P in the Pool

Kurt_Godel

Thanks for the good wishes... arrived here after a very puckey ferry ride and a 1000km drive with one stopover. .. not ideal prep but we're here now, bike is racked, ready to rock. I didn't manage any recces, cest la vie. Geneva is incredible, so many good looking people, and an amazing setting. Went for a couple of swims down by our incredible campsite, water is nice but it will be a wetsuit swim. No hassle. The run will be hot though!

RJM85

Best of luck!

Slogger Jogger

Best wishes Paul for the race and a fantastic holidays. All those good looking people, ye will fit in well.

j0hn1

Best of luck, enjoy it and no regrets.
Give it the best you can, be proud.

mossym

just posted by Ditch Moore

the Irish at parade of Nations for Europeans in Geneva 2015

https://twitter.com/DitchMoore/status/619272316418174976




nice honour for Kurt to get the carry the Ireland sign.


;);) :D:D:D

Abhainn

All the very best Paul. Have a great race and enjoy.

Steroo

Best of luck

MojoMaker

Best of luck P. Club mate of ours was sh1tting it over the prospect of a non-wetsuit swim - the irony!

Will be keeping a close eye on this over the weekend in the knowledge we'll have an Ireland trisuit on view at the next Bray aquathon

Dilbert75

Good job Kurt - looks like a good swim, tough bike and good run.

Kurt_Godel

Very hot here today.... 19.2C in the lake at 09:30 so not hot enough for non wetsuit but hot enough to seek out shade all the time prerace.
Swim- went out hard and was in the top 5 by the 250m bouy, good racing but I couldn't sustain the pace. Was passed by a few but fought where I could and exited around 10th or thereabouts. Happy with the swim, I worked as hard as I could.
Bike- 3 laps of a route I arrived too late to recce. The hill was a killer, I took it standing first time and was wracked. Took it high cadence the next two and that was the better choice. Hard bike for big units like me, I lost a lot of places during it.
Run- the plan was to drop dead at the finish. It was a very hot run, I was passed by a few during the run but likewise passed a few myself. Was wrecked at the end so I don't thimk I had much more.
Overall- 37th out of about 50, 1:21 for a sprint. I was asked after if I was happy. Having had this as a 2015 goal, as something to work towards; I went into it thinking winning was the goal. Close to impossible, and there are a lot of sacrifices a winner makes that I don't make; but that's how I approach things. So to score so low down- however deserved that may be- is a bitter pill. I'm not happy, I'm content, but content never got anyone anywhere. Last night my results for the last exam of my maths degree came in, I needed 85 to get an overall first, instead I got an (expected) 75. Which means an overall second. I don't like doing second. I may have to get used to idea of being second (best) in triathlon, I just don't like accepting that, but here we are.
Not happy until I'm first.

Dilbert75

I can understand that and nothing I or anyone else will change how you feel about it all.

Despite that, I'm hoping you'll acknowledge that this wasn't some local club Tri. It was the best in each age group from across Europe. So you can't compare 37/50 in this to 37/50 in the Ballygobackwards parish triathlon. Apples vs. Oranges.

I've also been the soldier who worked & studied while having a family. There's no way I could have managed a meaningful training program at the same time and, as it was, there's no way I paid near enough attention to my family. There's a limit to what I could do and I made my choices. When I'm on my deathbed I suspect I'll regret missing out on 2 years of family life far more than I'd have regretted not getting a few extra marks.

It looks to me like you aim for perfection and sometimes have to settle for excellence. Personally I admire that and I hold your kind of people in high regard. But sometimes you have to give yourself a break, acknowledge you can't do it all at once and be satisfied having achieved a lot in one year that most people won't in a lifetime.

Dory Dory

Not happy until you are first? That reminds me of the Ricky Bobby quote, "if you ain't first, you're last."

But you know something I suspect you were first in? I suspect you were first in the "sincerely-enthusiastic-and-crazy-excited-to-don-my-country's-tri-suit-and-race-with-my-heart" category. I think you won that hands down. You did yourself proud by giving it your best shot on the day, and that's honestly all you can ask of yourself. And congratulations on being fortunate enough to participate in such an event - I imagine it was a pretty cool experience for you and your family. Well done in so many respects.

