Wednesday 25 February 2009

Cameron's injections

Had to take Cameron for his 4year vaccine immunisations -today and he howled. He told Teresa 'someone hurt me'.

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Weekly traing

Nothing except stretching and core work. Which is good because I've been in Teresa's class quite a bit which is unusual for this time of year especially as I'm planning to do very little this year.
My little business is going along quite nicely upgrading, incorporating new features, to a couple of school websites I created a couple of years ago. And with the a good chance of a couple of small business (basic) websites to do.

The not training thing is hard especially as the tri season is still on in New Zealand. Everytime I see someone out training I'm thinking I should just do a little bit. Then I came across this post on recovery on Alan Couzens(sports scientist and coach) blog and it features some of my favourite athletes especially Graeme Obree.

I forgot to mention in my last post another reason for focussing on 2 olympic distance races next seen is financial. My frugal side has been winning a lot of battles lately. The races cost a lot in terms of entry fee, they aren't local so there are travel expenses, eating out , etc Although we are planning to buy a family sized tent to help with accommodation costs.

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Monday 16 February 2009

Weekly training 9Feb-15Feb

Nothing.

I am trying to do some else I haven't done before. Do no triathlon training for 4 weeks, absolutely none. I have never done this I have always started back doing tiny bits, the reasons fear of putting on weight, losing fitness. But the new me is taking a proper break mentally and physically so I can be better for next season - 2 oylmpic distance races.

I had been planning on moving up to half iron man followed by full ironmen the next season. But I realise that I couldn't handle the training mentally and physically. Sure I could do enough to get round but not 11 hours or less. I want to get faster over shorter races first which is one of the original reasons why after ironmean in 1994 I didn't get back into the longer races.

The not doing any training , except for stretchin and core work - these are just part of healthy living not training, is really, really hard and is taking a bit of getting used - I feel so tired. I plan to use the extra time to catch up on jobs in the house and garden, I have a whole heap of trees to clear with chainsaw so I can plant more fruit trees. On top of this Teresa has been given extra teaching release days and this week I'm teaching in her class for 3 days.


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Wednesday 11 February 2009

Olympic distance Race goals achieved but...

Even during the swim I was thinking I could just do the swim and pull out. But then I realised it was going well, navigation was spot on, tiring with about 200m of the second 750m lap to go.

The two days leading up to the race were not ideal, we were staying in a holiday house in Accacia Bay at lake Taupo. Emily and Cameron were very excited and slept very little. We had car trouble and I was worrying if we were going to able to get home.

Registration was the day before and took ages I'd left the family at the house thank goodness. There are still a lot of posers who can talk a good race. I had an enjoyable chat with an older lady who was doing the entry level race of 300m 9km and 3km run.

And from that point I relaxed knowing that I nothing to prove to anybody. After the swim I had a trouble free transition, got on the bike and rode the 40km on a course that was hillier than I was expecting. But I just took it easy paced myself and this sums up the race. I wasn't there to race I was there to turn the clock back 13years and complete the race (without being last) and to see if I still wanted to do the longer races.

And I did with a smile on my face for almost all the bike - because for all the three laps on the bike, 4 laps on the run Teresa, Emily and Cameron were cheering for me. And that is how it's going to be from now on, I want to get back to being as fast as I can I want to race this race next year but not at the expense of everything else. I saw what I used to be like 13 years ago in the faces of others and I just want to be happy no matter what my time is. The bottom line is my children don't care, Teresa doesn't care she just wants me to be happy.

I must admit Olympic distance Race goals achieved but... the wheels fell of a little on the run, first two laps of a tough little course easy, number 3 felt it a little bit (not running much for the last 4 weeks) will do that, but on the last lap my injury in my left leg flared up and it really hurt almost walked but didn't.

Overall I was pleased with my time (which for the younger me) considering but I just cruised most of it. It was an added bonus that most my race gear is old and old and secondhand, it made feel great.

At bike check in the guy inspecting the bikes commented about my old epic "ooh a classic, don't sell it!"


ps: For those who don't know The distances were 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km continuously.

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Monday 2 February 2009

Weekly traing 26Jan-1Feb

Currently reading 'Why Die?' the biography of in/famous Australian coach Percy Cerutty - the coach of such running legends as John Landy and Herb Elliot. He seemed to be completely mad and self obssessed. And yet he believed that he was destined for greatness and to be a world beater. He may have been slightly mad (a lot of geniuses are) but in many ways he was just simply way ahead of his time.

Easing the amount of training has definitely had me feeling better. I only ran once and I felt really good except for my left leg which felt fine while running but flared up afterwards and started taking anti-inflammatories to calm it down.

Swim
total:4400m1pool swim and 2open water swims and I have been really starting to enjoy it
Bike
total:53.03miles
Run
total:8miles


Despite my leg and previous weeks of tiredness I have entered my race and will consider my self well rested rather than undertrained. Anyway it is supposed to better 10% undertrained than 1-2% overtrained.

Cameron's birthday at the weekend he is now officially a big boy. We had a picnic at Keirunga Gardens which has a ride on model railway which is run by enthusiasts. It is excellent. It goes around and up and down a hill, it has tunnels, bridges, viaducts the works. I tried making a train cake, I carved it out of sponge but the frosting for it was a disaster not helped that we had extremely high temperatures (37 degree celsius) and we don't have air conditioning because we rarely get highter than 30.
He has now started at morning kindergarten 5 days a week. Teresa returned to school today for a teacher only day and Emily starts back tomorrow.

Join the movement and we'll start a revolution - stop all unnecessary shopping - seperate your needs from your wants.