Standard Deviation

Kurt Godel

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

You didn't connect right? So no harm done and you were just being playful :P
If the dog isn't fully under control the owner has no excuse.

It beggar's belief really. I don't blame the dog at all (hence wanting to scare him off rather than drop-kick him into the river), it's the owners fault for not having her dog under control. I've been attacked by dogs before, my daughter has before, my own dog has too. In each instance the owner blankly looked on and said things to the effect "my dog has never done that before".

I'm bringing a pet cobra with me for next time this happens, and will set "Lil' Chokey" off the leash in retaliation, fair's fair;)

Oryx

And you will say 'wow, Lil Chokey has never done that before...'

Dory Dory

It is SO aggravating to be chased by a man-eating dog while running or on the bike. Pisses me off, to be honest, especially when the owners do nothing about it or act like it's your fault that you're out there doing your thing on public roads or paths that you've helped fund with your tax dollars and they don't even have little Fido on a leash, as required by law. !! So, I now carry mace with me. Never had to discharge it, but trust me, I will if needed.

Oryx

The only thing worse than dogs let loose are dogs on extending leashes. Worst invention ever, a ten yard invisible trip hazard!

Kurt Godel

Tue 2.5k swim; 10k run

The two kids have started Easter swim camp- two hours every morning for the next four days. I get to watch the different lane abilities, from the minnows up to the uberfish. Its a great lesson to watch what works as regards stroke and technique. The sharks did a few 75m races (board start); in on 44 secs. Amazing to spectate. My own two held their own very well, and enjoyed it all. They will sleep well tonight!

I got in myself before them.
1k straight with tumbles
3*(200m PT paddles, 200m PB)
150m PT paddles, 150m PB (had to exit the pool)

PM: 10k run in the forest. Felt good for the first 7k, chatting away at a decent clip, but then I felt weak. I've a bit of a chest infection, so slowed down to the end. Circa 49 mins or so.

Kurt Godel

Wed 11k run; 4,000m swim

The kids were in for their second two-hour session of the week, (eager to get on with it too), so I hit the dreadmill in the gym for a hill workout (8-12% gradient). Yawnsville. After we had to be in Dublin, and I managed to divert to Base2Race to pick up a (needed!) even bigger swim kit bag, and some (needed!) swim kit to fill it with.

In the evening I got in the pool early, and did:
3*(200m PB, 200m Agility Paddles)
1,000m drills

And then the coached session started:
400m warm-up (counting strokes per length: I got about 22/23 per 25m)
3*100 (first 100 at 22 strokes per length{call this X}, next X-3SPL, next 100 X-6SPL) off 2:30, all in 1:45
3*50 (X SPL, 2nd X-2 SPL, 3rd X-4 SPL) Off 1:45, all in 45
3*25 (X, X-1, X-2) Off 50, all in 20
125 EZ
200 steady
200m TT (in 2:51; splits 1:23, 1:28)
350m swim down

The 200m is a PB, although I would have liked to go under 2:50. Lesson learned for pacing; I went off too fast and was breathing on 2 way too early. 400m TT next week, I really want to go under 6 mins for that.

Dory Dory

Hey....found this article on muslce cramping that might interest you. Don't hate it because it's Livestrong. Sounds like orange juice is also a good source of potassium...and apparently we can't forget foods rich in calcuim that can help too!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/412189-do-bananas-help-muscle-spasms/

Kurt Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Hey....found this article on muslce cramping that might interest you. Don't hate it because it's Livestrong. Sounds like orange juice is also a good source of potassium...and apparently we can't forget foods rich in calcuim that can help too!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/412189-do-bananas-help-muscle-spasms/

Thanks Dory (did you Google "Livestrong" and "juicing" together?;)). Two bananas were eaten before tonights (yesterday's) session, and no cramping was involved for most of the session. I cramped on the last 25m of the 200TT, I think from touchturning hard off the wall. Another reason to learn tumbles:)

Dory Dory

:eek: Off you go now....it's way past your bedtime!!! :)

Kurt Godel

Thurs Nothing, felt like sh*t, went to bed shivering and coughing

Fri 3,500m swim

5*400m off 8 mins
400m Pull Bouy in 6:55
400m swim in 6:25
400m PB in 6:41
400m swim in 6:28
400m PB & Paddles in 6:45
1,000m drills 2*(kick, PB, PT paddles, Paddles, swim)
150m EZ
250m Hypoxic (3,2,1,0,0,0,0,1,2,3)
100m swim down

