Overdone the running

I had to walk home from run this morning. I had soreness on the outside of my left foot just before the heel. I ran a timetrial on Sunday and ran hard and had sore legs on Monday but still managed my Tuesday run and it was quite good. I have often run on legs that are a bit sore after a race I find it helps ease the soreness. I walked the chilfren to school wednesday and legs were getting better. But when I started my run this morning I could feel the discomfort but I felt it a bit after my timetrial I thought I could run it off - however 40minutes into my run it was getting worse - so I walked the last 20minutes. I walked the children to school 2 hours later and that seems to have helped. I think the reason for the soreness was the timetrials (like solo races) and I got carried away as my speed was starting to come back. In hindsight I should have known 18months no running + about 3 months return to running usually = injury shoes or barefoot. However in my defence my right foot is perfect. I have been thinking for a while my right foot is stronger than the left and I think I've got proof.

Moving forward when I return to running , I'm going to miss a few days, I'm not going to do any more run timetrials this summer and that means no triathlons. I had been thinking of not racing because my running was too slow by my standards who would have thoughts no running for 18 months = loss of speed. One of my many problems is that I am an eternal optimist which often clouds reality and this is why I was doing timetrials so I get an accurate picture where I'm at and now I know.

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Swimming PB dealt a blow

All my times and data recorded from swimming in Pandora's are worthless.

After my time trial on Thursday, which was ruining by kids in optimist yachts sailing right me, I went for my normal Sunday swim straight 1000m swim between the bouys that are the furthest apart (3 and 1) to find that bouy 1 at the far end of the pond had been moved right into the farthest corner adding a significant 50m - 75m to the length. The day before there was a half-ironman called ironmaori targetting pacific islanders and maori to get motivated to improve their health. And it is very successful but it does mean a lot of morbidly obese people donning lycra, etc And although I understand the reasons I don't think it is healthy. Anyway back to swimming. The Sunday morning was the club's first Shed2 series race in the pond and comparing peoples swim results between that and the Icebuster(both supposed to 750m) all the top swimmers where about 1min -1.30min slower. I was 4min slower for my easy 1000m.

So it looks like the swim bouys have been reset acurately and that means my PBs I had set were not PBs for 750m which is a bit depressing that I'm not as swimming as fast as I thought I was but in reality everybody is in the same boat and I'm still in the same position time wise compared to my competition. So if racer A swims faster than me by a minute that doesn't change he will still be about a minute faster than me.

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Another post about running

My new triathlon shoes

Inov8 Bare xlite 150 zero drop racing shoes

Bought from naturalrunningstore.com/. The lightest, most minimalist shoe in the Road range. Quick lace and perfect for race day. The 3D Air Mesh upper is tongue less and stretchy to ensure a secure, comfortable fit.

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Swimming update

It has been a while since I've treally had anything to write about on the training front. Because in reality the training is boring. It is about the next pedal stroke or progress in barefoot ruuning or the same old technique work in swimming - nothing really changes. But the summer racing season is upon me. I had identified last summer that because I wasn't racing(adjusting to barefoot running) I just trained through without the stimulus and break from routine provided and I raced best when I rest a lot. So I introduced my timetrials in all 3 disciplines every second week to imitate racing a lot.

This week was my first timetrial around the course in Pandora's pond (I do 700m and exclude the 50m beach start). I was as nervous as before a major race - fear of not swimming well. I had swum 12.17min on the exact same day as last year just a month after stasrting back open water swimming and just exclusively technique work all autumn, winter , etc. After months of swimming hard intervals between the bouys in the pond my final timetrial last year (I only did 2) my time was 11.20min and it felt comfortable. This week I did in 11.13min and it felt easy. So I'm gradually going to go harder and harder. In training I am still working on my fitness and I'm doing an overdistance swim (1000m non-stop) and then I will start doing harder intervals. I just want to see how fast I can get I'm hoping for 10min this summer. 10min for 700m. I'm dreaming of 9min the following year.

After that result I feel completely relaxed , I can still say my weird way of re-teaching my body to swim is working and at times I don't see a limit to what I can achieve then sometimes the little voice in my head says improvement can't go on forever. But most of the time my dream of being 1st out of the water is alive and still is the most important target for me

I'm adding a running target I want to beat my running pb of 1.16.xx min set for the half-marathon in 1994 when training for Ironman Lanzarote and this time doing it in minimalist running shoes.

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This is what I'm trying to achieve

KARLYN PIPES- NEILSEN FASTER FREESTYLE

Mechanically perfect, Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen is a 4-time World Masters Swimmer of the Year, Hall of Fame inductee and has established over 200 world records.

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Blown away by Alistair Brownlee

here he wins London

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Big fan of Peter Reid Former ironman world champ

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Emily's first triathlon in pictures

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An even prouder dad

This coming Sunday I may possibly burst with pride or be at risk of having my face split in 2 by a extremely large smile . What you might ask could cause this paternal pride? My Emily has entered her very first triathlon - a sport I have been enjoying for over twenty years.

