The Good Mood Cookbook

Kurt Godel

Oryx wrote: »

Got my swim done. it was raining but the sea was calm. The swim itself was fine, but occasionally bumping into football sized jellyfish was not. 2k in total, I'm still pulling to the left and swimming off course.

Hey, you survived the jellyfish. Talking to a lifeguard in Wicklow, they had a very large Lion's Mane a couple of days back, at Brittas, first sighting there in a while.

But you would survive anything anyways.

Oryx

Wtf is a Lion's mane and can it kill me?

Kurt Godel

Oryx wrote: »

Wtf is a Lion's mane and can it kill me?

Not unless you are in a Sherlock Holmes story, that's all you need to know about Lion's Manes, keep up the sea swimming.

griffin100

I love this site, enough to put you off sea swimming forever

http://www.jellyfish.ie/irish_sea_jellyfish.asp#7

Oryx

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Not unless you are in a Sherlock Holmes story, that's all you need to know about Lion's Manes, keep up the sea swimming.

I googled that. Big bugger!

Oryx

griffin100 wrote: »

I love this site, enough to put you off sea swimming forever

http://www.jellyfish.ie/irish_sea_jellyfish.asp#7

The ones tonight looked like crystal ones. kinda pinkish tho. The first one I hit with my hand was solid but slightly yielding, kinda fleshy Frightened the fook out of me.

Dory Dory

We just have snapping turtles and snakes in our local lake to contend with. Jelly fish are super icky in my book!

griffin100

Oryx wrote: »

The ones tonight looked like crystal ones. kinda pinkish tho. The first one I hit with my hand was solid but slightly yielding, kinda fleshy Frightened the fook out of me.

Last year when doing the Clougherhead swim I spent the last km swimming through jellyfish soup. Every stroke I was catching handfuls of them. It freaked me out for a bit but when I realised I wasn't getting stung it wasn't too bad. We used to have a rule of thumb when I worked on fishing boats, the browner a jellyfish the worse the sting.

Oryx

No jellyfish today. Just a bike ride. Short enough, three hours. But the crazy cow I was with decided it would be a good idea to finish the ride by going up the steepest hill we have around here. Its not long but its tough enough. So we did it twice. It was actually really good because its the climb I used to do reps on but I've avoided it since I pulled a hamstring last year. It was a real boost to realise I could get up it without any issues. 71k in 3.10 but we did have spots where we dawdled.

Oryx

Easy bike (38k) followed by crosstrainer today. It was a real pleasure to be out on such a lovely morning. The kind of day that puts a smile on your face.

Dory Dory

What is "crosstrainer"?

Oryx

Dory Dory wrote: »

What is "crosstrainer"?

A thing like this
http://www.lifefitness.com/commercial/cardio/ellipticalcrosstrainers/integrity-series/integrity-series-elliptical-crosstrainer-clsxh.html

Dory Dory

Oryx wrote: »

A thing like this
http://www.lifefitness.com/commercial/cardio/ellipticalcrosstrainers/integrity-series/integrity-series-elliptical-crosstrainer-clsxh.html

Oh cool! I've never been on one of those, but I would imagine that's fantastic as a transition back into running. Speaking of which, are you getting closer to some honest running? Leg getting stronger??

Oryx

Dory Dory wrote: »

Oh cool! I've never been on one of those, but I would imagine that's fantastic as a transition back into running. Speaking of which, are you getting closer to some honest running? Leg getting stronger??

Leg is grand now, nothing to indicate I ever broke it, but I am aware that the healing is still ongoing. The crosstrainer is the stepping stone back to running, along with strength work. Using it bears no resemblance to actually running tho.

Kurt Godel

Oryx wrote: »

Leg is grand now, nothing to indicate I ever broke it, but I am aware that the healing is still ongoing. The crosstrainer is the stepping stone back to running, along with strength work. Using it bears no resemblance to actually running tho.

There's been an unusual amount of restraint and sense on this log over the past few months. Its been a model of how to return after injury. Did you bang your head too when you broke your leg?;)

Oryx

Kurt Godel wrote: »

There's been an unusual amount of restraint and sense on this log over the past few months. Its been a model of how to return after injury. Did you bang your head too when you broke your leg?;)

Holy cow you are the first person to accuse me of that. But as with most things the yin of sense is balanced by the yang of idiocy. I am trying to come back safely, but I am trying to come back fast.

