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Swim 1500m TT
I skipped the morning group session as I wanted to have a crack at this. My pb 23:52 was after a good block of swim training early last year. I still feel off peak fitness but I'm getting there and I've been hanging onto sharks, suffering, but hanging on. So, I figured mid 23 was realistic and a decent pb, maybe low 23 if I paced it and suffered alone as I can with company. Either way I was pscyched up to visit the dark searing hostile heat of the pain cave and pitch a tent!
The approach was to break it down to 3x400 no rest and the hang on. The lane was busy but mostly swim hats labelled with X swim or y Tri leaving enough room in the middle of the lane to squeeze through. The one worry was a larger girl swimming in the centre of the lane endangering oncoming traffic. She was moving slow enough to pass quickly but it would require a wide pass and possible game of chicken with one of the labeled hats. There was thus a real possibility of being reported to the lifeguard for menacing swimming :pac:
Waiting for the bunch to clear the outbound length and get halfway down the return was akin to waiting for the perfect wind before a launch down the ski jump. At least it ensured a clear opening 100m. I tore off doing the first 100m way too fast. I backed off and found the threshold pace by feel. There were invariably 3 pairs of legs at the wall that didn't move but after a few no nonsence grab turns they moved.
At 400m I was feeling it and wondered if I had butchered it. It didn't feel at that point like I could sustain the pace for 1500m. I maintained the effort but stretched for length at the catch and alternated between breathing bi lat and every stroke. I actually had to pass that girl on the left once as a normal pass was a certain collision. Slowing to breast stroke was not an option! 800m came and went feeling strong but it was starting to bite. I had glanced at the clock at 750m and knew I was going to have to bury myself not to fade too badly. I was sure I had gone too hard.
The 3rd 400 was grim and really mentally challenging. I slowed a little initially but regained focus to see it through. My shoulders and lungs were on fire and I was kicking hard enough to bring on cramp at anytime. I wanted to leave the stupid tent and flee the cave.
300m to go was 'just' 3 laps. It sucked but getting that 100m done was a lift. I poured the last of it into the last few lengths and hit stop. I was spent. So much so it was a minute or so before I looked at the watch. When I did, I did a double take... 22:18!!! :eek:
Splits: 1:23/1:29/1:33/1:32/1:29/1:28/1:28/1:28/1:32/1:30/1:29/1:29/1:32/1:30/1:28
First 400m in 5:55, next one in 5:53 and hung on at 6min pace to the end
I was chuffed to say the least. Massive pb! Could not have squeezed a second more out. Easily the most satisfying swim result since getting out of the canal at Roth 2011 sub60
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MMRA Ballyhoura Mountain Marathon
Not quite the IMRA debut I envisaged originally, which was one of the midweek short races. I'm in no shape for a marathon let alone an off road one, over mountains!! Running lately has been a diet of 2 weekly 5 milers and a solitary 8 easy miles with career_move recently to sum up the training. None of it was off road running up mountains :rolleyes:
So, the purpose of this was for Kate and I to get a long trek done as practice for the Beast. I met Kate and her lovely sister, over from Oz, at registration. While we shot the breeze and giggled, Kate was sizing up the Ladies' competition with steely stares. I knew then her plan was different and I had a choice. Leave her off or run with her and fall apart at some point? Option B it was.
First up, great event. Savage course. Incessant hills, muck and rain but beautiful sections of trail, meadows, corridors of fallen trees and superstar volunteers with jellies, nuts, bananas, chocolate and water. Signposted every few hundred metres so impossible to get lost. Well, near impossible. Kate managed to get temporarily lost en route to victory! Kudos to her backtracking and still getting the job done. I had long since watched her disappear into a mist by that point.
