Lyric Revues

Kurt.Godel

Valentina sprint
I haven't seen​ the results yet, but no harm in putting down my thoughts while they're still fresh. The idea today way to set a mark, and in that respect I'm pretty happy.

We drove down last night and regged, the organiser mentioned low numbers​ a d how he was trying to build the brand. If the weather was guaranteed like it was today, he'd have no problems selling out. Valentia is a great spot when the sun is shining.

Race morning we set up, and got the ferry to the mainland. Water was perfect, I had a look at the flow and decided to aim up I to the current. This was a good choice as the main pack soon went off course. My first sea race this year, Be the first ever in Valencia, I was enjoying it to bits. I had a solid swim without lighting the jets, and exited In fourth place I think. Trans was a bit tight, and someone had left a big rucksack right where I exited, caught the bike and a volley of curses from me as the contents were shaken free all over the place. Anyway. Straight into the climb, a tough 5k uphill. I did alright here, overtaken by one. No so good along the back of the island, as a lost a few more spots. I did better on the flat return, took back one spot and nabbed another on the dismount line. Happy enough with my bike, the aim was to hold back a bit so I'd not die on the run.
Fast T2, straight onto the uphill slog. It was tough, I was breathing hard,. It so was the guy on my shoulder. After 2k I upped the effort and sure enough he dropped off. At turnaround I was about 8th or 9th... Noticed a skinny guy about my AG about 30 secs behind, and to be honest I knew he had me. The run down was tough, breathing heavy and working hard-working this was no easy downhill run! With a km to go I heard footsteps and sure enough my man took me here. I ran down to the finish, disappointed with losing that AG place, but very happy overall with my race. I am a lot fitter than I think, good swim, 32kph av for a hilly bike, 4.09/km av for a hilly run.
The marker has been set, now it's about improving for the rest of the season.

Kurt.Godel

Sunday 4k easy OW swim; 5k easy run

It's a beautiful day down here in Valentia, the nicest day I've seen in 30 years visiting. Nothing much planned for the day, just easy recovery after the race. My shoulders felt a bit tight on the first 2k swim in the morning, the cool water helped a lot.
Later on I swam across from our house to the mainland and back, another 2k, this time with a little more purpose.
Just now I braved the heat for an easy 5k run, and immediately felt yesterday's​ efforts in my lungs. Hammers were a little tight too, that's to be expected after a couple of fast downhill kms!

shotgunmcos

Top 10 not bad. Your run split was solid too. That first hill out of T1 is a ball breaker alright

Kurt.Godel

Catching up... A weeks holidays in the sun, getting lots and lots of sea swimming. This was good fun, the kids are well up for long sea swims now and I was especially pleased that missy noticed every jetski, pleasure boat, divers etc. Good sighting too

Back home and I wanted to finish the pool with a vengeance... Day one and I fell from a ladder, landing hard on the ladder onto my glute. Got some lovely multi colour bruises for my trouble, and could hardly walk for days, let alone sit on a bike saddle...

...so I resolved to fix a long standing issue with my bike, the rear break blocks have been catching the wheel, I had to use a lot of force to remove the bolt- SNAP!- now I have half a bolt stuck and not going anywhere. I tried drilling, I tried wrenching, before taking it to a (new to me) bike mechanic in Carlow today, who seemed confident he could sort it in a couple of days. I have Wicklow Harbourman at the weekend, I might just be using the roadie for that!

First run tonight to check on how the arse is progressing, I managed 6k without too much pain, tried a few faster 500m's without issue, so I should be good to go again.

Slogger Jogger

Good to hear the holiday went well. Given the other incidents since you returned, and the rate you are racking them up, these are obviously clear messages to stop what you are doing

Kurt.Godel

The message is load and clear; go on holiday again!

(just need some banking IT expert to add several 000's to my account)

Kurt.Godel

Wed 3k OW swim; 4k run

A great evening for a long club swim in Courttown, the water was warm, the waves were lappin', the company was good. Followed by a jaunty run around the forest trails, reminded me of EiremanX a few years back.

