Training Log Archive: Wally80

Event: NavDash 4 - ECU Joondalup
 

Launched from Red Herring and headed upriver. It was fairly bumpy out there and I was getting water in over the side in Minim Cove. Tide must have been coming in fairly quickly though as I was only 5 minutes faster heading back compared to going out.

Decent solid paddle, arms pretty tired at the end and left glute and hammie were very tight.

Stopped in at Walters on the way to Nav Dash for a new rudder and to look at Andre’s boat. Got the valuable talk that the amateurs setting those Boundless events should get the advice of someone who knows what they are doing when they set their courses.

Only just managed to squeeze a run in at the end of the day and my warm up consisted of running to the car for my gear. Subsequently I was very rough through 1-3 with lots of stops to stare at the map. The longer run up to 4 allowed me to get my head a bit more dialled and I ran better. Legs were really not happy about uphills or stairs after the morning paddle.

Long - Splits

Over 5 hours on the road bike this week which is the largest in a long time. Knees held up OK for it all too. It is much easier to do smaller rides when I am resting from paddling.

Ride in again. Actually threw a long sleeved top in the bag but managed to warm up pretty quickly in the frosty air.

Got into work and one of the boys saw the “accident” last night. Turns out two idiots on a scooter were riding down the path and the guy on the back heaved a road cone into a cyclist coming the other way. Damn near flipped him over the sea wall apparently. Cops took witness statements but didn’t catch the idiots at the time.

he he.

I was riding over the narrows, minding my own business when Lo! I see a fair maiden riding in front, shamelessly sucking a commuter bikes wheel. The yonder maiden approaches the crest of the bridge then makes the brave overtaking move. Our fell commuter let the poor maiden flee for well, about a 10m lead before viciously riding her down and shattering her will with a dastardly repass.

Our noble hero continued on his way, just delicately letting Saz know her tricks where witnessed.

Gentle commute in with Rach and some very tired legs. There was some strange wet stuff on the ground that confused me. We saw something similar when we went to Tassie but I can’t remember seeing it in Perth before.

Later ride home after more work drinks. The company appears to have recovered from Christmas now.

Rode past a guy on the path just south of the scout shed looking pretty messed up. He had the Ambos police etc looking after him and the stretcher set up. Not much for me to do so I just kept riding.

Humid run tonight, sweated bags. Decent sized group but only Robin and I doing the bonus Kokoda and DNA reps. Felt like I ran OK and managed to hold better form up the green mile compared to previous weeks.

Sadly, our usual pizza fix got held up by some greedy orienteers. They blamed Juffy though.

Solid ride in after some bandit caught me at the first couple of sets of lights. Legs a bit tired still but holding a steady pace. Enjoying the nice weather while it lasts.

Ride home via Powis st and the coast. Lovely night to be out on the bike.

Arms still pretty tired today and T2 was firing so it was a tough session. I think Andrew and I managed to beat him once each and I popped completely in the second and fifth and just pootled in with the slower groups. The new location and course had T2’s timing a bit off and we were catching the early grids at the turn markers a lot of the time so it made for some crowded moments. I only hit Andrew though so that hardly counts.

After the rudder not really bothering me on the weekend it was strange today. When T2 tried to wash hang me his bow wave would hit my rudder and send me careening into him. It was fine when I was wash hanging off him though. Hopefully I will find time Saturday to pick up a replacement.

The weirdest start with the sprint tri competitors and us in the water in a bunch, when the gun went they took off south on their shorter course and we went north to a turn buoy. They probably filmed it for a new “Tri gumbies” TV show. For such a small field (27 starters) it was still a crowded swim start with a small bit of biff, it settled down after the first turn and then I just tried to stay on a swimmers shoulder for the rest of the distance.

Arms stared to get a bit tired at about the 700m mark so it was a struggled to hold the guy in front but I was happy to be out of the water just behind Rhys and Kris.

4 laps of a 6.8km circuit that had lots of 180 bends and 400 cyclists on it. Each lap went up a small hill twice with the stonking nor’easter meeting us at the top of the hill. Always going to be fun. At least the lanes were wide enough to let us go five wide most of the time.

Bit of a fail as I ran out of TA and realised my chain had fallen off, then I went the quick mount but my feet slipped off the pedals and I veered across the road in front of a couple of other people. Whoops.

Once on the course I turned the speedo display to cadence only and concentrated on keeping it above 90, according to Rach I looked pretty relaxed out there and I was trying to leave something in the legs for the run. Had some real triathletes come past fairly quickly once the OD guys got out on the course but in general the biggest problem was finding a gap in the crowd to take the 180 turns. Some interesting bike handling displays and a few guys dropped their shiny TT rigs on the turns.

Slowed on the back loop of the last lap to have a gel and a bit to drink.

After the crowded bike course it was a surprise to get out on the run and not be able to see anyone. Legs were pretty rubbery so I tried to keep the pace up and then when a girl ran past try and hold her shoulder, I kinda failed at both.

After the first km I caught up to the slower guys from sprint crowd and I found some more motivation, then I could see the leaders in my wave come back from the turn around and lost some motivation. The course dropped us out onto the beach for the last km and I could see Kris and Wade well into their paddle with another 8 or so boats on the water including two plastics.

The course was probably a bit short as they had tucked the turn buoy inside the Woodman Point jetty. It was probably a smart move as the wind was howling through still and there were some unstable paddlers out there. Two lap course between the jetties.

I came into TA with Simon and as he dragged his plastic down I got to overtake and attempt the leap and go technique. It almost ended horribly but a quick brace saved me. I took off downwind with a pair of tired arms not at all liking the concept of paddling. Whilst I can swim OK off no training I don’t recover from it very well.

Still, with the wind behind me I made good time to the turn around and I was trying to set targets from the boats in front of me, I was a little optimistic as I slowed dramatically heading back into the wind but I still managed to catch both plastics, the girl who overtook me on the run and a couple of molokais. Another 3km would have been handy to try to catch Rhys and the other blokes. Why can’t races be set to my strengths?

Managed to not let my leg cramps for the short run to the finish and then it was over. 9th overall but due to the joy of lots of categories I got on the podium with 3rd in M30-39. I don’t know if that would have got me one of the piles of medals that they seem to give out at these things since we were solidly tucking into second breakfast at a café by the time results were announced. I am still unsure if I enjoyed this race, the course was kinda plain and I think I would need to be running and riding a bit better to bother entering this race again. Still, it was good to do some high intensity stuff.

I did get to use the race as justification for afternoon tea at Koko Black though so that was valuable. I am unsure what Rach’s justification was

C • Chocolate doesnt need justification... 2

C • I wasn't inspired to do it ... 2