Training Log Archive: shotgunmcos

Dragging the boats up sand dunes in the dark

C • Thats a better way to judge... 1

Trying to quietly carry boats across a camp site. A girl emerged from a tent thinking we were stealing her kayak!

Once fed and changed we headed up into the Burren hills. It was raining incessantly. Sean and I were trialling a pair of Pyga OneTen 29s and the route planned a variety of terrain for just that. The first bit around the black head loop was tough and slow going. Hike a bike, bush bashing through fallen trees and nettle fields, styles, gates and slippery wet rocky single track.

At nearly 2 hours of this exhausting work we hit a tack junction. The trail was to climb rapidly, fall and climb again rapidly. Taking in the map and terrain it was undoubtedly 2 big steep hike a bike looming. We opted to drop to the coast road for a much longer but much faster detour around subsequent back roads.

Once we reunited with the black head loop we were off road again. The climb was rocky and just too much too steep to bike it. Walking would be faster so que another hike a bike. Over the crest we jumped on to descend a good but wet and rocky trail. It was still very dark and raining. I became very frustrated with my Nordenmark map holder as it kept falling off. No matter how tight I made the clasp the vibrations would work it loose again. This us something I need to sort for ITERA.

Meanwhile further back up the trail I heard screams and Peter calling me. Kate had come off. From the sound of her I feared the worst that she has broken something. When I approached her face was covered in blood. She had decided to cushion her fall with a face plant and was in shock. It was a gash on the cheek just below the eye but how she didn't do more damage I don't know. It looked worse than it was thankfully. I washed it off as her breathing calmed. We made the call to detour back to Base at the beach to treat it. It was a very tentative walk down the trail with the bikes. It rained still.

After a short while back at transution, Kate had bandaged herself and we did a quick undulating out and back to Doolin. That was enough. The Pygas made any bump in the road feel comfortable but it was hard to get the fat 2.35 tyres up to speed. My legs were spent and I just rolled in the last few km. At dawn the sun tried to break through the thick clouds creating some stunning shades and shapes on the Burren landscape around us.

It was still too early to get breakfast anywhere so we headed home. I had to pull in after 15 mons. I felt I could have drifted off with any blink. I needed a little nap before I trusted myself on the road again. Overall good training with the team.

I'm a city chick so smaller lawn than Sean. Laughing my way around it :-) Another broken night sleep with Zoe. Hope to grab a nap before a long team session tonight

C • Hahahahhaha!!! We've inven... 3

Paddle along the coast with my team. Pretty cool paddling next to the Burren cliffs. Outward leg with Sean and it felt very easy. We chatted away like 2 ould ones. Swapped for Kate at the turn and paddled back with Peter. A crosswind chop for the first hour, then as we approached the head some calm sheltered water. Clocked our quickest kms here. Light was gone paddling the last hour into a stiff headwind and 5ft swells. The stern would lift as they passed under us and plonk back down onto the water. I forgot to eat on the return leg and faded towards the end. We couldn't see the shore so had to use our ears to spot a beach. It was shy of our actual beach but I didn't want to overshoot it. Thankfully no capsize on landing through the breakers. Once ashore we figured it wasn't worth relaunching into the now gnarly sea to paddle a few hundred metres so we portaged back to transition. Trying not to laugh out loud or bump into any tents in the campsite. Got a good taste of what is sure to be on the menu for ITERA

Weight Check. New low, slowly moving in the right direction. Very poor broken night sleep. Bed late after planning a team training session then up and down to Zoe who seemed to be having bad dreams. Alex managed to sleep through it all in the next room. He'd sleep through an earthquake..

The erg was already set up or I may not have bothered. Put on The Prodigy to wake myself up with some thumping beats. Got going eventually, no stats as watch charging. Had to cut shorter than intended because the household woke up.

Still asleep hitting the pavement. Lovely morning but boy is it humid. Dragged my reluctant legs around. Thought left quad felt a bit sore and wondered if I had cramp coming. Realised I have a great big bruise from the fall on the trail yesterday.

Broke a sweat walking! So humid!

White trail in Ballyhoura. Thought about red, the longest but it's closed for construction of wind farms. Just as well struggled around.

Did the Red 2 skills loop to warm up and see how I felt. Tired and rusty. Legs shot. Confidence down as concentration was off.

Set of on the white. Took in the first extra technical loop and while I got down it in one piece it was cautious all the way. Lots of climbs later I dusted the white and myself off. About 2:55hrs on trail, the rest on road. Very warm day for Ireland 26C and the humidity played havoc with my asthma. I had to stop after most climbs to catch my breath or use inhaler. On one very rocky steep ascent I was going so slowly that I keeled over when the front wheel slipped off a rock. Didn't clip out and bashed elbow off rock. Chunk of flesh missing from palm of hand too. Thankfully not my knee again. This session drained me. Drained 1.5l of water and it wasn't enough. Felt weak for last 30 mins

C • Some kayak session! 4

Watching ARWC Scotland 07. Wow epic portage, 10m jumps into frigid water and Ben Nevis..

The first 7hr paddle stage started like a sprint. So I matched the rate of NF from Balance Vector and sustained it.

Picked up a Headcold from Zoe (Caz down too) so I knew the energy wouldn't be great. Put some clip on bars onto my roadie and spent at least half the spin on them. Not as aero as my old carbon TT rig but it'll do. Any hill killed my speed. It was warm and my heart rate would shoot up. Breathing became too erratic and heavy after a short climb and I had to stop and use the ventolin. Could have done with a 2nd water bottle too.

Took nearly 10 min to rehydrate and stretch. Changed shoes and hit the paths. Immediately felt jelly legs but with a rhythm of 4:30 run and 0:30 walk they felt better. It was cloudier and cooler which helped. I though I was running reasonably comfortable until I saw my hr zone readout.

Monitored my sweat rate on this session. Weighed myself before and after and took fluid intake into account. 3hr bike run, total fluid loss 2.7kg! That's 900mls an hour!

That's significant not only for the fluid loss I will have to stay on top of but the electrolyte balance too. Cramps ended my triathlon days. I tried everything but a couple of finish lines on drips and nodes in the back of ambulances was the final straw. I still cramp all the time (even when I sleep) but AR suits me better because I can manage with lower intensity, eating real food and just stop and massage for a minute.

Kind of just want to get Challenge Galway out of the way now so I can refocus on ITERA fully. I don't know why I entered it, seemed like a good idea at the time.