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 :)

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!

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 :)

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!

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!

Late photos from Oz

At last some photos... delayed from Port Mac:

This one is from the swim start... serenity in the background, carnage in the foreground :)
The two below are just from hanging out in Port enjoying the sunshine. What a great place!!! Still undecided as to when I'm going back to do the race again (and hopefully finish!) - depends on how the PhD plans pan out for next year...

Taper Hell

Backing off on training, putting my feet up, relaxing more... sounds like it should be fun. So how come I don't really like taper??? Motivation went through the floor so that as soon as I realised I was on taper, I was practically doing nothing. Seems like I can only do large volume of nothing. But I hope its working. After 2 really laid back training days, swim this am and this eve felt good for the first time in a while. I just need to make it to race day whole and uninjured, right? There's started to be some more athletes arriving in Port, so race day really is next week!
Getting in an early ride tomorrow before bike goes in for a pre-race service. 9 days to go! :)

Sleepless night

Man, its hot here tonight. I'm finding I can't sleep - probably because I was trying out some caffeinated nutrition on my last long ride earlier... but WOW when they say its long-acting, they mean it! The heat's not helping much either. I'm not allowing myself to use the air-con because I want to acclimatise. I guess I'm as acclimatised as I'll ever be after 5 weeks here, but damn do I still sweat.

So its Monday, well - Tuesday now, a little under 2 weeks out from IMOz - taper time. Not quite sure how I feel about that... less training is always the difficult choice when there's no injuries!! Also means I get to see if I've made any progress over the winter. I don't even know if the base work I've been doing will show up yet. This long distance malarky sure does make you play the long game.

Time to see if I can slepe yet. I'm knackered... guess the 6am swim squad is out of the window: that'll count towards the taper then ;)

Friday 16th March

I'm enjoying the sun in Port Macquarie and trying to get ahead on some work. I am taking it easy today as I'm feeling the peak intensity (and the yoga... ouch!) - but just another couple of long hard sessions before taper really sets in next week.
It'll be an interesting race here at IMOz. On one hand, the course is going to be quite tough, so the times won't be directly comparable to IMAustria or IMGermany - some estimates put the course at 20 mins slower than the races I've done before. On the other hand, my last IM race was back in July, and I've had some decent blocks of consstent high volume training (and some decent rest) since then, as well as Epic Camp NZ where I did more volume than I ever thought possible. The choice of equipment is pretty much whatever I have: luckily I brought out my race bike back in October, but with training wheels. I'm hopefully borrowing a set of race wheels from Charlsey, but he's racing too, so I get whatever he doesn't think is right for the course!!! O well, beggars can't be choosers... I'll take whatever I can get. If it turns out that its the disc, then it'll be an interesting experience!
Did my last longish run back on wed, hitting 30kms including a complete lap of the run course. It reminded me that this may (fingers crossed) be the most injury free run-wise that I've ever been in the run up to an IM. Previously I have always had problems with shin-splits: before IMAustria I was on a near complete running ban for 2 months (except for a couple of races) and before Germany I was still quite variable with running consistency. I haven't been doing any massive mileage, but the consistency's been good so far this year. Plus I got myself some Brook's Beasts back when I arrived in Port nearly 5 weeks ago, and they seem to be helping - I finally admitted to having THE flattest feet and went for the most supportive shoes on the market. You gotta work with what you got I suppose!