Visualisation is the key!

I sat focused, I will win, I will win, visualising walking up to collect my prize, ‘126’ was called it was me!!! Spot prize yes! second to last draw but you must have faith. Well that was how the day ended. Stoked as that was all I was here for the rest is minor details.

5am the alarm went, time to eat and start hydrating, and the drive to Wisemans ferry (1hr30min). Body was feeling good, nerves starting and think they won on the day as I kept drinking and eating too close to the race resulting in uncomfortable racing.

Off in the in the swim, with the new goggles, brilliant, I could see without fog! settled in and slowly pulled through the bunch to come out 4th in main wave, 7.33mins, as i came out I realised Dr Phil was leaning on me the whole swim, rubbing arms as he battled to keep straight, whilst someone else keep grabbing my feet.

Transition was poor as I opted for lace up riding shoes (as I figured we would be pushing bikes) and had to pull on a shirt so all in tri suits and velcro shoes streamed passed.

The ride started well along the flats and started heading up the big hill which we were about to climb 3 times on the course. Up the first section my gut turned and almost lost breakfast. So this slowed me until the top, and by this stage I was pushing the bike and the loose rocks on the climb made it hard to ride. Over the top and the brakes came off and flew down pass all that went past on the climb as triathletes tried to cope with mountain biking, but when to pass one and pulled to the right where a big water rut was, the bike stood on end as I just caught myself. Then away on some great single track as you danced each side of the stream but each time I was held up a I caught up other riders. A short blatt on the flats to finish the first of 3 loops. At the end of the second loop I was starting to settle into my work and wanted another and I was starting to wind people in and gut calmed down.

Transition again was slow but smooth, and felt comfortable from the start along the banks of the river and up the steps, therefore began to open the stride. I pushed on with a very happy result after 2 laps.

Swim 500m 7.33mins
Ride 17km 1.04.54
Run 6km 27.51
16th overall, 7 in category

Taper was forced on!

Last weekend the plan was to bash myself but social events hampered it a bit, but with an early start on sat I got in 58km on the road bike, then an arvo of lawn bowl trying not to strain a muscle.

Sunday started at 530am with a run around red hand cave track, and it was very dark as there was complete cloud cover, i felt very alone as i headed up a gorge, just me and my light.
Then on to the bike (MTB) for a ride up and down the oaks with geo team mates, I was late from my run so the team mates had 5-6min head start up the track so the chase was on once I got changed and fuelled up, the body felt good after the 1hr10min run. so a charged long catching them just through a gate, then cruised with them and towed on team mate up most hills. And got I a hill repeat coming out of the gorge.

The ride was made more interesting as my bike was serviced late last week, this being the first ride back on it, and it did not miss a beat for the first 2hrs, then the cable started to slip through on my rear derailleur resulting in me losing my bottom 3 gears, not ideal for towing. But it pushed the legs more!

Monday started poorly after some dodgy food, got to the pool, started to circulate and tryed to keep dinner down. Gastro hit hard and really rocked my cage for 3 days of this week, i was sleeping 11hrs each night, with now (Friday) i am just starting to feel normal again. So rest tomorrow and then race Sunday.

Week totals:
Run 13
Road 58
Mtb 53
Swim 2

One week out!

Last week was disturbed with work pushing me around the country so missed 3 days of training,

Monday night i linked up with Dr Phil on his MTB for a blat around bees nest / blue gum, he rode it like a BMX, i was funny to watch, but was a good hit out under the cover of darkness.

The middle if the week went walkabout.

The weekend came with high intentions but!.....missed sessions due to social commitments. Sat: road the agnes banks loop, which felt good, Sun: with a 530 start ran Red hands cave loop and was joined by other geo teammates to go up and down the oaks, so finished feeling worn (after pushing another rider up most hills) but happy so bring on the trex.

Now the weight is down a little i am running and riding better than ever, so it is all coming together at the right time.

