Tired now

1km in the pool this morning.

1hour of DCRun strength training this arvo (heavy on endurance work today - again mostly glutes) followed by 10km shaking out the lactic at 4:37 pace.

Tuesday on the new toy

Out at 5:15am with Macca and Big Sam for the usual Akuna Bay loop.  Messed up the watch but we were significantly quicker today.  Worked hard up to Church Point then Sam said "let's see if we can get under 30mins for the [Akuna Bay] box to box".  

Well, once we started climbing he and Macca pulled ahead and I was feeling rooted but still managed it in 29:10.  Sam was 27:xx and Macca 28:05.  Didn't let up on the way back and, as usual, the elastic broke along Wakehurst Parkway.

Still, Macca said it was about 1:52 all up (from the ABC Pool) at an average of 31.5kmh.  Bike was awesome.  The Di2 gears are brilliant (especially the front derailleur) although I was testing them a bit with some desperate changes on the steep Akuna Bay section.

Monday madness

5km brisk delivering some Christmas cards then straight into 75mins of swim squad.  Right shoulder sore towards end but held on better again.

Christmas cheer

Friday was work Christmas lunch, so Saturday was a minster hangover but had booked in an Akuna Bay ride with Joel and Jon.  What I lost through hangover I gained using a decent bike (demo from Bike Additiction but same frame as mine).  Slightly longer as we went via the beach at Warriewood.

Today was 10km very easy (44:54).  Felt very tired.  Massive day yesterday and need more sleep.

Now to Timmy's for some drinks...

Tri Timmy put to the Sword. Again.

Well, this was the big event of the year.  More trash talk for this than any other event and the boys were nervous. 

Off we went into a stiff headwind with no-one wanting to take the lead.  Fast Charlie reluctantly did so I slotted in behind him.  It was still too slow though and I was well aware I needed time on the run so took the lead and started upping the pace.  Charlie came with me and by the turn we were ahead with Enda not far behind running very well - well in front of Kenny.  Charlie pulled ahead on the way back and performed a transition that had to be seen to be believed.  Without breaking stride he had his shoes off and goggles on and just ran straight into a dive into the pool.  Meanwhile, I was struggling with the double knots in my shoes allowing Rnda to enter the pool before me.  Times for the run were approx: 12:30 for Charlie, 12:39 for me and 12:47 for Enda.

Then the swim.  Less breastroke and more freestyle this time.  Hadn't got a clue who was coming past me but touched at the end of 300m and looked to my right to see Timmy coming in a few seconds later.  The look on his face was classic.  He was desperately looking to see if I was ahead to be greeted by me smiling like a Cheshire Cat!  19:00 for me, 19:04 for Timmy.  Fair play to him, his run wasn't bad with a 13:53 and his swim is pretty strong overcoming Selfie Jim.

Then many beers with the large HuRTS contingent.

The winner:

World's gayest photo:

Easy

8km easy in 4:28's then a DCRun session but just concentrating on core, glute activation and upper back.

200's

Up at sparrows fart for an Akuna Bay ride with Macca but I was a minute too late at the ABC Pool and he'd gone. Pedalled furiously to catch him but gave up at Warringah Mall and skulked back home to bed.

Very hot (32C) and humid today and wasn't in the mood for a session. Decided against 400's and did 200's instead. 3km warm up, then did laps of the oval at LM Graham Reserve - 200m sprint and 200m float - except I'd marked out the sprint section longer than the float. Was tough enough in the heat and worked on the form again. All splits in the 36's other than rep 2. Suunto says 230m to 240m so I'll take 220m, it's not a full circle so shouldn't be too far out. Was definitely going faster than I'd normally do 400's in. 3km warm down for 10km plus all up.

No swim

Same as last week with a morning jog along Curly beach with Mags and Bec (including a dip in South Curl Curl pool) and then 20km over lunch - same route.  Did it in 1:23:56 this week though (4:11's) but I think I underestimated the humidity wearing all black.  Felt nauseous and light headed this arvo.  So much so I missed swim squad.

Will have to get out tomorrow.

Bought new bike.  Very excited.

Update

Friday was 60km on the bike with Sam, Macca and Ben around Akuna Bay in 2:00:31.  Hit the lights badly though so I reckon it was quicker than last week, particularly when we jumped on the back of the Manly Waringah CC train.  Went straight into 4km run around the Golf Club with Macca with the glutes and hammies screaming.

