This is what I was greeted by on my way out to the start on race day thanks to the next door neighbour, AJ. It sums up the generosity and enthusiasm of the Port residents :)
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
IM beer
This is what I was greeted by on my way out to the start on race day thanks to the next door neighbour, AJ. It sums up the generosity and enthusiasm of the Port residents :)
Sunday, 6 April 2008
Race day
It didn't go as planned! The swim started well, but after about 15-20 minutes my lats and shoulders started to feel really tight. So I slowed up a bit, then my shoulders started to cramp up repeatedly. Must have made for some comical swimming. I managed to finish the swim just about - and hauled myself over to the change tent. The time was now irrelevant - the swim was over and that was all that mattered. I was just glad not to have to use my arms again any time soon. I was struggling in T1 - getting things into the pockets on the back of your tri suit when your shoulders don't really want to move anywhere is quite challenging, but the volunteers were very helpful! Collected the bike, still feeling a bit dazed from the swim. Out onto the roads, my legs weren't feeling too good and through town I could barely get the bike moving. I just told myself I needed to warm into it. Then the first of the rollers out of town hit and that's when the problems became apparent. My right glute started cramping severely. I hit the top of the hill and got off to stretch it. A couple of minutes later and resorting to using a large fence post to put pressure into it (much to the entertainment of a couple of spectators) I got back on the bike returning to the 'maybe it just needs to work itself out' theory. But then it got worse. The next rise was done one-legged. As I couldn't turn over my right leg. Stop. Stretch. I'm now only about 5km out of town. Another spectator looks at me and says "just over 170kms to go!" in an encouraging way. I try to squat to stretch out my legs and ass but don't manage to get more than half way down. Back on the bike, I can't even clip in my right leg so I free wheel down to a turn off, remove my race belt and roll through the back streets towards Bob and Jan's where luckily Erin is in and I tuck into some breakfast. That was about 8am. The rest of the day was spent trying to loosen up - I couldn't lift my arms above shoulder height at 8 and my glute was a knot, but mobility eventually returned and I did a shift in the massage tent as a table cleaner for a few hours in the evening to soak up the atmosphere. Last year I had a real issue with the DNF here (pulled ligament in back during race week) and just wanted to disappear that afternoon, but that was then. Of course I was a little gutted that I wasn't finishing or achieving what I come to achieve, but there's plenty more races to be had this year and this was just a 'test race' at the end of base. I had a great day in the end and really enjoyed the week.
Remarkably, Port Mac is one of my favourite races. One of these years, it'll be good to me. Until then, its a great town with beautiful scenery, amazing local support and the friendliest bunch of people you could hope for.
Big thanks to Bob and Jan (and Ian and Erin) for putting me up (or putting up with me) over race week. Its been very relaxing! Also to Natalia - wthout whom the dirty dancing competition would have been lost ;) (the meltdown party is HILARIOUS). AJ next door for the support and adopted family at CBA.
Congrats to Charlesy for a cracking time and getting a spot at Hawaii (and thanks for the wheels - sorry I couldn't break in those tyres any more for you).
I'm taking a few days off, letting the cramping go completely. Plus the weather here has taken a turn for the worse... must be nearly time to flee the country. I'll revisit this cramping issue in a few weeks/months post a trip to the doc back in the UK... there's a bit of an involved story behind it!
See you next year, Port!
Remarkably, Port Mac is one of my favourite races. One of these years, it'll be good to me. Until then, its a great town with beautiful scenery, amazing local support and the friendliest bunch of people you could hope for.
Big thanks to Bob and Jan (and Ian and Erin) for putting me up (or putting up with me) over race week. Its been very relaxing! Also to Natalia - wthout whom the dirty dancing competition would have been lost ;) (the meltdown party is HILARIOUS). AJ next door for the support and adopted family at CBA.
Congrats to Charlesy for a cracking time and getting a spot at Hawaii (and thanks for the wheels - sorry I couldn't break in those tyres any more for you).
I'm taking a few days off, letting the cramping go completely. Plus the weather here has taken a turn for the worse... must be nearly time to flee the country. I'll revisit this cramping issue in a few weeks/months post a trip to the doc back in the UK... there's a bit of an involved story behind it!
