4 Weeks to Kona

Total Training Duration - 5hrs 17min

• Swim - No swimming due to illness
• Ride - 97km
• Run - 10km

REST IS BEST
Getting back to "full" training at the end of last week was cut short, coach Sean enforced some time off this week. It sometimes takes others in the know when when to say go and when to say go slow....or in this case, not go at all. While I wanted desperately to get back to training my chesty throat illness was still at the tail end. My training performance just wasn't where it should be in order to be effective. My coach and fellow athletes could see this, in the back of my mind I knew it but just wanted to train through it. Rest is best in this case, then reassess and bounce back when fully recovered.  

The Week
I pulled up a bit sore after Sunday's run at Kew Boulevard. Although it was only an easy long run the hills must have provided the additional stress and left me with some soreness (and I was not 100%). Monday morning was an easy commute on the bike to work followed by heat training at Intune Sports with Brodie & Kate. Ralph and I rode the Escape from Alcatraz bike course with the temperature around 31 degrees. The course had hills so it was a tough one. The Computrainer applied additional resistance when we reach the hills. We were holding between 235 and 260 watts. Another sweat session. 

I missed another swim session Tuesday due to an early morning meeting. Tuesday night was a solo run on the Tan. It was a lazy 10km in 48 minutes. Kept it to the lower end as I was still a bit sore from Sunday's run. Saw the Coombe's and Ryo, you're never alone running the Tan. 

Wednesday was a 20km TT at Hawthorn velodrome. Never really got into it but pushed through. Brodie Gardner passed me twice and I leap frogged with Paul Burrow. Did an ok time but didn't feel it was the best I could do at this stage of training - 20km in 28:54 average 41.5km/hr. From this Sean projected the bike split for the 180.1km Ironman as 5:01:21. I'd be happy with that at Kona!!!

Here's the comparison with some previous TT's:

• Wednesday - 20km in 28:54 average 41.5km/hr
• 30 May 13 (5 months ago) - 40km in 54:43 average 42.3km/hr
• 14 Nov 12 (10 months ago) - 20 minute TT - 14.86km average 44.5km/hr

While I was happy on the day, a review after proved I was really off my game. Evidence that I still had the tail end of my sickness.
 
Sean told me to take 3 days off to rest. He organised sports physician Karen Holzer to see me that night. She noted my sinuses were clogged, glands were up, throat had excess mucus and I potentially had sports induced asthma. Sounds bad but it's really not that bad. Karen hooked me up with some medication to help fight this off. 

MY TRAINING WEEK ENDED THERE!

Evidence of the blood test

My blood test results revealed I need to drink more (water) and my vitamin D was low. Solution - drink move and take vitamin D tablets. All sorted.  

This week's massage with Richard Squires was great. It was the only "training" I could do! Had to miss Brodie's heat acclimatisation session on Friday.

Saturday's Long Ride
As I was still resting this is guest blogger Steve Guy's account of Saturday's ride:

A sweet morning weather wise, with sun again and little wind (I now have a tan line where my shorts end!). This time Ralph decided to sit on 260w - which upped the pace a bit (I was 8 mins quicker on the clock) but had no effect on mv HR (still at 74% max av for ride). I saw Ralph's computer after the ride - he may want to disclose the figures (or not), but I can definitely say is that all you guys push out bucket loads more power than me! good luck with the re-test of LT power tomorrow Ralph.

It may have been suggested that the quicker pace was due to 'getting rid of the dead weight that Dale has become' but I wouldn't trust any sources regarding where that came from.

Anyway, that leaves 1 or 2 weeks of long rides / runs left (depending when you leave), so lets all keep safe and sensible and get to the start line.

 

Thanks Steve, you write like a seasoned blogger!

 

Team Hawaii - Ralph, Henry, Steve & Red Bear. Wish I was there for that one (photo by Ralph)

 

 

Saturday for me was sleep in, french toast with maple syrup then swimming lessons with Stirling.

Ironkid!

 

Sunday was sleep in then a day for me and Stirling. I loved it. This is what I've missed while Ironman training. This weekend is just what I needed.

 

Reading up on "trash packs" while waiting for his hot chocolate

Stirling's photography work

 

 

Strava

Received an email from Strava this week. They are creating Strava "Geo Pages": 


Geo Pages will highlight the top 5 cycling cities in the world and Melbourne has been chosen as one of them. I see that you have a great time on The Hell Ride and I was wondering if you would be willing to write a few sentences explaining why you love this segment. I want to include quotes from users once our Strava Geo Pages are launched! 

 

What? I haven't ridden Hell Ride for years! As it turns out when I last rode it on 24 December 2011 I picked up 3rd on the segment. There must have been a great tail wind that day as all the top spot riders were on the same ride. Just found out this week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gave the bike bag a test on the weekend (need to fold the bars down):

 

 

 

Sunday I took the opportunity to review the metrics. Here's where I'm at and the comparison:

• Weight 83.1kg. (Day of Melb Ironman 82.4kg. Melb Ironman minus 1 month 82.4kg)
• Body fat 9.2%.  (Day of Melb Ironman 9.2%. Melb Ironman minus 1 month 9.4%)
• H2O 59.2%. (Day of Melb Ironman 59.1%. Melb Ironman minus 1 month 58.7%) 
• Pulse 47bpm. (May 2013 - 50bpm. January 2013 - 56bpm)

 

 

 

That's my rest done, time to get back into it again. Let's see how Monday's velodrome sessions goes - hard ride run session - what a test!

 

 

 

1.5 weeks until we leave for the US. That's only 1 more weekend session.

27 days to race day - 12 October 2013