Just over two weeks to go... a fair few club mates are off at the races this weekend at Nice and Switzerland, so there's been a fair amount of IM talk recently - means that I'm starting to get excited :)
I went out to Austria last weekend with Jen for a look at the new bike course and more or less my last long ride, also to try out the new bike. The course has changed to 2 loops pf 90km since I did Austria 2 years ago - it seems to be a bit slower now than before (here's hoping I've not slowed down!) but still beautiful. The new bike rode like a dream. The main difference from my old P3 being that its a lot more comfortable - the full carbon frame helps on that front compared to the aluminium of my old bike - and I've not put the aerobars quite as low (only marginal) as I've been training on for aan extra bit of comfort for race day. Plus, even with 808 rear and 404 front, the handling's still better than the P3 with just training wheels!
Its looking like it may get hot again for the race... and perhaps even to the point where the organisers will have to declare a non-wetsuit swim. I'm happy with that - either way it'll be a pleasure in that lake.
Just off up to Rutland Water this pm for an olympic hit out tomorrow - tranistion practice only!! No pace involved... actually I'm just going to see how the legs feel on an easy run - I am a bit fried this week, so we'll see if I even run tomorrow. A bit more hard work sun/mon but then taper kicks in properly!
Looking forward to seeing some good IM race results from this weekend...
Friday, 22 June 2007
Monday, 11 June 2007
New toys....
I am VERY excited. I've spent a few months working up to it, and now its arrived. My new bike... Scott Plasma Ltd. Check out: http://www.scottusa.com/i/images/products/press/pdf/triathlete%20plasma.pdf
for some more info. Its at the mechanics now getting the seat post cut down, and I'm still waiting for the pedals to arrive... so looks like I won't get to ride her til thursday.
SPECS:
WeightBike: 15.4 lbs
Frame: 2.82 lbs
Frame - CR1 Carbon HMF technology - TR AERO Carbon TubingFork - Scott CR1 Team Issue - 1 1/8" carbon steererHeadset - Ritchey WCS CFGroup - Dura-Ace 10sCrankset - Dura-Ace 10s Hollowtech II 39x53TCassette - Shimano Dura-Ace 10s 12-25TAerobars - Profile Cobra Wing base bar - T2+ Cobra extensionsBrake Levers - Profile QSCStem - Profile Lava OSSeat - Fizik Arione TRI 2Hubs - DT Swiss 240 SSpokes - DT Swiss EvolutionRims - Zipp Carbon 420 DEEPTires - Conti Competition Tubular 700x19C
for some more info. Its at the mechanics now getting the seat post cut down, and I'm still waiting for the pedals to arrive... so looks like I won't get to ride her til thursday.
SPECS:
WeightBike: 15.4 lbs
Frame: 2.82 lbs
Frame - CR1 Carbon HMF technology - TR AERO Carbon TubingFork - Scott CR1 Team Issue - 1 1/8" carbon steererHeadset - Ritchey WCS CFGroup - Dura-Ace 10sCrankset - Dura-Ace 10s Hollowtech II 39x53TCassette - Shimano Dura-Ace 10s 12-25TAerobars - Profile Cobra Wing base bar - T2+ Cobra extensionsBrake Levers - Profile QSCStem - Profile Lava OSSeat - Fizik Arione TRI 2Hubs - DT Swiss 240 SSpokes - DT Swiss EvolutionRims - Zipp Carbon 420 DEEPTires - Conti Competition Tubular 700x19C
Monday, 4 June 2007
Weymouth Race Report
4th place at Weymouth at the weekend was a pleasant surprise!! It was only ever supposed to be a prep race with IM pacing if possible, and the week before was typically quite heavy, if a little disjointed. The weekend before we'd been down in Weymouth and in the Malverns (with Michael and Emmie), and had (as a result of the weather) ended up doing rather a lot of hill running rather than the bike miles we had planned. That left me quite frankly a little broken at the start of the week, so my key long run had to wait til thursday (38km), and friday had some decent volume in it too... leaving saturday as the taper ;)
Hitched a ride down to the race with Michael and Emmie again, and spent saturday afternoon helping out on the Infinit stand at the registration which was great fun, then ate a lot and went to bed. Had no expectations for the day - just wanted to get some transition practice, an OW swim and a decent key workout.