I was saying to her the other day that she is already, at 8 and a half, a better swimmer than I was when I started triathlon in my 20's

Next Friday after cricket she and a friend are doing a dance in the school talent competition. Sometimes I can't believe how much self confidence, self belief and an I can do anything attitude she has - the way I see it she is going to unstoppable.

Cameron who is 6 is reading chapter books on his own - he has discovered Zac Powers please tell tell me boys don't like to read.

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Torrential rain ruins training plans

Normally on a Sunday is my long bike ride followed later on by 4x250m(approx)hard in Pandoras Pond which after Fridays swim in the pond when I set a pb by 22secs for that session I was expecting another pb however the weather has spoilt it.
Ihad 47moles on the road planned for the bike and normally a rain doesn't stop me but we are in a real tropical that tends to last 3 days and it was just too heavy to go out. I did an hour of hard intervals on the turbo instead.

Training has been very consistant since our return from the UK in July, I don't know if it is the lack of running that has given me more energy or the right level of effort on my mid-week bike sessions but I have hardly missed a session and had no easy/recovery weeks. That have been some weeks were I haven't wanted to train but I make myself start the warm up or even have a longer warm up and that felt fine. Yesterday I did my short barefoot jog in heavy rain and my ankles are feeling a little sore but I felt no tiredness and was looking forward to today. It is almost I have passed through a stage were my body has adapt4ed to the hard work. A bit like this guy Paulo Sousa (a former coach of Simon Whitfield) talks about. But we shall see.

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The plan to Ironman

Second barefoot run today - photos to follow but our new camera(Teresa won it) won't download on my old computer.

I am planning to do New Zealand Ironman the year I turn 50, I turn 44this March so it gives me 6years . It is held the week of my birthday 1st of March the race is 5 March. I have never been one for the log bike ride so I plan to set a target of increasing my Sunaday ride by 2 weeks before my birthday each year, this will follow the plan for ironman. This year is 50mile, I haven't done that or longer since about 1996. And I'll increase the length by 10miles each year. I have to be really comfortable mentally and physically for longer rides and I have always thought that many people rush into longer events without putting in the aerobic miles and rely on eating the whole way on the ride. I have memories of me in the early 90's riding for 60miles with a bottle of water and a single banana. Not fast but fit aerobically.

The long approach will mean I can save up the money , gradually replace gear and the children will be older and My run technique which I'm working on now will be sorted. The goal will be to get around comfortably under my time set in Lanzarote in 1994 which was 12.06 - Lanzarote was/is a really hard course so I should be okay.

In the mean time I will race locally until I decide I am good enough on the swim and bike to have another go at travelling the country to Olympic distance - I just don't see the point of paying out all the money to race if I'm not going to be reasinably conpetitive - been there done that.

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First official barefoot run

Swim-I've been too busy and lacking the motivation for blogging. Training has become almost automatic and regular over the last few months that I lost interest in posting about it.

I've been swimming 5 times a week - 2 in the pool and 3 in Pandora's Pond. The pond sessions have been intervals between the bouys. 3 different sessions of hard timed intervals in all conditions. I know I can swim the distances but my problem was/is having the confidence swimming them hard. And what can I say it is working, I feel really at home in the water - I swim hard and when I feel I can't keep up the pace - I do.

Bike - I have been dealing with a pain on the outside of my left knee , which I think was caused by twisting my cycle shoe from my new pedals and the realise tension was set too hard. And I have what feels like a thigh strain both of these don't stop me from cycling but I would stiffen up when sitting down and when in bed. They are both almost better. I planned to race the swim and bike and try the run even though I hadn't run since last March. But these problems stopped that which was probably for the best. I'm not going to race at all this summer just keep on working getting better and better in the water, on the bike and run.

Run. I have been doing a lot of barefoot walking but have been having problems with the really rough footpaths near my house. So this week I had a few test jogson smoother concrete sections and it felt good so I thought I try an official barefoot run. So this morning I went down to the concrete bikepath on the ocean front, that has smooth concrete and goes for miles, with Emily and ran barefoot for about 5min which was enough because I could feel my arches a bit, there is no rush to do loads so I am going to do it 3times a week and add a little bit each time. It was very enjoyable and I had to make myself stop and not over do it as I often do with new activities

I've revised my triathlon plans and the goal is to aim at the Ironman but that is my next post

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Relearning how to run

I've been spending the last few years to relearn how to swim from scratch and I'm doing the same with running. Going without conventional shoes. Going from running , walking with custom orthotics and supportive shoes has been a lot harder than I thought it would be, suffering with painfuls ankles. However I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. When this discomfort stops I can learn to to barefoot run with the help of this video.

Learn to Run Barefoot with Lee Saxby and Terra Plana from GTB Goodtruebeautiful GmbH on Vimeo.