I don't know what was up with me yesterday, I had a virus of some sort that seemed to disappate overnight. Drove to Arklow to watch the munchkins finish their 4th daily 2-hour session in a row. This one was for the books- they had relays with teams picked from all abilities. These were relays with a difference though- in one they had to do two lengths backstroke each. With a balloon in their mouths, which had to be fully blown up by the time the leg was over:) Another one, they were "paired" each holding a noodle, so some of the sharks would tow the tiddlers, while mixed ability twins would frantically try and pull with four arms and kick with four feet. Another, one holds the others legs- front works the arms, back works the legs. Great fun altogether, and great to see them enjoying themselves and swimming with the sharks.:D

After I grabbed a lane myself. The effort for all five 400's was even, a steady pace throughout that was eminently manageable. I'm always slower with the PB than with swimming, but I was happy to be coming in the two swims under 6:30, without much effort. I'm consciously trying to lengthen the stroke, and introduce a slightly longer glide.

Kurt Godel

Fri PM 32km bike

Including 19.7k Tinahely Duathlon loop in 37:51. That's a new best for me- I'd want to have done something decent, having had the bike fitted yesterday. We drove up to Aidan Hammond, who was meticulous in his measuring. Got the roadie done first, before he laughed at the previous state of my TT bike- I had set it up myself and there was a load to be mended. Raised the saddle a lot, turned around the stem, fiddled with it from there- and it feels fantastic now, there's a real drive when you push the peddles. He did a few physio measuring too- my hamstrings are tighter than a Cavan spinsters purse, but my core is in pretty good shape (the test is to peddle on the drops in turbo, then keep peddling and take your hands wide off the bars. If you can hold this position and keep spinning, you're in good shape). I can only put that down to all the swimming I've been doing lately.

Kurt Godel

Sat 3k swim

1km easy (1:48 pace)
1km PB (1:51 pace)
400m catch and entry drills
600m PB easy

Tired today for some reason, so an easy swim. Focus again was on lengthening the glide and exit.

Kurt Godel

Sun 40k bike, 7k run

5k bike to start
4k run
20k Tinahely duathlon loop
3k run
5k bike home

I misread the text from the Tri club "Duathlon training run 10am" as meaning we would only do the run section, so turned up with car sans bike. Arrgh. Quick dash home, bike back, and ran the first run part backwards to meet up with the lads, about 4k run.
Hop on the bike (mounting skills rusty), into Tinahely and up the first climb, no bother. There's a fast and log downhill after 5k, I got a speed wobble last time doing it at 60kph, and sure enough today the back wheel started wobbling all over the place. Scary, when you're travelling down at speed. I tried to brake (made it worse), sat up a bit off the saddle (seemed to help), and eventually slowed to a stop, ashen-faced. Turns out Stephen up ahead did exactly the same thing in the same place. The surface is rough, there was a crosswind, so that may be the couse. Otherwise, my wheels seem true. Anyway, off again to Shillelagh, glad to be on the flat. It's a climb to Coolattin, but a nice fast downhill awaits (no crosswind here, and no wobble). The return flat part was into a headwind, but the bike handles very well overall. Stand on the shoes, fast cadence to finish, and flying dismount: all good. About a similar time to a couple of days ago.
The run wasn't up to much- with my suspected virus I didn't want to push too hard, so kept it steady all around. A gentle reminder of what jelly-legs are, but otherwise all good. The duathlon is next week; my bike is better than last year, but my run is slower. Goal is a minute under last years time.

Kurt Godel

Weekly Summary|Session|Comment

Monday|3.5k swim; 8k run|tumbles and drills; easy pace run
Tuesday|2.5k swim; 10k run|paddles; run felt good until 7km then felt weak
Wednesday|11k run; 4k swim|Dreadmill gradient 8-12%; Paddles, stroke count down
Thursday|Nothing|Felt weak all day
Friday|3.5k swim; 32k bike|5*400off 8min: PB,sw,PB,sw,PB&Pad 6:55, 6:25, 6:41, 6:28, 6:45; Bike incl Tinahely loop 37:51
Saturday|3k swim|Easy pace
Sunday|40k bike; 7k run|Duathlon recce. Bike felt good, breezy day.
Weekly km|Swim 16.5k Bike 72k Run 36k| Weird week with strange on/off virus
2014 km|Swim 187.55 Bike 1,846k Run 387.68k


An odd week, some days I was feeling weak, others I was hitting PB's. With a 400TT next Wed and a race next Sun I will probably take it easy this week. Swim was highest weekly volume yet. Tumbles are getting easier, now I need to make them faster.

