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Alanya, Turkey 2013 - My Euro Dream Odyssey
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I believe he's in the next model up, so even better still!
This weekend should be very interesting!
Yep it's the Cat 5. The only difference afaik is more of the suit is made of that of Yamamoto Neoprene. I love the flexibility of it and the fact that the neoprene is 5mm in the legs, much thinner in the shoulders. You gotta treat it with great care though especially around the arms were it's thinner.
Thurs Morn 31st May
Swim
Smiled when I saw the session, a WU and some drills and kicking. Nothing too strenuous. Again for the short time I was in the pool I felt very good, keeping the stroke long and powerful.
Time 0:35; Dist 1,600m
The times from last night were:
Swim 10:23 (2/73); Run 17:10 (4/73); OA Time 27:34 (3/73).
The timing chips/company as Sunday's race by the way. I didn't hear any beeps come to think of it, nor on Sunday either, didn't like wearing it on my wrist.0 -
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You on for Sunday? Best to you!!!
Indeed I am DD, indeed I am
Time to get my race on....already looking to getting up early and race morning.
Sat 2nd June Oiling the gears
Gym
30 min stretch/rolling
Swim
The NAC was a hive of activity this morning with some gala on. I had some drills to work on after my WU then 4x 50 des, did them by feel so not sure of times, form felt good though. Then 5x 100 10 sec faster than race pace. All sub 1:30 (pace clock and pool in 25m format). Then onto bike 30min later.
Time 0:35; Dist 1,600m
Bike
Bike with some 6x 1min race efforts. Kept the cadence fresh too. The efforts felt pretty good but my left quad is still sore. I think on Weds night when my hamstring was cramping I began to run a more quad dominated tech..hence the soreness still, could be way off.
Time 33:50; Dist 16.5km; Cad 93; Speed 29.1km/hr; HR 140
Run
Straight out onto the run. Felt fine, I had some build work too.
Time 16:33; Dist 4km; Pace 4:08/km; HR 151
So off to leaba (bed - DD) now, tomorrow and next Sat has been 8 months in the making and with Alanya ETU 2013 only 377 days away, it will be good to see where I'm at 0 -
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Tri Athy Sprint 2012
First A race of 2012 I woke up to the sound of lashing rain outside, depressing I thought but I didn't really think of it again, I've been just super focused all week on racing. Even after the Aquathon and podium Weds night I didn't dwell on it for long because I really wanted to perform at these races (this and Crooked Lake).
I did the sprint last year in Athy too and while conditions were not the same I will make comparisons for comparisons sake. Last year it was very cold I remember but at least it was dry and not all that windy. This year, cold, wet, raining and windy (on the way back to T2 - headwind).
I got there nice and early, met Eddie in registration and I was surprised that it was so quite but I, like Eddie, like to be early. Today I thought if I ever have a chance at Eddie today was it. Why? HIM still in his legs and I know he wasn't feeling the love for the sport recently after the HIM, that plus according to him he has been eating....Ed is an honest guy and I believe him, all that and he had been making plenty of excuses now for at least a week Well I was at my best yesterday IMO and still finished 2:20 behind him 
But delighted to see him get a great result and hope it pushes him on now and motivation for training returns. Well done dude on an awesome race.
I hit off for transition and found my spot. Problem when I got there-my saddle is pretty high (see images of beauty thread) and my bike would not sit on the bar but one of the marshals saw me and said he had a special place for me and my long legs It was the rack used for the elites yesterday and if I could have hand picked a spot this would have been it I then headed over to Elvis (heard him before I saw him ) and introduced myself to him. Great job yesterday dude, and all weekend, you must be exhausted and well done to the whole team, it's a credit to ye to put on just a big event over two days. Once the bike was in I decided to warm up I could do with a coffee and Linda looked like she could do with a hot cuppa too, so we hit for a little cosy coffee shop. Nicest cup of coffee ever Back then into transition to get set up. Here I met courdelion and had a chat, well done dude on smashing last years time and the massive improvements you've made and an almost top 25% NS finish. By the time I got set up, 9:10 I still had 20min to race briefing but I was told if I brought the bike out again for a WU I'd have to Q up again to get back in....so found a spot to practice mounting and distmounting. This was my first time using the elastic bands but I had practiced twice during the week and while not as efficient as the LoF it was still a heck of a lot better than my usual mount.
After race briefing it was off to the river bank for race start, I was wave and had the guts of an hour. Met John Connolly on the river bank, he was in the same wave as myself and we decided to WU together.