In other news the pool finally has water in it, no electric yet however so we splashed but didn't get to use the current. Plenty of time for that though.

Kurt.Godel

Wicklow Harbourman Oly

I had a total nightmare today, the worst run I've ever done. I don't know what it was, the legs just wouldn't move, pretty annoyed at the moment.

Swim 22:21
The water was perfect temperature, nice and cool for this hot day. The rolling start again worked a treat, I was about 4th into the water and about 5th or 6th getting out. It was a scrum at times for the first 400m or so, as people jostled for feet. Got a few belts but gave a few too. This was probably the most controlled swim I've ever done, I jumped on feet where needed, left them if they tired, bossed for position... I'm very happy with the swim as I did just what was needed without burning the jets (no Garmin on me but I heard it was a little short?)

T1
Stripped the wetsuit and ran the 300m to trans, no issues

Bike 1:16:27 (31.8kph average)
My TT bike is still in the shop so I used my roadie with some borrowed clip on bars. The certainly made for lost minutes as I was passed by people with ease throughout. Position was sort of made up (raise the saddle, move it forward) and it was uncomfortable on the bars at length. Nonetheless it was a solid enough bike given the circumstances.

T2 no issues

Run 54:07 :eek:
Ok it was a hot day and I am a big unit, but my conservative expectation was sub 45 with ease. The first km was 4:44 and I was a bit concerned as the effort suggested something faster, the next 4:45, then 5:00, and I knew something was amiss. Things went from bad to worse, and just like last years race I had a horrendous run. Soon I was plodding at 6min/km, being passed by what seemed hundreds. I considered dropping out, and the only saving grace of this run is that I didn't. I can't believe I ran 4:09 pace on a hillier course in Valentia three weeks back (also a hot day), and struggled to run 5:30 pace today. Sickened by this result, but the only thing to do is learn from it and move on.

Kurt.Godel

Mon 8.4k run 5:05/km

An easy run with some of the club, discussing yesterday's event. It's very useful to take many opinions, and one conversation had diet as the 5th Tri discipline that needs work (trans being 4th). Its very true, as I post mortum yesterday's run I need look no further than diet. What is eat is very good, and what I drink is very good (wine), its just there is rather too much good wine. Like a bottle per day average. So far I've been able to do this and bluff Sprints (its easier to suffer for 2.5k of a run knowing thats the halfway), but I'm found out during the longer 10k distance.

About 10 weeks left until Rotterdam, my swim is in good shape, my bike is in good shape. I just need to knuckle down and work on the run, and that means a few sacrifices on the diet side of things, and more run training.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 60min easy turbo

I was up at 5am getting ready to go to the pool for an 8am session... I was almost in the car when I noticed I had my am and pm mixed up... ghagh!... did an easy turbo instead (first session in the new garden training room!), the pool session will keep until tomorrow morning, chasing the fish for company.

Kurt.Godel

Wed AM. 3,000 pool

500 easy pre swim being kicked and punched by angry seniors floating in the open pool

400m warm up
10x75 (25 IMO, 25k, 25sw, 20s rest)
350 at 1:30 pace
100 ez
250 @ 1:27 pace
200 ez
150 @ 1:25 pace
300 ez
100 in 1:20

The pool hours are a bit hit and miss over the summer, I got in for 15 mins and got berated and targeted by one angry guy in particular. Ah well, what can you do, the world is large and varied and that what keeps it interesting.
On to the main set, the three fish I was swimming with absolutely destroyed me. I haven't been in the pool in a month and it shows. Whatever about sea swimming, you need to keep in the pool for technical reasons. More will be forthcoming.

Kurt.Godel

Wed PM 2k OW swim

A smashing evening for a swim, we had a good few from the club joined by another 15 or so locals, for a spontaneous group swim past the hulking derelict metal pier. The locals said they usually just swim up and down the beach, and they seemed very happy to have tried somewhere different. Arklow can be a magical place, it has a lot to offer.

