Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
1 to 3
Options
Comments
-
-
-
-
On the other hand it's also really easy to settle into a pace in OW that is just too slow, or at least slower than your critical swim speed in the pool. If you find yourself exiting the swim feeling too comfortable you know you've thrown away minutes!
Hard one to get right I think, and of course, can change with virtually every race depending on conditions, crowd etc.
Better that than being b*llixed getting on the bike I guess
0 -
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
Friday
Nothing. In theory it was a taper day. In practise it was an 18-hour work day.
Saturday
Travelling - we hit the road to Galway just after lunch and got caught in every class of traffic delay I could imagine incl. biker rally, double-parked bus, farm traffic, scarecrow festival, etc. Got to Galway, got registered for Sunday and got out to a friend's house (he was hosting us again).
Sunday
Up early, porridge made, car packed and in to park. No problems. Got Master D down to get his stuff into transition. He'd a good wait until his wave went off but it came around quickly enough. Mrs D was fretting but he was reasonably calm, despite not having had good experiences in his last two tri swims.
They went off promptly and he was getting the face down straight away. He did tire quickly enough and took some breaks but still finished in a respectable time and fashion. Hopefully his confidence will benefit from that performance. His T1 took a while but he was soon out on the bike. He did really well - it wasn't nearly the best time but he hasn't ever done any specific cycle training so I was pleased for him. A good T2 and he was out on the run looking strong. This was always going to be his strongest segment and he was back in with 6th fastest run. So a good performance by him overall and hopefully a confidence boost.
My turn came around quickly enough. By the time I was ready to eat, I couldn't stomach it. Don't know why; I wasn't consciously nervous. Stuffed something down but it wasn't a pleasure. Got suited up and ready and felt ok. Was feeling disappointed not to have a club tri suit on - I was the only one from the club and thought it'd be nice to have the colours showing. Next time maybe. Noticed the wind getting up and the lake getting choppier. Recognised Kurt (from a picture he posted on a "know your Boardsie"-type thread from a couple of years ago) and went to say hello. I always find it a wierd experience being addressed by your Boards name by a total stranger but I'd hate to deny him the experience.
Had a quick chat anyway and then went over to the briefing. Had a quick dip in the water while I was waiting and was happy enough.
Briefing over, the first wave were quickly off (behind the paratriathletes). Then it was soon our turn. Got in and swam over to the right-hand side and over to the wall. We got going and it was like my ankles were anchored - everyone just started to disappear. I got the face down and was going ok but the choppiness was getting to me. Then the clarity + depth of the water started to get to me. Then I started feeling that my ankle chip was coming loose and that started to get to me. Got a couple of badly-timed splashes and that started to get to me. Gathered myself and kept going. Rounded the first buoy and the choppiness was going with me so I settled a bit. Rounded the second buoy and the choppiness was across us again but there was a guy swimming beside me that I decided wasn't going to go past me. So I kept going - not smoothly but not as badly as on the way out. Hauled myself out of the water and completely pooped; physically & emotionally exhausted. Toddled past the family and got the wetsuit open as I got into transition but I was really too knackered to even make a half-hearted effort to take it off. It took me the guts of 2 mins to do that much. Got the bike stuff on ok and then got out.
Bike went reasonably well - I was executing on my plan to focus on cadence rather than power. Unfortunately I made an ass of my watch, so I hit the lap button twice coming out of T1, so I'd no data (except for my overall time) for the cycle. I wasn't passing many people but then again I was so far behind most people out of T1 that it was hardly a surprise. But there were several women (who started 10 mins behind me) passing throughout. Some great performances there. Got back to transition, made an ass of my dismount and racked the bike. T2 went well.
Out on the run - ok at the start but it quickly went downhill. Or uphill. Within about 500m I'd a savage stitch in my right side. It just persisted & persisted. Tried walking a couple of times but it kept coming back. Met Kurt at this stage - he was about 2km ahead of me (and he says he can't run). Got to the turn, took a drink and jogged slowly around it. Identified a target and tried to keep up. When I got to about 3km the stitch started to subside. Or I started to toughen up. Girl in front of me was suffering and I started shouting encouragement to her - "don't let me pass you". She seemed to appreciate the news that we'd only 1km left but I didn't see her till the end. Kept going at an unspectacular pace but eventually got over the line to finish my first OW sprint tri just inside the middle third of the field.
