morning..why is the water always murky in that gym?

Even at 6:30am, the pool is busy, but got through 3.1k in the time allowed, despite some breaststroke lengths in traffic:rolleyes:

Izoard · 09-05-2011 10:54am

Managed to do my first 20hrs + week...I had done a number of 19hrs+ weeks last year, but never got over the 20, so another box ticked.

Swimming in Carlisle is not quite as dire as I first imagined, although the view is much better in TCD:)

Mrs I is off to NY this week, so my main focus is to try to sort out babysitting logistics for the Tri an Mhi HIM on Sat!

Looking forward to this race - because of the lack of long bike rides, I've no idea how I'm going, but it is great to finally have an event after months of solo toiling...

shotgunmcos · 09-05-2011 11:37am

Izoard wrote: »

Looking forward to this race - because of the lack of long bike rides, I've no idea how I'm going, but it is great to finally have an event after months of solo toiling...

'Tis, best of luck with it. What day are you landing in Roth? I'm staying in Allersberg, a little town about 3km from the start and 6km from Roth. I'm going to drive the bike course and some stage before the race if you want to come along

Izoard · 09-05-2011 12:14pm

shotgunmcos wrote: »

'Tis, best of luck with it. What day are you landing in Roth? I'm staying in Allersberg, a little town about 3km from the start and 6km from Roth. I'm going to drive the bike course and some stage before the race if you want to come along

Flying to Munich on the Friday and based in Nuremburg. Would be well up for a reccie, if the timing suits you.

Izoard · 13-05-2011 4:46pm

Jeez, hailstorm just passed by. Perfect HIM weather:eek:

Izoard · 15-05-2011 9:48am

A sleepy Grandmother arrives @ 6am to take charge of the hooligans and I’m off.
Nice day in Dublin, but by the time I get to Westmeath, it is windy and cold – no rain yet though.

Caught up with griffin100 who was anxiously awaiting the call that the latest was on it’s way – now there’s pressure!

Eventually get into the water – cold, but clear and off we go.
With ~130 or so in the water, we were quite spread out and I lost concentration twice, resulting in 2 major deviations from the race line. Only breathing on one side is always an issue for me- given Roth is in a narrow canal, it should be less of a problem.
Despite the 2 spins off-course, swim done in 34.39 – I’d say the course was a little short on that basis.

A lot of faffing around in transition, before finally deciding on the required clothing (what a waste of time that was….).

Rolling course until the first spin up the climb at 16km – was on the lowest gear as soon as I hit it.
Next obstacle was a f*cking rabid dog at 20km – now, I love dogs, but not ones that are roaming the roads, foaming at the mouth – a pursuit for a couple of hundred meters ensued before he finally got bored.
Soon after griffin went past me and we yo-yo’d to the finish from there.

Then the rain came.

We had heavy hail showers in Dublin on Friday and this was similar (not so many hailstones however). With the wind, rain, heavy surface water and rolling terrain, this turned into a suffer-fest.
A horrible 3.29.25 off the bike, but funnily enough, I was just happy to be done.

More time wasted in transition, trying to get fresh socks onto frozen feet, but glad to be out on the run.

The wind and heavy rain continued – changing the socks was a waste of time, with the surface water. Was slow starting out, as I couldn’t get going until my legs and feet warmed up.

Caught a lad I know, who is a bit of an uber-biker, so was feeling a lot better about my bike when I saw him – it must have been tough. However, when he veered off for home at the end of his 2nd mini-lap, I wasn’t quite so cocky.

Really enjoyed the 2nd half of the run and was catching quite a few towards the end. 1.47.01 – happy enough there, given the pain on the bike and the rolling run course.

Overall 5.54.55.

Poor, but in the end I was happy to be under 6hrs.

Only highlight, was that I didn’t have to stop for a bio break on the bike or the run – easier than I thought:)

Abhainn · 15-05-2011 12:46pm

Not an easy one there Izoard but good on ya. Bike seemed challenging, going by splits on the results sheet. And the winner just had a 2:50 bike

catweazle · 15-05-2011 5:10pm

Abhainn wrote: »

Not an easy one there Izoard but good on ya. Bike seemed challenging, going by splits on the results sheet. And the winner just had a 2:50 bike

Marrey was 2.20 winning in Swinford last year - puts the difficulty in the bike in perspective. Great run off the bike too, you are in good form

handangeo · 16-05-2011 5:34pm

Good Stuff - see the training is going well then! I've fallen off the wagon the last month - domestic issues! not sure whether i will make it to Roth at this stage. Its all still in the balance

Izoard · 17-05-2011 11:35am

handangeo wrote: »

Good Stuff - see the training is going well then! I've fallen off the wagon the last month - domestic issues! not sure whether i will make it to Roth at this stage. Its all still in the balance

Hey handangeo - like yourself, training is hit & miss - certainly, the long bike has been absent this year.
Hope you make it to the start line in Roth!

Izoard · 17-05-2011 11:38am

Abhainn wrote: »

Not an easy one there Izoard but good on ya. Bike seemed challenging, going by splits on the results sheet. And the winner just had a 2:50 bike

Aside from the cat conditions, I was comfortable on the bike, so still with an outside chance of hitting 6 15 or so on the bike for Roth.

Any tris for you this season?