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Hawaii Ironman highlights 2010

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Weekly training 8Feb - 14Feb

The missing ingredient - harder faster work. After my downer from the race I had a swim session of 15x100m on Friday (which I haven't done for a while and then on Saturday I did a timed 2400m swim in the pond. I just swam normally and put in a hard effort in the last 200m. The time was 37.07min. So I was relieved - I knew I was swimming ok. I think at the race I got complacent after Whangamata and I got myself boxed right in the middle of the pack, lack of racing. And on Sunday's bike ride I rode really well. I am now where I should be a month before my first race not at the end of the season. In swimming I'm now doing lots of timed 100s and always timing myself in the pond -accountability. I felt embarrassed about my last performance.

Swim

2 swims total:5100m

Bike

2 rides total:53.02miles

Run

2 runs total:15miles

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On a downer - The race at Kinloch

I have stopped work to do this - I need to get this off my chest - it is making me miserable.
What is you might ask? It must be something really important.

The answer is it isn't important really but it matters to me.

I had a really bad swim at my race last weekend. After the euphoria of my last race swim I have come down to earth with a bump. I feel disappointed all round really.

All the work on the swimming in the pond and pool. I think I got trapped amongst slower swimmers and spent time looking around me. But I worked really hard.

The bike was extra hard this year instead of 3 laps they made it 2 and it took in a really big hill which was harder than my bike training was good for but I managed it not fast but comfortably and my bike was rideable. And I know that I haven't done enough work on the bike. It is where it should be a month before my first race of the season. So next year my first race will be Rotorua at the end of November and my cycling should be where it is now but at the end of October.

The run was the same 4 lap with small hills affair which I ran strongly and finished with a flourish thus achieving my goal but only 2 minutes faster than last year. But last year I hadn't run much in the month prior to the race and it started hurting on lap 3.

I think with the exception of swimming I am just impatient to be competitive and faster. I don't like the idea of being 36 th out of a hundred. But I know it takes time. It also takes confidence to put in the effort and pace required. It is still only my second Olympic distance race in 14years.

My final race for this year is on the 13 March in Wellington, the national champs so I will get a real reality check as to where I am (get my arse kicked). Although the course is flat and I have the tough Kinloch race under my belt so armed with that knowledge I plan to push a bit harder on the bike and run and try to have a good swim.

Now with my therapy session over I can get some work done (business is booming) and go for a run.

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Blog posting and swim thoughts

I felt I was a bit lazy in posting in 2009 so in an effort to try and get to 104 posts for the year an average of 2 a week, here goes.

Swam this morning, added 200m to my total so it was 1000m with band and balls, my 500g weight fell off after 3x100m the plastic zips ties aren't working I'm going to try old cycle inner tubes. 4x300m + 200m with just ankle band on. I'm increasing my harder stuff with just the ankle band, which has an added strength element as well as technique because over 1500m I find I am swimming the first half or maybe the first 1000m okay and then fading quickly so I figure that I need some more strength endurance.

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First race of the season- 3rd Jan Whangamata

Disaster of my own making. I had been tinkering with my bike set up and used Profile fast forward seat post and had only ridden it on the turbo trainer and thoroughly tried iton the road. I came out of the ocean with a time of 25.48min for the 1500m swim including a very long run to transition, which for me if this was accurate would be a time, a long run to the bike, got on it and got 1 kilometre downthe road and knew the bike was unrideable. I had driven the course the day before and knew that there were dangerous bits and I wasn't prepared to risk it the way my bike was set up. It was too extreme. When we got home I bought a new ordinary seat post.

Because of this disaster I have decided to add another race down in Wellington but next up Kinloch on the 7th of February.

The disappointment of the race didn't spoil our little holiday, we will go back to the same apartment for an extra day and the race.

Another sideeffect of the race is Teresa saw all the fit looking people and decided she is not fit enough and is thinking that next season she wants to aim to do the sprint distance races, she has been doing half the distance of that this season.

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New Years Day

As you can probably tell I've got time on my hands this morning so I am catching up with a few xtra posts. We don't do New Year and have a very low key Christmas.

This year's Christmas tree photo was taken by Emily

We have more exciting things in our lives than over indulging at this time of year. Our biggest worry was our noisy neighbours especially the ones down the road were seen taking in lots of cheap bad beer and makiong lots of noise in the afternoon but thats the last we heard from them and the feared party never happened

We are going away for 4 days tomorrow to Whangamata which is on the Coromandel peninsula. I am racing an olympic distance triathlon my second at the distance in 14 years - last season I got round one at Kinloch for the first time in 13years without embarassing myself too much.

I'm hoping just get around the course comfortably and I don't have injuries like the one I had before Kinloch last year.
I feel slightly underdone in terms of bike fitness, but I've continued to work hard on my swimming done a whole heap more open water swimmimg and I've done a lot of off road winter running.

At Whangamata the aim is to get around easily but I am going back to Kinloch again and this year the aim is to be comfortable and go a bit faster. This shouldn't be a problem because last year I had worn myself out training and felt exhausted the month before and also injured my right leg doing a strength training exercise. And I will have done more biking and I have had been having easy weeks every weeks not every 4 like last year and I think it has worked having the extra rests but I've also listened to my body more and cancelled sessions where previously I would ploughed on.

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Hawaii Ironman 2009

This was on xtri.com - showing the form of some of the pros in slow motion.

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