Just Tri-ing: 16 Weeks to Kona

Adaption Week - Recovery Time!

Total training duration - 17hrs 30min

Swim - 11.9km
Ride - 257km
Run - 54.5km

Here's my Ironman Melbourne video. You'll also see Graham Smart (swim finish) and Daniel Norman (bike start). Check out the guy from 1:41 to the right of screen getting sorted out by St John's. He left nothing on the course!

This week's new gear:

Assos Tiburu Insulator Jacket
Assoss F1.Mille_S5 bib shorts

Gear Review

Steve Guy and I dressed the same at Studley Park Boathouse car park

The verdict...AWESOME. This gear is great! The Tiburu jacket is a great fit (fitted not baggy) with long arms that don't ride up. It did me for Kinglake with a tee shirt underneath. Steve Guy was wearing the Bonka which is the thicker jacket. The bib shorts I ordered with an extra 4cm length in the leg which fit well. As can be expected the shorts were great. You can ride all day in them. I bought them on Shiny Bikes (note that you generally always pay extra for delivery on this site so factor that in):

http://www.shinybikes.com/

The Craft jacket I wore during a downpour a few weeks ago

While I'm talking gear, several people have asked about the Craft jacket I've been wearing - Craft Performance Featherlight. A cyclist from work bought one and gave it a good wrap, so I got one. It's great as a wind shield and will hold out showers but don't expect it to keep you dry in solid rain (I've tried it). It rolls up really small and fits easily in the back jersey pocket. Highly recommended, and they are going cheep online or in the LBS.

And the cyclist who convinced me to buy the jacket now has a broken collar bone and ribs after hitting a parked car just before the Black Rock round-a-bout. Estimated speed 50+km/hr...and he didn't come off! A reminder to always look ahead when riding, especially in a bunch.

This Week's Training
It was 'adaption' week or a recovery week which generally means less duration by having Sunday off completely.

Tuesday night was a solo run. That night I had an upset stomach which made it interesting running. First stop was the Hawthorn velodrome toilets. With little confidence that this was the end I grabbed a hand full of toilet paper, stuffed it in my fuel belt and started off again. Had to stop a few times to let the stomach ease down but managed to make it to the next toilet in Ashwood. Lucky I grabbed some paper as this one had run out. Made it home from there without another episode. Still did a great pace of 4:18min/km for 21km (paused the clock during the unscheduled stops).

Wednesdays 4hr ride turned into a 2hr ride. Got a PB - 4 flat tyres! Really loved that, especially considering it was a 4am start! It was freezing cold and dark. Didn't see that the side wall on the tyre was torn. Coach Foz stopped to give me tube number 4 and a CO2 bottle. After that popped I walked to the servo, bought a coffee and donut and walked to the train station. Caught up with Henry Polk who was also out riding that morning - Apologies Henry, I wasn't to talkative after 4 flats....and in all the excitement I left my transition lensed cycling glasses on the ground in Sandringham. Marvelous.

Had to include the typical 'bike on the train' photo

Thursday was Tan time. Beat my Tan lap TT time from 12 months ago by 26 seconds...and I wasn't doing a flat out TT. Ran with the London Worlds and Melbourne Marathon teams - this crew can run! I was off the back of the front runners and just tried to keep them in sight. A great session with 20km under the belt. And Henry Polk is back!

Trained for the first time with a tempo trainer at swimming on Friday. Set the timer at 1:04 and felt like I was sinking. Some athletes had their setting on 1:10+ and were pulling away from me. Stroke still needs work!

Hills and heart rate. What a ride!

...And then came Saturday's session - 150km through Kinglake and Christmas Hills followed by a 1 hour run. A cold morning that turned into an awesome day. Have to thank The Red Bear, Steve Guy and Chris Rancie for the tough day out. We were all wrecked, an excellent day's work on the bike. All of us gave it some. It was a long day - Started at 6am from home and finished a 2pm.

The day was made great with Red Bear's gear:

Red Bear showing the stars and stripes and the well worn ribbed vest

The view from behind. Matching socks and arms too. He brought a smile to everyone's face on a cold morning. Great work!

Long ride finished! This 'Guy' set the pace up the hills (Steve Guy).

The O'symetric chain rings appear to be doing their job. The cranks move faster through the dead spot. However, I didn't do a PB up the Kinglake climb on Saturday. Should the new chain rings have given me a PB? Who knows, but they feel good when pushing hard on the peddles either up a hill or TT'ing on the flat. Steve Guy had his new Rotor Oval Q-Rings. He said they felt better on the flat. The result.....we like them!

My Post Training Weekend Protein Shake:

300ml water
Protein powder (however many scoops)
Frozen raspberries (frozen makes it nice and cold)
egg
banana
blend....

Sunday was rest day. I slept in until 9am when Stirling (under Lauren's orders) dragged me out of bed. We went out for breakfast where I had the steak and eggs on toast. Then it was off to the Polly Woodside.