Coaching Endurance 2012 from Matt Hart on Vimeo.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Desert Triathlon International Distance
It was one year ago this weekend (now 10 days ago) that I finished my first triathlon, ironically I started weak and finished strong, I say ironically as this time around it was a complete reverse.
As mentioned in my last post I managed to pick up some stomach bug. I first noticed at 1am Sunday morning on race day, when I woke feeling hot and nauseous, I put it down to race nerves, drank some water, turned on the AC and went back to bed. The next morning I felt ok, not great but ok. I couldn’t face any food and so I sipped on some water, I couldn’t even face coffee…now that’s a warning sign! The room was hot, I was in Palm Desert which even in March was warm. I went outside and at 6am it was a little cooler than the room and I felt better. A short drive to the race site and after the usual shenanigans of parking and setting up the bike etc I was set. I managed to sip some coffee and my stomach felt settled. I got into my wetsuit and into the water, it was cold but I had made the practice swim the day before and I knew what to expect and so I got wet and cold, especially in my ears and up my nose and water down the back so as to not get a shock. My wave was one of the last to go, so I lined up and with a whoop was in the water.
I had a target of 35-40 minutes for the swim, my sighting was pretty bad and I kept veering off to the right, eventually I could sight on some rocks and that kept me fairly straight. 32:54 minutes later I got out of the water…I was shocked and very happy, with better sighting I could have made sub 30 minutes, I am never going to be fast be was really pleased with the result. I was 52/61
A solid and steady Transition and I was on the bike. The bike course is a bit rough to start but then it’s pancake flat, I was feeling good through to about mile 18 and then my stomach started going south and my speed with it. I still hadn’t eaten anything and was drinking High-5 electrolyte fluids. I hit the 20 mile mark in just over the hour but slowed to finish the bike in 1:15:15 moving up to 45/61, had I maintained my 20mph I would have finished around 35/61 but it was not to be.
Another unremarkable Transition and I was on the run. Two loops around the lake, the first mile was fine the second a bit slower, by mile three I was throwing in walk breaks, I passed the first loop and felt terrible. To cut a long story short I walked the entire second loop with the exception of the last 100 yards. 6 miles took me 1:21:42…just to remind you my 10k PR is 43:04 on a bad day I can average 50 minutes! I was last in my AG. Overall for the race 59/61 in 3:17:18
I crossed the finish line and collapsed in some shade which was unfortunately by the podium and they wanted to get on with the awards so I crawled off to find some more shade and was basically rescued by TriBeccaTO who sat me down by a tree and took care of me, packing me up and driving me home.
The next three days were spent at home. I lost 8lbs in total although that’s creeping back on!
Despite my thoughts to and some encouragement to quit I am glad I finished, it was a case of mind over matter. I just goes to show that you can drag your sorry self along just for a piece of metal!
As mentioned in my last post I managed to pick up some stomach bug. I first noticed at 1am Sunday morning on race day, when I woke feeling hot and nauseous, I put it down to race nerves, drank some water, turned on the AC and went back to bed. The next morning I felt ok, not great but ok. I couldn’t face any food and so I sipped on some water, I couldn’t even face coffee…now that’s a warning sign! The room was hot, I was in Palm Desert which even in March was warm. I went outside and at 6am it was a little cooler than the room and I felt better. A short drive to the race site and after the usual shenanigans of parking and setting up the bike etc I was set. I managed to sip some coffee and my stomach felt settled. I got into my wetsuit and into the water, it was cold but I had made the practice swim the day before and I knew what to expect and so I got wet and cold, especially in my ears and up my nose and water down the back so as to not get a shock. My wave was one of the last to go, so I lined up and with a whoop was in the water.
I had a target of 35-40 minutes for the swim, my sighting was pretty bad and I kept veering off to the right, eventually I could sight on some rocks and that kept me fairly straight. 32:54 minutes later I got out of the water…I was shocked and very happy, with better sighting I could have made sub 30 minutes, I am never going to be fast be was really pleased with the result. I was 52/61
A solid and steady Transition and I was on the bike. The bike course is a bit rough to start but then it’s pancake flat, I was feeling good through to about mile 18 and then my stomach started going south and my speed with it. I still hadn’t eaten anything and was drinking High-5 electrolyte fluids. I hit the 20 mile mark in just over the hour but slowed to finish the bike in 1:15:15 moving up to 45/61, had I maintained my 20mph I would have finished around 35/61 but it was not to be.
Another unremarkable Transition and I was on the run. Two loops around the lake, the first mile was fine the second a bit slower, by mile three I was throwing in walk breaks, I passed the first loop and felt terrible. To cut a long story short I walked the entire second loop with the exception of the last 100 yards. 6 miles took me 1:21:42…just to remind you my 10k PR is 43:04 on a bad day I can average 50 minutes! I was last in my AG. Overall for the race 59/61 in 3:17:18
I crossed the finish line and collapsed in some shade which was unfortunately by the podium and they wanted to get on with the awards so I crawled off to find some more shade and was basically rescued by TriBeccaTO who sat me down by a tree and took care of me, packing me up and driving me home.
The next three days were spent at home. I lost 8lbs in total although that’s creeping back on!
Despite my thoughts to and some encouragement to quit I am glad I finished, it was a case of mind over matter. I just goes to show that you can drag your sorry self along just for a piece of metal!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
IMSG training Week 7, 8, 9…
Let’s do a quick recap of the missing weeks of IMSG Training;
Week 7 Came down with Flu, managed to run, walk and crawl my way through the week!
Week 8 Decided to stop training, take 10 days off to clear up the Bronchitis from January and the Flu from February.
Week 9 Half a week’s training over the second half of the week, I limped (literally with a niggle in my hip) along as I stopped to cough up my lungs when I ran, I avoided the pool and could feel the fitness start to drain out of me.
Week 10 I had an Olympic work up race on the Sunday at the Desert Tri, I picked up a stomach bug that reduced my 10k run to a walk and had me spending Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at home…but hey I am only one stomach flu from my ideal weight…I lost 8lbs!
Week 11 Mostly spent recovering from the Stomach bug.
Week 12 (this week) I thought long and hard about St George, which is 8 weeks away, decided to call it and cancelled the hotel reservation…no St George for me.
It wasn’t that hard a decision, I’ll spare you all the justification and rationale, if it’s its good by me it should be good by you right!
So what’s next, I have a Olympic Tri in June and then that’s it maybe, probably for the year. I have spent the last 5 years racing and when not injured have been on a training plan targeting something. Added to which in a month’s time I am closing on a house and moving so that’s going to take up some time too. I am not moving far and staying local but it does open up some new trails that I have never seen before. I checked the local-est trail last night with TribeccaTO, we didn’t get far due to the failing light but the first mile or so was a bit challenging…1000’ feet of gain, but it looks like we can connect through to some more familiar ones and make a nice loop or out and back.
I am also going back to my roots some and one thing that I am looking forward to spending the summer having some fun back on trails on one of these, I mountain biked for years in the UK and did for several more when I moved to the US, I even raced once or twice…yes there will be some Go Pro footage!
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