The swim start was typically relaxed in Weymouth style, with the briefing on the beach followed immediately by orders to go to the waters edge. We're all milling around when suddenly there's the 5 second warning and the gun goes. Talk about no build up!! The water was perfectly flat, and not too cold - I'd been expecting the toe-curling temperatures we'd seen there before. I started with the first group in the swim, but chose the wrong feet, and by the time I'd taken a look round to see what the hold up was, the leaders were 300m ahead. So I just got into a rhythm and swam on my own for most of the course. Got out of the water 6th overall (not bad considering the major overhaul my stroke is getting at the moment from Andrew Potter), and had a leisurely wander into T1... up the beach, up a flight of concrete steps, over the tennis courts, round the bike stands.... its not designed for speed! Out on the bike I caught a couple of women who'd swam in the first group, then got passed by the eventual race winner by about km 12. After that I didn't really see anyone until km50. By then, I was starting to get a bit disheartened... I was sure that the was a dog leg in there somewhere, but I was headed back into Weymouth and was going to be seriously short on kms! Luckily the turn came off to the left just as two more cyclists blazed past me. Letting them go was easy: 1) This was supposed to be an IM pace effort and 2) I don't think I have a half IM pace! I seem to have quite comprehensively beaten any top end speed out of me! Hitting T2 I'd caught another cyclist, maybe two, and was happy to get out onto the run. The weather was holding perfectly: mid-teens and slightly overcast. My shins were tight going into the run so I took ithe first 6km pretty easy, but still overtaking one of the speedy cyclists before the first water station. Before the end of lap 1, the guy who eventually came 2nd passed me, but I let him disappear (rapidly) into the distance. By the start of the second lap, there were people on the course which makes it a little easier - I like overtaking! With 30mins to go I picked up the pace to get to the bridge at the top of the run course and then home. All in all seemed quite an easy day :)
Hitched a ride down to the race with Michael and Emmie again, and spent saturday afternoon helping out on the Infinit stand at the registration which was great fun, then ate a lot and went to bed. Had no expectations for the day - just wanted to get some transition practice, an OW swim and a decent key workout.
The swim start was typically relaxed in Weymouth style, with the briefing on the beach followed immediately by orders to go to the waters edge. We're all milling around when suddenly there's the 5 second warning and the gun goes. Talk about no build up!! The water was perfectly flat, and not too cold - I'd been expecting the toe-curling temperatures we'd seen there before. I started with the first group in the swim, but chose the wrong feet, and by the time I'd taken a look round to see what the hold up was, the leaders were 300m ahead. So I just got into a rhythm and swam on my own for most of the course. Got out of the water 6th overall (not bad considering the major overhaul my stroke is getting at the moment from Andrew Potter), and had a leisurely wander into T1... up the beach, up a flight of concrete steps, over the tennis courts, round the bike stands.... its not designed for speed! Out on the bike I caught a couple of women who'd swam in the first group, then got passed by the eventual race winner by about km 12. After that I didn't really see anyone until km50. By then, I was starting to get a bit disheartened... I was sure that the was a dog leg in there somewhere, but I was headed back into Weymouth and was going to be seriously short on kms! Luckily the turn came off to the left just as two more cyclists blazed past me. Letting them go was easy: 1) This was supposed to be an IM pace effort and 2) I don't think I have a half IM pace! I seem to have quite comprehensively beaten any top end speed out of me! Hitting T2 I'd caught another cyclist, maybe two, and was happy to get out onto the run. The weather was holding perfectly: mid-teens and slightly overcast. My shins were tight going into the run so I took ithe first 6km pretty easy, but still overtaking one of the speedy cyclists before the first water station. Before the end of lap 1, the guy who eventually came 2nd passed me, but I let him disappear (rapidly) into the distance. By the start of the second lap, there were people on the course which makes it a little easier - I like overtaking! With 30mins to go I picked up the pace to get to the bridge at the top of the run course and then home. All in all seemed quite an easy day :)
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Italy photos
Photos courtesy of Jono.... (just a selection from the hundreds posted!!)
Some happy campers out on a ride
Something was very funny... and Ian wasn't even singing! 
Time in the pool... looks very strenuous
Some happy campers out on a ride
Something was very funny... and Ian wasn't even singing!