Kurt Godel

Mon Nothing, trying to shake this bug

Tue 3k swim

7*400m off 8mins in 7:44warmup, 7:12PB, 6:58swim, 7:04PB, 7:07 PB&Pad, 6:48sw, 7:21PB

I didn't feel the love for these at all, seemed like I was swimming through soup. That doesn't augur well for tomorrows 400mTT, where I was expecting to go under 6mins for the first time. I'll give it what I've got, but I'm feeling a little whacked these days so what will be will be.

Kurt Godel

Wed 1k swim including 400TT in 6:00 (a PB)

Hopped in the pool and straight away management come over to tell us we could only have one lane. I had paid and booked for two, so the start of this session was a stupid argy-bargy, and set the tone. So we only had the one lane, and had to get these TT's done ASAP. I set off first, and generally thought I was pacing the first 100 well. Didn't catch the 50 split, but the 100 was 1:18. Maybe I'd have done better if I wasn't racing with the clock, but I started to tire after 150 or so. Got to 200 hurting, and the rest of the swim was breathing on 2. I knew I was slowing a lot, and stupidly miscounted, so saved my final fast 50 and gave it what I had for 400-450:rolleyes:
Disappointed all round, it is a PB, but mentally I was not in the zone. I'm going to have to work on this mental aspect, I was scared of illness during the day, let anger get to me at the start of the TT, and gave up when I realised I started too fast. To give an idea of how fast I started, my 100m PB is 1:17 and I hit the first 100 in 1:18 today. My 200 pb is 2:53 and I hit 2:49 today. A better day is close.

6:00 for the 400, splits 1:18, 1:31, 1:37, 1:34.

shotgunmcos

Poor pacing but 200 and 400 pbs is a result. Sub6 guaranteed with the pistols kept in the holsters for the first 100m . You did well just to finish it out after a 1:18 start :eek:

griffin100

Nice one, sub 6 in the bag.

interested

:pac: about bloody time going out on 1.18 :pac:


And moving right along ...
Next target should be a sub 12 800 instead of a faster 400

had to edit ... 21 second difference between 1st and 3rd 100 ? how was the stroke in the final 100 ?

Sincerely, well done, I know you've been working hard on the swimming - 5.59.60 is the new pb irrespective of the splits !

Kurt Godel

interested wrote: »

:pac: about bloody time going out on 1.18 :pac:


And moving right along ...
Next target should be a sub 12 800 instead of a faster 400

had to edit ... 21 second difference between 1st and 3rd 100 ? how was the stroke in the final 100 ?

Sincerely, well done, I know you've been working hard on the swimming - 5.59.60 is the new pb irrespective of the splits !

Cheers interested, good advice. It makes eminent sense to now target 800TT as the season is soon starting- but I want to get that sub-6 monkey off my back next week.

Thurs 2.3k swim

Tonight swim was all about pacing.

17*100 off 2:00 (all in 1:28-1:31)

I led out tonight, form felt great in the water. The new stroke (conscious glide extension) feels powerful, keeps you on top of the water for longer.

Kurt Godel

Fri 3,250m swim

As every Triathlete knows well, the swim is the most important of the three disciplines. "A good start is half the battle" we say to each other, while rubbing vaseline on our necks and admiring each others physiques. If a third of the race is equal to half the battle, it makes perfect sense to forego the other disciplines and focus on swim training. And so say all of us, especially Dory and MCOS who are severely threatening my coveted SBR golden#1.

1,000m swim in 18 mins
10*100PB off 2:00 (in 1:45)
900m PB and Paddles
350m swim

griffin100

Do you swim faster or slower with the PB?

Kurt Godel

griffin100 wrote: »

Do you swim faster or slower with the PB?

Much slower with the PB- I'd say 1:30/100 swim pace is about the same effort as 1:40/100 PB pace. Some of the Masters lads use PB and fly with it; not for me though, my legs sink.

Dory Dory

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Fri 3,250m swim

As every Triathlete knows well, the swim is the most important of the three disciplines. "A good start is half the battle" we say to each other, while rubbing vaseline on our necks and admiring each others physiques. If a third of the race is equal to half the battle, it makes perfect sense to forego the other disciplines and focus on swim training. And so say all of us, especially Dory and MCOS who are severely threatening my coveted SBR golden#1.

