Mooloolaba Tri Race Report

As promised, here is the report from Mooloolaba.

In short, it was fantastic. The conditions were ideal for racing and the day was a milestone in my journey.


It was a perfect day and the conditions were as good as they get; approximately 22deg C with no wind, water was warm and resembling a pond. My setup in transition was fine and I walked alone down the 800m beach to the start with still some concern about cramping in the swim, but it turned out great; no sign of cramps and I felt comfortable and kept a good stroke all the way. The only negative was the outgoing tide was slowing me down towards the beach but nothing too bad. I hadn’t done very much swim training to be honest, so I was more than pleased to have made it without a problem. The jog to T1 was long but ok, however I decided to take more time in the transitions to make sure things were right. The bike was also great, with no wind to speak of and my bike performed wonderfully. It felt fast although the time isn’t anything to brag about, but there were no dramas and as with the swim it felt like the best bike I’d ever done. But that’s where the fairytale ends. T2 was particularly slow as I cramped bending over to change shoes, so I had to sit down. Then I just had no energy left and my bad leg started to ache. So my run was in a word woeful; I just didn’t ever get any pace up. Now I know that just being there was good enough and the very fact I could run 10km should be worth celebrating, but it was so arduous that I didn’t have any fun. The hill was hard work and I was really feeling the 165km bike ride back from the gold coast the week before at this point and so the run was not much more than a shuffle. The last time over the hill was torture and I cramped badly on the downhill into the finish, stopping twice to pull the cramp. The end result was 2:44 which has bothered me a bit, with the run being almost an even hour, which is a far, far cry from my pb of 2:16 at Noosa a couple of years ago. But that was then and this is now. So I have a starting point and am determined to improve on this time at Noosa in November this year.

This is basically the end of the triathlon season here in Queensland. There are a couple more races in other states but I'm done for now. I have my work to do in the off season, which by comparison is pretty tame, i.e. no snow or sub zero temperatures to train in. But mark my words; come Noosa at the end of the year, I'll be running off the bike like a demon.

Bye for now.

The Big Day Approacheth

Hello people,

Its been a long time since my last post but I think it has been worth the wait.

Hmm….let me see, where to begin? Lets cut to the chase shall we?

I’ve entered in the Mooloolaba Triathlon this weekend. Yep, my first Olympic distance race since May 2006, just before “the injury” which was supposed to see the end of my running days. How did I get to this point you ask? Simple. I want it badly enough. By that I mean it was a matter of doing what had to be done, and that means running when my nerve-damaged leg and foot screamed for me to stop; riding longer and longer distances and still sprinting whenever a mate attacked; stuff like that.

The result is I can now run 10km without issues. I can ride up mountains and cover 100km without any trouble and believe it or not swim 1500m without cramps (see previous post). So I’m in.

Some of the stuff I’ve done in the past 4 months include running to work and home again, which is about 8km each way, 3 times a week. I rode last weekend to the Gold Coast (my favourite ride) and then rode back again with 5 others for a total of 163km, 5hrs31mins, ave spd 29.4kph, and mixed sessions in the pool that finish with a 1500m race pace without cramps. Yes, the foot hurts and yes it doesn’t work as it once did. I’ve come to the conclusion that it won’t heal any more and this is what I’m left with, but that’s ok as I’ve learned to run to a fashion with it. And as long as I can cover the distance of the oly then all’s well. I've also adopted a regime of weekly climbing sessions of 5 laps up and down my local mountain, and twice weekly rides of 75km before work. These two things have helped my bike strength beyond measure and I'm essentially back to where I was on the bike before the injury.

So I took the plunge and entered one of Australia’s more difficult Olympic distance races. Why is it difficult? Well, the swim is in open water that can become monstrous when there’s a low pressure system hanging around. The ride is out and back with strong cross and headwinds on an open highway, followed by the run that includes a challenging hill that must be traversed several times. But I’m ready now and not about to wait until November when Noosa comes around again.

So I promise to post a race report with all the ups and downs. Who knows, I could still cramp badly in the swim and have to cling to a paddle board, or I could simply not stand the pain in the foot any more somewhere in the run. But then that’s triathlon isn’t it? Any number of things can happen in the race, so there’s a point where you have to say “I’ve done everything I can, now its up to fate’.

