Playing Catch Up

After last weeks training was almost non-existent due to injury, I did some catching-up at the weekend...

Sat a.m. Ride to Work:

16km in 28:26 @ 33.76kph - WORLD RECORD PACE!!

Sat lunchtime swim:

Warm Up - 200m
Main Set - 13 x 100m on 2:50. [Pace varied 2:05-2:16]
Warm-down - 100m
TOTAL: 1600m

Sun a.m. Tri Simulation (PD)

Swim 1500m - ??? (forgot to time myself)
Ride 40km - 1:22:00
Run 9km - 51mins+

SWIM:

I had a great morning in PD yesterday at the Triathlon "clinic". It was basically a non-competitive almost full Olympic Tri, with a relaxed atmosphere and very social 10 minute+ transitions.

Pre-swim briefing (me on the left)

It was an open-water sea swim, with the middle 900m or so in the calm marina waters. The waves were perhaps 0.5m which added a bit of a rollercoaster ride to the affair. I managed crawl all the way except for a few seconds here and there for sighting and turns. After 300m the group I was with had to turn 90 degrees right as we'd veered too far left on the first buoy. Lesson - just because a swimming group forms doesn't mean they are going the right way!!

After that I was alone. Salty water, but no sign of the deisel that I'd heard so much about. The halfway turn took a long time to appear so I guess the swim was a good 1500m. This was the first time I've clearly noticed the difference in buoyancy between a pool and salt-water. Breathing seemed quite easy. The return leg had the added task of avoiding oncoming swimmers, but once I'd passed them successfully it was full steam ahead (half steam actually) to the finish.

I don't know how long I took but for me the satisfaction is that I did my first ever front crawl sea swim in (almost) race conditions.

BIKE:

After a lengthy transition we set off as a group, with police escort. The first 7km were very easy and I had a nice chat with Sam Pritchard. He's off to spend some time at his house in the French Alps soon, and will be able to watch Le Tour De France pass by - I am very jealous!!

After that it was a free for all and the strong riders slowly rode into the distance. I rode at my own pace as usual and Arif caught me at about 15km. There were some other rider around us and I settled into a routine of being overtaken on the inclines, catching-up on the downhills and then taking the "lead" again on the flats. A wee bit of drafting too was fun. The u-turn was at exactly 20km according to me. On the way back the crosswinds seemed to increase and it rained lightly before we entered PD. From km25-35 I tired a bit but seemed to get a second wind after that and managed a few km of speed work towards the end. Considering the easy first 7km and an uncommonly strong crosswind, I finished the full 40km ride in a satisfying 1:22:00.

Business talk - with Edwin in transition

RIDE:

Again after a lengthy transition - Arif, Bernard, Jason Foo and I set off for the 9km run. My left thigh was still feeling the effects of last weeks hash but only just.

My pace was slower than usual (1st gear as opposed to 2nd) but I felt very good on the run and really enjoyed it. On the way back I moved into 2nd gear (0.001kph faster!) and managed a nice sprint to finish off with. Out - 26m+, In - 25min+.


I stayed back for a while afterwards, chit-chatting and being one of many interviewed by Jessica from NTV7 for a slot on The Breakfast Show in July sometime. Then 'twas lucky draw time and - believe it or not - I won something! - 2 months free membership of a gym. I might go when Lucas is on holiday (when I don't have to drive home to school) and I have time for some early a.m. treadmill work. A few rowing sessions wouldn't go amiss.

This was a great morning, a very satisfying workout with a bunch of pals - I could feel the endorphins flowing during the run!

Sorry to say that it looks like the Siemens 10km Run on 8 July will have to be relegated to my "Other & TBC" calendar as there'll be another Tri clinic in PD on that day.

Another difficult choice is Batang Kali Uphill TT v King Of The Road 21km on 5 August!