Training Log Archive: Mounty

Last minute decisions to do events appears to be a developing theme. Had originally planned to do the Blackheart event, but gave up after plan C fell thru' on the partner front.

Was instead going to take the kids along to Sparrow Hill while Katrin rode the 8hr, but when they also ditched me for a better zoo-based offer (Thomas' weekly news today focused on meerkats), made a last minute call to ride as well.

Put the kids to bed on saturday night at my folks place, then drove to Canberra. Arrived at Sparrow Hill around 12:30am in the middle of a worringly huge squall - sideways heavy rain - and slept in the back of Bruno.

Weather was a bit of a shock to the system after the month we've had in Sydney, but in the end turned out to be perfect for a day on the bike. Bit muddy early, but quickly dried in to a perfect tacky & dust-free surface, while the pine forest shelters the wind anyway.

Bit concerned about lining up against the missus at Sparrow Hill - little miss singletrack loves a flat & wiggly outing, while straight and hilly is more my thing - so goal was to avoid too much punishment.

Rusty as expected for the first couple of laps, but slowly got back in to it without collecting any of the pine trees that line the course. Saw Katrin was nearby, so we rode a couple of laps together alternating between me following to see how its done, then her riding behind to give me some cornering tips (taking a moment to giggle about Jarad's Geoquest riding tips for Kathryn).

Headed off separately after a while, but were still < 30sec apart at 4 hours. Technical dilemma at this point. It was becoming clear that my recent experiment to lower the handlebars by a further spacer was not a good one as lower back was getting disturbingly sore, but stopping to adjust would make for a challenging gap to chase.

Back soreness took priority in the end, and pulled in to take off and raise the handlebars. Done in under 5 minutes, and most pleased to discover that back soreness went away instantly - good advertisement for bike fit.

Continued riding around, really starting to enjoy the predominantly downhill and flowing 2nd half of the course, until a major problem struck at 5 hours - I pulled in to drink the can of Coke that Id been looking forward to, but with full fingered gloves I managed only to snap off the ring pull. Arrgghh.

Thought I might be in with a shot of catching wifey - 5 minute gap had closed to < 3min, and my lap times were staying consistent, but then it stayed almost identical for rest of the day. Finished full of beans, and quite pleased with the day's outing. Fun times.

Suprised by consistency of lap times. Last 5 laps were
39:26,
39:27, (+30sec supply stop)
39:25,
39:26,
39:39

Opera house trot, with an LMC interval on the way home to see where the legs are at: 2:28 (uphill), doing it easy. Huge difference in my top end running form if the hip is opening well.

Absurdly nice day. 20 degrees, sunny, hint of a gentle breeze - can't think of how to make the weather better for trotting purposes.

Stomped a big gear up the hills.

No magpie today, but got bombed by a mynah bird at Malga. Wtf - like being attacked by a minature chiuwawah.

Slipped the magpie with a cunning change of pace through the corner in question. 1-1.

Otherwise, riding sh*thouse so eased right off and trundled in a la recoery ride style. Quite pleasant.

Left late enough to see the soup van on Martin Place, and rode home hard - taking the North Sydney & High Street short cuts. 43min ride time garage to garage.

Magpie!! Spring has sprung.

What is funny is that my AP entry for Tuesday 26 August 2008 notes the arrival of the same bird. The little fella must have a calendar.

He still hasn't worked out that if you attack from behind with the sun at 7 o'clock high, your little bird shadow gives the game away. He did get in a very good first 'element of suprise' whack though.

Light went out halfway. Grr. Reasonably sedate ride.

Absolutely stuffed.

Long run, maximising time next to the water on such a nice day. Last 5km of the Nosh course to start, then down to Spit for the "Spit to Manly" walk.

Stopped on the Corso at Manly for an ice-cream (ran in to Guns from Blackheart in the shop), then up the beach at Manly eating my ice-cream and dodging semi-naked Brits. Over the headland, across Freshwater beach dodging infants, some rock-hopping around to Curly, up that beach dodging high tide.

Then headed inland across the Curl Curl lagoon park, and dug out google maps on the phone to find a way through to Manly Dam. Kind of cool running along with the map and a little blue dot showing where you are.

Up the Manly Dam walking track to Warringah pool, then home along the roads.

Thought about adding on an extra k at the end to round out marathon distance, but cbf.

Tunks park on the ski. Steady paddle, working on form. Shortened the paddle and focused on vertical catch and rotation from the hips - not windmilling the shoulders. Some decent bicycle action happening with the legs by the end.

Bewdiful day.

There comes a moment in every sporting life when somethnig happens and deep down you think "no matter what I do in future, it isn't going to get any better than this".

