GODZone...

Trig1 · 13-05-2014 4:42am

shotgunmcos wrote: »

@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

Heart breaking tragic stuff

shotgunmcos · 13-05-2014 9:34pm

Am: Swim 4,000m in 67:52 pace 1:42
Pm: Swim 4,000m in 68:29 pace 1:43

Total 8,000m not yds

Dory Dory · 13-05-2014 9:41pm

You're a real comedian.

shotgunmcos · 14-05-2014 1:43pm

Dory Dory wrote: »

You're a real comedian.

What can I say, YOU bring the best out of me sweet cheeks

Group Swim
800m warm up with half hearted drills. They will make sod all difference in the next week.
Main set
2x200m off 3:20 in on 2:54/2:57
4x100m off 1:35 in on 1:28/1:26/2:27/1:26
2x200m off 3:20 in on 2:49/2:51
2 min rest
2x200m off 3:20 in on 2:59/3:01
4x100m off 1:35 in on 1:29/1:30/1:32/1:30
2x200m off 3:20 in on 3:01/2:48
200m cool down
3,400m total

The repeat times have moved to 1:35 in the Shark lane. They have time to chat, pour tea and rearrange their kit before the next rep. The rest of us arrive in with red faces, gulp some air or water if lucky and continue chasing the fading bubbles. I was happy with the first set as I almost held onto feet but the second 2x200 was very hard and left me reeling during the recovery. The 2:49 was my quickest 200 of the year!

I began the second set in earnest but it was clear after just 50m I couldn't hang on. The 4-5 lead fish in this lane are all 18-20 minute 1500m swimmers. Different league. I backed off enough to still be swimming hard but with more oxygen. On the final 200m I went all out to hang onto some feet again and lowered my 200m mark to 2:48

Pretty happy with the session after the sessions yesterday. Lower back and shoulders are feeling the volume ( doesn't come to us non fish as naturally and breezy as Dory). I must focus on stretching this week. 11 days to Eton Dorney. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous

shotgunmcos · 14-05-2014 9:55pm

Aerobic Swims
2,700m at 1:40 pace 45 mins
An hour later
2,600m at 1:42 pace 45 mins

Long work day in store tomorrow starting too early to get a pool session in. Hence the 3rd swim of the day bringing the total to 8,700m. The first swim was a steady effort while shotgun junior did his lesson. I had no intention of pushing as there was more than enough intensity this morning. I had to sprint a length to overtake a train at one point which took 2 lengths to recover from. Overall it felt good, almost sweet spot like.

I dropped Alex home and contemplated a hill run but too risky with knee still not right. Back to the pool to pull on wet shorts and repeat. It was slower though. I felt it after a km and had enough by 45 mins. A few more days of this, my first ever swim block and its taper time

I understand now why the schools of fish spend ages limbering up on deck before swimming. Volume takes a toll.

Dory Dory · 14-05-2014 10:40pm

So, what's your swimming mileage goal for May?? What are you targeting, besides me?

Kurt Godel · 14-05-2014 10:58pm

Swim triples?!? Every time I read your log lately I look like this guy -->:eek:

Mucho Respecto MCOS, some great work going on.

shotgunmcos · 14-05-2014 11:05pm

Dory Dory wrote: »

So, what's your swimming mileage goal for May?? What are you targeting, besides me?

No mileage goal. My single focus for May is a 10,000m swim event in London next week. I'm just putting in a swim block to try and peak for it. I'll be tapering in a few days. It may just seem like an extra long leisurely swim to you but I learned to swim from scratch less than 6 years ago and completing the Olympic marathon swim distance is a big goal for me. Its the first of the 3x3 sub3 attempts this year.

Just so happens it will be my biggest swim month ever. Once the race is done I'm strictly on run/bike mode to get in shape for June goals.

Dory Dory · 15-05-2014 2:22am

Which 10k swim event are you doing...and can we track you?? And no need to be nervous - you are so well prepared!!! This swim was made for you!!!

Kurt Godel · 15-05-2014 6:57am

I meant to ask- have you had any issue with calf cramps lately, with all the excess swimming?

career_move · 15-05-2014 10:55am

Cats rule

shotgunmcos · 15-05-2014 6:17pm

@hoochiedoubleD - Eton Dorney on Monday week. Don't think there is tracking
@Kurt - no not really. Some signs in the pool if I was tired or busting a gut. No running or bike sessions the last 2 weeks. I reckon running &/or dehydration are the main culprits. I plan to drink down some electrolytes on the day just in case
@career_move

. 1 in a billion

. I'll give you a call about Saturday

Recovery Swim
Really tired today so this was simply 2,000m of easy mixed strokes. Taking the night off to get a malt milkshake and go see Godzilla with peanut m&ms to hand

Dory Dory · 15-05-2014 6:59pm

Lots of things to like about that swim - Olympic venue, lake swim, clear water, good sight lines, AND a cake-filled recovery tent for the finishers!

I want a full reporting of the cake consumption! I see wetsuits optional - you going skins are in rubber??

shotgunmcos · 15-05-2014 7:11pm

Twill be a tangtanstic cake report for sure as long as I hit the sub3:D Rubber. Haven't braved skins yet and it will be a mickey mouse distance when I do!

shotgunmcos · 16-05-2014 9:37pm

Did some training today, but also stepped on the scale...

84.5kg :mad::mad:

I want to say it stops but Caz has just taken a chocolate chip banana bread out of the oven

career_move · 17-05-2014 12:37pm

shotgunmcos wrote: »

84.5kg :mad::mad:

It's all muscle

sconhome · 17-05-2014 3:09pm

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Did some training today, but also stepped on the scale...

