Taper Time

Well it is that lovely time just before a race where you think about slowing down a bit, to rest and recover for a big day out come Sunday.

As per usual, sleeping patterns seem to go out the window and every session seems to highlight a different little niggle. Went for a swim this afternoon and felt like I had never swum before and I now sit here with a sore neck. Where did that come from I ask myself.

Anyways, been there done that, they all disappear once the gun goes off, it is like your body goes crazy when you least need it. Oh I could use a drink to sooth the tension, but alas I think a couple days of detox wouldn't be to bad for the body.

So what is a light week? Well I am actually going to follow a similar taper as I did when I last did this race in 2008. Plan was simply:
Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - AM Bike ride on the Compu Trainer - 1 hr Easy
PM - Swim - 1500 with some sprints in the middle
Wednesday - PM - Run - 40 min interval set on the treadmill
Thursday - PM - Swim - Will try on the wetsuit to make sure it fits
Friday - Rest Day - Travel to Yeppoon
Saturday - Easy bike ride to make sure it is working and to spin the legs over

Be interesting to see how fresh that delivers me to the race start.

Been also, searching for some "choice" doof tunes and came up these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSgnf-tBN9s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ry3rX6kBCQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOTyD6ZYcP0&feature=related

Oh the Wind

So the schedule says 60km TT, but I look outside and its blowing a gail and my body is probably feeling like a 5/10 after way way to many tapering drinks last night. Don't you just love those nights where you finish the work week with a sense of excitement simply because you know your not working tomorrow and you have a few quiet drinks with dinner and then they somehow against everyones better judgement, they turn rowdy.

So back to the ordeal.....

Road works on the way in town meant throwing the bike into the car and driving out of town to get this set started. Set off and realise I have left my helmet at home. Take 2, get to my start location and realise I forgot to pump up my tyres and didn't bring any spare tubes. Oh well s##t happens, lets take the chance as I have the mobile phone. In that first 100m, I reckon I nearly quit 10 times, but as they say when the going gets tough, the tough ......

Long story short, got through it but wouldn't call it a TT. More like an exercise in survival. Meanwhile in the fantasy world of Princess, a computrainer set was more her style. Have to admit, that is the dustiest I have seen Lisa in a long time. She may be losing some of her fitness? Nice to finally arrive home in one piece, with no flat tyres, stayed upright and no excursions off the tarmac onto the dirt.

The attached picture shows why white bikes suck, specially with a leaking water bottle. Looks like I will be spending some time before race day giving this girl some tender love and attention.

Motivation

Keeping motivated is the key to any build up and some links like these certainly help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEiR4J78vus&feature=youtu.be&a

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TelmsCUTNY0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r5AWl0_I9E&feature=fvw

For Fezza

Got our new shirts in the mail today so have to organise an action picture.

Challenge Roth - 341 Days

Part of the challenge of Roth is its bike course, which is quite hilly compared to most. We will need to do some decent hill work in the lead up, for the following profileThe famous Solarer Berg is the highlight of the ride. With pictures like this, I suspect climbing it could be more fun than pain....
Even better news is that some fellow Trannies (Special K, Smitty to name a few) are planning the trip over to Germany next year also. Be great to catch up with some friendly Aussie friends as well as someone that speaks english at the Carbo and post race celebrations.

Airlie Training Weekend

Took the opportunity to take in a live band at Magnums on Saturday night with friends, plus get away and train in a different spot. Got in a good brick with the folks at Airlie plus the opportunity to see what swimming in a 50m pool in the lead up to Yeppoon.

Although Sat was a good session, a little blowout that night decided the fate of Sunday with only a leisurely swim happening.

Stayed at our usual retreat and its a hard life somedays specially with views like this:

So with 2 weeks to race day at Yeppoon, the distances alone aren't a problem, but it will be interesting to see how my body handles them all together. That plus the inevitable fact that you will go out far to hard when the gun goes off.....

Challenge Roth

Well, great news and very exciting, but tonight we have made the commitment to do Roth in 2011. Gotta hope the credit card doesn't bounce, but at this stage we have registered.

Some might say why 'Roth', but with Hawaii requiring qualification and having completed IM Canada previously, Roth is the other picture postcard race we wanted to do overseas.

The race is one of the biggest in the world and we are both entered now and very excited. Although not a WTC race and therefore not an official 'Ironman', it is the same distance and was formally Ironman Germany until that race moved to Frankfurt. Not being part of the WTC series, means it cannot be a qualifier for Hawaii, but being one of the biggest 3 races in the world it has always been on our list to do. For more info be sure to jump on and check out http://www.challenge-roth.com/en

Even better news, is that Sonia has put her hand up for a trip over to cheer us on. Can't wait.

3 Weeks to Yeppoon

Well after finally shaking this dammed cold, the past weekend has been a good solid hit out.

Nothing but pain on the bike, but at least I got the old TT bike dusted off and had a good run off it on Sunday.

Damn road works leading into Moranbah messed up a perfectly clean bike however.....

Yeppoon Prep

After making the call to race Yeppoon the focus on training has been a little stronger although far from being dedicated. I think there was a glimpse of my former self at stages, but it didn't last longer than a couple of sessions and stringing good solid weeks of training together turned out to be really hard.

The holiday break didn't help and then a 2 week cold really put the nail in the coffin for Yeppoon being anything other than a return to a sport, a bit of fun and an opportunity to see how fit I really am compared to my previous efforts.

At this stage, swimming presents the biggest concern with only a couple of training sets thus far. Good thing it will be a wetsuit swim.

School Holidays

Welcome back you could say. Been a long time between posts and you could say a reflection of our Triathlon adventures recently. Nada, nothing, nil to be exact.

June School Holidays have come and gone and was an opportunity to catch up with family, combine a Half Marathon run and some relaxing time with good friends.

Spent the first week down Sunny Coast, Brissy and Marburg way and finished the week with a great stay at the Gold Coast Marriot. It came highly recommended by a friend and have to admit although they got a povo room, ours was first class. Would highly recommend our position for the Indy weekend as it looked directly over the pit area.

The Gold Coast Marathon came and went and with it came PB's for all which was really cool and vindication of hard training miles done in the last period. Lisa ran 1:42, which she was plenty happy with. The party after at Fishermans Wharf was pretty good also. The PB girls here...
Agnes Waters was the next destination with Gill, Dave and Jolie, which turned out to be a great week away. With part training, part relaxing and some quiet partying we really didn't want to leave, but as life goes you have to return to normal at some stage. I think there could be a return trip to this location. The weather for the week wasn't the greatest, so it would be good to go back and be able to go for a swim