Dreams do come true if you work at it long enough.

My Goal and Dream

This is my dream.... I am not a great athlete. I have only one fantastic trait and that is the ability to keep going when others drop by the way side. I have tenacity and a dream.

Last year in November with my father in ICU, I competed in the Mandurah 70.3 ironman with the aim of qualifying for the Worlds in September. That time I missed out by a single slot... one more and I would already be going....

So it was back to the training board. I got a little injured in December and missed completing in my 9th half in Albany my home town and then it was on to Busselton. My first half was at Busselton and it is only in the last 12 months that I have managed to reduce my times to below the time I did for my first one.

So on the weekend despite a less than ideal race I managed to achieve one of these

in a personal best time and any time you do a PB its a good day. I was 3 minutes quicker in the swim and 4th fastest in my age group in the cycle. Bit slow on the run, but I had tummy trouble so it was good to get a PB.

Then it was on to the roll down on Sunday. Roll down is a system where the 30 slots to the world championships are allocated. There weren't many people there but when the head count was done, there were more people than slots.....So some of us were going to need some luck, and as 14th in my age group I would need some of that.

And I got one ... I was so happy So now in September I will

until I get to finish my dream.

 

Will keep you posted on the journey .... but now I rest (this week anyway)

 

17 weeks to go

 

Race Report for Busselton Half (70.3) Ironman

The Lead up

So motivation problems aside. I was well rested and travelled on Thursday to Busselton in preparation for the event. Ironman and 70.3 events take a little time to get organised. There is the bike to service and make sure you don't have any problems with your tires. You need to pack your wetsuit, goggles, spare goggles, spare swim cap, helmet, bike shoes, socks (optional), spare tire, CO2 canisters to fix a flat and the little device to use with these, carbohydrate gels, something to put the carbohydrate gels into, electrolyte mix of your choice, a couple of water bottles, food to make sure you are fuelled pre event, triathlon kit, bra that won't chaff, running shoes, hat or visor, sports sunglasses, racing watch, charger for racing watch..... Should have also packed sunscreen (borrowed some open access product) and body glide or similar. Then you need to get all this to the event - easy in a car (fill her up) harder via plane (dismantle bike into bike bag and use much of the gear as padding to protect the bike - then pray it all arrives in the pieces you put it in to start with).

2 nights out is the "critical" sleep and I decided to have a calm day before and travel Thursday. Unfortunately there was a major issue at work and I had a silly phone call about something I could do NOTHING about from 500km away at 9pm. as a tip - ironman type people are generally asleep by 9pm - ring at your peril.

Check in for me and the bike.

Half ironman and ironman events are too big to bring your bike on the day, so registration is always the day before for 70.3 and 2 days before for ironman. Fridays job was simple.... register, collect the bag of goodies including timing chip, bib for event and stickers for your bike, helmet and gear bag.

Then apply sticker to bike, check the tires again and head to transition to leave your bike with 3000 others for the night. I don't know what the average value for the transition that night is but it is definitely more than 1 earn in a year.

Then for me it was a little R & R and sight seeing. Off to Cape Leuwin for the afternoon oh and more food.

Pack race day bag and risotto for dinner.

RACE DAY

So earlish start at 5am. a couple of crumpets for breakfast with honey + a banana and 1 electrolyte drink. (the real breakfast of champions)  should have had a coffee but forgot, then I walked to 3 blocks to the race start with my gear in tow. Only repacked the bag once in the morning. Almost a record for me. 

Into transition and set up my gear (by this stage it was about 5:40am) then recheck the gear and catch up with some friends, including one from high schools days who I reconnected with through ironman. We had a good laugh at both getting All World Athlete status last year due to our top 5% world ranking in our age group. This was mostly due to us both competing in at least 3 events... although this meant we both competed in 2 70.3 and 1 ironman for the year and there are lots of people who couldn't do that and wouldn't want to!

The it was off to the loos - only to find them blocked - who would have thought anyone would want to go to the toilet after drinking to be well hydrated pre event and want to have a morning constitutional before putting on the wetsuit.

Then it was gear drop time, time to strip down to the trisuit and remove the extra warm layers. Sometimes I bring thongs to the event to walk around it but I left them in the hotel room - oh well cold feet it is. Then on with the wetsuits and the first problem of the day.... put my hand straight through the let - twice. Sigh looks like I will be getting a new wetsuit before my next event. Then off to the start to watch the pro go, then the new dads (30-35 males) after all they have to be up early... then the eligible batchelor group (AKA 25-29 males), then the scary women - apparently women over 40 are scary... I take offence to that but perhaps that's why we scare him. We are a bit of a no nonsence group, in the water and go.