No running since due to camping at Coolendel.  Glutes have been smashed in any case, only recovering today (Sunday).

DCRun stuff

1km in the pool this morning. I'm still struggling to get under 2mins for 100m but at least it's the first time I've swam 1km freestyle.

DCRun session at lunch.  First part was glute activation exercises, then glute strengthening which consisted of 4x400m with 20 full body squats in between.  Then core work.  More wobbly legs on my part.  It was bloody hard.

Ivanhoe

10km easy in 43:50.  

Pub quiz in evening with LF Charlie and Iain.  A much improved performance from last months' last position.  We've worked out that, if in doubt, go with what Charlie thinks.

This is supposed to be off season

Up early and out with Bec and Maggie to run along Curl Curl beach and do some sand hills.

20km easy at lunchtime, up Pittwater and back down the beaches, although I picked the pace up in the final 5km for 1:26:00 (4:18's).

75 mins swim squad this evening. Don't like the sets with paddles as it seems to aggravate my dodgy right shoulder. Shame as it's nice to feel like you're swimming faster. I'm still crap and the slowest and get cramp everywhere towards the end but it's starting to feel a little easier.

Spent the morning in Maggie's class helping her make a Christmas wreath. I was pretty much the sole Dad, and all the Mum's had finished making their wreaths when Mags and I were still covering our coat hanger with newspaper, but pretty impressed with the finished product. Ours is the one with the little birds hanging down.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 2nd in 16:46

Quick first km in just over 3mins.  Then Sam Walker came past and maintained the pace while my legs turned to jelly.  No watch so just kept on pushing to the end.  

Jogged there and back with Macca and Jamie.  Eamo's becoming a regular too running a 19:04 PB today so the HuRT Squad are taking over.

Friday Grey

Steady 10km in 39:49 with new orthotics.  Haven't worn heel raises in 2 weeks now.

Bike and swim

Akuna Bay loop with Sammy, Macca and Ben early doors (just under 2 hours) then swim squad this evening (with Macca popping up again, he's stalking me).

Shagged out now.

Filler

10.5km easy.

Seaforth 400's

Had tentative plans to run HuRTS but missed my chance to get to the City and the session doesn't match what I'm trying to do at the moment.  So jogged up to Seaforth Oval and ran 10x400m off 2 mins, except it's not 400m.  Surprised in any case that the times were better than last month:

63, 64, 64, 64, 64, 64, 64, 64, 64, 64

The 64's were all between 64.0 and 64.5.  Concentrated on keeping my right arm straight.  Canny pleased like. 

Suunto download below - it gets it at 370-380m:

Triathlon training begins

Saw DCRun this morning who filmed my running and showed me where my form had flaws. Basically need to work on my glute medius and more core. Then did a session with him, the hardest of which was making my thighs go lactic on a bike before using my glutes to walk up steps carrying dumb bells. Bloody hell. My heart rate hasn't got that high in years and I jogged home with the wobbly legs of a drunkard.

Then tonight went back to swim squad where Ruth put us through 75 minutes of hell in h2o. Worse bit was 2 x 100m with a band around my ankles. Holy crap. I tried to signal the pool boy after 30m but I think he assumed we were all proficient. Ended up doing about 2.5km of different stuff all up so it must be doing me good.

Took the bike in for a service and hope to get out with sammy and the boys on Thursday morning.

MLR Sunday

2 loops of the old flat 10km circuit untimed but steady.  21kms.

Calves tight running in old Sayonaras and no heel raises.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 2nd in 16:40

Manic day today so had to squeeze the Parkrun in.  Got out the car to see who but Macca!  Did a warmup with him and he pointed out Jake Stollery - the chap who beat my course record by 5s a few weeks back.  So we finally meet each other when I'm feeling fat and lazy.

Jake went off quick with me 10m behind.  Hurdled a tree at 300m brought down in the recent storms.  Jake pulls ahead a bit.  3:10 and 3:16 for first 2kms.  He slows at 3km allowing me to catch up.  We then run together to the end with him chatting away, encouraging me and  looking like he's on a stroll.  Managed to hurdle the tree again on the run in.

No warm down as I had to rush back so 9km all up.

Might try Steeplechase next year: