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The Continuing Adventures of Catweazle
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Myself and MrsC were out to stay in the grounds of Ballynahinch Castle for the weekend, much to my delight I was given the pass to bring the bike as well as long as I was back before 12 each day. The place is amazing I haven't got the new wetsuit yet so I couldnt go swimming but the apartment was surrounded by a crystal clear lake dotted with Islands. I would hope to get one more weekend out there before Swinford if I am lucky
Saturday Afternoon: After cunningly turning on the mileometer before leaving the apartment, the trip to Roundstone was just over 12k. So after a coffee and a sandwich it was back to the apartment and I headed off to run it, I couldnt wait the day was glorious. With a poor sense of direction I was ordered to bring the phone so with the day that was in it, I took some pictures below
Nice easy long run, only came tough after 20k.
24k at 5.50 pace - AHR=131
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Saturday Night was a few drinks in the castle - I asked at reception could she recommend any cycling routes for me. She took out a map and handed it to me - 4 cycling loops marked out with King of the Hill markings and all, I was well impressed
Sunday AM: The first plan was to do the route 2 and 4 on the map. Off I went across an old bog road - I was very disappointed with the start. The road was terrible, probably the worst I have ridden and I couldn't believe a road like this was on a recommended route. I had a brief bitch to a sheep farmer who agreed and said the council did nothing to fix up the road after the freeze. Things improved when I got off that road, route 2 was a 14k route along the bay which involved a climb up to the Alcock and Brown monument, for some reason I went wrong and went up that hill again after so I can call it a hill repeat
Then i switched on to route 4 which was in total a 40k route which went through Ballyconneely and Roundstone. I stopped in Roundstone cafe and was fuming after paying 9 euros for a small cappuccino and a toasted sandwich with one slice of ham and and an Easi single slice, rip off Ireland hasn't gone away. The owner must have been nearly 20 stone, I can well imagine what she would have thought if she was handed that in some other cafe :mad:
Anyways homeward bound and saw a bit of a horse race up the bog road as I went past. 70k in total
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Monday Morning:
Was mad with myself as a little too much wine the night before had me up late. Todays plan was the other 2 routes 1 & 3 through Clifden and Cleggan and a brick run through the castle forest after
Straight off this route was much more promising on the way into Clifden they had a separate cycling lane which was great.
Off up the N59 towards Linnane and I turned off for route 1 which was a 14k i think route around an inlet. Surface was far better than yesterday and there was a decent climbing stretch as I had taken the lower sky road, the descent down into Clifden from this direction was hair raising and there were some great views of the town on the way in. Then I took route 3 which was a 33k route out and around Cleggan, again the surface was good although the views weren't quite as good as from Route 1. Alas with my late start the brick run through the forest was a non runner
65k route and it was much more enjoyable than yesterdays route, would love another weekend out there as I would like to see Linnane, Kylemore Abbey. Back was at me today though, need to do more of these!
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Lovely pics, and a really nice part of the country! Many of those routes you were on are part of the Tour de Conamara sportive on May 15... shameless plug:D
You are getting great advertising for that on the local papers, your club pro must be doing a wonderful job. Did I read you would be hoping for 1000+ between the three rides :eek:
I am still looking like I will do it at this stage anyways, will TG4 be doing a feature on it?0 -
You are getting great advertising for that on the local papers, your club pro must be doing a wonderful job. Did I read you would be hoping for 1000+ between the three rides :eek:
I am still looking like I will do it at this stage anyways, will TG4 be doing a feature on it?
Eh, I suspect that 1000 is more than slightly over-stating it! Would hope that TG4 do a piece for the new bulletin that evening. After my first experience of a sportive recently, I'm a bit annoyed that I'm missing it myself...0 -
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Suit feels great when I got it on, easy enough to move the arms in it, now to man up and head down to the lake this weekend.
red X to the front / zip to the back yeah ?
A new suit imho should be difficult to get on - if its the suit Im thinking of - the flexibility in the shoulders when you finally man up and hit the open water - should help things.0 -
interested wrote: »red X to the front / zip to the back yeah ?
LOL.....You know him too well interested!