Abhainn · 17-05-2011 11:56am

Izoard wrote: »

Aside from the cat conditions, I was comfortable on the bike, so still with an outside chance of hitting 6 15 or so on the bike for Roth.

Any tris for you this season?

Good signs that you were comfortable on the bike and that you enjoyed the 2and part of the run.
Tri's me? Ya plan is main one is the half in Swinford and up to 2 standard before that.
First OW last night so thankfully over that

Izoard · 25-05-2011 2:22pm

Getting really tired of this weather...I'm a total fair-weather trainer - no amount of HTFU-type pep-talks will get me out on the bike in the wind and the rain.

Having missed the festivities in Cardiff, I'll make the pilgrimage to Thomond this weekend, so another opportunity for a long-ish bike is lost.

Need to re-discover the mojo...:o

pgibbo · 25-05-2011 2:24pm

Izoard wrote: »

Having missed the festivities in Cardiff, I'll make the pilgrimage to Thomond this weekend, so another opportunity for a long-ish bike is lost.

2 birds 1 stone.....cycle to Thomond

Izoard · 25-05-2011 2:27pm

pgibbo wrote: »

2 birds 1 stone.....cycle to Thomond

If only I could trust the locals to mind a Leinster chap's steed....:D

handangeo · 30-05-2011 10:29am

You doing Athy this weekend?

George

Izoard · 30-05-2011 2:32pm

handangeo wrote: »

You doing Athy this weekend?

George

Yep, down for the Double OLY.
You still going to Roth?

Izoard · 30-05-2011 2:34pm

Not the healthiest weekend I've ever had, but good craic in Limerick all the same.

Mrs.I is predicting that our summer starts tomorrow, so I'll probably take a day off on Wed to hit the hills for some W200 prep.

handangeo · 30-05-2011 2:37pm

Good - Might see you sometime Saturday then!

Roth is still on, but I need a massive few weeks to get back on track. Going to cycle back to Kilkenny after Athy to start with.

Hows progress your end?

George

Izoard · 30-05-2011 2:52pm

handangeo wrote: »

Good - Might see you sometime Saturday then!

Roth is still on, but I need a massive few weeks to get back on track. Going to cycle back to Kilkenny after Athy to start with.

Hows progress your end?

George

You down for Athy? I didn't see you on the list for the double...sneaky late entry?:)

Great to hear you are still in the game - I'm really struggling with the long stuff this year...most weekends have been a write off, so I'm left doing lots of 90 min sessions...

handangeo · 30-05-2011 3:02pm

No - Just Olympic for me, you wont catch me in THAT river for a 3k swim!

Same here on the long stuff, lots of 90 - 120 mins, but thats all going to have to change!

Good Luck Saturday,

Izoard · 30-05-2011 3:21pm

handangeo wrote: »

No - Just Olympic for me, you wont catch me in THAT river for a 3k swim!

When you put it like that...:eek:

Hopefully see you out on the course...and good luck with the Oly.

Oryx · 31-05-2011 2:48pm

Is the river that bad? Oh dear... Good luck lads and maybe see yiz there.

handangeo · 31-05-2011 2:59pm

Oryx wrote: »

Is the river that bad? Oh dear... Good luck lads and maybe see yiz there.

Well I was sick after the last time! Best not to try and drink any!!

Izoard · 01-06-2011 11:29pm

Well, summer didn't arrive this morning, at least in the Wicklow mountains.

Took today off, to hit the hills in prep for the W200.

Plan was;
Sally Gap x2
Shay Elliott x 2
Slieve Maan x2
+ assorted climbs around Enniskerry etc...

Once I got onto the Military Road, I knew it was going to be a long day and was so close to turning back after about 30km.
The SW winds were gale-force once you got beyond the trees...one of my km splits for the trip up past Lough Tay was 7.45m...on a bike!!:eek:

Anyways, got through the plan; 145km in a ridiculously slow time.

The road surfaces are pretty poor on the SM descent - hopefully everyone will be OK for that one @ W200.

interested · 02-06-2011 8:03am

Izoard wrote: »

Well, summer didn't arrive this morning, at least in the Wicklow mountains.

Took today off, to hit the hills in prep for the W200.

Plan was;
Sally Gap x2
Shay Elliott x 2
Slieve Maan x2
+ assorted climbs around Enniskerry etc...

Once I got onto the Military Road, I knew it was going to be a long day and was so close to turning back after about 30km.
The SW winds were gale-force once you got beyond the trees...one of my km splits for the trip up past Lough Tay was 7.45m...on a bike!!:eek:

Anyways, got through the plan; 145km in a ridiculously slow time.

The road surfaces are pretty poor on the SM descent - hopefully everyone will be OK for that one @ W200.

A nice way to spend the day

I did something similar back in early March - parked in roundwood - did devils glen, SE and SM out and back. Theres a loop from roundwood, down towards ashford, up devils glen and back around (about 15k) thats a relatively sheltered option from the wind and isnt a million miles away from civilisation should a wobble come.

shotgunmcos · 02-06-2011 9:30am

Nice session Izoard. I remember those climbs from the W200 last year. Yeah SM descent was a bit hairy alright. Some pretty slow parts and some quick decents too. Hey at least the roads will be nice and smooth in Germany. Jackyback is doing it too, you could hook up wth him. Thats at least one person from the masses who won't laugh at your socks, shopping basket, polka dot combo

Rocky Road to Rot(h)...

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