Kurt.Godel

Thurs AM 13k run @ 5:11/km pace

An early start, it felt cooler at this time of the morning, much more comfortable to run in. A trip to Tinahely cash machine was the excuse needed- I was chatting to a lad last night about family time vs. training time, and we agreed you have to wrangle as much as the day allows, however you can fit it in.

Kurt.Godel

Thurs PM 9k easy/steady run

A few of the lads were out tonight so I joined them to blow off work-day steam. It was pretty humid; we did 4k at a chatting pace, picked up the effort on the Tomnafinnogue high road, cruised back down, and then built up the pace for the last 3k.

joey100

Just on the running Kurt, can I ask a question, when was the last time you done some run intervals? You could well be avoiding them to avoid an injury but just can't find any really in your log.

Kurt.Godel

Hi joey, well spotted, I was just thinking about this last night! It's been quite a while since I ran intervals- in general my fitness levels aren't anywhere near where they need to be, training has been broken/unstructured the past few months, for various reasons. Running the hilly Valentia 5k at 4:09/km gave me a false sense of security that my running ability was fine, but this weekends running disaster at Harbourman put that idea to bed.

However there's no point in looking back, I need to look forward now. I have 10 weeks to turn things around before Rotterdam, and run intervals will form part of that (starting them next week). Managed well, in order to prevent injury (as you rightly mention). In general though, more running volume (and turbo intervals) will be the way I'll go about things.

Kurt.Godel

Fri Bagnelstown mile swim race, 4th place in 18:04

A good few from the club were racing tonight, a downstream mile organised by Bagnelstown swimming club. They put on a great show, three starts (Tri ladies, Tri men, and a handicap start for their own swimmers). I got a decent start, the speedsters went off and did their thing, and I just worked on a solid swim for however long it would take. There wasn't much flow on the river. I worked as much as I could on a good streamline with steady turnover, and began to pull away from the group I was with. One chap (sans wetsuit) passed me swimming strongly, and I (with some modicum of guilt) jumped on his feet for a tow of 300m or so. It was actually hard to sight, the river twists and turns so you might easily hit a bank- while sighting I lost my guy and he was gone.
From here I continued to pass the earlier starting ladies field, it was hurting but a nice feeling knowing there was nothing to hold in reserve for bike or run. My tugboat with no wetsuit came back into sight over the last 500m- I think the river narrowed and increased flow benefited me in the suit- and although I ate back into the gap I ran out of distance and he passed the line 6 seconds before me.
A good race, a nice test, some ding-dongs, and decent effort throughout. Very good show from this small swim club.

Kurt.Godel

Sat 16k easy run 5:18/km

Starting early in the morning sets up your weekend nicely. Five of us did a chatting pace run through Railway walk, Tomnafinnogue, Coolattin, Shillelagh, and return. Most enjoyable, and I have the whole day ahead of me free to work on my pool

Kurt.Godel

Sat PM 1.64k easy OW swim

I had stuff to do in Arklow anyway, so packed the wetsuit for an easy splash around the Cove. Its quite a sheltered spot, but if you swim out past the defence the currant is a lot more noticeable. On the way back I swam further out (round the black bouy for anyone who knows the spot) and both the swell and drag increased. It took a fair bit of effort to swim in from the bouy- I was never in much danger but you need to have your wits about you at all times in the sea, conditions can change rapidly.

Kurt.Godel

Sun 107k bike 24.5kph average

There was a charity 100k sportif from Ferns, nominated as our club Sunday spin. Since the route passed close by my house at 80k, I opted to begin the cycle early and did the first 30k to registration. This included the Sliabh Bui climb, which is tough enough but better got out of the way at this stage. There was a large turnout at registration, I grabbed a couple of bananas and soon we set off.

The first 10k was leisurely enough, but we began passing packs and soon I found myself with a group of around 20 or so, all seeming to be around the same speed. I stayed with this group as we ventured closer to the looming Mount Leinster. Never having climbed this before, what lay ahead was unknown. The elevation began to creep upwards, and just as I thought this wasn't too bad, a sharp turn right began the climb proper. It's pretty relentless, just enough to keep you in the saddle, with blind twists and turns that promise summits to the hopeful newbie. All in all though its not too bad, a decent workout and a suitable panoramic reward at the summit.

