2013 - we're going back

tunney

Over the years my wife has known a few versions of me. The obese me that I was when we started going out. The sorta slim me when I got into triathlon. The skinny me when I trained hard. And finally the chubby red wine drinking me that I have been for the last two years. Turns out I am happy and easier to be around when I'm the skinny training me. She did her best this year to motivate me and so did friends. It just didn't happen.

Long in advance of Challenge Roth we had "the ironman talk". It was a different style "ironman talk" to most households. I was told to draw up a list of all the races in the Challenege series and Ironman series and rate them based on certain criteria, then a decision was to be made as to which Ironman I would do in 2013. The caveat being if I don't train properly that that is it, game over, bike sold, sport retired from. Glenda had said that me going to do Challenge Roth held no excitement for her as she wouldn't be sitting there biting her nails "I hope be does x:xx:xx, he worked really hard for it, he deserves it". She be checking the splits but more from an "is he alive" perspective. The 2013 would have to be that nail biting "so much resting on it" type of experience. A spectatle, ala Austria 2010. She insisted that whichever race it was that the kids would be going to as she wasn't going to explain why they never went to races that Daddy did.

So the things that would rule a race out.

* Wave starts - she hates watching them. Challenge Roth gone
* Challenge Vichy - too small, big race feel required
* Challenge Copenhagen - Nordic races ruled out
* Challenge Barcelona - made the short list but lost out for a few reasons
* IM Resenburg - just no appeal to me nor her, plus had enough of Germans
* IM Frankfurt - if I wanted to expose the kids to junkies and brassers in the rain we'd go into O'Connell street
* IM Lanza - for some reason a yawn fest for me, some appeal of a family holiday after I admit
* IM Nice - I love France, I spent many a summer on my relatives farm over there, I've experienced the heat of a typical summers day
* IM Swizterland - pricey, plus hunny got punched in the face
* IM Wales - HAHAHAHAHA
* IM UK - HAHAHAHAHA
* IM Sweden - Nordic races ruled out

So that left one. Third time lucky in IM Austria. The cons of this race are:
* Change of a non wetsuit swim
* Been there twice already
* Hardish to get to

The pros of this race are:
* Some of my best memories are from there in 2010, swimming in the lake with Aoibhe and her fasinated by a family of ducks
* Been there twice already, I know the course, I know the area, I know where to stay, where the registration is, where the warm up is, where to position myself in the swim start. What the hills are like and where they are. I know the water is in cups
* Glenda has been there twice already, she knows the course and the area. She knows where to watch the swim, the bike and the run.
* The big one - the run is a figure of eight and Glenda and the kids will see me 8 times on the run. Big for them big for me.

So once the decision was made it was a case of entering. Glenda was more anxious than I was on the night it opened and I think she wore the F5 button out.

I got in!

So after Roth was done we had another chat. She asked what my PB was over the distance (9:51) and she said "Right 9:30 is your goal time. Weekly training plans submitted to me on a Wednesday. I want a season overview, testing schedule and projected improvements. Don't put a session down if it won't get done. If you aren't training thats it, it stops and stops straight away." I asked why not training was defined as. "Six missed sessions". I asked was it six sessions a month, or a rolling three week window. The response "What is a rolling three week window? Six sessions means six sessions. Total."

The offical goal is the one agreed with Glenda.

So I've got a hard task master, a fully supportive one. So there we go - we going back.

RayCun

tunney wrote: »

"What is a rolling three week window? Six sessions means six sessions. Total."

:pac:

So for all the HTFU and SIU we see from you on boards... you're the soft one in the family

handangeo

Where did you get your Mrs?
Does she have a sister who is as understanding?
Can you organise a wife swap in 2014?

Younganne

Best of Luck Tunney with the training and the goals.

It must be fab to have such good support back at the ranch!!!!
Keep on her good side;)

tunney

I was told that the season started today. Her birthday was Friday, my fathers 60th was Saturday and one of the kids was up all night last night. (39.3 dgree temperature this morning).
I had a easy swim on the plan for this morning. I made a call this morning to move it to this evening after the kids go to bed. Mentioned that to Glenda this evening. Was told "I marked that down as a missed session". I asked for a mulligan and was granted one this once.