I saw a guy at the TRI3 event in Galway last year with the wetsuit on back to front. I don't think anyone had the heart to tell him. :pac: 0 -
interested wrote: »red X to the front / zip to the back yeah ?LOL.....You know him too well interested! I saw a guy at the TRI3 event in Galway last year with the wetsuit on back to front. :pac:
I have learned my lesson from my back to front cleats last year, but I will admit the big red x in the front was a big help
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Thursday Lunch: 8k Run - 5.57 average pace 130 AHR
Thursday Evening: First time swimming in a week and it showed, I was going to start another programme of the 3.3k sessions but wasn't going to start it today so did a less taxing 2000m session instead. 8 x 100 off 2.20 in the middle the first 5 were comfortable but was feeling tired by the end
Friday Lunch: 8k run - 5.03 pace 141 AHR. Used the Zoots for a change, bounced along in them
Saturday AM: An easy spin said pgibbo the night before, off we went into a tough headwind, and I shamelessly just hung in at the back for the whole route. I began to bonk coming up a hill around the 60k mark but a gel and a tailwind got me somewhat back together on the way home. Back was in bits when I got home to Mrs C waiting for me with the lawnmower :mad: 82k / 26.9k an hour / AHR = 103 Max = 146. Need to do these though
Sunday Afternoon: Foffed about a bit so had to cut short the run, 16k 5.37 pace AHR = 130
Nursing a major hangover now so trying to persuade myself to go down to the lake more to try and shock it out of me more than anything else0 -
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Are you sure about that? Has money being exchanged yet?
I think you may have just been gazumped:p
Is McCutchie your alter ego Macanri
I had tried to buy a few things on adverts.ie about a year ago but there was very little on it, after spending about a week on ebay, I was pleasantly surprised with adverts. I was tempted to make an offer on the Bell TT Helmet that was going in there as well but maybe I should wait to have a TT bike first before I don one of those0 -
Monday Evening: With lashing rain and howling wind outside the planned lunchtime run was out the window, I had not got the motivation to go up on the turbo after three hours yesterday so went off to the pool for an evening swim instead. Hoping to get back into the 3.3k sessions again on wednesday so I did a decent session of 2600m with two 4 x 100ms off 2.00. The first 100m was very quick for me around 1.41 so eased off a bit on the rest but was still coming in around mid to high 1.40s. This was a bit surprising as I didnt feel I was swimming that well. The last set was 4 x 100 off 2.30, even taking it very handy I was still coming in around the 1.55-1.57 mark. I am getting a slight stiffness on the left shoulder neck area after a 1/2 hour of swimming or so, I need to go to the chiropracter for a tune up I think
Tuesday Evening: An unexpected race report. With me being in town all day I was hoping to go out for a 8k tempo run around the local route. Pgibbo rings me with an entry for the 5k series. This sent me into a panic and I hedghed my bets and said I would ring him back. I can be a lazy whore and the pain of a 5k puts the fear of god in me every time. I eventually manned up rang back and gratefully accepted it, With little to no speed work done this year I decided a sub 22 minute effort would be acceptable.
Stuck in traffic on the way to Tuam I again decided to man up again for the second time and attempt to break the pb of 20.57 in last years Craughwell 5k. The little bit of tempo and duathlon work I did this year was still more than I did this time last year as all I did was marathon pace for Connemara last year. Although I have done nowhere near as much running I have done enough and with way more cycling and swimming behind me I am in good shape. Tuam was allegedly one of the faster courses in the series also. The main reason though is I have been pricking around with Daniels and his vdot and I have no recent time to base them on.
At the start I saw all the usual suspects from last year, the two lads from the club who I had all the battles with last year, they both did low 21 minutes in Athenry the week before and "The referee" who always beat me in the last 50 metres last year. A guy I have my eye on for this year "The banker" who was beating me at the duathlons was here as well.
Off we went and even though I started near the top I got held up and was weaving my way through slow traffic, I didnt stress, I am guilty of always going out too fast so I took it handy, I wanted to be around the 4.15 mark for the first three k. All I could think of was that I love these Zoots, feeling great. Pace 4.08 AHR = 147
2nd K had a nice downhill to it, I went past the referee here who looked comfortable and was joking with the marshalls. Pace 3.56 AHR 161
3rd K and I caught up to pgibbo who was taking it easy, I felt like someone who had sneaked up on a fly. Grunted a hello and next minute he took off like a train ahead of me. I glanced at the Garmin and became a bit disappointed here, I was at 4.23 pace and was working hard now, I didn't feel any drop off, things always seem to go pear shaped for me on the 3rd k, I gritted the teeth and got it back a little bit Pace 4.18 AHR = 174
4th K struggling now but also realise its only 8 minutes or so of pain, the uphill section finally comes in towards the end of this, its short and sharp rather than a long drag. 4.11 AHR = 179
5th K, no dropping the head now, I knew a pb was on if I could keep the wheels from falling off. The breathing was awful, people glancing nervously behind to see what the hell was coming after them. Just as I was coming up to a group of three I saw one was one of the club mates - this was just what I needed to keep pushing it to the end. I rounded the corner into the final straight, I heard a shout of encouragement from behind which I thought was directed at the other club mate who I hadn't seen earlier, pinned the ears back and went for the line, I was pipped at the post by some ginger bollox but I didnt care, I knew it was a massive pb for me 3.52 AHR = 182
Chip time 20.26 AHR = 166
A 31 second pb AAAWWWWWOOOOOOGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAA!
