P in the Pool

Kurt_Godel · 30-06-2015 7:27pm

Tue 45 mins turbo

10 easy
5x(3 Target Euro wattage, 2 easy)
10 easy

the 5 hard 3min sections were 292, 306, 314, 352, 312.

More watts if I stay stable on the bike, not jumping in the saddle. I tweaked the bike before Kilkee and this seems to have helped.

Lake Geneva temperature watch: 21˚C

Kurt_Godel · 01-07-2015 9:56pm

Wed 30 min run, 1km sea swim
Run:
10 easy
5x(1 @ pace 20 sec faster than target euros, 2 easy)
5 easy

Done down by the Murrough in Wicklow. Garmin was borked when I went to turn it on, so the fast minutes were done counting slowly to 60 (and then add another 20, seems to make a minute). Its too little too late, but its good to be able to run at pace again. I'd have been able to lose a bit more weight had I been running. As it is I'm going to Geneva 3 or 4kg heavier than I'd have liked- my swim coach saw my pool video and commented "It's fine but u need to lose more weight (cut down beer belly)".

Swim
Wicklow harbour and environs
Loads of activity going on tonight, Wicklow Tri had a club race, lots of yaughts were out further. rowing teams outside the harbour... we kept to one side and did our thing. A curious seal came very close and observed us, curiously. Head up, standing in the water, he allowed me swim quite close before diving under and away. Magic.
I tried some tips received on the swim vid thread today and they made a difference. In particular reintroducing a glide. Really enjoyed the swim. Afterwards, the suit got stuck again, and I had one of the lads check what is wrong. The covering seam is getting stuck in the zipper as I zip up, so I may just cut it away, and there shouldn't be any more issues.

Kurt_Godel · 02-07-2015 2:34pm

Thurs 45 min turbo

10 easy
10x(2 target euro, 1 easy)
5 easy

10*2mins were 286, 306, 294, 312, 304, 300, 300, 309, 300, 305

joey100 · 02-07-2015 2:48pm

How long until the big race Kurt? What's the course like over there? And more importantly just how much Irish gear did you buy??

Kurt_Godel · 02-07-2015 2:55pm

Race (Sprint) is in 8 days. Water temps are moving up, and an expected heatwave has me hoping for non-wetsuit. Bike course is three laps including a bitch of a hill (shudda lost more weight), and run is good and flat.

I dropped €100 on a mandatory green trisuit, after that my faded "Italia '90 Jack's Army" flags will suffice for clothing!

Kurt_Godel · 02-07-2015 5:26pm

Thurs pm 2,200m swim

4*400m experimenting with reach
6*50m ditto
300m hypoxic 3,2,1,0,0,0,0,1,2,3

Its been over a week since I've been in the pool and it showed... I missed a couple of sessions last week, and was rusty today because of it. I focussed throughout on glide and catch, and can see what I've allowed to creep into a punchier turnover. So more glide, a slightly straighter reach and entry before the catch.

Less than three swims a week and you start going backwards, I need to remember that this summer.

Kurt_Godel · 03-07-2015 7:26pm

Fri 10k easy

Did the Hillbrook loop this evening- very hot, very muggy. I had a swarm of flies for company on the slow slog uphill, thankfully they blew away along the high road.
Coming down I felt something in my heel... so I walked. Nothing too sore, it could even be in my head, but I'm not taking any chances. For all my cribbing about carrying extra weight, or not getting enough run training, I have to be thankful I can run at all (couldn't a month ago).

Lake Geneva temperature watch: 24˚C

:D:D

Kurt_Godel · 04-07-2015 7:24pm

Sat 1.5k OW race; 1:15 easy road bike

Special Olympics Charity Race Windsurfers Pier
Since its looking like Geneva might be non wetsuit, I engineered a trip to Dublin for my first OW race of the year. Nice fresh sunny day, lots of swimmers, a nice vibe chatting beforehand. Not much to say about the race, I was using it to test my catch and exit. I had a 4:15 handicap, and started swimming solidly to the first bouy. The water wasn't bad at all, I didn't notice any cold once we started. One of the useful things about these handicapped races is you get to use all your swim skills- you need wits about you to determine a quick way around someone slower, or to try and grab passing feet of someone quicker.
I finished 95th place, meaningless. Of greater meaning, I got to see when a choppy stroke worked, when a glide worked, when a good exit worked. Very enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. Swimming is the best thing about Dublin, hands down.

Afterwards a trip to B2R for a new helmet. My Giro advantage (pointy) has been bothering me on hillier courses- its fine and aero when in tucked position on the flat, but is a bit of a hinderance if climbing or out of the saddle. Also, it has no visor which means I'm straining the neck to see through my glasses. I picked up a Casco Speedster with built in visor. Took it for a hilly spin this evening- the visor is fantastic, the helmet is well-ventilated, I like it a lot.