WU
13 min easy, then did some knee high stuff and heel flicks. Then did some dynamic stretches and got into my wetsuit and fast arms and stretches and I was all set. When I got into the water I swam upstream for 50m or so just to suss out the current and it wasn't too bad. Then while waiting for the start there was a technical issue so we were delayed.Swim
I lined up behind/to the side of a guy that I thought looked like Harris (the guy who killed the swim in Valentia Tri) it turned out to be him, a big guy and unreal swimmer...hadn't a hope of getting/keeping on his feet. So after a long delay we were off and despite starting right at the front I was swallowed up immediately and fell back 2/3 rows. As rough a swim start I've ever been in but I don't panic in these situations, just keeping relaxed looking for some space safe in the knowledge that it will settle and people will fall back and I can make my way up then. I noticed to my left a break away bunch, closer to the bank and therefore less of a current so that was my move. I hit for that group and got in behind/side of them all the way to the turn back. I took this turn pretty wide which wasn't a bad thing as I kept out of trouble and found clear water for the first time. Decided to stay on the out side and try to make my way up the side and when it got pointier I'd move in. It didn't take long until I noticed this happening and I then saw the guy I thought was leading out the wave and second place guy so I aimed for second guy and got on his feet. As it happened it was 2nd and 3rd I saw and I was 4th. Harris had pulled out such a lead that I and later it transpired the second place guy (who also thoguth he was first) we couldn't even see Harris. According to my merry little band of supporters they had never seen the likes of it, his swim was incredible. In Valentia it took me until the final km of the run to catch him, yesterday I caught him within 1.5km of the run...if he could sort out his run/weight he'd be a serious force. Anyway.....I tried to stay on 3rd places feet but he was zig zagging and so was I, too much so I just aimed for the bridge and came out 4th in my wave. It was a rough enough swim with too and my line wasn't great but still solid enough and good enough to get me into top ten if the bike and run and transitions were good enough.
Time 10:41; Pos 52/740;
Last year
Time 9:54; Pos 45/744T1
Absolutely ddetermined to improve in transitions, it's been on my mind all week. I did some practice and a lot of visualisation, take care of the small detail and the rest will take care of itself. Delighted with how I went here, no cramping issue so I could sprint to my bike and I did
Time 1:00; 12/740
Last Year
Time 1:22Bike
The mount went pretty well and I pedaled a good 300-400m before getting into my shoes. Hamstring felt close to cramping when I bent down to get my foot in but thankfully it didn't. I got to work straight away. A lot of people to pass at this stage as there were 4 waves already out there. Nothing easy about this out and back, it's rolling and some drags on the way back as well as a stiff headwind. I was being blown around a bit being lighter and with a disc cover now on the back, didn't have very hairy moments but found my shoulders tensing a fair bit so I'd have to make an effort to relax them. I was passing a quite a few people and I could see a guy up ahead doing the same. I decided to try and catch him, as it happened he was second out of our wave although we both thought he had been first :rolleyes: At about 7k I caught and passed him. He passed me back with a better turn at the turn around but I took him again. At 14k he came by again and 2k later I took him again and pushed on putting perhaps 10 sec between us. So apart from that guy nobody came past me on the bike.The course was getting crowded as we approached the town again, I got held up twice and momentum was ruined but dealt with it best I could. A nice dismount and again ran hard into T2.
Time 31:39; Pos 6/740;
Last Year
Time 31:42; Pos 7/744;T2
As I racked my bike cramp struck in two places, right calk/achilles and upper left quad. This definitely cost me 10 sec and perhaps 3rd in my cat and a prize. This is where the guy on the bike that I was trading places stole a march on me. I had to try to sort out the cramp. Fingers were freezing but I managed to get the runners on and to my surprise I was able to sprint out of T2 with no issues re cramping. I really want to go hard for the first couple 100m to remind the body that this is a 5k race and you really don't have time to faff about.
Time 1:18; Pos 132/740Run
My best triathlon run ever I just felt great. After the initial burst I settled a little just to allow HR to settle a little and grabbed a cup of water as I actually forgot to take any on board during the bike. Cups are so annoying by the time I grabbed it half of it spilled, still got some on board. Never before have I passed so many on the run with such ease. I didn't back off either because I felt fine. Then at 2.5k Noelie Kavanagh came bombing by... now I was moving well but damn that guy can run, he did it in such a fashion that it did not encourage me to even try and keep with him. At least he was the only one to pass me. We then took a right and went off road for a while....it was like cross country, muck and dirt everywhere It was difficult to just stay up right! I picked my way carefully through this section. Then onto the narrow more grassy bit and to the turn around, this is when I saw the guy I battled on the bike with and on my way back BTH we attempted a high five but we hit nothing but air doh! Once back on tarmac I decided to try and push and build a little more, and I did. TBH I felt great, felt so strong and for me and running that is a big step forward. Still passing people and even in the last 250m I came bombing past those in earlier waves...spectators must have thought I was crazy to be running so hard but you see I learned last year not to let up in the final few meters or someone will get you and scalp you right in front of everyone! Also Lance this year in some 70.3 race and....and more to the point Eddie two years ago when he won by one second! You see as we are sent off in waves you are really against the clock and not each other...it's a shame but that's the way it has to be I guess.
