Still.....

As Charlie would say....

So after a public commitment to get the training in for the next weeks in, I am 3 days in and going well. A 2hr run tonight with the feet pulling up well wraps up another solid day for me.

Swim squad was once again enjoyable, however it astounds me how I am always last in the drills, by a long long way (like 15-20m over a 50m pool) however when it comes to doing freestyle sets, I am leading out my lane and coming in a good 5 sec ahead over 100m and can hang onto the fast lane with these sets. So am I doing the drills wrong and not getting the benefit or are they doing them wrong? Unsure of that answer!!

The run tonight was just what I needed, I even managed to put in a few 4min k's mid run which put a smile on my face, I know that I am still a long way from where I want to be, but I also know that I am making inroads fast.

Even my weight is headed to the right direction, getting on the scales at 88kgs this morning means that I am not far from my Kona race weight and aren't the legs enjoying carrying a lighter load!

Now to just get through to the weekend and know that I have had a great week will propel me through to the next weekend where it will be Lionel!

I have a wedding to go to in Perth, which will cost me a day or so, but I think being Lionel will more be the factor. Being a groomsman in one of my best mates wedding is an honour that I don't take lightly and will be over there enjoying every moment of it.

Anyway, the challenge for me is to get up in the morning and run again, build some more fatigued in the legs and then a solid M/T session tomorrow night.

This one is for you Mum..(25/12/53 - 25/03/07)

I know you are watching me know as you have given some serious drive and motivation. I will do you proud!

X-Man

Gaining a little bit.

Another couple of ticks today. A short sharp treadmill run this morning, followed by a solid 1hr wind trainer session tonight!

It was the first mid week ride I have done in 3-4 weeks, my mid week riding has been null and void of late, and have been surviving on the weekend sessions (when they are done). I actually enjoyed the wind trainer tonite and found a fair bit of motivation from it..

I have decided that small steps are going to make me BIG gains, so the plan is to tick off a minimum of 2 sessions per day with the odd day where I am feeling up to it, throw in a 3rd.

Back into the water tomorrow morning, was going to go this morning however after going to bed at 9pm and waking at 9.30 wide awake, I struggled to get to sleep before midnight. Now for this little black duck, I am a 9hr sleeper minimum to get everything in that I need to. So when the alarm went off at 5am, I decided to have a solid day, I would let the swim go and focus on the run & bike. Was probably the best decision that I could have made.

Anyway on that note, it is time to retire for another night.

This one is for you Mum..(25/12/53 - 25/03/07)

It has begun!!

Day 1, both morning and evening sessions get a:

This morning was a swim, Mondays is a technique session for me, got just over 2k's done in the mornings swim. Happy with that, feel like my swimming is going quite well and not far off where I want it to be..

Tonight, I added in a treadmill run, was supposed to have the evening off, however after only the sprint distance race yesterday and a really GREAT chat with Coach Andy today, we have changed a few things up for me. More time management vs training volume during the week and volume on weekends. This appeals to me as I enjoy early nights and weekends where I can get out with the boys and have some serious fun. As Andrew told me, the base that I have built in the last 18months will be there and we just have to tap into it.

The other thing that I have in my favour in a BIG BIG way, is that I know how to get the result I want and I really know how to dig deep and hurt.

This will be another string to my bow come Melbourne, even if I am not in the shape I want physically, I will be mentally.

Apart from this, I have started a new nutritional plan. Only in the first day, so will see how that goes. Happy to try something new to aid with lower training volume and see if I can achieve a similar result.

So tonight's treadmill run was 1hr starting at easy and finishing at Max effort (or as fast as the treadmill would go) which I think is 16kph. Not as fast as what I can run during a short race or even a fully blown 1/2 Marathon but after an hour in the sweat box as I make it with the hardest incline on the treadmill, it hurts. My HR reached just under 190bpm, I was working, sweating and loving it.

Tomorrow is a new day and another day in which I am going to apply another tick to. Run, Speed session in the pool then M/T.