The other part of the Ironman talk we had last week was on acceptable reasons for missing a session that would not count as one of the six.
Acceptable reasons are:
* Kid in hospital
* I am sick or injured
* She is so sick she cannot look after the kids

Unacceptable reasons are:
* Kids kept me awake at night
* Kid slightly sick
* She is slightly sick

It appears she means this.

The other session on the plan was an easy run. First 15 minutes were great, then the TFLs/ITBs tightened and it was unpleasant. I am sensing a night with a tennis ball stuck in my hip and a foam roller under me tonight.

shotgunmcos

Thank you Glenda for this log. Oh and best of luck Tunney...

TRR

Just wondering why you're dismissive of IM UK AND Wales? The reason I ask is a friend of mine did his one and only IM in Wales last year in a decent time and loved it. Plans on heading back next year. Is it a poor relation of the others?

Murraythree

Reading your intro I couldn’t help but think:
He comes right out and says what she tells him to think - henpecked.

Dory Dory

I think Glenda needs her own log here on the boards.

Oryx

I'd buy your wife a whip as a thank you present but I'd say she already has one. I will follow this with interest.

And other unacceptable excuses would be doing daft stuff like catching your fingers in the chainring..

ecoli

Dory Dory wrote: »

I think Glenda needs her own log here on the boards.

I think she has one. Who knew that the old tunney persona was actually the woman behind the man:D

Does Glenda do coaching? reckon she would have everyone in the DCM Mentors thread running sub 3 no problem

TRR

In fairness Tunney's wife doesn't wear the trousers in their house ............. because she doesn't allow trousers in the house

tunney

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Thank you Glenda for this log. Oh and best of luck Tunney...

Oryx wrote: »

I'd buy your wife a whip as a thank you present but I'd say she already has one. I will follow this with interest.

And other unacceptable excuses would be doing daft stuff like catching your fingers in the chainring..

ecoli wrote: »

I think she has one. Who knew that the old tunney persona was actually the woman behind the man:D

Does Glenda do coaching? reckon she would have everyone in the DCM Mentors thread running sub 3 no problem

Glenda has spent years around triathletes. With the exception of myself successful ones. Of the friends of mine she sees regularly, male and female, I think I am the only one without a National Championship title. She knows her HRMs from her PMs and can discuss the merits of a hub based PM versus a crank based one. Maybe she could give Peter a lesson in them? She knows whats what.

Murraythree wrote: »

Reading your intro I couldn’t help but think:
He comes right out and says what she tells him to think - henpecked.

TRR wrote: »

In fairness Tunney's wife doesn't wear the trousers in their house ............. because she doesn't allow trousers in the house

Totally henpecked, whipped, whatever you want to call it. Don't you just hate when the OH insists on being totally supportive and insists on doing things right. Even worse when they take it one step further and really try to motivate you to regain your passion, dedication and gra for the sport. Jesus, sucks.

tunney

Got to the pool last night for a quick 2500m swim. A little crowded but the water felt good. Main set being 3x200 steady +15s then 5x100 mod on 2 and some fast 50s.

As I said the water felt good but I was surprised when I came in on the first 100m - 1:30. 2 and 3 were the same, 4 was 1:35 and 5 1:32. very surprised. So surprised in fact that after the swim I time a revolution of the pool clock to make sure it did actually take 60 seconds. Happy with the times for the amount of swimming but it was the RPE of the swims that was really fantastic. Gliding through the water.......

Eoin sick still. He is a happy happy lad. Feed him and he is happy out. We typically know he is sick as he stops smiling. He has stopped smiling, stopped sleeping, has a temperature of 39.x and is refusing food. He has been to the doctors and they found nothing wrong so viral infection. He roared the house down last night which meant Aoibhe was up. As things are at the moment only Mommy can settle Eoin - which is handy as Aoibhe only wants Daddy. Have to work on getting Eoin to let me settle him. Anyways chez Tunney is tired today.