A swift descent followed, and at Bunclody I opted to take a more direct route home, just as well as I was beginning to flag. I was tired and glad to reach my house and the cool waters of the pool were immediately availed of.

Kurt.Godel

Weekly Summary- 10 weeks to go|Session|Comment

Monday|8.4k run 5:05/km|engine was beaten up after the race
Tuesday|60min easy turbo|
Wednesday|3,000 pool; 2k OW|Struggled to maintain 1:25 pace in pool
Thursday|13k run @ 5:11/km pace; 9k run|Picked up pace end of 2nd run
Friday|Bagnelstown mile swim race, 4th place in 18:04|Good race, I swam well
Saturday|16k easy run 5:18/km; 1.64k easy OW swim| Enjoyable run and swim
Sunday|107k bike 24.5kph average|Sportif, longest time in the saddle for a while

Weekly km|Swim 8k Bike 132k Run 46.4k|Good week, training again with purpose



Last Sunday's race lit a fire under me, so for the next 10 weeks I'm going to train a lot more structured, and summarise in a weekly table. This is useful as it makes obvious gaps in training (such as run intervals or hard turbo sessions). In any case it was a good week's return to training, and I aim to keep this structure up until Rotterdam.

Kurt.Godel

Mon 1.3k OW swim; 5.7k fartlek run, 1.6k OW swim

The kids are doing surf life saving every morning this week in Brittas Bay so I should get in a few sneaky swims. Today was perfect beach weather, and a steady swim up and down the beach.

Later I met up with a clubmate for a fartlek run around the Courttown forest. We hit speed, attacked hills, built builds; and generally pushed each other where it mattered (and recovery in between cos that matters). This was the first speedwork I've done in a while, and it felt good to be sprinting again.

Afterwards into the sea for a swim along the bouys, to the inflatable floating slide (which had to be slid ), and back again.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 8k easy run 5:45 pace

I didn't get to the beach today (its not fair adults have to work while kids have three months off!) but managed a recovery run this evening. The old legs were fairly tight after yesterdays workout, and so my pace was kept well down. The run did the job though, everything feels better now.

I was going to try Bray aquathlon tomorrow but I think its better to keep the powder dry for the weekends race instead.

zico10

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

its not fair adults have to work while kids have three months off!

You should have been a teacher.

Kurt.Godel

zico10 wrote: »

You should have been a teacher.

Unlike 99.9% of the private sector, I wish you well with your holidays (and gold plated pension ). Its a vocation, not something I could ever do. My missus is a teacher and I'd have swung for some of the stuff she puts up with!

Wed 7k easy run 5:11 pace, 1.95k OW swim 1:50 pace

The beach was empty this morning, and there's nothing I like better on a rainy day than running along by the crashing waves barefoot. I felt good, last night's recovery did the job.
Straight into the crashing sea for a km going south along the beach, steady pace which turned out to be 1:35/100m. A different story coming back as a strong swell pulled me right out- it was difficult to sight in the rain with no real landmarks of distinction, and my garmin track has a zig-zag that corresponds with being pulled out and swimming back in closer to shore.

I still have the Harbourman run disaster on my mind- so much so that I've changed my ITU race to the shorter Sprint race. Reviewing last years events, its a common factor that I blow up on the 10k run, whereas I can manage to hold my own across the shorter 5k events.

Slogger Jogger

Re: the 5k target, chalk up a couple of parkruns so. Cycle to Tullow and do the run. Get a baseline time and work to improve it. I'm helping out there this weekend if you are about.

Kurt.Godel

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Re: the 5k target, chalk up a couple of parkruns so. Cycle to Tullow and do the run. Get a baseline time and work to improve it. I'm helping out there this weekend if you are about.