See you next year, Port!
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Rolling up for the start line
Race day is tomorrow... legs seem good enough to have a crack, so its game on. The last few days have been hilarious, begging and borrowing kit from all over the place to make up something to compete on, as I only came to Oz with training kit. The kit from sponsors hasn't made it to me yet, as this race is a bit early in their schedule.
So... thanks to Charlesy for the wheels (and Mike too but unfortunately his wheels - Zipp 440s (stet) from the early 1990s - were a little risky to ride on), Jan for the hat, Natalia and Bob for the CO2 cartridges, levers etc, and a few more I am sure I've forgotten. Entertainingly, my old training bike looks very scraggy in the pro line-up (and
Its 4:30pm and I'm fed and winding down for a good night's sleep. See you tomorrow :)
So... thanks to Charlesy for the wheels (and Mike too but unfortunately his wheels - Zipp 440s (stet) from the early 1990s - were a little risky to ride on), Jan for the hat, Natalia and Bob for the CO2 cartridges, levers etc, and a few more I am sure I've forgotten. Entertainingly, my old training bike looks very scraggy in the pro line-up (and
Its 4:30pm and I'm fed and winding down for a good night's sleep. See you tomorrow :)
Friday, 28 March 2008
Difficult choices
I've been a bit quiet on here for a few weeks - mainly because I don't like writing about the bad stuff. But I guess its time to come clean. I've been nursing an injury for a couple of weeks. Shin splints - the version where the membrane on the medial side of the lower shin bone gets inflamed and painful. It started out very innocently, and caught early I figured it would be dealt with pretty quickly. Ironically, a mate back home emailed me when it all started off with his own injuries, and I remember thinking how lucky i was to be getting it sorted early! Little did I know that it was going to become a bit of an extended episode. Tried a few things/various experts advice, most recently just having 4 days completely off training (just ice and anti-inflammatories) to let them settle. Having already missed most running sessions from the 10 days prior, and even the bike sessions becoming a little soft as my mood got worse, this didn't come as a complete surprise. I wasn't even allowed to swim! This is not exactly how I had wanted the last few weeks before the first race of the season to be, but you gotta roll with the punches, right? Feel a bit sorry for the poor house amtes who have t bear the brunt of an injured athlete not allowed to train!
So it seems that in the next week I will have to make a few decisions based on whether I'm recovered at all/enough to race (I sure as hell don't fancy a marathon with shins and then a few months of no running to pay for it!), or just to do the swim/bike or not even start. Am still hoping that it all settles down and its fine come next week. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Luckily its just one of many races, so it wouldn't be the end of the world. Will be taking advice from coach and sports doc in the next few days and see what is/isn't possible.
No sign of bike. At least that's one less thing to worry about - getting a new bike set up the week before an IM! My cervelo's in for a service instead.
Will check in over a few days!
So it seems that in the next week I will have to make a few decisions based on whether I'm recovered at all/enough to race (I sure as hell don't fancy a marathon with shins and then a few months of no running to pay for it!), or just to do the swim/bike or not even start. Am still hoping that it all settles down and its fine come next week. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Luckily its just one of many races, so it wouldn't be the end of the world. Will be taking advice from coach and sports doc in the next few days and see what is/isn't possible.
No sign of bike. At least that's one less thing to worry about - getting a new bike set up the week before an IM! My cervelo's in for a service instead.
Will check in over a few days!
Friday, 7 March 2008
Number 37
Port Mac is only 4 weeks away - that has come around VERY quickly. Have been pretty relaxed about the return of race season as my base continues right up to Port, and then training changes for the race season, with Port just being the end of base 'test' race. No 37 is my start number - it'll be my first race as a pro. I think nearer the time this might make me feel a bit nervous, but I'm ok at the moment... looking forward to the experience! I'm happy just continue working away at the training schedule Steve sets in the meantime. But still, I can't wait to be racing again :) Got wind that the new bike may be shipped in time - so finger's crossed that the new Trek Equinox (in full-on Team Timex colours - a brazen orange!) lands on the doorstep before the beginning of April... though time is running out!