Looking at the results sheet the referee almost did his usual trick finishing directly behind me and the two club mates I reckon got pbs as well. The banker left me for dust - just off a sub 20 so a good day all round. Now the usual moaning, HR was not as high as i thought it would be, got it to 193 last year in Craughwell, was there more in me, certainly didnt feel like it
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Well done on the PB. No reason why you can't crack sub 20 this series. A great event last night. I had forgotten what a good buzz those events were.
Stop moaning about your HR. You don't train with HR so the readings don't matter that much anyway.
BTW, the banker was going to stop and walk until I gave him a push in the back and talked him to the finish line for the last 800m or so. He had a severe stitch. So you can thank me for not catching him! :P0 -
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You really did get your days mixed up.
The Tour of the Mask was on Saturday, not yesterday. Good day out by all accounts.
The Tour of Connemara was yesterday. Very tough due to strong winds. Apparently the food stops were pi$$ poor and the lads had to go in to a pub to get some bar food. A few of the lads did the 160km and were filling us in at swimming last night.
I thought that was you on Saturday alright. My hands and feet were numb from the cold at that stage. I couldn't even close my hands they were that bad. It took an age to thaw out too! This is May isn't it? :eek:
Are you doing the Lough Corrib Cycle on Sunday?0 -
You really did get your days mixed up.
If I was 100% serious on doing one of them I probably would have had the dates nailed down. The poor weather promised put me off. I might do that cycle.....I am out the night before though so it would be too dangerous to commit now
Might go out to watch the Triathlon in Spiddal too on saturday0 -
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Yo CW, just catching up. First of all-well done on the PB, great to see progress and wait until you see 19:xx, and I'm telling you, you will, you are dedicated and consistent and so long as you are patient and stick to it, you will!
So will I be seeing you in transition on Sat morning? I hope so....and I really hope you don't let the air out of my tyres this time-just not cool dude!
PS - Don't worry...I regularly get my days mixed up 0 -
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I've enjoyed reading this but I do feel a little bit inadequate in that I do not have any true arch-nemises yet. Still, plenty of time and in my head I already do kind of have a couple. Just need some snappy nicknames for them. 0
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couerdelion wrote: »I've enjoyed reading this but I do feel a little bit inadequate in that I do not have any true arch-nemises yet. Still, plenty of time and in my head I already do kind of have a couple. Just need some snappy nicknames for them.
You will get them soon enough, theres a small enough pool of us so you will see a lot of the same faces at each event0 -
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Thursday Lunch: Was heading down to Kildare for work and left my time short so only a 5k run. AHR = 119 Max = 145 Pace = 5.24
Friday Lunch: Again on the road so an 8 run at lunch, much to my displeasure a GAA launch held on the Friday of a bank holiday :mad:
AHR = 138 Max= 156 Pace = 5.15
First two sunny days in ages and I was stuck in the car for the two of them
Saturday AM: A 70k ride with Pgibbo and another lad, they were taking it easy which suited me so it was much more comfortable than the previous time. A nice tailwind on the way back was great as well. Pace 27.9kph AHR = 111 Max = 136
Saturday Lunch: I got out later for a run around the local route 8k. Pace = 5.15 AHR = 124 Max = 161
Sunday AM: A visit to the mother offered me a chance to do a shortish circuit out around Spiddal. So Barna - Moycullen - Spiddal - Knocknacarra, 41k Pace = 27.5kph AHR = 109 Max = 147
Sunday AM: Got out for a brick run straight after for a change, legs were grand but I suppose I wasn't pushing the cycle. Down around Silver Strand and then up through Barna woods, was a nice change of scenery. 7.5 k @ 5.17 pace. AHR = 80 Max = 114
Sunday Afternoon: I am conscious after last year to get a sea swim in before next weeks Cope Triathlon. Today wasn't much good, I would have saw more ripples in the bath than I did in Silver strand, flattest I ever saw it. Found it really cold and didn't warm up for quite a while. Did a few over and backs at a slow pace. Distance = 500m
Monday Morning: Swam down in Annaghdown Pier and it was the complete opposite to yesterday, had planned 1000ms but cut it in half as I was getting a right rollicking out there. Wasnt happy with the swim but will blame conditions for today, failed miserably to kick the legs at all. Distance 500ms. On another note maybe it was just me beginning to acclimatise but I found the lake warmer than the sea yesterday
Monday Afternoon: 19k around Oranmore. I am running well lately I was expecting this to be a bit of a slog as I was tired but it was grand. Was comfortable enough, with strap still broken Garmin was in back pocket so I was pleased to see the average pace was sub 5.30 when I finished. Holding these comfortably now. A good pb in a 1/2 marathon may well be on. Pace 5.26 AHR = 129 Max = 154
This week I have been told is a recovery week - bro in law has me marked down for turf cutting/ turf turning / turf stacking every evening, I did a small bit of this last year and it was back breaking stuff so I doubt I will be doing much training along with this. Hope to get a few more morning OW swims in and some lunchtime work but doubt there will be anything done in the evening. Probably will suit me anyways with me being out in Galway Cope on sunday anyways
Must look at replacing battery in Garmin I am beginning to not trust it at low heart rates, goes a while sometimes without displaying any beat which is screwing my AHRs0 -
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Great to see you've stopped fannying around on the turbo, it has its place yeah, but nothing better than getting out on the road and taking on the elements when thats what you have to race in.