And so it was when I picked up the latest edition of Australian Mountain Bike, and was confronted with a 2 page colour spread of myself in pose that could only be described as impressive.

C • You're my Hero! 2

Office worker's Andy Hill run. Ran home after a long day of work that finished with a couple of glasses of wine.

Struggled.

The new bikepath under Military Rd is great. Removes a set of lights, and one of the few busy bits on the commute route. Most pleased.

Solid ride, rushing home in time to collect the kids. Took the Nth Sydney shortcut.

Ran to work from Castle Cove. Felt sh*thouse and ran accordingly for the first half hour, but improved steadily & honking along nicely by town.

Seems to be a developing theme - takes me half an huor to warm up from a cold start in the morning.

Explored the new bridge/underpass at Military Road. Definite scope to tweak the inbound commute route.

Bus to Malga Ave & trot back to the car. I can see this combo turning in to a pseudo-regular running commute.

Feeling a lot better than yesterday.

Commutervals. 12*1min effort randomly spread thru' ride, with a rough tendency to align efforts to uphills.

Attempted a lunch trot as it was such a nice day. Mildly suprised to find that I was absolutely shagged, and struggled to plod for a little while before giving up and heading back to the office for a bag of jelly babies.

Urgh

Out to Brooklyn and back with Cam, Darvo & their mate Simon. A bit quicker at times than the promised cruise, but a glorious summer like day.

Made the most of not having to rush home, with a stop at Pie in the sky for a satay lamb pie, blueberry pie and coffee. Then another stop in Turramurra for a milkshake. Didn't touch the bars in the pocket.

Akuna Bay Multisport.

Hadn't planned to do this (entries sold out months ago), but with the family away skiing for a couple of days and a last minute entry showing up 'for sale' on sleepmonsters the day before the event, couldn't think of a reason not to front-up. Bit unsure about the paddle leg though with AP telling me I've done 4hrs of paddling in the past 10 weeks, and a bit disorganized in general having just started a new job this week (same company).

Regardless, a good opportunity to get a bit of a gauge where the fitness is at.

Road Cycle: 32km, 55:30
Horribly disorganised group this year - no obvious pack to hook in with. Made harder by riding in to the big group that started 5 minutes ahead towards the top of the hill, and not knowing who was who. 9:30 to the top of the climb, then solo along West Hd Rd for a while until I eventually managed to find a couple of others to share the load with.


But none of that really matters, BECAUSE THEY HAVE JUST RELAID THE WEST HEAD RD WITH HOTMIX. Hard to over-estimate how cool this is. Always been a fantastic location for riding, but the surface was dead and rough. Therefore, despite a very average ride, finished in high spirits and in to the boat.

Kayak, 12km, 65min
3minute odd transition then paddled off to Bobbin Head.

Unsuprisingly, paddling form was shit-house at first. Not helped by setting paddle too long in the rushed get ready - like riding a bike in too high a gear. Hugh Stodart caught up near Cottage Point (had started 5 minutes behind). Held his & another boat's wash for a while, but lost him in a bit of backwash (I was in the wobbly boat) and didn't get back on.

Glad I had someone to follow though - it was so foggy, I had no idea which arm lead to Bobbin head.

Started to rediscover a bit of rotation towards the end, and trundled in to Apple Tree Bay a couple of minutes behind Hugh & Liam Delany (who'd held Hugh's wash all the way).

Run, 12km, 65:30
Headed off on the Sphinx loop feeling pretty fresh. Moving well over the rough ground, picking off a couple of large paddling types early, but noticeably lacking the top gear needed for that extra bit of zippiness you need for short runs.

Caught Hugh S up the top of the hill, got passed him thru' the hairpins and finished a minute ahead (meaning he'd beaten me by 4 minutes), but Liam Delany stayed away leaving me 3rd overall. Nice to get a prize check, but field a bit soft.

Really enjoyed the run leg.


Learnings
- Base fitnesss is very good.
- Hill running is good - zoomed up Sphinx hill.
- Badly out of practice at 'going fast'/keeping HR right up. Don't think I could have gone much faster over the course, but never really hurting and too fresh at the finish. Having said that, it's a very enjoyable way to race.
- Paddling form is a bit shyte.

Which all just goes to show that you are a product of the type of training you do. Plan to prioritise intensity over volume for a while, with an eye towards the Japan run.

Pretty sure I rode to work, but didnt ride home.

Rode in from Physio at Hunter's Hill. Life is good after a loosen up.

Rode back to Hunters HIll, with a random detour through the maze that is Balmain. Suprisingly I found my way out again. Fun.

Steady ride in to town.