Ciao.

Race Report - Bribie Island Triathlon Series Race 1

Yup.

You read correctly, a race report. If you've been reading my blog this year you will now be saying "what the...?" And fair enough too. When I last left you I'd just started a new job and the training/rehabilitation was fast slipping back in the priority listing.

So I had to act.

The Bribie Island Triathlon Series has been running for many years and while it isn't a full oly distance, its a great benchmark for the bigger events and a lot of fun too. The first of the season is always a shorter race, being exactly half oly and, well, I decided it was time to stop waiting for the nerve damage to heal enough for me to race somewhere like my old self. Fact is, I'm not my old self and probably won't ever be. So the reality is perhaps its time to start getting on with the self I have now. That meant it was time to test things out. Sure I haven't stepped into a training pool for several months and sure I haven't done much running apart from my 4km, again some time ago, but hey, no harm in trying. So I registered mid-week, prepped the bike and went through my gear to check nothing had disintegrated through lack of use. It hadn't, if you don't count my legs. So here goes...


Race Report
Weather was ideal with a light breeze and air/water temp not too cool, though some were feeling it and opted for a wetsuit. The swim started around 8am and as normal it was with the current in Pumicstone Passage. My group were towards the end so I got to see most others go and watched how the current affected the swim. Since I hadn’t been in a pool for more than two months I let the pack go ahead and took my time, settling into a rhythm, bilateral breathing and not kicking. My fear was not the distance but leg cramps, which I had been suffering on my last three occasions in the pool. They were crippling and forced me to stop each time and cling to the side until I could force it to release. If this happened in the open water it would not be fun. I almost introduced myself to one of the rescue paddle-board riders to ask for special attention. However this wasn’t an issue as there were no signs of cramp and I found myself at the finish buoy without a problem.

Exiting the water I started to remember what triathlon is about, i.e. shifting from one thing to the next and it being a little difficult. I was barefoot through sand and that’s the worst for my foot and leg, so it was a bit arduous. The run to transition was around the perimeter of the bike racks so it was like a mini run leg with me limping all the way! At the bike things went smoothly; I decided to put my shoes on there and run in cleats. Previously I did the shoes-clipped-to-bike thing but again the damaged leg might prove an issue getting into the shoes on the bike, so I opted for the safer approach. The 20km bike leg was reasonably straightforward; basically a T-shape with sections of tailwind and others with headwind, but I am better suited to the 40km Olympic distance. There were two nasty crashes on the bike course, which we had to navigate around; one rookie sneezed apparently while holding the front brake lever on the faster section and was propelled over the bars and onto the road. She broke her jaw badly and was unconscious for several minutes. She did not move from the recovery position the entire time I was on course – that’s three laps! A second rookie took a left hand corner with his inside pedal down and jack-knifed the bike. He was sitting up and seemed ok but he too didn’t not move in any hurry off the road. Both sights were sobering and helped me to stay focused. The Cervelo performed very well; the new aggressive aero bars were comfortable and the bike loves straight lines. Not so fond of U-turns – I took the roundabouts with a racing line and occasionally had rookies attempt to come up on the inside. They received immediate tuition in the art of circuit cycling, with suitable punctuation and emphasis.

Now the hard part; a 5km run. Transition was again good, although I decided on socks and laced shoes as I was using the new orthotics and as I was not breaking any records, decided to make sure my footing was right. Again, I was reminded of what triathlon is about, as the transition from bike to run is painful and I could only manage a shuffle. I settled into my stride and tried to focus on regular steps and balanced foot placement, but the leg was now tiring and when that happens all form goes out the window. But my goal was not to walk if I could help it and that’s what I managed. But Iwas being systematically run-down and passed as older people, large people, people using Zimmer frames, etc, were regularly gliding past. But the spirit is still in the sport and one guy turned as he went past and asked if I was ok. Clearly he wasn’t used to passing people and presumed there must be something wrong with me. “No, I’m ok” I replied, “this is as good as I get for now”. I can’t blame him for thinking something was askew, as by this stage I resembled grandpa heading down the hallway in the middle of the night in slippers to get a snack from the kitchen. I actually sought the guy out afterwards and thanked him for bothering to ask. Anyhow, I kept going and finished in time of 1:22:05 according to my watch. A friend who I used to race against and that I was close in ability to previously did 1:08 so that’s a fair estimate of the pre vs post-surgery difference. But the primary objective was met and I’m satisfied.