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Hot hot hot
Its 9pm and its still near 34 degrees. Luckily I've been on a couple of fairly light training days with lots of pool work (my back is now markedly browner than my front... must do more backstroke!). The weather's set to break tonight sometime - just in time for a hard brick session tomorrow. Think I'm fully recovered from Epic... had a pretty standard week last week, only dropping a little of usual intensity and lowering the run load. Last couple of days have been fairly light so feeling refreshed and ready for the next round.
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Post-Epic Recovery
Since Epic, I've made it back to Geelong and starting to feel more human again. First couple of days I did nothing (partly thanks to a pile of work that needed to be done) mainly due to the fact that my quads were in tatters. Wednesday I started back in with a swim and built slowly from there. Most of the sessions have been fairly easy, nothing longer than 2 hours. Total training time this week only hit 15hours. Finished off the week by doing the run leg for a team at HIM Geelong. It was just a training run for me, so I sat around 4 min kms for the duration, steady and fairly easy... that was more than I expected to be able to do by this weekend, so that's good. Part of me hated doing the run as I wanted to be racing it, but other parts of me (my legs) were quite happy to just watch. Tara Norton (from Epic) was down doing the race and cracke dout 5th. Didn't manage to catch up with her afterwards to find out how it felt, but I think that's a pretty good way to back-up Epic! Way to go Tara! I certainly wasn't in any state to go racing.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Epic days 6, 7 and 8
Day 6
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I was feeling a litte worse for wear so instead of going for the run to the pool at 6am, I slept in and got a ride to the pool for 7am. Slugged out 3km with 10 200s on 3:20 (the first was on 3:00 but there was slippage!). Shoulder turnover was sluggish and the final 1km to finish the 3km was long. Ran after the swim and my quads were feeling the days before. Then it was back to the lodge and on for the ride. The plan was to go back over the Crown Range and then past Queenstown and up to Glenorchy and back, but the weather had other ideas. We'd set out thinking believing the forecast for showers clearing, a light southerly and 21 degrees. By the bottom of the climb (I had already been dropped by the pack as i was having a bit of a personal moment where my maximum output was nothing near what was required!) the weather had started to deteriorate. By deteriorate i mean the skies had opened and the temperature dropped rapidly. While this was OK on the way up when I'm sure I was steaming slightly, on the way down hypothermia was seriously imminent.
By the bottom (which took me even longer than usual) a few people had bailed and the ride had been cut short to a direct route to the accommodation in Queenstown. Most of us changed in the van into dry clothes which meant at least hitting the road again was bearable for the first couple of kilometers. That last part of the ride was hilarious... gusting crosswinds, rain coming in so hard that it was difficult to keep your eyes open, and then obstacles like the Shotover Bridge where traffic, crosswinds and rain conspired to give a hair-raising experience. Once in, a very long shower was the reward and I didn't even consider anything extra.
Totals
Swim 3km, Ride 90km, Run 10km
Day 7
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Today was supposed to be a bit easier ahead of the triathlon we're doing tomorrow for the end of camp finale. A longish group run was planned involving going up Ben Lomond... A mere 1400m climbing. Unfortunately Ron and I had a toilet stop at the turnoff and then immediately turned up the wrong track. Oops. Continuing on, I ended up going up the wrong side of the valley and doing a lot of unnecessary climbing (noted as I had to descend a long wasy when I finally started to find some real paths). By the time I made it to the Gondola, I'd been out nearly 2 hours... seeing Mark P and grabbing his Fuelbelt before he got on the gondola going down! By the time I made the top (and met Andrew who went back up to the top with me) it was rather later than expected and we made our way back down the correct way... total time about 3:45... probably 30km+ covered.
Quick swim, 3km steady, then the ride to Coronet Peak was enough to finish me off for the day (another KoM).
Totals
Swim 3km, Ride 60km, Run 30km (ish) (est 2200m climbing)
Day 8
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2.5km lake swim, 25km ride with 8km climb and 4km run (400m vertical) up a ski field to finish. Johnny Newsom took it out... Coronet Peak is the perfect place to have a triathlon race! Must admit to running very little of the hill climb to the top... my legs were sore!