*Edit- Lake Geneva temperature watch- 25˚C !!!

interested · 05-07-2015 5:26pm

Very best of luck with the week and racing ahead ! You got this in spades !

Do enjoy it !!

Ps shame you'd your splash yesterday and missed the real event this afternoon (torrential rain, thunder, lightening ... And then the swim

)

Kurt_Godel · 05-07-2015 7:17pm

interested wrote: »

Very best of luck with the week and racing ahead ! You got this in spades !

Do enjoy it !!

Ps shame you'd your splash yesterday and missed the real event this afternoon (torrential rain, thunder, lightening ... And then the swim )

Cheers Mark! Enjoyment will be high of priority... not too often a tri race is non-wetsuit! Looking forward to it, will suffer for 1:10 or thereabouts, and then enjoy enjoy enjoy

Ha, I heard it was rough today, sounds like you had a blast! What would a TI marshall have done in those conditions?! The OW crowd are a hardy bunch. Hope you enjoyed yourself (did you count one mississippi two mississippi?), I'll bump into you at one of these races in a few weeks

Kurt_Godel · 05-07-2015 7:23pm

Sun 9:33k run

20 easy
15 steady
5 euros pace
5 easy

The 20 easy was slow, but enjoyable in its own way. Nice run in the forest under dark full clouds. Into 15 steady, felt good to be able to run like this, about 4:35/km pace. Into the euros pace, which I'd like to be under 4/km, but I'd say thats a bridge too far. I use breathing as a reliable guage of what is possible, and 4:07 pace for the 5 mins here were what I had on the day. With a bit of adrenaline that should be my race target; <21mins for the 5k.

Lake Geneva temperature watch- 25˚C

Kurt_Godel · 06-07-2015 7:17pm

Mon 2,000m swim

200s, 200p, 100k
4*50 fast off 60 (in 39-41)
10*100 5s faster than euro pace +15s (1:28-1:35)
300 swim down

Trying a few things with my stroke, generally slowing me down, so I went back to what I do best, swimming without thinking too much. Works better, go figure. The 100's I found a pinch tough at 1:30 pace, easier at 1:35. Not going to read too much into that at all, what will be will be. Swim in Geneva will be done at a tough pace, whether that means 1:25 or 1:45 pace, or inbetween, will depend on the day.
Junior was swimming beside me in my lane. He could go all day, will make a fine distance swimmer. We did some tweaking of his stroke, and he got faster. Good lad for the swimming.

Race plan: Swim hard, bike hard, run so I want to drop out after a km, and keep going. Don't f*ck up the transitions in between. Simple, boring, race report.

mossym · 06-07-2015 9:41pm

what's the air temp for the run going to be like? i know you want the non wetsuit swim, but the air temp could be a big factor?

joey100 · 06-07-2015 9:42pm

I got one of them helmets recently too Kurt. Practice taking it on and off before the race, found the clasp a bit fiddly and can take a time to get it on and off.

After reading some of the logs in here, Mossy's mainly!, I hope you have a boring, incident free race!

Kurt_Godel · 06-07-2015 9:54pm

mossym wrote: »

what's the air temp for the run going to be like? i know you want the non wetsuit swim, but the air temp could be a big factor?

Currently in the 30˚'s but expected to dip a bit on Friday. To be honest I don't mind, what will be will be. Got a talk about overthinking from the Man with the Plan today: swim hard, bike hard, run as fast as you can; think about each transition beforehand. Keep it simple, and race hard.

mossym · 06-07-2015 9:56pm

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

Currently in the 30˚'s but expected to dip a bit on Friday. To be honest I don't mind, what will be will be. Got a talk about overthinking from the Man with the Plan today: swim hard, bike hard, run as fast as you can; think about each transition beforehand. Keep it simple, and race hard.

did he mention anything about keeping both hands on the bars?

Kurt_Godel · 06-07-2015 9:56pm

joey100 wrote: »

I got one of them helmets recently too Kurt. Practice taking it on and off before the race, found the clasp a bit fiddly and can take a time to get it on and off.

Yeah I've tried it on/off a good few times. It seems to fit well, and won't overheat. A better fit than my Giro Advantage which was always tight around the ears.

Kurt_Godel · 06-07-2015 9:59pm

mossym wrote: »

did he mention anything about keeping both hands on the bars?

I think that comes under one of those "prepare for transition" lectures! Glad to see you're repairing fast, could have been a lot worse

mossym · 06-07-2015 10:00pm

joey100 wrote: »

After reading some of the logs in here, Mossy's mainly!, I hope you have a boring, incident free race!

i had a clean year last year, and really need a clean one next year, so im just getting the 3 years bad luck out of the way at once joey. not a tactic i'd recommend in hindsight