I've made it to Taper!!!

Well it is 1 week today until THE RACE.....eek!

Last Sunday saw another milestone in my training - a 30km run, and it was ok :-). How exciting, maybe not running for 4 months and only having started back 'land running' 4 weeks previous just means that I haven't over trained and smashed my legs...fingers crossed! And then.....taper!

It has been strange this week, 2 full days off (no, I wasn't really at Tuesday morning track session...I wasn't really there - honest, it wasn't me!). Then just 'maintenance' sessions to keep the legs and arms ticking over. Although Saturday Emm, Jacque and I did our session together and it really didn't feel too much like taper - 4 hours on the bike with rain, head winds, and a large hole in my new $90 tyre...followed by a 30 minute run. We had the realisation as we were riding around today that we will be doing exactly the same at the same time next week.....why is this a point of note you ask...well cause it will be during the race!!!!! OMG it is almost here!

But it was a momentous session on Saturday, the last long ride / run of the whole IM campaign. I remember our rides 20 weeks ago. It all seemed so far off then, and now it's here. We went from starting in the dark, to the summer weeks of riding at 430am and it was light; and we've gone full circle, we're starting in the dark again. Emm loudly declared this morning; 'This is the last time I am riding in the dark...ever'. Sure Emm, I'll ask you in July when we're having our coffee ride and it is dark, and cold :-). So, a few pictures of our last saturday session:






Sunday saw mass participation in the Clem 7 Tunnel run. 5000 eager runners (somre more eager than others) ran 10.45 km under the Brisbane River and back again before cars get the chance to clog it up with fumes. I was quite looking forward to it, 60minute run was scheduled on my 'taper' schedule and so I planned on just a gentle cruise along. Well, it wasn't that enjoyable - it was stinking hot with no ventilation. Luckily I got through and back again before the aid stations ran out of water, and was pretty pleased with my 12th overall women across the line. Not bad for a Sunday morning stroll :-). If I'd known how hot it was going to be though, I would have thought again....!

And it's Monday again....week 2 of taper, day before flying to NZ, day of packing, day of massage, day of epsom salt bath, day of thinking.....'it's too late if I haven't done enough now'!!!!!! eeeek!

Off to pack!

Faye
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Gumby Week

I think the culminating effects of Ironman training are starting to show across the board.....

Myself - went for a swim on Thursday morning and forgot my towel...drip drying is not ideal and does not compare with the benefits of a large fluffy towel - especially when you know you've got another drip dry later in the day after a water run!!
BUT
I was glad to see that I am not alone in my gumbyness this week, there have been others who are succumbing to the Zzzzzz's that cloud a clear thought process, or actually stop the thought process working its way to conclusion when packing kit for training, or even whilst training:
Bec - forgot to pack her bra in her swimming bag, making work an interesting contemplation of sports top under business clothes.
Kieron - forgot the business socks....the choice; white socks under suit pants, or sockless....both not quite the slick image K ;-)and I'm sorry to say mate that there is no hope because you've got another 6 weeks and we've only got 3 - it can only get worse!!!
Emm - a lapse of concentration prior to actually starting a training ride, fell off in the driveway.
Bronnie - deserves a special mention since she forgot her knickers when going to a swim session and then onto work....Bron, you're not even doing IM, there's no excuse!!

I am very glad that taper starts in another week's time, rest, rest, rest. Or actually am I? Doesn't that mean race day is that much closer.....?!!!!!! 20 days and counting....

So this weekend was the last 'long' long weekend of training. 5 1/2 hrs on the bike plus a 30 minute run, plus 3 hours of back to back massaging....Zzzzzzzz was heard by about 8pm!! And today being Sunday was my long run - yipeeeee. And that's only a 'yipeeeee' cause I can run again, not because it felt good - after yesterday's efforts my legs felt like lead! And this is where I ran:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/au/mermaid%20waters%2c%20qld/228126611704742252

And now? Nana nap followed by a 'recovery' swim - the emphasis on recovery, float, float, thrash the arms about a little bit, and float a bit more :-)))))

Napping time is a wasting!

F
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Milestones and Nerves

This last weekend marked a milestone in my Ironman training, injury journey, and general all round personal development!!

Firstly, I swam 3.8km in a long sleeved wet suit - and almost melted as the outside temperature was about 32degrees!!!
Secondly, I ran for 2hrs - actually the longest I've ever ran, ever, and also having only started running after my calf injury 3 weeks ago, I was pretty pleased with that!

Now, rewind a little bit.