TRR

tunney wrote: »

Totally henpecked, whipped, whatever you want to call it. Don't you just hate when the OH insists on being totally supportive and insists on doing things right. Even worse when they take it one step further and really try to motivate you to regain your passion, dedication and gra for the sport. Jesus, sucks.

Did we hit a nerve, we were only joking. You may need to HTFU :P

tunney

Weight.

A topic that's important but I've not touched on.

I've been fat (guts of 16 stone -2002 ish)) I've been skinny (just over 10st -2007/2008) and I've been goldilocks (10st 8 in 2009 and 2010). For the last two years I've been chunky (11st 7st - 12st).

I'm under no illusions of the importance of weight and its something I bang on enough to people that I work with (not in an IT sense). The last two years I've given a half arsed attempt to get to racing weight but I've never committed to it and by the time Janurary rolls around its too late to get down to racing weight - can't loose weight and train properly at the same time. (I did choose to do neither in 2011 and 2012 however)

Anyways if i am to take Austria 2013 seriously then I need to hit 2013 at 11st. Given I weighed in for Roth at 12st that will be fun.

I've read Matt Fitzgeralds Racing weight and in it he talks about using all sorts of formulae to determine racing weight but then ends with "the best way to know your racing weight is to have been there".

For the first 4 years in tri I thought my racing weight was 11st 7. I got there and then realised it wasn't. I then got down to 10st 4 or so and I thought that was it but I was not robust enough. A few pounds on and at 10st 8 I hit the happy middle ground - light enough to run often, long and fast but heavy enough not to break down. So slow and steadily I will return to that!

So
Date|Weight
16th July 2012|12st

tunney

Eoins temperature hasn't been below high 38s, low to high 39s since Monday. Despite being pumped with Calpol and taken to the doctors on Monday. So Glenda has had to man mark him and Aoibhe is of the opinion that if Eoin gets to sleep with Mommy then she gets to sleep with Daddy. Sleeping with what is effectively a bag of cats somewhat hinders training (and work).

Anyways he went back to the doctors this morning and he has tonsillitis on both sides and will be on antibiotics for ten days. Poor little lad, at least he should start to feel better in 24 hours and then the house can return to normality.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Great to see the motivation back. Need to find new jokes as the fat ones will not stick in a few months.

myflipflops

tunney wrote: »

Weight.

A topic that's important but I've not touched on.

I've been fat (guts of 16 stone -2002 ish)) I've been skinny (just over 10st -2007/2008) and I've been goldilocks (10st 8 in 2009 and 2010). For the last two years I've been chunky (11st 7st - 12st).

What height are you? How long do you think it will take the drop a stone?

Weight is something I am focused on at the moment too albeit I am much heavier than you, less fit and have lesser goals.

Izoard

TRR wrote: »

Just wondering why you're dismissive of IM UK AND Wales? The reason I ask is a friend of mine did his one and only IM in Wales last year in a decent time and loved it. Plans on heading back next year. Is it a poor relation of the others?

Assuming that, in this case, it is all about the time, you need to find the fastest course - IMW and IMUK, ain't fast.

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

Assuming that, in this case, it is all about the time, you need to find the fastest course - IMW and IMUK, ain't fast.

And you'd be wrong. Nothing to do with speed.

Organisation - endless threads deleted by threat of legal action in the UK on this.

Money - did HIMUK numerous times, same organisers, felt as if the organiser was following me around taking money from my pocket. Charging for things not charge at other races - £10 for brake tweaked, £20 for gears etc.

Surveys - I was asked what I felt about one of their races, I told them in a constructive, polite, private fashion. I was savaged for daring to criticise their race. They had asked for constructive criticism.

At the races I was at that the organisers did the athletes were treated, IMHO as an inconvience.

Weather - I don't like 10+ hours in the rain and cold.