Youre smart. Listen to what I'm not saying

Oryx

Strength & mobility plus circuits (35 mins), followed by a swim set this morning. Brought the kids to the pool with me, and in a 2600m set, my daughter managed to interrupt me twice, both times during two of the four hard 100s I had to do. Impeccable timing as always! But apart from that the set went well though my arms are tired now.

Oryx

Rest day yesterday, so today, we pick it up a little.

High cad turbo session today, same as the last few I've done, but I dropped the resistance slightly as apparently these sessions are not meant to feel like a pukefest. Had no problems though it was still tough enough to feel decent.

Straight after that I had the bit I have been looking forward to. My first official, ministry sanctioned, coach approved run. Just 20 minutes was all that was assigned but I have been smiling at the thought of this all week. And I did what I promised myself I would do 12 weeks ago. I ran to where I could pick up the road I had been on when I had the fall, and I finished that run. It was a symbolic thing for me, a closing of the circle, ending this whole saga. And it surprised me how emotional it all was. Same early morning, same sunny weather. I had tears running out under my sunglasses as I passed 'that' spot, but I was smiling too. A little mini victory.

Apart from that, the run was slow, but fine. 4.3k in 25 minutes. Not a gig from the leg, it is perfect, just a little stiff, but Ive had worse than that on a good day.

Strength and mobility as usual when I got back, which I do without complaint now, I can see what it is doing for me.

Dory Dory

There's no stopping ya now!!! :)

Oryx

Swam tonight. Strength work apparently. My arms felt it anyway. 2.6k in an hour.

Oryx

Mobility and core this morning, ow swim this evening. Seemed to sight better tonight; maybe my lopsided body is starting to balance out again. Hopefully anyway. Roughly 2k in what felt like a good pace but I can't be sure I left my watch at home.

Oryx

Another run this morning. Just over 5k this time, same pace as yesterday. I can feel my creaky muscles complaining at being asked to do this after so long, but I'll try and be aware of anything that could turn into an injury - the last thing I need! Run fitness is abysmal but actually better than I had worried it might be.

Icing the ankle now. Doing as I am told.

Oryx

Long bike today, up to Mt Leinster again, just because it fits well into five hours. Didn't do so well today, pace was down. I'm blaming the wind. 116k total.

On the steepest part of the climb up from Kiltealy, I had four wild horses trotting up the road ahead of me. I had to keep geeing them on because there wasn't room to pass them. Funny as feck, herding horses on a pushbike.

Oryx

Short bike today. 2 hours with short sprints throughout. Bloody wind followed me again. Down along a straight road to a turning point feeling the full brunt of it. I turn and I'm STILL facing into the wind. How???? 47k

Short run off the bike. A stark reminder of how poor my running fitness is, the demons were there from the outset: 'you should just go home' 'you could walk a bit you know' 'you really want a cup of tea...' 20 mins 3.8k

I'm icing my ankle well today, that was two hard days and I can feel it.

Oryx

S&M (the training, not pervserse, kind) plus circuits this morning. Then a tough swim. A set that would be easy for the fish around here, but 9x100 best average for me was hard going, especially after a shed load of kicking and other stuff. My best average is crazy slow. 1.56. I must swim so inefficiently, trouble is I don't know exactly what to change. Anyway, got this done eventually. 2.6k in 73 mins overall.

Dory Dory

Maybe this winter you can get your stroke (the training kind) analyzed? Do I remember something about someone at B2R being really sharp at this sort of thing? I think his/her name begins with an "E"?? And my best advice to you is after you have your stroke analyzed, then swim, swim, swim, and swim some more. Swim until you feel you've got the recommendations down...and then go back to have him/her check that you've made the proper adjustments. I would certainly hope that your stroke analysis fee covers a follow up assessment....just like a bike fit does.

Oryx

Ive had analysis done about 6 times. Everyone picks up on something different, I do a lot wrong. I did go to b2r but it was Cian rather than Eanna (sp?) that did it. Eanna was too busy, or I was too amateur to bother with, Im not sure.

Dory Dory

Well, I can try and help you when I am there next...but it's been a long time since I've coached/taught, however I'd be glad to try and help you.

Kurt Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Well, I can try and help you when I am there next...but it's been a long time since I've coached/taught, however I'd be glad to try and help you.

I'll go halves on an Aer Lingus ticket and lane rental, Oyrx?

Dory Dory

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I'll go halves on an Aer Lingus ticket and lane rental, Oyrx?

Just play chauffeur and tour guide for me and we'll call it even.