So stay tuned, as my intention now is to do all four races in the Bribie series and then finish the season with the Mooloolaba olympic race in March. Sadly, my dreams of Noosa have vanished, but it will be there next year. And so will I hopefully.

Ciao.

Life and all its surprises

Hi Folks,

Yes, its been a while since I posted and it might be a while to come before the next one. My life took a big turn a week ago and I'm trying to find some stability. I realise that sounds dramatic and you might be let down, but it was big to me.

I got a call from the top officer in the government department I work for asking if I'd step into a job for 4-5 months. The jump in classification was 3 full levels, which is just about unheard of. It happened because I spoke to this guy twice at recent seminars and spoke my mind about work issues. Anyway, I've been in the job for just over a week now and its FULL.ON. I've never worked so hard in my life. The day is about 10 hours average but I've put in some longer ones. He warned me the job was not easy and there are some serious issues to resolve, but opportunities like this don't happen too often in a career.

So I've not had much time to blog, run, swim or much else. I have persisted with the riding as I can do that outside work hours but its not easy. So I haven't run again since, nor swum but still riding up Mt Gravatt each Tues morning, the river loop on Thur and a big ride on weekends. I can report this regime is paying dividends, as the 100km ride today to Redcliffe proved I have come further on the road to getting my old self back. I was able to keep with the lead group and maintained a respectable pace all the way; managed to drop all but the strongest guy in our group towards the end. So I'm pleased.

Where this leaves my Noosa dream I'm not sure. There has been some questions about that and whether or not its too soon in the running comeback and frankly without much swim training, I starting to agree. The modified plan might be to skip Noosa this year and build up through the sprint series over summer and finish in March with Mooloolaba; our other premier oly distance tri. I don't like this plan as I tend to do what I set out to do, but as they say in the classics, discretion is the better part of valour. I calculate that I have this week to decide. But the opportunity to train during the day or after work isn't there and Noosa is in 8 weeks or so.

Stay tuned. I haven't given up hope but it might be time to listen to the head.

T.

Four Kilometres Means I'm Back

Quick update boys and girls, I know you’re busy.

I continue to increase all my disciplines; swam twice since last week but still with cramping. I’ve worshipped at the bike altar regularly and completed a 95km ride to the Gold Coast last Sunday with the bunch. I rode strong and am improving up hills to the point that not only am I keeping up but starting to lead the group again. Also went up our lesser mountain here in BrisVegas called Mt Gravatt, as opposed to the Mt Coot-tha I mentioned in the previous post. This one is very popular with local cyclists as its short (about 2km) and not all that steep.

A guess would be an average of 6% with only two sharp parts at 8%. The graphic is a profile of the mountain from the south.

I was told four laps was the norm, but I set out to just do two. The first was the hardest and I was committed to doing the pair, but the second was totally different; as if I found a shortcut because I was at the top before I realised it. So I ended up doing four laps and had a smile for the rest of the day.

I am also now running 4km on the treadmill and ready for a road run. This is the shortest distance of a sprint tri here in south-east Queensland, so it represents a little milestone, i.e. technically I could complete a tri now. Of course, this is not enough.

Not by a long shot.

But it’s a start. If the tri season was on now, I probably would go and enter one just because I could. The other encouraging thing about the 4km is that I did it at 9 kph speed with the last 750m at 10 kph and the very last 250m at 12 kph. And through all of that the body and especially the weak leg, held together and kept a balanced rhythm thanks to the orthotics. Speaking of the podiatrist – I visited them today to have a check-up and refit the orthotics. They are quite thrilled with my progress, although not entirely happy with the fact I’m running so early. But I promised that I’d been careful and listened to my body, blah, blah. I did do those things, but I was prepared to push through any negative feedback from the legs, etc. Luckily there was none and so the foot people predict there’s no reason why I can’t get back to my full run distances. Another day-long smile.

So folks, its all on track. Stay tuned, there’s more to come.

Tomawac out.

Much A Do

There are indeed a few things to update you on, but the biggest one is…

I have feet!!!