Very pleased to have finished the camp having done all the sessions. Lessons learnt? That substantial time out of training is not an ideal was to prepare; that everyone at Epic deserves massive respect; never be rude to Michaela - she's in charge of the food!; that volume training s great fun.
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I was feeling a litte worse for wear so instead of going for the run to the pool at 6am, I slept in and got a ride to the pool for 7am. Slugged out 3km with 10 200s on 3:20 (the first was on 3:00 but there was slippage!). Shoulder turnover was sluggish and the final 1km to finish the 3km was long. Ran after the swim and my quads were feeling the days before. Then it was back to the lodge and on for the ride. The plan was to go back over the Crown Range and then past Queenstown and up to Glenorchy and back, but the weather had other ideas. We'd set out thinking believing the forecast for showers clearing, a light southerly and 21 degrees. By the bottom of the climb (I had already been dropped by the pack as i was having a bit of a personal moment where my maximum output was nothing near what was required!) the weather had started to deteriorate. By deteriorate i mean the skies had opened and the temperature dropped rapidly. While this was OK on the way up when I'm sure I was steaming slightly, on the way down hypothermia was seriously imminent.
By the bottom (which took me even longer than usual) a few people had bailed and the ride had been cut short to a direct route to the accommodation in Queenstown. Most of us changed in the van into dry clothes which meant at least hitting the road again was bearable for the first couple of kilometers. That last part of the ride was hilarious... gusting crosswinds, rain coming in so hard that it was difficult to keep your eyes open, and then obstacles like the Shotover Bridge where traffic, crosswinds and rain conspired to give a hair-raising experience. Once in, a very long shower was the reward and I didn't even consider anything extra.
Totals
Swim 3km, Ride 90km, Run 10km
Day 7
------
Today was supposed to be a bit easier ahead of the triathlon we're doing tomorrow for the end of camp finale. A longish group run was planned involving going up Ben Lomond... A mere 1400m climbing. Unfortunately Ron and I had a toilet stop at the turnoff and then immediately turned up the wrong track. Oops. Continuing on, I ended up going up the wrong side of the valley and doing a lot of unnecessary climbing (noted as I had to descend a long wasy when I finally started to find some real paths). By the time I made it to the Gondola, I'd been out nearly 2 hours... seeing Mark P and grabbing his Fuelbelt before he got on the gondola going down! By the time I made the top (and met Andrew who went back up to the top with me) it was rather later than expected and we made our way back down the correct way... total time about 3:45... probably 30km+ covered.
Quick swim, 3km steady, then the ride to Coronet Peak was enough to finish me off for the day (another KoM).
Totals
Swim 3km, Ride 60km, Run 30km (ish) (est 2200m climbing)
Day 8
------
2.5km lake swim, 25km ride with 8km climb and 4km run (400m vertical) up a ski field to finish. Johnny Newsom took it out... Coronet Peak is the perfect place to have a triathlon race! Must admit to running very little of the hill climb to the top... my legs were sore!
Very pleased to have finished the camp having done all the sessions. Lessons learnt? That substantial time out of training is not an ideal was to prepare; that everyone at Epic deserves massive respect; never be rude to Michaela - she's in charge of the food!; that volume training s great fun.
Thursday, 31 January 2008
Epic days 4 and 5
Day 4 - "Easy day"
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The day started with a lake swim race at Wanaka. It turned out to be around 4.4km long, and it was a 'sombiathon' for me - I wrapped up warm with neoprene cap and boots to make sure I didn't get cold, as I wasn't anticipating going hard enough to overheat. BdC paced well to drag me round the two laps. Then it was straight into a 10km running race. We had to predict our times and then run without watches - scoring points for overall position and for closeness to your estimate. I predicted a slow time, as my quads were feeling pretty shoddy, but warmed into it and ran somewhere around 39 minutes... not too bad for the volume of the previous few days.