Time 18:43; Pos 25/740
Last Year
Time 20:17; Pos 31/744
OA Time 1:03:23PB; OA Pos 13/740; Cat Pos 4;
Last Year
OA Time 1:04:42; OA Pos 15/744; Cat Pos 5;
PB for what thats worth. So all in all a very good day. It's funny I went away thinking my swim, run and transitions went really well but was convinced looking at my bike split time. But then when I saw nobody went sub 30 and I had a 6th place split I was delighted to see my biking coming back to where it should be. Still though the run has left me most satisfied.
Some interesting stuff around the numbers:
1min faster would have had me 7th.
17sec faster would have given me my first top ten NS and 3rd and an AG podium(T2)
2sec faster 12th would have been mine
2min 18sec faster I'd have been second and Eddie's scalp would have also been mine
My point in pointing out those things is....every little thing counts in sprint racing. I mean 2 mins is in reality an age. But another year of solid and consistent training could see me knock a minute off or so and top 7. I'm under no illusions nor am I disillusioned by the really really hard and consistent work required just to improve by another minute or two. Actually relish it and again watch a medal ceremony just to remind myself why I do what I do and also to Eddie a big cheer
I really enjoyed the event and especially meet so my friends and chatting a bit before and after. Well done to BTH on a tough two days of racing and all the boardies who did so well, wish I could have met more of ye but not sure what everybody looks like! Thanks for the shouts of encouragement RacoonQueen....pity I didn't get to see you after.0 -
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El Director wrote: »Then onto the narrow more grassy bit and to the turn around, this is when I saw the guy I battled on the bike with and on my way back BTH we attempted a high five but we hit nothing but air doh!
I have to take responsibility for this. I threw out a lot of high fives over the weekend (mostly directed at clubmates) and missed more that I connected with.
Congrats on a top result. Fairly hammered me all round. I'm not going well on my Boardsie grudge match-ups this season. You'll nail that race this coming weekend no doubt.
I know you didn't pay that lad to take me out in the swim, but maybe we should arrange something like that for Eddie the next time we race him?0 -
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Mon 4th June
Bike Easy Spin
An easy spin for the legs, I was very stiff in the hips, the other hips to be exact. Usually after a sprint and even an olympic distance race I'd feel well recovered by two days after. This hip soreness was new. I suspected it may be a bike/cleat position and my coach agrees that this could well be the problem. Too late to make changes now before Saturday so it's a matter of managing it till then. So I am stretching and rolling twice a day since.
Time 1:11:18; Dist 33.77km; Cad 91;
Coach had put in a swim if I could get to a pool, 1k straight but I couldn't get to one here at home.
Tues 5th Jun
Swim Coach Prescribed NAC LC
After a WU and drill's I had 6x100 at race pace but only got in 5 as they had to re-format the pool. They were all in and around 1:39/1:40. Amazingly swimming is still feeling good and going well. I have been consistently at my swimming now for 3.5 years, going from being able to only swim one length to being able now to exit the water near the top of competitive fields in triathlons! It's mad when you think about it...I just wanted to be one of those swimmers that could go up and down up and down the pool and make it look so easy, triathlons didn't really enter my head at all! Sorry rambling here but these thoughts went through my head today when thinking/visualising about Saturdays race and how I will approach the swim. I would love to be in the mix from the start/swim, get as high up the rankings as I can before the run as I am now confident that my run is good enough to hold on or probably more realistically not lose more than one place.
Time 1:00; Dist 2,500m; Pace 1:39/100m.
Tues 5th Jun
Run
Headed out with no garmin and did 32min by feel. I was sore but after 10min I was grand and enjoying the run.
Time 0:32; Dist c.6.5km;
Weds Morn 6th Jun
Swim Roscommon Pool
Nice easy session with fast 50's and 400p x2, 5 sec faster than race pace, they came in: 6:26 and 6:25 so a pace of 1:36/100.