Kurt_Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Not happy until you are first? That reminds me of the Ricky Bobby quote, "if you ain't first, you're last."

Haha that's very true kind of shows up the stupidity of my way of thinking, I guess.

I was happy in the sense that I couldn't have raced much harder on the day. It was a very good experience and nice to be a part of the whole event. Very glad I did it, and hopefully it will be a stepping stone to better performances later in the season

sconhome

Well done Kurt.

I held off saying anything but being thankful the swim wasn't shortened is my first thought! Boards would have been in meltdown if that had happened!!!

shotgunmcos

Good Job and I echo what Dilbert said. You set goals academic and sporty. Balanced a working life kids study and training. Got it all done. Take stock of that! You had a very good swim. Went hard. Hill reps and a hot run! It was a sprint too so the skinny malinkies make light of what you boxed. Focus on what you have achieved, what you balanced to get there, what you enjoyed and what you learned. Be proud. You earned it

Kurt_Godel

I watched the ETU champs today. Nabbed a great viewing position on a jetty, so got to dip my feet in the water in view of the start line. The swim was great to watch, a pretty tight bunch to the first bouy, the leaders working hard to hold a line. At this level it's all about slight percentages, and by the first exit they were a long draft line. Wonderful to watch these guys run and dive back in, flawless. I could see that Keane was way down on the swim. Ran back to trans to watch them grab the bikes, Keane well down. Good attitude though he had a fast trans and on to business. The bike course was 6 laps so we got to see lots of action. Keane was back in the third group for the first couple of laps, and was working hard at the front whenever I saw him. Gomez in this group too so there was obviously work being done. Soon they had breached the gap and we're in the chase group, a long way behind the lead pack though.
There was huge cheering beside me for the last athlete to pass each lap, think it was his parents, shouting for the Lithuania athlete. He was a good bit behind though and on his own, and they were devestated when he didn't appear for the last lap. I'd say he got lapped and thus pulled... mom and dad were nearly in tears.
I left after as I had to meet the family, but it was a great watch as a spectator. Laps and carnage are appealing when you are on the sidelines. Saw Keane cane 21st in the end, that's amazing given how far down he was after the swim.
Geneva is a great city for tri and the locals all seem to get behind it.

zico10

Hey Kurt, my post on RQ's log was tongue in cheek. I know my own race reports aren't exactly filled with the joys of life. I can identify with never being happy with second best. If it drives improvement though, then while it might make someone appear as a grumpy sod, it's not a bad quality to have.

The race itself might not have gone as you had planned, but then they seldom do. The swim was borderline non-wetsuit, which for bigger guys (no offence intended) means they must have been overheating before getting on the bike. That and not having a chance to recce the course would make the bike harder than it should have been. I'm not saying you could have won, but there are positives to take from the race. You gave it your all and at the end of the day that's all anyone can do.

Outside of tri, you have a much, much busier life than I have. I wouldn't even think about further study right now and I've no family, no dependents, short working days and two months holidays right now. I'd say most of those 36 people ahead of you were more like me, than you. You should cut yourself some slack.

Kurt_Godel

Ah I'm a whiney auld crank zico, my geneva report reads a lot more downbeat than it was in fact. I could have mentioned wanting to drop out but soldiering on, or picking a run target and passing him, or overachieving the swim; and it would have sounded more "positive". As it stands I took a lot from the race which will pay off later this season.

As for cutting myself slack... I'm sitting 8n the sunny south of France, swimming in the med every day, good food and drink... Best post - race recovery ever I take your point in general though.

Training this week is unstructured, haven't been on the bike since the race but have run a couple of times and obviously swimming features large. Just back from a swim to collioure from the campsite, 1.7k there along the craggy coast, exit to walk around the town in my speedos and meet the family, then 1.7k back again. The water is a perfect temperature to swim, there are fish every where to keep you interested, and the sun beating down on your back. Magic

Izoard

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

exit to walk around the town in my speedos and meet the family, then 1.7k back again.

Jeez - you've gone native already....Well done in Geneva!

RacoonQueen

I could really do with this right now..

tunney

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I could really do with this right now..

What? The image of kurts baldy head juxtapositioned against the tufts of pubes sticking out from his speedos doesn't do it for you?

RJM85

I hope you were wearing your TYR shades and medallion...