As it was the 'easy day', we only had to ride 60km, but i was convinced to ride 90km by Clive and Tara. It was pedestrian, and involved an ice-cream stop before we headed home, hit the pool for a second 3km swim (with 20 x 100m on 1:30) and another 10km run along the waterfront of Lake Wanaka. Quote of the day was from Tara who proved that sugar lows can hit even on the easy rides ... "Where are my sunglasses??? Oh, they're on my face"
Day 4 Totals "EASY DAY"
Swim 7.4km
Bike 90km
Run 20km
Day 5 - Back in the Saddle
---------------------------
Had a lazy start to the day catching a ride to the pool at 6:45. Some of the other guys had opted to run from 6am and catch the minibus as we went past them to get in an early 50 min run. This meant that they could go for 6 km in the pool. I wasn't feeling too good so I did the minimum swim of 3km and headed out for a 50min run before heading back to the lodge. We rode out at a ridiculous pace from Wanaka and by the time we made it to the bottom of the time-trial KoM (about 95 kms in) I was feeling spanked. But time trial we did, and 44 minutes later I was atop the Crown Range and heading back to Wanaka. A tack-on later we'd done 180kms and then went straight out for another 50min run. Just finished getting a massage - very much needed. I can play a tune on my ITBs they are so tight.
Things seem to be becoming a little more hazy round the group ... people are falling asleep at the side of the pool, question and answer sessions involve repeating the same simple information multiple times, and hysterical episodes are becoming more freequent....
Day 5 Totals
Swim 3km
Ride 180km (about 1400m climbing)
Run 20km
------------------
The day started with a lake swim race at Wanaka. It turned out to be around 4.4km long, and it was a 'sombiathon' for me - I wrapped up warm with neoprene cap and boots to make sure I didn't get cold, as I wasn't anticipating going hard enough to overheat. BdC paced well to drag me round the two laps. Then it was straight into a 10km running race. We had to predict our times and then run without watches - scoring points for overall position and for closeness to your estimate. I predicted a slow time, as my quads were feeling pretty shoddy, but warmed into it and ran somewhere around 39 minutes... not too bad for the volume of the previous few days.
As it was the 'easy day', we only had to ride 60km, but i was convinced to ride 90km by Clive and Tara. It was pedestrian, and involved an ice-cream stop before we headed home, hit the pool for a second 3km swim (with 20 x 100m on 1:30) and another 10km run along the waterfront of Lake Wanaka. Quote of the day was from Tara who proved that sugar lows can hit even on the easy rides ... "Where are my sunglasses??? Oh, they're on my face"
Day 4 Totals "EASY DAY"
Swim 7.4km
Bike 90km
Run 20km
Day 5 - Back in the Saddle
---------------------------
Had a lazy start to the day catching a ride to the pool at 6:45. Some of the other guys had opted to run from 6am and catch the minibus as we went past them to get in an early 50 min run. This meant that they could go for 6 km in the pool. I wasn't feeling too good so I did the minimum swim of 3km and headed out for a 50min run before heading back to the lodge. We rode out at a ridiculous pace from Wanaka and by the time we made it to the bottom of the time-trial KoM (about 95 kms in) I was feeling spanked. But time trial we did, and 44 minutes later I was atop the Crown Range and heading back to Wanaka. A tack-on later we'd done 180kms and then went straight out for another 50min run. Just finished getting a massage - very much needed. I can play a tune on my ITBs they are so tight.
Things seem to be becoming a little more hazy round the group ... people are falling asleep at the side of the pool, question and answer sessions involve repeating the same simple information multiple times, and hysterical episodes are becoming more freequent....
Day 5 Totals
Swim 3km
Ride 180km (about 1400m climbing)
Run 20km
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Epic days 1,2 and 3
Go hard and blow early - Day One
---------------------------------
Man, what a day. I knew my prep over the last 3 weeks had been far from ideal, but I guess I was hoping that some of the form I had from before the lay-off would see me through. Guess again...
The morning went without hitch. I opted for the pre-breakfast run to the pool to get the 50minute run out of the way. Scott led and kept the pace easy. The swim was a 1 km warm up then a 2 km time trial. I had little intention of smcking this and managed to sit on Brandon's feet the entire way.