Weight 93.5kg (lightest i have been since i was 13)

Totals for last week
Road 58
Kayak 25
Run 18
Mtb 26
Swim 2.5

16 days to go to Tre-x

Wow, how time fly's when you should be training, not a good week for me in regards to distance as every morning would start well at 6am, but each evening i was required to take care of the child as morning sickness (which goes all day) took its toll on wifey. So i add some lounge room exercise, palates and stretching.

The swim this morning was very good, the best i have felt to date with 10x100m on 1.45 (plus warm up /down and paddle work), must have been all the stretching.

Last weekend I successfully blew myself to bits on the club tri. Sunday we met up with our potential team mate for Geoquest so a relaxed ride through the oaks, and paddle up the nepean, was needed to have a chat.

Big week needed this week to lift the power.

Week Totals
Road Bike: 47km
Mtb: 28km
Run: 19km
Kaddle: 12km
Swim: 5.45

Win or Bust?

Bust! did the club tri Saturday night (a great little race, and surprised with the number of entrants). I think I was the fattest person there and the only one without a tri suit or even tri Knicks, and I had laces in my shoes. i was about to do a race in old school style!

The stroll to the start of the swim was daunting as there were a lot of fitter looking people surrounding me. Jumped in for a few strokes and I was ready to go. Got away well and settled in but just before the start I cleared my goggles, and by now 2 mins in I could not see more than a 3m in front of me due to the fog. So I slid over towards the bank until I found a row of buoys, the plan was for this to guide me down the course with my limited vision, and it work and started passing people. Coming to the end of the swim I found it hard to see the large buoys we needed to circumnavigate before coming into the ramp, so had to divert back around the first buoy loosing time which was disappointing.

On to the bike, slid down on to the bars and started to work, the legs felt strong (surprisingly) so I pushed on, picking up traffic. Then my cleat pulled off the of my right shoe, so I seemed to lose half a leg as my shoe slipped around everywhere. So pushed on for the last two laps (10km).

Off the bike, shoes on once I stopped to do my laces up) and away on the run, legs felt alright and set into a rhythm, then before I turned at the mark (1.2km) my stomach turn upside down. I think all the liquid from on the bike dropped into my stomach in one hit and the knots started as it had not been hunched over on aero bars for a long time, let alone at this intensity, I did not know if I was going to spew or fart, so the pace on the run came right off as a prodded a poked around in my stomach as I tried to get it to move without success. so a very disappointing run.

A good lesson learned, with so much to improve for next time.

Finished 1hr 14min, (14min swim, 34 min ride, 26min run)

King of the mountian!

Breaking news! a new king of the mountain is crowned. I yes I the fat kiwi trumped sleep train up sun valley hill, we ran stride for stride, eye balling each other, who could push more, then suddenly he broke, keeled over and pulled down his pants, I saw the light and went for it pulling away 30metres to go over the mountain in front! And that is how i saw it, his story may be a little different? Sleep train may go on about sore legs and the need pee making him stop, but that not the way i saw it, he was a broken man!

This was a very positive week for me as I gained greater control running and swimming as the strength and balance comes back. This will allow me to push harder this week. Still need a lot more power work on the legs especially for the bike.

Run 32km
Road Ride 78km
Mtb 45.5km
Swim 9.7km

But no paddle this week as i focus on the club tri this Saturday arvo, and tre-x on the 29th

Weight: 96kg after big dinner and rehydration post ride

The fat kiwi will soon fly

Had a good weekend,

Saturday - hard 25km road ride, with 5km run, a good block with a body feeling good throughout and ran free, so happy, late arvo swim and tried to pace with sleep train but after the morning session the legs had nothing to back the arms up so i slowed to 200m @ 3.30 pace and left him to it. One day i will get there!

Sunday - body was jaded, but peeled myself from bed to join MH for a MTB through the oaks and back up to springwood (45km) the legs felt like rubbish for the first 25km then they started to come good with a good climb out of the gorge to the ranger station. Then the push home up the road. Missed the recovery swim with the crew due to babysitting duties as wifey headed out.

This morning had a very bad run, leg were tight from Sundays ride, 90secs slower over 5km, not happy.

Weight this morning 95.5kgs