Kurt_Godel

Izoard wrote: »

Jeez - you've gone native already....Well done in Geneva!

Middle aged Catalan men let it all hang out over their speedos, with zero shame. We should double up some time on holiday Ferg; great place!

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I could really do with this right now..

If the internet has taught me anything... that's a Female Self-Pleasure Device those chaps are offering? Don't blame you M, it was a potent self image I described

tunney wrote: »

What? The image of kurts baldy head juxtapositioned against the tufts of pubes sticking out from his speedos doesn't do it for you?

Dave you have a hair/pube fetish. Most women would find that a sexy image.

RJM85 wrote: »

I hope you were wearing your TYR shades and medallion...

Those TYR shades existing at the same time as speedos... truly this is a golden age for the MAMIL


OK back from France, lots and lots of swimming, a couple of runs, and no biking after the race. I'm fine with that. Diet was good, great food in small portions, an easy bottle of Rosé wine most nights so there was no hangovers. Back home after the holiday the same weight I went out, 86kg, good enough. I have DCT in a month, hope to be down to 83kg by then, Pulse Sprint A race in 2 months, hope to be hitting 80kg and competitive. Up to me.

Tonight I went for a 7km run at 4:30/km, loved it, felt great to be running again; bring on the next training block.

Kurt_Godel

Sun Great Barrow Swim Race, 1,900m 29:34

This was local enough, no pressure, and a nice way to get back racing after Geneva. It's also a fundraiser for their local kids swim club, so great value for the €15 entry. It was a cold, wet morning, and a decent turn-out of swimmers choosing between the 750 and 1,900m. Chatted to Griff and a few others I knew beforehand, a nice relaxed vibe before the obligatory silent gameface march to the start.

The water was cold enough that it needed acclimatising, but its late July so no real issues. Went off a little too fast with leaders, couldn't stay with them. Passed the turnaround bouy just behind two others, and had a good ding-dong with them for a while before I upped the pace after 1500m or so, and put some distance on them. Finished 8th I think. Happy enough with the overall effort, but would have liked to stay with leaders to the turnaround. Gave it what I had on the day and was tiring over the final 200m, but kept the effort solid to the end, where I tip-toed out (sliced my toe at this spot a few months back!).

Am I happy? I'm happy Love swimming.

Kurt_Godel

Sun PM 8k easy 5min/km av

Its been spitting rain all day, my one and only pair of runners left outside because they stink. So they were soaking wet, and I had to suffer the... I don't know the correct word... indignity? degredation? odium?... of putting on soaking wet cold runners before I got to run along the mucky splashy slippery forest trail.

First few km were easy enough, picked the pace a pinch for the remainder.

griffin100

Good to catch up today and well done on the swim. The results are up on their FB page - I have your medal

Kurt_Godel

griffin100 wrote: »

Good to catch up today and well done on the swim. The results are up on their FB page - I have your medal

Ahh FFS thats not the first time this year I've left prizegiving early when I should have stayed around

Good to see you today- and good swimming on your part given the injury, that bodes well. Might be down for the Pink'n'Gold myself next week, you can batter me in the swim then Well done on your own medal

griffin100

I stayed for the entire prize giving and they gave my 'medal' to the wrong person. It was only when I seen the results that realised that I should have got it!!!! I know it's only a AG place medal but feck it it would have only been my second ever AG placing

Kurt_Godel

griffin100 wrote: »

I stayed for the entire prize giving and they gave my 'medal' to the wrong person. It was only when I seen the results that realised that I should have got it!!!! I know it's only a AG place medal but feck it it would have only been my second ever AG placing

Your kids are younger than mine, and you have the medal... its all yours, sure tell the kids you were first auld fella and I'll say nothing

Kurt_Godel

Mon 3,000m swim

200sw,200p,
4x50 as 25 side balance, 25 easy + 10s
4x50 as 25 front balance, 25 easy + 10sec
5x300p mod + 20sec
4x50 fast on 60
300 hypoxic
200 swim down

First time in the pool for weeks... thankfully no memory loss as my stroke felt decent, and I was tumbling better than ever. The 300's were at 1:39/100m pace, and felt solid enough. The fast 50's were decent, in 37-39 while swimming with a hard-but-controlled stroke.