1,000m swim in 18 mins
10*100PB off 2:00 (in 1:45)
900m PB and Paddles
350m swim

And if my damn injury doesn't get better soon, I will either have a serious meltdown *sniff, sniff* or your coveted SBR will be blown to smithereens by yours truly.

Kurt Godel

Sat 50 min easy turbo

Sun Tinahely Duathlon (16th place 1:12:30)

Time to see what can be done on practically zero run training...:)

Biked to the start- its always a pleasure doing a race so close by. The weather was overcast, drizzly, and breezy, so bike times would be cautious. Leisurely reg, then shoot the breeze with many until the start. Met up with Joey100, who I expected would smoke me today! (Unfortunately he took a wrong turn on the bike and added a few km).

Run 1 5k in 20:48
The first couple of km were under 4min pace, but I slowed a little for the last three along the trail. I felt good running, even though I've done very limited run training the past while. Started well, got caught by a bunch at halfway, then held my own to the end. Happy enough with this.

T1 0:29, no complaints.

Bike 19.8k in 37:36
I had a very good bike, especially given the conditions. That's the fastest I've done this loop yet. Started off smoothly enough, pushed constantly up the hill at Tinahely, and caught a few by the top. The roads were slick in places, and I descended sitting up to airbrake. This may have cost me a little time, but I had no speed wobbles or skids, so I'm content with that strategy. I pushed hard from the long drag at Coolattin, and had passed another two by the top of this. Continued to turn a big gear well until the end, and passed another. I felt great on this cycle.

T2 0:25 A little hesitant to get the KSwiss velcro shoes on.

Run2 3k in 13:11
This is where the lack of running bit me on the ass. I was caught after 1k by two of the guys I had passed on the bike, and another got me after 2km. I might have pushed harder during this run (in that I wasn't completely spent at the end), but the lack of run fitness was the real limiter. I tried to close the gap on the guy ahead over the final km, but he had the beating of me, and I'd say he would have had me in a sprint finish anyway. But, considering my training, I'm happy enough with this run. There would be another minute off that with better training.

Overall I'm very pleased with the race. I was 1:34 quicker today than last year, on wetter roads, so I can't complain at all. My bike time is much better than expected, but I need to ramp up the run training from here on in. Great atmosphere at the race, I really enjoyed the whole race.

Kurt Godel

Sun PM 3,750m swim

1,000m swim
1,000m PB
500m pacing the kids at 2:00/100m pace
500m PB
250m 3,2,1,0,0,0,0,1,2,3 hypoxic
500m swim

I've generously put up an expensive bottle of Bordeaux to whoever has the highest SBR swim total, and the intention of course was I'd be drinking it myself. However, what with Dory's leg injury (if you don't know by now that running a marathon on an injury is a bad idea...;)), she is racking up the swim metres meters yards at a ferocious rate, and it'll cost me a fortune to ship expensive plonk to the Colonies. Whats a lad to do, but hit the pool for the afternoon?

The kids played for most of my swim, but we got some drafting line practice in for the upcoming 3D kidaquathlon. My son has great endurance, he could swim all day at this pace. Little Missy lasted 200m before deciding she is a sprinter. Good fun all round, though.:)

Dory Dory

^^^ Running a marathon on an injury is indeed a bad idea, but what may have been worse was continuing to train on it for ~6 weeks after it was injured ( and ~8 weeks before the marathon). Lesson learned.

Kurt Godel

Indeed. I was all outta clucks at the time though- in any case, I doubt you'd have listened to anyone telling you to ditch the race because of your injury. That competitive nature you have is a great thing, but sometimes a double-edged sword. Still, you'll get it fixed soon, and in the meantime you have hours of zen-swimming to look forward to. That's what I like about Tri; an injury usually means you refocus on to another discipline, whereas if you're a sole injured runner, all that is on offer is the larder and "rest". Every cloud has a swimilver lining and all that...

Dory Dory

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Indeed. I was all outta clucks at the time though- in any case, I doubt you'd have listened to anyone telling you to ditch the race because of your injury. That competitive nature you have is a great thing, but sometimes a double-edged sword. Still, you'll get it fixed soon, and in the meantime you have hours of zen-swimming to look forward to. That's what I like about Tri; an injury usually means you refocus on to another discipline, whereas if you're a sole injured runner, all that is on offer is the larder and "rest". Every cloud has a swimilver lining and all that...

Thanks. You've just made my day a little better.

shotgunmcos

At the rate that hoochie is catching us it will be a season high to hit the gold SBR mark first!