The scheduled ride was out to Akaroa and back (from Christchurch) - largely flat with some hills at the end where we would have some 'king of the mountains' points up for grabs. I blew on the first 'King of the Mountains' points climb about 4 km into it and suffered up the last 3km. I clearly wanted to believe that I was in much better condition than I actually am. Thinking that it was homeward bound after that I hadn't reckoned on then repeating the climb from the ther side ... which was longer and by this point a bit of a slog. It was all I could do to stay upright at the end! After the second KoM we had a time trial which hadn't been measured but was estimated at between 25 and 40 km. 43km later, going as hard as my tired legs could take me (which wasn't very hard) we stopped and everything cramped up. By everything I mean my glutes - OUCH. We finished the ride back into Christchurch and tagged on to make it up to 180 km for an extra point.
Here's to a few days of pain and riding myself into fitness again!
Day 1 totals
Swim 3km
Run 10km
Ride 180km
Day 2
------
We started the day with a 6am swim. The twist was that it would finish with a 400m individual medley. This is invariably highly entertaining - several of the guys here can swim IM, but most of us can't. The butterfly is a killer if you've never done it. Luckily we were in a 25m pool so there was well needed resting taken at the end of each length. My breaststroke's pretty ropey too so I didn't fair so well. I had done 1 km with bands to earn an extra point in the warm up to make up for it though.
Post swim, Bev, Mark P, Clive and I headed out for a run pre-breakfast. A good move as I knew I wouldn't feel like it later. The ride was looking like it was going to be long. The first 150km was deadpan flat and there was a good tail wind. We could have taken it easy, but Clive dragged out the pace... we were sitting around 40kph for a lot of it, then Brandon decided to kick off between 100-150km and the group splintered. This was, I'd like to point out, effort for the sake of effort - the ride to lunch was not for points. After lunch we rolled out to do 90 km of undulating terrain with 2 KoMs. I looked at my odometer at 180km and wondered why I was time trialling out to the bottom of another climb. After the first climb, the wind became a nightmare headwind and the pace plummeted to dead slow. I was absolutely spanked by this point but the last 40km were done with Johnny and Scott. We took turns into the wind which meant that at least I didn't think about bailing. At least it wasn't raining!
Looks like Tara Norton (our only female on the camp and pro) might be in for a chance at the yellow jersey. She nailed Gordo on the second climb, and has been putting in stirling performances in the pool and KoMs. Bev's been taking all the KoMs so far, but Paul (a Brit living in Rotorua) has been giving him a run for his money.
Day 2 totals
Swim 3km (1 with bands)
Run 10km
Ride 240km
Day 3
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Early run with Clive and Tara at Lake Takapu as the sun came up was a beautiful start to the day. The ride set out early and the pre-lunch 90km went by on the flats and pretty mild. I was feeling good... but this all changed after lunch where I fell to pieces heading up to the KoM, which actually more like 30km flat out to the bottom of the pass where I got dropped and crawled over the top. It was about 70 km to the next aid station after lunch, and by then I was well out of water and feeling pretty bad. The last 50km was easier, mainly thanks to Clive, Albert, Tara and a LOT of coke. By the time we hit Wanaka there was about an hour to chill and eat before heading into town to do the local aquathon. A '600m' OW swim took the quickest 20minutes to finish, so we think it was more like 1200m+, into a 4km run. It was quite a painful experience - the arms didn't want to turn over, legs were unresponsive. It was great fun. Johnny took out the overall win, probably ticking off a couple of local guys who had assumed it was in the bag. Tacked on another few kms to make up the run distance minimum after the race to get my double run points.
I'm a little sore. Tomorrow's an easier day - last year I used that to fit in a 2:30 run but I'm thinking I'll give it a miss this time! Still waiting for the conditioning to come back... I might be waiting a while.
Day 3 totals
Swim 1200m open water (or more)
Run 18km
Ride 210km
---------------------------------
Man, what a day. I knew my prep over the last 3 weeks had been far from ideal, but I guess I was hoping that some of the form I had from before the lay-off would see me through. Guess again...