TBH I'm very disappointed & deflated overall.
The good points:
- my swim time was within seconds of my Lough Cutra swim time, despite being 750m instead of 400m and the conditions not being quite as good.
- I reacted to adversity much better that before and when I was swimming I was doing ok. So that's an improvement.
- My T2 was good.
The bad points:
- my swim was still at least 3 mins slower than it needed to be.
- my T1 was 2 mins too slow
- my cycle was lethargic
- my run was pedestrian
I'm obviously just not in condition, physically or mentally, to do better. As it turned out, I was glad I wasn't wearing club colours. I'd rather make a decent job of it before I get recognised as representing them.
I've my next sprint tri in 3 weeks but I'll be away for 10 days in between now and then and there'll be no training done. I'd planned to do my last week's long run today (Monday) but I was absolutely wrecked so figured it'd be counter-productive. I'll hopefully run tomorrow night and Thursday, with a swim on Wednesday. I'll be travelling from Friday to late on Tuesday fortnight. So I'm not sure what I'm going to change in before race day. But I guess that's for another day.0 -
-
-
Nice one C you're very hard on yourself as usual - you've been training consistently and you're turning up and completing these races, that takes hard work and ba**s. Give yourself more credit for the good points. It sounds like all your work in the pool is really paying off too - when I fall out of the kayak with a wet suit and PFD on ..... everything gets to me can't even begin to imagine what it feels like without a PFD
Keep up the good work and enjoy your racing 0 -
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
Bad start to a race day: woken first by the wind and then a short while later by a calf cramp. Working on it now but could be out before I start.
OK so that was almost the high point of the day. :rolleyes: Made my way down to Fethard on Sea, registered no problem, met a few clubmates (good showing for the most local race) and got down to the bike drop. Was after 8:30 when I got there but I was one of the first to arrive at bike drop. Almost by luck, I found my numbered spot (most of the stickers had blown away overnight) and started to get myself sorted. This initially didn't include pulling on a wetsuit - I'd been down to the beach and seen the waves crashing on the shore; now that I'm outside Kurt's reach I can admit that I was hoping a little for a shortened / cancelled swim.
Although the bay was relatively calm, there was a lot more swell than I'd ever been out in. But apparently it was to be a stronger swimmer's day - it was announced that it was going ahead. In full. I'd anticipated swimming some distance and had asked for the "special" hat for nervous / weaker swimmers, so the kayakers could keep a special eye on me - so when most people in the wave had red hats, I'd mine covered with a white one.
Onto the beach and, when our 2nd wave time came, we were counted into the swim start area. Stayed at the back and chatted to another weaker swimmer (with a yellow hat - they'd run out of white) and very soon we were off. Straight in there and it was going great for the first probably 15m. Then two guys simultaneously swam over me left & right, just as a wave was hitting me, and that threw me into a wobbler. Started to BS to settle myself but couldn't settle. Decided I'd swim to the first turn (they never put out the buoys so we'd to swim around a yellow kayak in between the red kayaks) and then break into FC. Rounded the first turn and started to FC - but boy was it difficult. The wind was blowing the water into our faces and I was feeling the pressure. I was trying to get into a rhythm but every time I lifted my right hand a wave would hit it and I'd short stroke. Possibly there's a technique for this; maybe it's just a matter of chilling the hell out. I managed neither and was starting to panic. To top it off my goggles were fogging and there were ever fewer people near me. Tried to settle myself by using BS. Couldn't see the kayak marking the second turn so I just started following the feet nearest to me. Just when I thought it couldn't get much worse, my right calf cramped really badly, to the point where I had to pull it up behind me to relieve it. As instructed beforehand, I rolled onto my back and put my fist in the air - I just wanted a kayak to hang onto while I sorted myself. Nobody came. After about 10s, I turned over and swam a few strokes but my right calf was totally locked up. Rolled over again, fist in air, and again nobody came. Back on my front and suddenly got sight of the 2nd kayak to my left so went over around it. Decided I was going to just go for it and started to FC my way in towards the shore. Still couldn't see much so was aiming for the dark blob on the shore which I was guessing was the crowd. Took a few stop starts but eventually got there, almost washed ashore. Shout of encouragement from a spectating clubmate was a help but I was knackered. The run to T1 is up a short beach, up a steep ramp and along the road at the top. Managed to totter up the ramp but slowed to a walk at the top. Back to a jog and into T1. A glacial 23:52.:(
Thought I'd made a half decent effort at T1 but it turned out to be 3:04 - it was better than Loughrea a few weeks ago but that's about the best I can say for it.