My last blog seems soo long ago - probably because it is. I have been meaning to write for the last 3 weeks, and then my training, eating, sleeping, needing to sleep some more, training again AND trying to have a bit of a social life.....just seems to get in the way!!

Well, as you may have gathered, I decided to continue my IM journey. At the time I'd only run once, for 20 minutes. And now I have done several runs, including my 2hrs yesterday - Yippee!! Or I think yippee, as that now means I am still doing IM and have to do that in less than 4 weeks time....! Agh!

Highlights of the past 3 weeksish? Well last weekend I entered the 'Hell of the West' long course triathlon with gun team member Nat Dellow.


Team 'Fat Jellow' ripped up the girls teams and won with over 8 minutes to spare :-). $150 prize money - thanks very much!





And on the way to 'Gundi' I acquired a supporter for my race in Taupo - thanks Nessie :-)))))) soo excited that I now have someone to shout for me and pick me up at the end!!



And have I introduced you to Triathl3te racers yet? Gerrard, Craig, Jeff, Nigel, Mike, Richard, Rusty, Emma and me! Well the kit is in! On the ride after melting in my wesuit on Saturday, Emma, Craig and myself went for a ride in our matching gear - check it out!!



And check out www.triathl3te.com.au

So what now? Well there are 3 weeks and 5 days to go until I swim ride and run around Taupo. I am having momentary 'freak out' moments wandering why on earth I decided to do this amazing but crazy race. What is it that drives us to train like mad, give up normal life for 4 months, and put ourselves through a day of gruelling exercise? Well I guess that's what makes us who we are in life :-).

Off to do core exercises....!

Faye
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It's a Garfish Week

Well back to reality after such a lovely Christmas break pretending to be a full time triathlete...emphasis on thee 'tri' I think!!!

So this week marks an important milestone in my journey to Ironman. Friday 15th January marks the date when I am either 'all stops out' or 'all stop'. I had a traumeel injection in my calf last Friday in hope that it might settle down the tightness and pain I am still getting. It is now 14 weeks since I've run, and with a little over 7 until my legs are supposed to belt out a marathon on top of everything else....

Last week was a 'recovery' week in the 20 week programme, the last in the race build up. It included an easy 3 hour ride on Sunday. Emm, Soph and I commented on the way round that it actually made us realise how far we'd come in our journey - the ride really was easy compared to the past few weeks. We cruised through over 90km, which at the start of this campaign would have been a 'long' ride!!! Your perpective changes a little when you become entrenched in Ironman training.

So after 'recovery' week (it still included about 16 hours of training) you'd think I'd be feeling fresh as a daisy..mmmmm well if yesterday was anything to go by then I didn't spend enough time recovering. After a really good strength wind train and water run session with Emm yesterday morning, I did some massages and then went to core strength. What I omitted in that was the 2....yes 2 sleeps I had. One quick 20 min on the massage table, and another 30 mins nap in the car before getting stuck into push ups, prone holds, squats, more push ups, arm weights, tricep dips, lunges, more prone holds, 50 varieties of crunches, and more push ups..(thanks Jacqui!!).

This week it is back to a full on training schedule. My friend suggested maybe I needed an easy week based on yesterday's napping marathon, 'but Nessy I had that last week and this is supposed to be a garfish one'. Have you every forgotton to check predictive text before you send it...well yes my 'garfish' week also represents my state of mind I think. Confusion is setting in, is my legs store because the injury is still bad, or because there's scar tissue that has tightened everything up, or a mixture of both? Or am I in that tired all the time mode and not thinking straight about anything anymore?

Well anyway, I decided that this morning I should really give my leg a run out before I made my decision whether I'm in or not. So I did the squad track session and am now sitting on ice for a while...and maybe I'll sneak a little nap in before work..it's all a bit too hardish!!

Faye
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My Life as a Fulltime Triathlete ;-)

Well it is back down to earth this week, after having a full week off work I am now back into the normality of daily routine!

For one week, I have been living up the coast, no work, lots of training, relaxation and just total time out. It made me think about the demographics of triathletes and the commitments and sacrifices each put in to pursuing personal goals.

The week of training, relaxing, eating, sleeping, (OK and a fair bit of drinking!) more training and not having to get up too early because there was no work to come after training - made me feel like I was living the life of a pro-athlete :-). But then I was reminded of the realities - unless you really are top of your game, then there's not much money to be made in racing for a living, and you still have the expense of it all (bar a bit of kit sponsorship) - supplements, good food, massage, physio, living in general - all without a regular income. The plus side is that you life becomes a training, recovery, training cycle; you can sleep when you need to and not worry about the fatigue from training 20+ hrs a week and holding down a full time job; oh, and that you have the best opportunity to fulfil your athletic potential!