For once I managed to find some feet. which I am sure helped greatly in keeping me on line, out approx 1km and back for a total swim of 1.9km. Then up the ramp and into transition. Helmet on, race belt on, gloves on, sunglasses on, bike off rack and to the mount zone. Managed to stuff up my shoes again, so wasn't as smooth as I would have liked on the mount part but oh well it is only a few seconds.

The start of the bike a group of about 4 girls formed a non-drafting who's in front group. You are not allowed to gain advantage by riding on the wheel of the bike in front. 12 meters is the rule of ironman event, so 12 meters between your front wheel and their back or approximately the length of 2 dotted lines and the gap between them... it's quite a way. obviously you can pass but you must only be in the zone for 25 seconds. If you enter the zone you must pass, but you only have to get your wheel infront then the person you passed must drop back to the 12 meters before having a go at passing you. The problem is if you pass one person who is 12m behind another person you end up in the next persons draft zone, so you have to keep passing, but if you are passed you then end up behind this slowing group of riders trying to pass each other, hence the who's in front now. WE played tick tack tow for  about 30km and it was about then that I realised the tick tack tow was causing me to ride beyond myself (36km/h average!) ... YIKES time to slow down a little or I will never be able to run.

So I settled down but still finished the bike in a new PB of 2:39.... wow that is fast.

Off on the run. got into my rhythm. I am not a strong runner and for the first lap it felt like everyone was passing me - cause they were.... when I got to the end I felt like I needed a pit stop and checked the loo - not in use so in I ducked. All good and much easier to run without a full bladder. Fortunately no other problems yet - except my legs telling me I rode too fast. On the start of the third lap was a bit of a different story... I started to get some mild stomach cramps.... So I stopped again. This time was a little more problematic, but all sorted and back out on the run. The only problem now was I hadn't positioned my trisuit back in place very well..... and started to chaff. not a pleasant feeling. By this time I was slowing a little bit more and was worried I wouldn't get a PB despite running well in training, it is quite a different situation of a hard bike ride. I had worked out that although I was going to be outside my PB it wasn't going to be by much .... seconds really and the second time I will be under the respectable 5:30 mark.

So I finished a happy triathlete my 9th half ironman in 5:26:44 and 14th in my age group (up 6 places on last year)

Happy with that but then I thought I will just check what my Mandurah PB was..... 5:27:03.... hold on that's slower..... So it is a PB .... WOOHOO.

Now for the rest and then the roll down ceremony tomorrow. Just hoping others don't want the spots (like 13 other competitors.....)

Easter Plans and How to cope with low motivation 2 weeks to an event

So It's Easter

I have a busy weekend planned......

Run Friday morning (which turned into a walk as my friend was injured)
Then a Kayak trying out the double inflatable kayak we will be using for an adventure race in 4 weeks time. It was fun and the harbour was very flat! Fabulous day for a paddle. What was really interesting that although my other half and I managed to paddle across the harbour with just a few minor steering issued it was his lack of fitness and need to rest regularly that was most interesting.... Clearly I am fit .... OK very fit.... good sign....

Tomorrow I am planning a swim across the harbour in Albany, Just a lazy 4km swim to start the morning. It will be my 4th time and could be interesting to see how I go with the extra training I have been doing.

Sunday I am planning to take a rest day - given I will be busy timing a swim event in a near by town.

I am now in count down mode from my next big event - Busselton half ironman. it will be my 9th half. pretty pleased with that.... I was going well with training about 1 month ago but I have been really struggling in the last few weeks.

So I have been taking a good dose of JFDI. Although this hasn't always been easy and sometimes due to extreme lethargy I have started a session and pulled out.... I have also been having trouble with knee pain and swelling as well.

So I now need to relax and use my version of the 5 minute rule - that is if after 30 minutes I still don't feel like I can train well I stop... a little longer than the 5 minutes but it works better for me.

So this week when my motivation to cycle was waning I jumped on the computer trainer did a 20 minute session at 100% of my maximum power threshold then got off and went for a short 1km run. I figured a "brick" session like that would actually help and I am sure it did......

So this week again I am going to relax and enjoy the ride... it's taper time... all about short sharp sessions.

Music free running and songs for inspiration

I notice a fellow 1/2 marathoner commented on music during events. I have to say I am not a fan of running with others with headphones in so this will be a little bit of a rant but also a bit of a reflection of music which has shaped some of my events.

I am a bit of an old fart - and have been running for a long time - long before music able to be carried easily - I remember trying to run with a potable CD player - just didn't work!