That's what its all about
Kathleen's also having some time out from the office :)
Time in the pool... looks very strenuous
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Italian hills
Italy was awesome. Got some really solid training in, met some great folks and got a great tan :) The Nove Colli at the weekend was fun. I was trying to be disciplined by doing my long ride and long run mid-week so that I could just do the 140km ride as my hill ride... the aim was to be too tired to carry on to the 200km ride (9 hills instead of just 4), to keep my training more specific. Took the first few hours easy, letting the crowds of cyclists (11000 took part) dictate the pace so by the time i got to the turn off in a leisurely 4 hours, it was clear that I was going to carry on. The crowds cleared a bit so the pace could pick up a bit, but my slow descending (much improved on last year, but still not so hot) and a TT bike made the downhills long! Finished off the day in about 7:45 which was a nice solid training day, and importantly not feeling too wasted!!! The day after was a bit different... casual ride to a wine cellar for a long lunch. Somehow we covered 75kms (including another stop for ice cream!) ... the wine certainly helps!
Managed to get back to the UK thanks to some nifty flight rescheduling by Mr Trew to avoid the Italian air traffic controllers strikes!! Overall very good camp, got my motivation back post return to UK. Lots of great ideas for training and thinking it may be time to upgrade the bike....
Managed to get back to the UK thanks to some nifty flight rescheduling by Mr Trew to avoid the Italian air traffic controllers strikes!! Overall very good camp, got my motivation back post return to UK. Lots of great ideas for training and thinking it may be time to upgrade the bike....
Monday, 14 May 2007
End of week 1
A week gone already... unbelievably quick. Weather's been beautiful hitting mid 30's every day so far. Camp is great fun, with emphasis on fun... this is not Epic!!! But that's exactly why I'm here... for a bit of consistency and moderate volume with nice weather to break the return to the UK. Motivation has definitely returned following the week of jet lag and feeling off the first week back to the UK. Good quality sessions being done, kept most of my key sessions in last week as well as trying out some of the speedwork and more interesting run workouts - I am hoping to pick up some session tips to drag back some top end on the run. Complete mix of abilities on the camp which makes it really nice and relaxed. Restday today acieved with great success by the pool :)
Wednesday, 9 May 2007
Cesentico
Day one in Italy... man, its beautiful here. Got in late yesterday to some great food ... a very good sign. Early morning speedwork, followed by a gentle few km's (9km) to warm down preceded breakfast, then a technique swim (2.5km), lunch, short but well paced ride with a couple of decent climbs to ease us in (62km), topped off with a cool down technique swim (2.5km) and now off to dinner. Quite leisurely - and well appreciated. I'm feeling loads better than last week now... amazing what some sunshine (hit 32 degrees today) and some beautiful scenery can do for you. Will try to get some photos up soon. Ciao.
Friday, 4 May 2007
hello UK!
I'm back, tho I think my brain caught a later flight. About 26 hours of flying, and very little sleep (I managed to watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy back to back on the way from LA to London... ouch!). Jet lag has now been replaced by the inevitable cold that follows heavy training and a long international flight, so I've been suffering through man-flu all week and taking a few days off... replacing hours of training with hours wrapped in a duvet :( Finally today I think I've started to feel a bit better... fingers crossed I'm 100% before getting on the plane to Italy on Tuesday!!
New home is great - have found the local pool - a 33m which is great, but it seems to be rather full all the time! Also found a nearby athletics track - great as I wanted to get some track sessions done again, and a couple of parks which mean that my runs don't need more than 5-10 mins on the roads. There's a decent masseur round the corner in Carshalton, and bike is at the mechanics in Sutton getting some TLC. Plus living with my bro is pretty cool. He's more of a nut job than I am ;)
New home is great - have found the local pool - a 33m which is great, but it seems to be rather full all the time! Also found a nearby athletics track - great as I wanted to get some track sessions done again, and a couple of parks which mean that my runs don't need more than 5-10 mins on the roads. There's a decent masseur round the corner in Carshalton, and bike is at the mechanics in Sutton getting some TLC. Plus living with my bro is pretty cool. He's more of a nut job than I am ;)
Friday, 27 April 2007
goodbye NZ!
Just finished long run for the week (genlte 33km) - beautiful morning for it. Off to osteopath just to check out the back again, then pack (yes, a little last minute) and off to the airport. Should be back in the UK tomorrow morning. Went out to the Mission in Napier last night for mum's b'day - very nice - highly recommended if you're ever over here!
See you in the UK! :)
See you in the UK! :)
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