Out on the bike. Hadn't practised mounting onto the bike with my new tri shoes attached so just did it the old-fashioned way: on my feet first, then clip in. Bike was uneventful and, despite having had two cramped calves, I actually got better the longer I went - I started passing some of the stronger swimmers in the last 5-10k. Was actually feeling good towards the end - I was trying to mind the calves for the run, so was keeping the cadence higher than normal; maybe this was helping. Cycle time was 49:13 for just under 23km.
As with the mount, I'd not practised the dismount with leaving the shoes attached so I just clipped out and ran with them on. Still got an almost-good T2 of 1:15.
Out for the run (with bike gloves still on!) and the first 1km was tough - very windy and gently uphill. Got some relief then with some downhill and I was feeling much better than at the same stage in Loughrea. Put a target on one particular girl's back - didn't catch her till near the end but trying to do so dragged me past a few others. Felt pretty strong when I was finishing, even though I was hanging on for the end.
Went for a massage afterwards and both calves were like rocks. The sole of my two feet started twitching pretty much straight away so Physio person had a go at them first; plantar fascia like piano wire apparently.:o He reckons I've misaligned tendons and that I need orthotics; I reckon a bit of discipline with stretching and yoga could go a long way. In any case I hobbled away feeling worse than I was when I started. And I still can't walk straight - left calf is ok but sole of foot is tender; right calf is nearly rigid. I'll give it another day or two and then go for physioterrorism.
Round up: I've not nearly made the progress I wanted this year. At the start of the year I ball-parked doing 3 sprint triathlons and finishing one each in top 50%, 40% & 25%. I've no idea if that was ever going to be realistic but it most certainly didn't happen. In the end I did 1 super sprint and 2 sprints. I was 44/148 in the super sprint (top 40%) but I was 221/340 and 191/298 in the two sprints (both top 65% - considering they were 3 weeks apart and virtually no training done in between, they each validate each other as fair reflection of where I am).
I've an ass load of swimming work to do. Much of that is in my head and experience dealing with rougher & deeper water. But also there is much to improve in terms of shoulder strength & endurance. And efficiency. The fact that I finished further up in the event with the shortest swim is evidence enough (though the other two were NS and probably had a better overall standard of competitor).
I want to be doing a cycle like that in closer to 40 mins. It should be do-able - my first (pool) tri I completed the 20k in 38 mins - but I need to be putting in the work.
The run is mostly a symptom of burning the matches in the other two legs, particularly the swim. But more fitness will sort that out.
There's an old saying that if you don't reach your target, you change your plans, not your target. So I'll take the same approach for next year. I'd had notions of going to Killary in two weeks for the inaugural Connemara tri, and I even idly contemplated trying Olympic, but the website describes the clear, deep waters of Killary fjord and I know it'd just freak me out at the moment. And I know I'm just not fit enough. I need to build to it.
And build I will, once I get my calves sorted and get back on plan. That's the great thing about doing this for recreation - tomorrow's always the start of a new day, a new week and a new beginning. Once you decide it is.0 -
-
Wow, thats swim, not easy. Well done for getting through it and still wanting more
I don't really want more. But I don't like being bested. I don't like thinking there's something I can't do reasonably well if I put my mind to it. So I will do it. Oh yes, I will do it....*
* note there's no timescale here and if it entails my ashes being scattered on the waves then so be it...:p0 -
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
Advertisement