So firstly - why I don't like people running with music (especially on events)

1. you miss talking with fellow competitors
2. you don't hear someone coming up behind you and generally become a greater obstacle to pass.
3. It probably gives you an advantage over others (especially as most people train with music now)

I guess I am just mostly old school - but I will say if everyone wears headphones then why do we bother gathering and running together on big runs - what happened to actually talking to each other and sharing the experience.... I did say I was old school.

So to help keep myself motivated and just because I am a complete nutter .... I sing to myself on the event (and often in training - remember practicing everything you are going to be doing in an event makes it easier)

Here is a list of what popped into my head for some major events.

First Half Ironman - Busselton 2008 - "I feel good" - didn't even know the words properly but it popped into my head in the swim then I switched to singing the rocky theme on the bike. Got a bit tough by the run so I started singing "I feel good" again - just to try and fool myself!

Gold Coast Half Ironman - This was a very wet day 200mm of rain so we were all soaked. My brain got stuck on "day trip to bangor" which is a really old song that people who grew up in the 70s and 80s in country WA seem to remember from their childhood - there was only a small number of radio stations and ABC often played it. So nothing is more fun than singing "didn't we have a lovely day the day we went to bangor" .... in the poring rain!

Other songs I have sung include: hey soul sister, someone like you, jumpstart, call me maybe (which a SA tri group made a youtube video about at Busselton IM one year). I have an interesting remix of the Lazy Song which I also like singing.

I also know the words to "chariots of fire" and on the run leg of my second half one of the local residents was playing this song (without the words) so I started singing

"there is but one freedom, men running along, each step that he's taking a step to his soul. The passion and courage it is to be there, the spirit of freedom alive in the air.... whenever the running in man awakes to challenge the freedom he knows that he can turn the key once more to unlock the soul"

Definitely inspiring stuff.

 

The best event for this was London Marathon (my only marathon without a swim and bike before it) in the pre ipod era of 2003. Here the music is on course for you - every pub ( it's London there are lots of pubs) had music. From classic, to rock, to pop, reggae music... it was a complete blast ... helped me dance all the way to the finish line.

 

So pre event now I think about what songs I might be singing.... then I set up a playlist called "ear worms" This helps me find my mojo when out there on course and makes my event more fun.

 

Mandurah 2013 was my last event and strangely it was Adele "Someone like you" that was working for me.

 

Now I need to find a new set of ear worms for Busselton this year - or will I just go back to my old favorites?

Ahh recovery week - its all about the mindset

Training in a competitive way is about balance - like everything else in life. I suppose I am a competitive athlete although that was not what I was ever aiming to be - or how I look at myself.

So we will just assume that lots of the world will look at me as a serious athlete.....

There are several things I have learnt on my journey to be a serious athlete

1. Have a plan

I use a training plan and have done for years in various form. I started with a generic program we used at the club. This was lots of fun, lots of coffee after some great rides and runs. All very social. Then for my first ironman I borrowed a friends program and after my first I got a program of my own. I now also have a half program that is individualised. Individualised plans are definitely better but one thing I have learned is that no one ever gets everything done on a plan..... but it is the consistency that matters. Doing a smaller amount more regularly gets results more than cramming. In fact I have a saying -

" Ironman is not a test you can cram for " 

 

So a plan is important and keeping consistent is also really important. this time I am using my old half ironman plan - I have missed quite a few sessions but I also know that quality is more important that quantity.

This week is a recovery week so I am going to have a light week as planned. I will be perhaps a little more than planned but I am feeling like I am going OK and there is no point "flogging" myself and then getting too tired to put in the effort I need next week when I am sharpening up.

2. No you can't eat whatever you want - no matter how much you train

This is such a sad fact. I can eat more when I train but I have managed to do 15-20 hours of vigorous training a week without losing any weight! This is a sad but true fact. People often ask me about supplements. I have to say I am not a fan. I love food. Why would I "skip" eating food and take a supplement! I don't understand it. I know lots of people think that we need supplements as our soils are depleted in this or that but I eat a really wide variety of foods and I think my diet is pretty balanced. For this reason I don't take supplements only the occasional vitamin D (don't show much skin when I train) and some magnesium if I am getting lots of cramps.

Key things for me if I am hungry seems to be protein. Yoghurt or a tin of tuna. Lots of protein based breakfast. Don't do a big training without food - it just doesn't work so I have a piece of toast before I head off for a 3 hours bike ride or I take food with me. Also don't get hungry eat small amounts and often.