84.5kg :mad::mad:

Don't worry sure we need someone to anchor us on the downhills

shotgunmcos · 17-05-2014 9:52pm

@Beasties- upper body muscle bulk but zero core = inches on the waist. It will be gone by August bank holiday as there will be more hills than you can shake a stick at

OW Swim
Planned a long pool swim but Arena occupied for the weekend for LC national kiddie gala. Watched the fish for a while marvelling at the whole set up, the tiny speedy fish, the splashy speedy fish, the older speedy fish, the sharks, the pause on the blocks, the speedy tumble turns, the club swim caps like battle banner sigils, the precision electronic timing, the sheer excitement of it all..

Plan thus foiled I went home and grabbed the wetsuit. Worlds End was busy with canoes, rowing crews and walkers but no swimmers. I didn't venture far alone so two out and backs totalling about 3,300m in 58 minutes. Felt good and water even nicer than Monday.

Short Run
I have to pace a local 10k tomorrow. 45 mins should be a breeze but I'm basically unfit. Did a recce at pacing pace and found it a struggle. Stiff headwind on second half of the course which is also the hilly half. Should get it done tomorrow but breeze it will not be. 10.76km in 48:30

Easy Bike
29km spinning legs out on the MTB. Had to visit family and left the car behind for an enjoyable spin in the sun.

shotgunmcos · 18-05-2014 9:50pm

Pacer Run
A bit anxious about pacing 45 minute 10k

. A pace that should be a comfortable marathon pace but not without consistent work. I needed to recce it yesterday to blow off some cobwebs and kinda shock the body into action. Felt better today. Paced it to 45 dead and even enough splits. The big posse in km 1 had shrunk to a few determined weary bodies at km 9 but as ever the gratitude and feel good factor was significant. Job done but it was a hilly course and honest work. Another 10k next week but one that will take nearly 4 times that time to complete...
14km total

shotgunmcos · 19-05-2014 11:02pm

Am: Pool Swim 3,500m in approx 60 mins
Pm: Ow Swim approx 4,500m in approx 77 mins
Total 8,000m

As Dory would put it a sneaky swim before a later work start. Steady in a lane of my own. Longer OW after work. Felt colder than last week. Went out before the Tri gang arrived and arrived back as most of them were leaving or getting on bikes. Shoulders hanging off me after another double swim day. Got cold too, took some reheating. I was starving by the time I got home. One more long swim session this week where I'll practice with a gel and that's it.

shotgunmcos · 21-05-2014 8:32pm

Swim Endurance
The plan was 2 hours steady and that's what I did. Gel on 4k, through 5k in 1:27:30. Total 6,900m. Happy to get this last long swim done but my shoulders and lower back were wrecked and the stroke was ragged for a finish. Another hour on top of this would have been hell but with a few days rest and a wetsuit I should all going well get that first sub3.

Hard Bike
A rare opportunity to get out midweek with the Tri/cycle club group. Its been nearly 2 years since I last did a group spin and over 18 months since a decent spin other than messing or commuting. Straight away I had a choice of the fast group or intermediate group. It was a genuine dilemma as I was under no illusions about the lack of any bike fitness. It was as beautiful sunny evening so why not, fast group it was. All in all about 30 and the pace was richer than I remembered. We rolled along for 40 minutes to Six mile bridge then the pace lifted.

I was going backwards on any hill and working hard to catch up again. Another half hour after a rich pace through Newcastlewest and I hit the front to chase down a break. I was wrecked after it! One more hill out of Shannon after which my heart was beating through my neck and the build to 45-50kmh for the last 10k winding up the last km for a sprint to the line. I was in bits just hanging on. I managed to cover a break getting close but only pulled what remained of the group with me. There was no juice for the final sprint. Only a half dozen in front of me going over the line but my body was truly shocked and my quads were in flames

. There was a time when I was fit enough to enjoy these and duke it out with the cycling boys on the sprint but this evening it was an accomplishment to not get dropped!
58.08km in 1:42:04, pace 34.1kmh including the cool down

shotgunmcos · 22-05-2014 9:08pm

Gaah every nearly every year I get a cold that leads to throat, then chesty cough problems that only steroids can knock if everything else fails. What a time to strike :mad: Hopefully caught it but 3 days before the Swim FFS :mad: Coughing my way through a 3 hour swim is not in the plan :mad: Completely blocked up :mad: Caz puts it down to Monday's river swim and getting cold... I'm a Muppet :mad:

Kurt Godel · 22-05-2014 10:33pm

Not a great time to catch a cough (that long cold OW swim looks like a culprit for wearing down your defences all right), but you'll be fine on the day. The hard work is done, rest and relax until the race. All you can do is give it what you got on the day. Best of luck!

Dory Dory · 23-05-2014 1:17am

I agree with Kurt, you'll be fine by race day...just rest and drink lots of fluids. Orange juice always works wonders for me. And it's kind of funny with a cough as I find I tend not to cough during exercise - I guess perhaps the airways are dilated - but boy howdy when I stop whatever it is I am doing, well, that's another story. So I guess you better keep your carcass moving at all times during that swim!

pgibbo · 23-05-2014 11:22am

Speedy recovery Mike. All the best for the weekend. As the others have said, the work is done. Go reap the rewards!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi · 23-05-2014 1:19pm

Take some manuka honey, if that does not work rub it on your moobs:pac: You will be fine, go out and enjoy it, dont worry about chasing 2:5x it will happen naturally.
Drop us a text and let us know how you get on.