Picked up my new orthotics last Thursday and if the shape of them is anything to go by, my feet were/are a train wreck. Seriously, they look like a model of the Swiss Alps, particularly the arch. Man, how did I manage to run on my feet before???? Especially a half marathon. It’s a wonder my feet didn’t cave in and become mush. But that’s all fixed now buckaroo. I have been using them as per instructed. Well sort of. I was told to only run in them for 5mins and wear for 1 hour each day. But when I ran in them it felt so good, I kept going for 15mins until a blister started to form and then stopped.

Did you just hear what I said?..... I.RAN. How cool is that?

Now I will qualify it a bit. It was on a treadmill so the surface was perfectly smooth and no change in gradient, etc. But it’s best to start out easy me thinks. On the plus side, there was no pain, no soreness afterwards and my stride was pretty much even and balanced. Even kicked up the pace towards the end as I got more confident.

There is an annoyingly persistent voice in my head that’s actually starting to yell “don’t get too excited buddy, its only 15mins”, but hey, it’s comparatively a huge step forward for me. The process is going to nearly bankrupt me:

1 x orthotics @ AU$475
4 x consults @ AU$145 each
1 x new shoes @ AU$225

Ouch.

But if I can indeed run again, then hell, take my car! My first born! (all non-triathletes please disregard this last statement; it won’t make any sense to you). I was embarrassed about the running shoes I took to the fitting – midrange Asics but no where near what I needed for my foot type (do they have a shoe type called "train wreck"?). The podiatrist all but said “tsk tsk” and pulled out a script pad for the Athlete’s Foot. Yeah, a script pad for a shoe shop. So now its off to buy some decent shoes, but rather than price, style, brand its hand over the script and pick from the one’s offered. Can’t wait.

Now, on the other training stuff, there’s some good and some not-so-good. The good is the rain has eased and I’ve ridden some challenging training rides on my own. The most notable was our resident mountain in BrisVegas called Mt Coot-tha (aparrently it means "place of honey" in the local aboriginal language). This is the pic from the lookout; you can see Brisbane CBD in the background. I rode my heavy commute bike; my story is that I took it for a better workout than I'd get with the light, fast Ridley, but closer to the truth is there were still some rain around.

It has two approaches either side of it, with the harder of the two (back) being a 2.5km climb with an average of about 7% and a couple of +10% grades in parts. I chose this to build some more strength and while it hurt, I managed two laps before heading home. A total of 55km, heart rate max’d out to 185 and ave 165 for the ride. Actually the climb to start the mountain is the hardest as it’s a straight uphill of about 10% for perhaps 500m and by end my weak leg was not contributing much at all. I hope to make this ride semi-regular with perhaps either once a week or at least fortnight.

The bad is the swim. I cramped again in the pool on Friday afternoon and only managed to get out and walk it off just in time. This is starting to be a real problem and the magnesium supplement I got is not doing a thing to help. As Otto (A Fish Called Wanda) would say “Disappointed!”. And worse still, I’m baulking at going to the pool. Not only is the cramp a pain (pun intended) but I’m not finishing my sets and that pisses me off more than anything else. I decided on Friday to do at least three, but aim for four, of a set I’ve favoured in the past:

1 x 200 on 4min
2 x 100 on 2min
4 x 50 on 1min

When I’m swimming regularly and more pool-fit, I drop that back 5sec per 50 in each. But the cramps started at the end of the second set and there was no way I could start the third. I even switched to pull buoy and paddles to try and stave off the lockup from kicking, but only just made it to the end. Sigh. I’d done a 400m warm up, so I’m at a bit of a loss for what to do next. But this has to be resolved as I can’t cramp halfway through the swim leg in a race.

The challenge goes on.

Evidence

I was looking through my computer just now and found some pics and video of me at various tri events, and thought I should post some to provide evidence of past exploits.

Seems there's a famous adage in blogland, which goes something like:

no pictures = didn't happen

So, view and believe. These are from my first triathlon, a half olympic and I was terrified. My first open water swim for starters, second my first race of any type since school. Yep, more nervous than I could remember. But the rush at the end was phenomenal.

Note the laces being tied......yeesh

In full control coming in to the finish shute, you know.... for the cameras.

The relief that I'd made it was huge, but man did I want to do another one, and soon!

There are more pics of later races, but this will do for now.