Compare it with the life of a wanna be full time triathlete:
Up at anywhere between 4am and 5am for a training session of 1-3 hours, grab breakfast on the go or get to work and have breakfast at the desk. Work for 8hrs, feel like falling asleep mid morning, feel like falling asleep again at about 3pm, go to another training session of 1-2hrs, get home about 8pm, cook, eat, pack bags to repeat the day again tomorrow, sleep....
But, earn money, have great training buddies who also will have a drink now and again; still have to pay for kit, physio, massage, supplements etc....but have money to do it. The negatives; constant fatigue, prone to injury, always striving to reach potential but in reality unless you are some kind of physical freak (Scott, Natalie and Charlie spring to mind!)- you will never quite fulfil your athletic potential.

However, we'll all have a great time trying!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year! Happy racing, Happy socialising! And keep it all in perspective!

Faye
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Merry Christmas Training!!!

So what does Christmas training bring to the festivities this year?

Christmas Eve: A leisurely 2hr ride with fellow IM Craig & Emm, and Muffy, Nic, Kaylee, Daniele and Emily. The River Loop was very civilised, Nic had her bike speakers blaring Jingle Bells, we saw other cyclists with their tinsel and Santa hats on....


and my speedo read 77.5kph at the bottom of Dornoch Terrace!!! My aim of IM training now is to crack 80kph!









Christmas Day: a leisurely 50 min walk (a very leisurely 10min run snuck into the mix...!). Followed by breakfast of eggs and ham and watching Santa on a boat pulled by reindeer...mince pie making....and a bbq to come at Mike & Ewen's place - good and drinks round the pool with fellow 'Christmas Orphans' :-)

Boxing Day: now this is where the word leisurely falls out of the Christmas period training.....a 4.5hr ride is planned. Will I make it? Well I will start it and see how the leg is...and continue as long as it isn't hurting..

And finally some enlightened words from my esteemed fellow IM, Bec who is jetting off to Las Vegas today (Christmas Day):

"I have to say, as I was packing the car this morning I caught the towers on Mount Coot-tha winking at me. So I told them to f&ck off because I realised I wasn't going anywhere near them until next year!"

Merry Christmas!!

Faye
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IM Camp

Well last Friday saw the start of a 2 day (4 for some hard nuts!) training camp for the 20 or so crazy bods taking on Ironman in not too many weeks....11 for NZ and 14 for Port Mac.

Ali was coming off the back of a podium finish at the Canberra 1/2 IM a week ago, Tim O was easing back into training after a back injury has seen him doing nothing for several weeks, and for many this weekend was going to represent the first ever ride over 3hrs....get that body glide and chammy cream ready! There was a lot of uneasy anticipation of what lay ahead.

Having just been told by my physio to cut back on cycling due to my calf injury feeling worse, the prospect of the 5 hour Saturday morning ride suddenly didn't seem so onerous since I'd be stopping after 2...so much for hardcore Ironman training! All the goodies I'd packed to fuel me before, during and after the ride were all going to seem a little redundant. Hammer endurance fuel, vegemite sandwiches, gels, biscuits and an ice-cold Sprite for finishing just don't hold the same value for 2 hours in the saddle...I'd feel guilty even having the Sprite afterwards!

The weekend started off Friday night with a trail run in Noosa National Park for most. I'd done an hour water running in the morning and so opted for the get there later and chill option :-). After a Thai feed, we all rushed off to bed at 9pm in preparation for the forthcoming slog fest.

My own training was of course reduced from what was scheduled, I actually did less than I have been doing the last few weekends with Em and Jacque. But the change of scenery, having nothing better to do than chilling out and resting after training was great. It was also a good time to socialise with more of the group doing IM. I was truly impressed by everyone's efforts over the weekend. For those doing 4 days, they backed up the Saturday 5hr ride with a 4hr ride on Tuesday morning too...after swimming, running and more riding in between.


And mine, well the highlight was steaming up Noosa hill against the advice of Coach who reiterated the need in IM to pace the hills.....and flying down the other side of Noosa hill when advised to go easy in the wet - 72.3km per hr - now that made me temporarily forget about not being able to run, or ride quite how I should be at this stage of IM training!!!!



Onward and upward (I'll be back smashing out laps of Cootha again soon)!!

Faye
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