It's like talking to the wall kennyb3. The amount of times I've invited him along for a Saturday spin and all I get is "too windy, too wet, etc"
I was pleasantly surprised to see him on the roads on Saturday and Sunday last weekend. If the weather today is anything to go by, CW will be back on the turbo this weekend!
Slagging aside, turbo or roads, at least he's clocking the miles and that's the main thing.0 -
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Pgibbo was right and I can assure you that the bike has been firmly slotted into the turbo since tuesday evening
With the turf cutting suspended due to the inclement weather I found the easy week tough going, feel I should be doing more as the turf situation will be just transferred to next week instead. I am hoping to give a good account of myself in the Galway Cope on Sunday so I have cut back to easy sessions all week. I really struggled in an open water swim on tuesday I found it hard to pace myself and went out way too fast so I have went down to the pier a good few times since
Tuesday Lunch: A nice easy run @ 5.40 pace AHR =127
Tuesday Evening: A swim down in Annaghdown Pier, it was pretty choppy when I went in, flew out to the rock which is just under 300 metres but the flow of the water was against me on the way back, I was tired and started to get thrown around a bit with the waves so more open water practice needed to get the pace right. Total 500m
Wednesday Lunch: Back up on the turbo for an interval set, have done very few of these and was struggling hard at the end of it, main set was 10 x 30 seconds all out followed by 1 minute recovery AHR = 119 Max = 153
Wednesday Evening: Water was much calmer so a more relaxed swim, just wanted to get the full swim in without stopping. Enjoyed the swim so went off on another easy 200ms. Total 700m
Thursday Lunch: 8k easy run with a quick short burst in every km. HR was very high even though it didn't feel that hard so I would have my doubts about it. Pace = 5.03km AHR=138 Max = 185 :eek: (higher max than my recent 5k time)
Thursday Evening: Another choppy session in the lake - judging from what weather might be ahead on sunday this might have been a good session, seemed to be every 20-30 seconds a set of three or four big waves would hit me making me struggle for air Total 600m
Friday Lunch: An easy 3k down to the end of the road and back
Tomorrow I might try and get across and swim the route, looks like we will have to breathe to the left going across the bouys, I can do either but breathing to my right is by far the preferred option
First race of the year is sunday and I hope to do well in it, its known to be one for the newbies so I hope to get a decent place in this. Last year I didnt do so well in this had a crap swim and a desperate 1st transition so hopefully I will finish up much higher this year. Finished 77th out of 187 last year so to get in my top 25% ambition of races this year I will need to be inside the top 50, maybe less as I don't think they have as many entries this year. Lets push the boat out and go for a top 25 placing
Looking at the met.ie I am a little more hopeful that we will miss the worst of the weather on sunday :rolleyes:0 -
Arch Nemesis Watch
The Gaeilgeoir
The Carpetbagger
The Bookie
The Banker
The ex
A hour earlier and we might have slipped through the worst of the weather. Not racing much this year so will make the most of a race report with a long one
The morning was dry but it looked like rain was coming, around 8ish it started to rain and just got progressively worse as the hour ticked by. With El D needing to borrow a tri suit I needed to be on time, lo and behold El Ds Trinity was nestled in the number 1 spot ahead of Geraghtys and O Dowds mounts.