Commuting lesson #357: It is difficult to sneak a glance at a pretty lass when you have an 800 lumen spotlight on your head.

C • hilarious! 2

Lunchtime gym play.

Hustled home in time to collect the kids.

Amusing anecdote of the day was getting packed and dressed to ride to work in the morning, only to discover that bike wasnt at home. Had left it in town on friday.

Busy. Interesting to note DOMS is worse 48hrs after a big session, than the day after. Confirmed also by Katrin and her post City to Surf legs. She ran 62 - not bad for a cyclist.

River loop recovery jog. Stopped for a couple of stretches at the nice view spots along the river.

Quads a bit sore from yesterday, but not too bad. Glute medius's (butt stabiliser muscles) however are smashed.

The legendary Andy Hill & NSW Stinger Belrose pipeline hill session.

Decided it was time to step up and have a crack at the famed session of 10 reps up the Belrose pipeline hill - exactly 100m climb for each, with 40m of it up the pinch of death at halfway.

Off to a good start on the first until I hit the steep bit and the lactic started to pump - the hill taunting 'welcome to the big leagues kid'. Quads feeling pumped on the first jog down, which ws a bit of a concern.

Settled in to a rythm after a sprightly first couple, with eyes set on making it to 5. 3 minute rest when I got there, taking the opportunity to up the music to something a bit more feisty for the second set.

6-8 felt better than 3-5, then time to face up to the last 2. Had to work but under control right up to the final pinch, when I slipped over the oxygen debt threshold and copped that feeling of how wonderfully nice it would be to walk. Got to the top and lay on the bitumen for a while.

Big session for +1000m climb at intensity. Splits were suprisingly steady - only a 3 second spread for the last 7, even though they all felt quite different.

1-5: 3:51, 3:53, 4:02, 4:04, 4:05
6-10: 4:05, 4:06, 4:07, 4:05, 4:04

Jogs down: 5:07, 5:15, 5:33, 5:10, 5:18, 5:20, 5:32, 5:41(pee), 5:26

C • nice one! 4

Popped the cherry of the Elite Double, with a late afternoon paddle down at Fisherman's with Damon. Sporadic swell of about 2m, but a nice windchop with a 10-15kt southerly.

Damon quick to be the first to pee in the boat (urgh), then off to North Narra looking for chop. Worked out too late that we should have asked Fleur (who was running on the beach) to drive down to Palmie for a downwind run. Doh.

First impressions of the Elite suggest that it's impressive. Much more solid than the Mark2 in the rough, picks up earlier and bewdifully agile on a wave - feels like driving a single ski. mmm toys.

Low gear spin, except for a bit of a windup across the bridge. Very suprised to hit 37kmh on the up section with ease. Either watching the Tour has got the legs going or there was a tailwind. Suspect the latter, but will go with the former.

Ran to work from Castle Cove. Bit cumbersome for the first half hour, but running well by the end. Tired.

Hustled back to make the collect the kids cut-off.

Quicker end of the cruisy spectrum in to town. Another spanker of a morning.

Opera House loop. Tall, long, loose & easy was the theme for the day.

Opera House loop from the gym. Plan was for an easy run to finish feeling better than when I started. Photogenic day - couple of swerves to keep out of Japanese wedding photos.

Post run weights. Dunno what it is called, but the 'squat with straight back and lift a 30kg bar weight to your chest' is a goodie for me - combines upper body and core. Need to add to the regular repetoire.

Bank holiday ride. Rode with wifey up to Bobbo, then joined some work colleagues for a social ride. Had expected a cruise up north, but for various reasons ended up just going back and forth thru bobbin head. 5 climbs in all. Mostly cruisy but pushed the last one.

Cafe at North Turra, then home in time to collect the kids from school. I could get used to taking Mondays off.

Cruise with Damon, Toby C and a mate of his. Up the river to the pipeline, then along the pipeline back to Manly Dam. Left Toby & friend at the dam, and ran back home with Damon via Bantry Bay track. Absurdly nice day.

First ocean paddle for ages. From Fishermans up to North Narra and back, then a play around the reef. Solid groundswell, that was sitting up nicely around the reef. Caught a couple of rippers.

Glorious day.

Post run paddle. Up to the Long Reef lookout, then over to Curly for some beach intervals. 5 * 2min on 1 min rec. Sand running is good for you.

While I was paddling I was watching 3 guys on a sailing boat pottering around in the area I was paddling, wondering how they intended to land. Bit dicey in a southerly swell at the boatramp, even if not a break zone.

As I returned from my run, I saw the sailors on the beach picking up the tiny pieces of what used to be their boat - had been completely smashed in to not very big pieces. Felt a bit guilty taking a photo, but couldnt resist.