Roads - I don't like bad surfaces, hurts the knackers

Support - 188,000 people supported Roth on the roads. Similar for other euro races. The Brits don't get triathlon, nor supporting it. Plus alot of events in UK ruined by tacks on the road.

All in all IM is a fun hobby for me, I'd like to keep it that way.

tunney

myflipflops wrote: »

What height are you? How long do you think it will take the drop a stone?

Weight is something I am focused on at the moment too albeit I am much heavier than you, less fit and have lesser goals.

I am 5 foot 10

Dropping a stone, I expect to see a massive false weight loss in the first week or so as the glycogen stores and associated water stores (1g glycogen is stored with 2g water) are depleted. To actually lose the weight - that will take longer. Hampered somewhat by 3 weeks holidays in the next two months.

However anything longer than 3 months and I would be disappointed with myself.

Do drinking, no sh1t food, and actually training should help with the weight loss*.


*I won't deprive myself completely, once a week a glass of wine and a packet of crisps.

Izoard

tunney wrote: »

And you'd be wrong. Nothing to do with speed.

Organisation - endless threads deleted by threat of legal action in the UK on this.

Money - did HIMUK numerous times, same organisers, felt as if the organiser was following me around taking money from my pocket. Charging for things not charge at other races - £10 for brake tweaked, £20 for gears etc.

Surveys - I was asked what I felt about one of their races, I told them in a constructive, polite, private fashion. I was savaged for daring to criticise their race. They had asked for constructive criticism.

At the races I was at that the organisers did the athletes were treated, IMHO as an inconvience.

Weather - I don't like 10+ hours in the rain and cold.

Roads - I don't like bad surfaces, hurts the knackers

Support - 188,000 people supported Roth on the roads. Similar for other euro races. The Brits don't get triathlon, nor supporting it. Plus alot of events in UK ruined by tacks on the road.

All in all IM is a fun hobby for me, I'd like to keep it that way.

I take your point about IMUK, but "nothing to do with speed"?

In your logs, your explict aim is always time - whether sub-9, sub-10 or now, sub 9:30.

This is also supported by your choice of the 2 fastest courses in Iron distance for all your IMs - Austria and Roth.

It is one of the reasons why they sell out so fast, after all....

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

I take your point about IMUK, but "nothing to do with speed"?

In your logs, your explict aim is always time - whether sub-9, sub-10 or now, sub 9:30.

This is also supported by your choice of the 2 fastest courses in Iron distance for all your IMs - Austria and Roth.

It is one of the reasons why they sell out so fast, after all....

Roth was slow this year. As was Austria.

Plus I've done Frankfurt.

Speed had nothing to do with it this year. It was all about logistics and more importantly doing my best to ensure a happy fun day for the family.

Standing in a wet field in the UK drinking tea that they had to pay £2.50 for while having no childrens entertainment............

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

I take your point about IMUK, but "nothing to do with speed"?

In your logs, your explict aim is always time - whether sub-9, sub-10 or now, sub 9:30.

This is also supported by your choice of the 2 fastest courses in Iron distance for all your IMs - Austria and Roth.

It is one of the reasons why they sell out so fast, after all....

Plus UK isn't as slow as people claim.

Izoard

Looking at how the TTR ratings are put together, I think they are a very good indicator of the time potential for each course.

http://www.trirating.com/course-ratings/

Might be handy for those who do care about finishing times...:)
Course RatingIM St. George- 13:29IM Wales- 08:55IM Wisconsin- 03:46IM Lanzarote- 03:11IM Korea- 02:32IM Lake Placid- 01:50IM Hawaii- 01:14IM UK01:14Challenge Wanaka01:40IM Louisville02:57IM Canada03:14IM Coeur d’Alene03:46IM Australia04:48IM South Africa05:20IM New Zealand05:30IM Arizona07:14IM France07:48IM Cairns08:29IM Melbourne08:55IM Texas09:44IM Cozumel10:03IM Regensburg10:04IM Western Australia11:27IM Switzerland11:54IM Germany12:11IM Brasil14:05IM Florida15:20IM Austria17:08Challenge Roth19:12