On another note, 2 of my athletes are embarking on Ironman New Zealand, first timer (great mate also) Tom and Ol' Mate Benny. This is exciting for all three of us, me as I get to witness the guys in action and for them to achieve something they haven't before (in their own right). Another shout out the Scotty and Steve who are also part of TMC and also great mates, both these guys are headed to IMNZ. I am sure all 4 guys will tick off the box they want and come home happy campers.

A motto that I have found and am going to stick to until Melbourne is the following:

This is so true for the sport and also for me, not by time, but by determination. I ticked a major box in Phuket 70.3 where I was forced to walk most of the run due to my feet but I still managed to finish and was very satisfied with that.

This one is for you Mum...(25/12/53 - 25/03/07)

PS. A monster effort by little brother Nathan for finishing his first triathlon on the weekend also!

Great Little hit out!

So this morning, I headed down to do a Sprint Distance race 700m swim, 20k bike ride and 5k run. I had no expectations apart from having a decent type of race. Putting my feet through some intensity was also the plan to see how they would react post race.

The weather was quite warm and with the wind picking up, I was rather happy to have a choppy swim as as most of us know, Melbourne weather is likely to throw up conditions like that for IM Melbourne.

In and out of the swim in 4th in my Age Group was pleasing although I did manage to get held up when passing the groups in front. Although the swim was short, the further it went the choppier it got. So exiting the water, my body knew that I hadn't raced in some time as the lungs were screaming at me by this stage.

The run to Transition at Sandringham has to be the longest run b/t swim and T1 that I have been in. The only run that compares is the run from the swim to T1 at IMNZ!

The bike conditions seemed to get tougher throughout the 2 laps also. There is one thing about my riding, regardless of Sprint to Ironman distance races, I seem to average the same speed every time...I think today was around the 39kph mark. It was also the first race where I didn't have any speed measuring devices on me, which was quite pleasing on the mind, just worrying about how I was feeling was enjoyable.

Off the bike a onto the run, I was very curious how the feet were going to hold up. Ticking over the 5k's in 20mins was also pleasing as I have had no speed work in my body for some time. Recovering after the race was very quick apart from my feet which have been giving my grief all afternoon.

I managed to jag a 2nd in my a/g which topped off a nice day.

Tomorrow I am back in the pool with a M/T session in the evening.

This one is for you Mum (25/12/53 - 25/03/07)..

X-Man

Operation Accountability

So, after having a frustrating last few months with injury, I have started to find some good motivation to get going again. I am hoping that I can regain some of the form & fitness that I had leading into Kona.

The feet are still troubling me and I am unable to get though every session, albeit, I am starting to feel like I am starting to move a fair bit better on the run. The ride has been very spasmodic also as I am finding that this has been the hardest of the three to stay motivated for. (Who would have thought I would be typing that a few years back??) Definitely not me!!

Anyway, things are on the improve in lots of aspects in my life. However as the race is drawing closer, the emotions are building as it will be a special day for me at Melbourne. My goals have changed significantly with originally I wanted to go and win my A/G for Mum, now after realisation that I am no where near that shape, I am just hoping to capture a slot for Kona. After having a near miss a few years back then jagging my spot, I am very aware of the difficulty in just doing that.

So, into my my heading for this post.

Accountability:

"responsibility to someone or for some activity"

For me, I am going to be accountable to no-one else but myself and my motivation. As stated in previous blogs, my motivation will be drawn from the missing link in my life....My mum!

Although I might not be in my best shape, the inspiration that I will draw from racing for my mum will be my driving force in ticking off my goals.

So, as of tomorrow...(4 weeks til race day) I am going to blog at the end of every day to become accountable for my training. To get out there no matter the conditions, no matter how I am feeling and no matter the session. I have been really inconsistent up until now and I know that the next 3 weeks before taper can make a big difference.

Seeing everyone else become excited about their up coming races has helped me snap out of my rut. A few home truths from a few close friends (you know who you are!!) has also given me the drive to get back out there and return to the mind set that I had leading in Kona. And although the time frame is a lot less to go, I know that I can get through the next 3 weeks without fail.