Time 0:35; Dist 1,700m;
Wed Eve 6th Jun
Brick Bike Part
I had been out all day power washing and it was sunny and warm and lovely By the time I got around to this brick session it was cold and raining 
After the WU and high cadence and build work it was 3x 3 min at race pace-RPE. 1) Speed 36.9km/h; HR 138; Cad 98 2) Speed 40.6km/h; HR 142; Cad 97 3) Speed 41.5km/h; HR 149; Cad 95 Still feeling sore, tensor fasciae latae is where the coach has identified the problem, but it is manageable and it won't effect me come Saturday I know. The right calf is still stiff though too, need to watch that also after past achilles problems.
Time 40:21; Dist 20.55km; Cad 91; HR 124/156; Speed 31km/h
Brick Run Part
I had transition all set up in the hall way, in runners on and hard hard out to the top of the road, 200m then went easy, very easy. I had 4x 1min race pace with 1 min recoveries. 1) Dist 0.29km; Pace 3:24; HR 156; 2) Dist 0.29km; Pace 3:23; HR 157; 3) Dist 0.28; Pace 3:31; HR 150; 4) Dist 0.27; Pace 3:42; HR 160; The first two were too hot, had to cool the jets for the last two after all 3:24/km is NOT race pace. It can be hard to push it during race phase but I'm doing my best.
Time 16:18; Dist 3.81km; HR 148/168; Pace 4:17/km;
Continued with the rolling stretching routine, dynamic stretches before the brick and static stretches after followed by rolling.
Today is a day of rest 0 -
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El Director wrote: »
Sunday's race was a qualifier for the World Age Group Champs next year which is in London, Hyde Park, top 5 in each age group gets offered a place. I haven't even thought beyond Alanya, Turkey but I might just go for this too. I know there is no panic but seen as it's in London it would be handy, only flights needed.
Damn you. Was hoping for some roll down spots. Lots and lots of roll downs given my lowly AG position on the day. 0 -
BetterThanHoyte wrote: »Damn you. Was hoping for some roll down spots. Lots and lots of roll downs given my lowly AG position on the day.
Don't worry dude you will get your spot for sure. Are you planning Sprint or Olympic?0 -
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Had a nice long post written, updating my training and other stuff but was bloody logged out :mad::mad::mad:. Here is the short version
Yesterday day off. Today realised that my saddle had dropped 2cm :eek: No reason I was so sore after Athy. This morning swim session included 5x 100 at 10sec/100 faster than race pace: 1:26, 1:28, 1:31, 1:31, 1:30 :eek: Very rarely do I go under 1:30 for 100's in the long course format...there must be an A race around the corner :cool:
Brick this afternoon in the pissing rain. The bike: Raised saddle so much better, I had 6x 1min @ race pace, didn't push hard though as it was so wet and slippery and what with heavy traffic and roundabouts. Felt very good though. Straight out the door for 15 min run with build work, again feeling good.
Body Composition Watch
Weight
Body Fat %
Muscle Mass %
I think I am at my ideal racing weight now, no significant movement in the last 6 weeks or so. What is significant is that I noticed for my A race exactly a year ago this weekend I was 84.7kg....tomorrow I will be lining out at around 73.7kg I feel light, fit and strong now, I feel confident and I'm very focused on a big race tomorrow, all I ask for is a dry bike course so I can hammer it :rolleyes: I got some great words from my coach this afternoon of which 3 are stuck in my head....suffer, suffer, suffer :cool: 0 -
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Thanks for all the good wishes through all the various mediums guys!
Well another consistent day at the office, a tougher course than I thought it would be! Bike was short from what I hear, 18.5km I hear, that goes against me really because it's here I make up time and put more between me and those behind. Swim was ok, swam well but went way off course at a point :rolleyes: Hard to get any momentum on a hilly bike course but got it going and did a decent split I'd say. 8th or so coming into T2 but lost at least 4 places on a tough ripen course, the hill x2 I struggled with. All in all another solid, if not breakthrough, performance. Looking forward to an unstructured week ahead, some beers, pizza and the Euro games 0 -
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Well done then. Oh, and you didn't hear this from me, but interested was talking some smack about you on my thread.
Well done El D. The short bike was never gonna help you but another great swim and more NS points in the bag.
DD, people will read your thread without shameless advertising in other peoples. I think you should take some time (on the naughty step) and reflect on your actions here. 0 -
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Thanks DD, and thanks for pointing out interest's cowardly comments, I couldn't even defend myself! Guess that's what I get for falling behind on other peoples logs-that'll teach me!
Interested We should have a 500m dash at the bull wall some evening-while you still have a hammy leg I mean!
BTW things I day dream about from time to time-does interested really believe he'll beat me in a tri or even an aquathon some day?! Surely he doesn't! 0
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