My own race was an epic 5.5 hours of struggle. Ended up with a swollen left ankle, swollen and bruised right knee and large raw blisters. Finished it though which was goal achieved. I ran with Kate for the first 10 miles but had gone over on my ankle and landed on my right kneecap attacking a steep technical descent after an hour or so. It was the same knee I hurt last week so it bloody hurt more this time :rolleyes: I let Kate off and walk/jogged home getting passed by what felt like the entire field of runners. When I finished it actually felt like I came last and I may well have! That would be a first 
I just couldn't sustain running for long with a swelling knee and I went over on the same ankle 3 more times on muddy sections. I just gave up trying and descended with the brakes on afraid to do real damage. It happens a lot as my ankle turn in naturally. The 4 hours between the fall and the finish felt like forever. Some runners slowed down to keep me company for a while. IMRA folk are the bomb.
Anyway, completely delighted for Kate getting the win. Couldn't happen a smilier running nutter and pretty chuffed to have such a tough cookie on my Beast team Once I get this swim done its running and mountain biking all the way... 0 -
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Swim Endurance
Well, long endurance swim for most of us, just a bog standard one for Dory :rolleyes:
2,000m in 35:50 pace 1:47
2 min rest
2,000m in 35:38 pace 1:46
2 min rest
2,000m in 35:16 pace 1:45
Total 6,000m
Quiet pool so great opportunity to get a long session done. The intention was all easy swimming. With the DOMS however I couldn't kick off the wall. Legs felt like lead and concentration was poor. I felt like getting out after 4k but made myself do another rep. Terrible. Felt like junk and I was wiped for a finish
OW Swim
Met trig1 for an inaugural dip at Worlds End. He was in for 10 mins by the time I suited up and jumped in. No hanging about, just swam. Proper brain freeze for 3-4 minutes before I began to adapt. Goggles fogged up so I was half afraid of a head on with trig on his way back to the slip. We met about 400m from it, crossed the river to avoid rowing shells and headed back in together. I did mostly backstroke as my shoulders were reeling from the pool. Found it almost pleasant for a finish. About 900m done 0 -
shotgunmcos wrote: »I did mostly backstroke as my shoulders were reeling from the pool. Found it almost pleasant for a finish. About 900m done
And I still couldn't stay with him
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@griffin - shortlisted, thanks
Swim Intervals
9x400m off 7min in on 6:23/6:26/6:31/6:39/6:42/6:44/6:56/6:50/6:54
Supposed to be 10 reps. Knew after the first 2 I was going to struggle. The effort was way too high for a return of 1:36 pace. Slipped to 1:40 pace then 1:44 pace before quitting the rubbish swimming on rep 9. Pool was busy. Head just wasn't in it. One of shotgun junior's rugby teammates tragically fell into the sea last weekend and passed away yesterday. I couldn't sleep a wink last night, it really got to me. My heart goes out to the family who live down the road from me. Just so sad. Life is truly cruel sometimes 0 -
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Group Swim
Last week of training before taper so no better incentive to get my ass up.
After a 1,000m warm up, a main set of
4x250m off 4:15
250m in 3:35 pace 1:25
250m in 3:33 pace 1:25
250m in 3:40 pace 1:27
250m in 3:47 pace 1:30
then 5x200m off 3:20
200m in 2:55 pace 1:27
200m in 2:54 pace 1:27
200m in 2:55 pace 1:27
200m in 2:56 pace 1:28
200m in 2:58 pace 1:29
various cool down easy with fins
3,700m total
Main set flew off at a mad pace. I busted a gut hanging onto sharks for the first 2 250s then lost feet and faded. We had 90 sec rest before the technician lead out the 200s. I suffered but just about hung on. Chuffed to get them all under 3 minutes after a hard km before hand.
Easy Run
Simple slow tester. 8.32km and felt fat.
OW Swim
I was a bit late down to Worlds End and found a big enough gang of Limerick Tri and mossym. After a bit of yapping and some shivering anxious bodies not believing me that it was lovely, we hopped in. 13.2 degrees Easily a degree or more warmer than last week. No brain freeze. Still a little cold but the degree makes a big difference. Headed out ahead of the posse with mossym and another lad. We covered about 800m out and back. My stupid Garmin tried to tell me I was swimming 2:11 pace again and under cut the distance. I think I might need to plug it in and download software or something. Quite annoying. Anyway, pleasant short swim. OW is so much more enjoyable than pool laps...
1,600m total0
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