Probably not a bad idea, but I find Saturdays hard to do- this weekend is the NC Aquathlon in Athlone, most weekends theres a race (me or kids) and once Sept rolls around again my hobby gets shoved down the pecking order in favour of kids swimming! Good luck with the Parkrun

Rest day today, light swim and run with pickups tomorrow.

Kurt.Godel

Fri 7k easy run with pickups

It was a wild morning on Brittas beach, I did an easy 7k along the shore. Waves were wild, crashing with some force almost to the dunes.

Sat National Aquathlon Champs (2nd M45)

We drove the long journey to Athlone, two kids and a parent looking forward to a decent challenge. It was hard to find info on the routes beforehand, no maps in the emailed briefing. That's not the end of the world, but a well-managed race would have routes covered, so I was expecting a bit of confusion on the day... the kids races were a bit haphazard, the pre-race briefing gave conflicting and confusing info, and the kids would swim in a straight line to a bouy, turn around and swim back (of course clashes ensued when swimmers turned around). One of the kids races had the leader pass one bouy and keep swimming to the next, no kayak marshal to turn them round, and an irate parent roaring from the shore for someone to point them in the right direction. Not really good enough, and something that should have been highlighted before. Their run was up to 8 laps of a field, which they had to count themselves... not something easily done with precision.

The adult race seemed better organised (as you might expect), although the obvious rookie error of setting people off sighting on yellow bouys, while wearing yellow caps, was made. The water was very warm, I got a decent enough start but there was a high quality swim field and I was soon struggling to maintain pace. Sighting was difficult (because of yellow caps) and two packs formed, with a good 20m of width between them (I was in the wider of the two packs). Perhaps this contributed to my somewhat disappointing swim time (or perhaps I was just slow) but in any case I kept it steady enough for the remainder and was a little taken aback at how far down the pack I exited.

Transition went just ok, a few seconds lost getting shoes on but nothing new there.

Onto the run, the real reason I was here. After the disaster I had in Wicklow where I couldn't even hold 4:50 pace, I was looking for redemption. The first km was tough enough, a rolling sort of course and I was breathing hard from the start. Nonetheless I resolved to keep working and started to overtake a few (while being taken by some faster runners myself). At the 2km point I contemplated dropping out, so the effort was probably correct! I next spied Gary Crossan on his way back and wondered if he had crossed over to the M45 category yet (unfortunately he has!). Turn around and start heading back. The up-and-down route offered plenty of scope to see who was ahead of you, and I managed to pick off one or two as I tried to keep fast approaching footsteps from behind at bay... the guy just about caught me but I gave it what I had over the last km and finished spent. Checked the results, I came 2nd in my AG (no improvement from last year!), disappointed with the mediocre swim, but pretty happy with a 4:16 average for the run. I'll need to work on getting this down to 3:xx average for Rotterdam- should be doable if I continue doing what I've been doing.

Kurt.Godel

Sun 10.3k 5:22 pace

Hillbrook loop, on a hot day. As expected my engine was knackered after yesterdays exertion, but the legs etc were ok.

Weekly Summary- 9 weeks to go|Session|Comment

Monday|1.3k OW swim; 5.7k fartlek run, 1.6k OW swim|very hard effort for the bursts
Tuesday|8k easy run 5:45 pace|
Wednesday|7k easy run 5:11 pace, 1.95k OW swim 1:50 pace|tough swell to contend with
Thursday|Rest|
Friday|7k easy run with pickups|along crashing waves on soft wet sand
Saturday|National Aquathlon Champs (2nd M45)| Mediocre swim, good run at my limit (4:14/km pace)
Sunday|10.3k easy run 5:22 pace|Hillbrook loop
Weekly km|Swim 7k Bike 0k Run 43k|All about the aquathlon race


No biking this week, instead I put all my efforts into ensuring a good run in the race. To that end I'm happy, and with two months to go I'm confident that progress continues to be made.

shotgunmcos

Gorey, Brittas Bay etc.. see form GC your swims. Nice beaches. I won't forget my goggles etc next time I visit!


Good going in the Aquathlon