The morning went without hitch. I opted for the pre-breakfast run to the pool to get the 50minute run out of the way. Scott led and kept the pace easy. The swim was a 1 km warm up then a 2 km time trial. I had little intention of smcking this and managed to sit on Brandon's feet the entire way.
The scheduled ride was out to Akaroa and back (from Christchurch) - largely flat with some hills at the end where we would have some 'king of the mountains' points up for grabs. I blew on the first 'King of the Mountains' points climb about 4 km into it and suffered up the last 3km. I clearly wanted to believe that I was in much better condition than I actually am. Thinking that it was homeward bound after that I hadn't reckoned on then repeating the climb from the ther side ... which was longer and by this point a bit of a slog. It was all I could do to stay upright at the end! After the second KoM we had a time trial which hadn't been measured but was estimated at between 25 and 40 km. 43km later, going as hard as my tired legs could take me (which wasn't very hard) we stopped and everything cramped up. By everything I mean my glutes - OUCH. We finished the ride back into Christchurch and tagged on to make it up to 180 km for an extra point.
Here's to a few days of pain and riding myself into fitness again!
Day 1 totals
Swim 3km
Run 10km
Ride 180km
Day 2
------
We started the day with a 6am swim. The twist was that it would finish with a 400m individual medley. This is invariably highly entertaining - several of the guys here can swim IM, but most of us can't. The butterfly is a killer if you've never done it. Luckily we were in a 25m pool so there was well needed resting taken at the end of each length. My breaststroke's pretty ropey too so I didn't fair so well. I had done 1 km with bands to earn an extra point in the warm up to make up for it though.
Post swim, Bev, Mark P, Clive and I headed out for a run pre-breakfast. A good move as I knew I wouldn't feel like it later. The ride was looking like it was going to be long. The first 150km was deadpan flat and there was a good tail wind. We could have taken it easy, but Clive dragged out the pace... we were sitting around 40kph for a lot of it, then Brandon decided to kick off between 100-150km and the group splintered. This was, I'd like to point out, effort for the sake of effort - the ride to lunch was not for points. After lunch we rolled out to do 90 km of undulating terrain with 2 KoMs. I looked at my odometer at 180km and wondered why I was time trialling out to the bottom of another climb. After the first climb, the wind became a nightmare headwind and the pace plummeted to dead slow. I was absolutely spanked by this point but the last 40km were done with Johnny and Scott. We took turns into the wind which meant that at least I didn't think about bailing. At least it wasn't raining!
Looks like Tara Norton (our only female on the camp and pro) might be in for a chance at the yellow jersey. She nailed Gordo on the second climb, and has been putting in stirling performances in the pool and KoMs. Bev's been taking all the KoMs so far, but Paul (a Brit living in Rotorua) has been giving him a run for his money.
Day 2 totals
Swim 3km (1 with bands)
Run 10km
Ride 240km
Day 3
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Early run with Clive and Tara at Lake Takapu as the sun came up was a beautiful start to the day. The ride set out early and the pre-lunch 90km went by on the flats and pretty mild. I was feeling good... but this all changed after lunch where I fell to pieces heading up to the KoM, which actually more like 30km flat out to the bottom of the pass where I got dropped and crawled over the top. It was about 70 km to the next aid station after lunch, and by then I was well out of water and feeling pretty bad. The last 50km was easier, mainly thanks to Clive, Albert, Tara and a LOT of coke. By the time we hit Wanaka there was about an hour to chill and eat before heading into town to do the local aquathon. A '600m' OW swim took the quickest 20minutes to finish, so we think it was more like 1200m+, into a 4km run. It was quite a painful experience - the arms didn't want to turn over, legs were unresponsive. It was great fun. Johnny took out the overall win, probably ticking off a couple of local guys who had assumed it was in the bag. Tacked on another few kms to make up the run distance minimum after the race to get my double run points.
I'm a little sore. Tomorrow's an easier day - last year I used that to fit in a 2:30 run but I'm thinking I'll give it a miss this time! Still waiting for the conditioning to come back... I might be waiting a while.
Day 3 totals
Swim 1200m open water (or more)
Run 18km
Ride 210km
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