3. Mindset is the key to life and success

Not quite "the secret" style believe and it will be but more dream and it could be. There is a great saying that if you say you can or you say you can't chances are you will be right either way. The thing I love about the 12WBT program and part of why I keep doing the program. Yeah yeah we all know these things but somehow we don't do it.... So we seem to be reminded regularly.

Set your goals - but make them realistic and measurable.
Be the adult - not the teenager who has been left alone with the fridge for the first time
stick to the plan but be kind to yourself

We all deserve success but we need to work for it more some times than others.

Check in time.

I haven't blogged for a while - despite saying I would keep it up this round.

As is often the case I have been having motivation problems after such a busy lead up to the start of March. Training hasn't really been on track and I am feeling tired at this stage

Here is a summary of my last 3 weeks training.

Week beginning 3/3/14 - General Prep week on program.

1 hour swim, 2 hours cycling, 72 minutes of running and a 60 minute gym class
I was also away in Perth for the weekend and despite planning a run I didn't quite do the distance as planned (at this point I haven't even got a 10km run in)

Week beginning 10/3/14 - General Prep week
no swimming (various excuses used), 2:50 hours of riding (including a race), 3:20 of running including my first long run, 90 minutes of gym work and a 72 minute triathlon event for a total weekly amount of over 8 hours of training. at least I got a long run in this week.

Week beginning 17/3/14 - adaptation (recovery week)  

1 hour swim (quality session), 3:40 cycling (111 km including a long rolling hills ride), 3:30 hours of running including speed work, tempo, recovery and long steady distance and my usual 60 minute gym class. Almost got to 10 hours for the week which is OK for a recovery week although I am not sure what I am recovering from

So the next 2 weeks are crunch time for me. They are called Special Prep and they should be long and hard. It is the final set up for the taper down to the event. Think 3 hour bike rides and 2 hour runs and lots of fast sessions. Planned hours for this week is about 14 hours although I already know this is going to be a problem as I have a quick trip to Perth planned, but I have adjusted the session to minimize the impact.

Roll on the week.

Phew - got the other side

Wow what a day.

Stress levels were through the roof but these are the times you need to remember to not sweat the stuff you can't change and work on the things you can.

Yesterday I received lots positive comments about how the day went and everyone loved the new course.

We organized a triathlon of which I did lots of the leg work but also had lots of great help on the day. Each year the Albany Triathlon club organize a state calendar event which is also our major fund raiser for the year. this year finances were tight as we didn't have a major sponsor. Despite this our plan was to put on a fabulous event and by all account we did.

 First to things you can't control.

Weather

Perfect day 26 with light winds.



Couldn't get any better than that. The picture shows fog which rolled in around us.

So got the event set and the briefing done (a little late - oops) then off to the start.

About 70 individuals set off and 5 minutes later about 20 teams. Into the water. The Surf Club did a sensational job again of managing the water safety. Our local club pride themselves on the job they do. As many of them race they know how to watch and respond quickly to swimmers but also do little things like keep the jetski fumes and IRB fumes away from the swimmers.

We have some new timing equipment which went almost seamlessly during the event. With only 3 chip problems (one was a failure of the tag - others were operator error). Timing was  a big problem last year but this year it was better managed.

The Road were closed - by a professional company who arrived as planned and for the road marshals we used our own. No one understands the needs of athletes like athletes and using local tri and cycle club members on the lollypops works much better than using "professionals". These bikes travel fast.

Cycle leg

Speaking of the cycle leg. This was a new course this year - We sent them up the hill.... There is a knoll next to the beach and we closed the scenic drive that takes people back to town. 3 laps so 3 times up the hill, but 3 times down the hill and the rest of the course is flat...

Feedback was fantastic. there is nothing like a long hill to spread the field out - so no penalties. Got to be happy with that. Although we have fun and made the penalty box the bus stop - If you get caught drafting of a competitor it's a period in the bus stop - waiting for a bus - but there are no busses on sunday!

Only one problem on the bike with a local competitor coming off and needing some help from the ambulance. He will heal but is going to take some time for the skin to grow back.

The rest of the day went well and the technical official we happy with how we managed the day. Lots of great feedback about how well run the event was.

These days are stressful but it's all about JFDI... setting yourself up to succeed. This is what we did... with lots of help from some great volunteers on the day who gave out drinks on the run, cut up the fruit at the finish and called people through on the PA

I am glad it is over for another year but WOW what a day

The only problem is - pity about the exercise the last 3 days.... kinda fell in a hole there - but food intake was great.

Now it's off for a ride and hill repeats.... back to training for the half.