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

Looking at how the TTR ratings are put together, I think they are a very good indicator of the time potential for each course.

http://www.trirating.com/course-ratings/

Might be handy for those who do care about finishing times...:)
Course RatingIM St. George- 13:29IM Wales- 08:55IM Wisconsin- 03:46IM Lanzarote- 03:11IM Korea- 02:32IM Lake Placid- 01:50IM Hawaii- 01:14IM UK01:14Challenge Wanaka01:40IM Louisville02:57IM Canada03:14IM Coeur d’Alene03:46IM Australia04:48IM South Africa05:20IM New Zealand05:30IM Arizona07:14IM France07:48IM Cairns08:29IM Melbourne08:55IM Texas09:44IM Cozumel10:03IM Regensburg10:04IM Western Australia11:27IM Switzerland11:54IM Germany12:11IM Brasil14:05IM Florida15:20IM Austria17:08Challenge Roth19:12

And the glaring problem with alot of this is what? Answers on the back of a postcard.........

TRR

tunney wrote: »

And you'd be wrong. Nothing to do with speed.

Organisation - endless threads deleted by threat of legal action in the UK on this.

Money - did HIMUK numerous times, same organisers, felt as if the organiser was following me around taking money from my pocket. Charging for things not charge at other races - £10 for brake tweaked, £20 for gears etc.

Surveys - I was asked what I felt about one of their races, I told them in a constructive, polite, private fashion. I was savaged for daring to criticise their race. They had asked for constructive criticism.

At the races I was at that the organisers did the athletes were treated, IMHO as an inconvience.

Weather - I don't like 10+ hours in the rain and cold.

Roads - I don't like bad surfaces, hurts the knackers

Support - 188,000 people supported Roth on the roads. Similar for other euro races. The Brits don't get triathlon, nor supporting it. Plus alot of events in UK ruined by tacks on the road.

All in all IM is a fun hobby for me, I'd like to keep it that way.

Thanks. Will mention some of the above to him. He did IM Wales and was blown away. It was his first IM and praised everything about the organisational side of things. Maybe he'd change his view if he had something to compare it against. Regards the time thing, he definitely has a time goal in mind so a faster course would definitely be a plus also.

pgibbo

Izoard wrote: »

Looking at how the TTR ratings are put together, I think they are a very good indicator of the time potential for each course.

http://www.trirating.com/course-ratings/

Might be handy for those who do care about finishing times...:)
Course RatingIM St. George- 13:29IM Wales- 08:55IM Wisconsin- 03:46IM Lanzarote- 03:11IM Korea- 02:32IM Lake Placid- 01:50IM Hawaii- 01:14IM UK01:14Challenge Wanaka01:40IM Louisville02:57IM Canada03:14IM Coeur d’Alene03:46IM Australia04:48IM South Africa05:20IM New Zealand05:30IM Arizona07:14IM France07:48IM Cairns08:29IM Melbourne08:55IM Texas09:44IM Cozumel10:03IM Regensburg10:04IM Western Australia11:27IM Switzerland11:54IM Germany12:11IM Brasil14:05IM Florida15:20IM Austria17:08Challenge Roth19:12

So this is basically the average time to complete the course based on all the finishing times - PROS and AG athletes?

Izoard

pgibbo wrote: »

So this is basically the average time to complete the course based on all the finishing times - PROS and AG athletes?

Well, looking at his approach, it is a little more sophisticated...

Point is, Austria and Roth are the fastest courses around, but randomly chosen by punters for the "fun" element:)

tunney

Izoard wrote: »

Well, looking at his approach, it is a little more sophisticated...

Point is, Austria and Roth are the fastest courses around, but randomly chosen by punters for the "fun" element:)

Frankfurt is fast, IMHO faster than Roth. Not sold out this year. First year in ages, if ever. Why? Could it have something to do with two years in a row of freezing cold and pi$$ing rain.

Its all about the fun