I was tempted to give him a Predator Tri suit and get the club a good spot in the finish positions but I gave him Lidls finest instead. Met a few more boardies as well, Ronanmac (The Gaeilgeoir) and noeloreid.
The swim had changed and I didnt like the look of the main stretch which seemed to be against the tide - looked a little short as well but I wasn't complaining about that given the conditions.
2 new nemesis' to the list, "the bookie" who I drew 1-1 with last year although he crucified me on this race last year and "the ex" who used to date my wife's best friend. The Ex used to be a tubby enough smoker but being single gave him a new lease of life in running, I hardly recognised him he had lost so much weight, a couple of low 3 hour marathons and I knew if he was near me on the run I would be in trouble.
I was beginning to regret my bold prediction of a top 25 position - there were a good few heads there I recognized and plenty of TT bikes so not as many newbies as I thought.
Walked up to the swim area chatting to the bookie - he reckoned he wasn't up too much and was hoping this would be the kick he needed to get going for Galway 70.3
Swim:
Off we went I started off well, my sighting was poor with the waves and I went off course but I was going well driving through the waves, things went pear shaped turning left around the buoy and I started to struggle big time here. I was trying to stop getting frustrated as I could see plenty of others having the same trouble as me but there was plenty of breast stroking done at this stage. Started motoring again on the turn for home but went badly off course again and had to be guided in by a kayak. Smiled to myself when I got out of the water, the club mate was just in front of me. He was always out of the water quicker than me last year too so some things never change although I think I will get him yet, but I was a lot happier seeing him beside me, I couldnt have gone too bad so
There was about 100 metres up to transition and I let him and another lad pass ahead of me, I wanted a high ranking in the swim so I cant understand why I didn't go in faster than a trot.
The transition went much better than usual I tried leaving the shoes on the bike and I got out much quicker than usual (no leap of faith). Out of the corner of my eye leaving I saw The Gaeilgeoir and The Banker in transition so I knew I was going to be in trouble on the bike
Anyways
2011: Swim 15.01 Rank 38/183
2010: Swim 15.19 Rank 128/192
Bike:
The bike start was pretty uneventful, it was teeming down now, not long into it just after Knocknacarra Cross, The Gaeilgeoir goes by me.....some terrible taunts and slurs came from his mouth as he went by, two others went by as well.. This got me going as I had a target ahead, they began to settle and I gradually was clawing them back. Nothing gave me greater pleasure all day than the small dig I got in re-passing him again. Their was a good tailwind and I was always able to push a big gear so I got around the half way ahead of them until back into the headwind they left me for dead. Coming home was tough but only one passed me. I made a balls of coming into transition I took off the right shoe coasting in and I had no feeling in it so could not get the foot on top of it. Did a stupid one footed pedal with the other shoe hitting the floor on each rotation - three people passed me over the last 100 metres including the banker :mad:
2010: Bike 41.32 70/192
2011: Bike 39.17 48/183
Run:
A poor enough transition, my feet were numb so had real trouble getting the shoes on, struggled for the first two kilometres, passing a few and got passed by one or two, wind and rain was tough into the face. The Banker just ahead wasnt moving well, looked like heavy legs from last weeks exertions so I was happy to go by him again. Once we hit the turnaround and the wind and rain with us I started to motor well, started to pass a good few, went by the bookie who was struggling on the way out. Got the last guy by Seapoint and ambled home, saw a 48...49 coming in on the clock so picked it up again to get it under what ever minute it was coming too. Came in and I was a bit annoyed over the run 21.37, I was relatively fresh, I let the two who overtook me at the start of the run off and they didn't finish too far in front of me. I needed to be a bit braver and suffer through the brick more and I would have beaten them too. Certainly I think I could have run a 20.xx if I had pushed harder
2010: Run: 22.56 47/192
2011: Run: 21.37 29/183
2010: Total: 1.24.59 77/192
2011: Total: 1.18.51 27/183
Finishing % = 15.8%
Didn't get inside the top 25 but I am happy enough anyways, looking forward to a nice flat lake swim one of these days. Next outing is Hell of The West with another sea swim and all the uber triathletes so I will enjoy the high finish while I can. "The school friend", will be in that one so I expect no less than a major battle with him at that
Besides The Gaeilgeoir who finished in 13th all others vanquished, although The Banker will be much stronger when he is fresh and "the ex" after a terrible swim was faster than me on the bike and run so I might be on borrowed time there the way he trains
Good race - with the reduction down to 35 euros + 15 to charity I was happy with that price it was fair.0 -
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