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.
Showing posts with label volume training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label volume training. Show all posts
Sunday, 3 February 2008
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
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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
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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
Friday, 11 January 2008
EPIC CAMP NZ 2008 : The calm before the storm
Epic Camp is a triathlon training camp with a difference. Unlike most, there are entrance criteria to ensure no one ends up “tailing off the back in misery”. It is an incredibly high volume training camp which most attendees use as pre-season volume training for Ironman racing, or in a high volume phase in the run-up to a specific IM race. With around 50 – 60 hours of training in the first week, it is not for the faint-hearted!
This will be my second time on the camp, having done Epic New Zealnad ’07 in January last year. Signing up for the second round was easier given the knowledge that I had successfully finished it already. But now, two weeks out, though I am less anxious about the general unknowns, I have the same feeling of dread that I should have done more bike volume over the last few months…
But for me that is one of the points of Epic. It gives me some fear over the winter months to ensure that I get in good enough shape to try to make the most of Epic. It is about improving my biking in the run-up to Epic and then being submerged in a unique environment where it is possible to achieve a period of massive mileage relative to the rest of the year. Last time it was about survival. This time my objective has changed little – if anything, I’ll be a little more cautious! I’m starting to think that ignorance of what the camp entailed was better than knowing what we are about to do.
The camps are run by Scott Molina (IM World Champion, coach), Gordo Byrn (Ultraman Winner and Elite IM athlete, coach) and John Newsom of IronmanTalk fame (Elite triathlete and coach). Epic’s stated purpose is to “provide elite and amateur athletes with an environment within which they can achieve personal excellence”. This is done in part by having a fantastic support crew who do nearly everything for you – cook, wash clothes, transport luggage – except the training itself. The camp includes “everything but mercy”. A points system pushes everyone to put in massive volumes each day. The camp minimums to score are a 3km swim, a 10km run and the scheduled ride each day, and bonus points are available for every 3km extra in the pool, extra 10km running, and extra 30km on the bike. Yet more points can be earned by hitting other distance thresholds and doing other activities (swimming with bands, or 1km swum as medley for example). It all adds up to a group of people doing some incredible mileage, and perhaps more unbelievably, having a great time along the way.
This year’s camp will start in Christchurch on 26th January. From there we’ll make our way over towards Wanaka via Tekapo, then across to Queenstown. The route will take in the great Southern lakes, Mackenzie Country and the Queenstown area - regarded as some of the most spectacular scenery in NZ. So at least it will be pretty! I’ll be trying to post an update on how the camp’s going every few days – if I am able to stay awake long enough!
For more information on Epic Camp, go to www.epiccamp.com
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