Something that I received during the week was from a very close friend of mine, whom I just loving hearing from and travelling with was this, so a BIG BIG thanks for your kinds words:

"Hi Xman - here is something I learnt on Monday (at a very special day) - "desire with the heart - not want with the mind" - I would think that it is reasonably self-explanatory for you"

Being more organised is going to be my key to achieving this and I have given myself a solid "game-plan" to tick this box off also.

As they say, words are just that, and they mean nothing until they are turned into actions. One of my favourite motto's is: ACTIONS speak louder than words. So it is easy for me to sit here and write what I have, however for those that know me closely and well, you will know that my actions will kick into play very soon!

I have already started putting processes in place for post Melbourne to change a few other aspects in my life which will be discussed once they are implemented.

On that note, I had better start getting organised for the rest of the weekend and into the week.

This one is for you Mum (25/12/53 - 25/03/07)...

X-Man

PS...A BIG Happy Birthday to "Fos"...

Let's talk the p's!

No, not the toilet stop variety.

The 5 p's as Fos (aka Dad) would say.

Preparation

Prevents

Piss

Poor

Performance

The biggest factor in doing what we do (endurance sports) is preparation! With preparing properly for the race you are targeting, more often than not you will achieve the goal you set out to achieve.

Over the last few weeks, the talk of Ironman Melbourne has been massive around these parts, but also the excuses about not being able to train have followed.

It is too Hot.

It is too Windy.

I hope it is not this hot at Melbourne

etc

etc.

Now, I understand that Melbourne can get quiet hot & windy, but what I cannot understand is why people shy away from the fact that they have to train in it. To be successful at the race you are aiming for, you have to be prepared for the potential conditions it will throw at you.

Other Ironman & 70.3 races around the world are far harder than what Melbourne can provide and these races sell out just as fast.

In the preparation, with what I found out whilst being in Hawaii for 4 weeks prior to the race was you need to suffer, hurt then suffer and hurt some more to fully prepare for the worst conditions on race day. I remember riding along the Queen K in training, hating the world at 15-18kph wondering what the heck I was doing here. By doing this, it still gave me the confidence to have a crack on race day and no matter what I was going to be able to get through. The end result....4hr 43min + change ride.

With the run, exactly the same. Why constantly run in the early part of the day when the sun is not as it's hottest when most of us will be running in the race from 1pm onwards right through until midnight. Surely this is when you need to be training, when you are racing. It will eliminate the reason why you didn't have a good race as you will be ready to run during that time. I can assure you that the race won't be switched around so that you can ride & run in the morning out of the conditions.

I did sooo many runs in the heat of the afternoon in Hawaii and once again suffered on many many days (just read my blog from September last year), but once race day arrived, I once again was ready for this and when the temp hit 53 deg Celsius along Ali'i Drive, I was ready for it as I had experienced it before. The end result....3hr 15min A pb of 5 min over the Ironman Marathon distance.

I am not one to give many of my training hints or secrets away, but this one, I just think that it is that simple that it is not a secret. It still just astounds me how many people shy away from training in the potential conditions that you could be racing in.

Make sure you are properly hydrated and carry enough fluid to keep you that way. Even plan your run/ride so that there are adequate stops along the way! I also noticed that my nutrition intake was so much different by training in the times that I am expecting to race in. Food for thought?

Just next time you think about avoiding the heat or wind, just ask yourself... What are the potential conditions for my race?

It might just change the timing of your training for the better!

The other part of the preparation is knowing the course, doing a course recon is also advantageous as you get to understand a whole lot more about it than looking at a course profile. Knowing what gear ratio to use, both for climbing and descending is important along with knowing road surface for tyre choice. If it is flat, undulating or hilly, how long the hills climb for. There is a whole lot more to preparing than reading the athlete handbook. If you know other who have done the course previously, ask them. You can never ask too many questions to get the most information for yourself.

Don't forget, doing the right preparation will lead to the right result!!

This one is for you Mum (25/12/53 - 25/03/07)...

X-Man