Jan 3rd

LF Charlie joined us in Bendeela at some point, I think I got my days mixed up.  Anyway, did the same route again with him untimed and easier.

Jan 2nd

Same as New Year's Eve but 23:11 in way out and 18:56 on return.  Feeling good again.

New Year's Eve

Down in Bendeela in Kangaroo Valley.  Beautiful spot, trouble is it's at the bottom of a steep 1.5km hill.  Did 5km out and 5km back.  23:11 on the way out, 19:12 coming back.  Felt like I was running properly for the first time in weeks though.

Did Akuna Bay the day before with Macca, Sam and Ben G in 1:59 feeling good.

Long Medium Long run

Was intending to ride Eastside today but didn't have a time slot trying to sort out camping and Macca offered the company for a long run.  So did 24km with him around and about averaging 4:41's with some strides towards the end.

We had a discussion on what constituted a long run.  Settled on 26km, so this was a long MLR at best.  A step in the right direction though.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 1st in 17:21

KM splits went 3:15, 3:28. 3:38, 3:30, 3:18 then the 70m extra.  That's how it felt too.  Had some kid next to me for the first 800m but I was running angry as his dad told him on the start line, "all the fast ones are away today".  Can't cope with the truth yet.

4 and something km there and 6 and something km home all with Macca for 16km all up.

On ya bike

65km to Palm Beach and back (the pretty way on the way out, the quick way back) with Kanser and Ronan (and Angus B for a bit).  Nice and easy and with a big grin on my face after reading about the Toon smashing 5 past Timmy's Stoke boys.

More of the same

Same as yesterday, but with all the rest of the family on bikes rather than the middle 3 kids. Begged the kids for a 10s start on the Campbell Pde lap but they pleaded all manner of ailments (it's like trying to get a bet off Timmy) before proceeding to pone my ass. But felt as though I was moving properly today and did 1:52.

Family have got a spread bet (appropriatly named) on what I'm going to weigh by 1 Jan. 3 slices of chocolate cake, 2 slices of pavlova, 3 mince pies, half a packet of fudge, numerous other sweets, as well as the standard 3 meals and 7 beers today.

Christmas Day

10km with Billy, Charlie and Mags, with the latter 2 on new bikes. Can no longer keep up with them. In fact, we went down to Campbell Pde and I raced them around the 660m loop. I did 1:55 (which was a huge effort) but only managed to beat Mags. Got no rhythmn in my running at the moment.

69.1kg. Heaviest I've been in 4 years, and that was before Christmas Dinner.

Doubling up

Getting concerned about the running fitness so ran 9km slow (untimed) this morning then 6.3km at 4:26's this arvo - both from and to the garage to get the car serviced. This afternoon's run started to feel vaguely normal again.

Medium Sunday

20kms from Centennial with Clyde, Enda, TKS, BK, BOB and a couple of others. Bloody humid and felt like shite. Struggling to adjust to cycling muscles in distress. 4:35 average.

But the good news was the Toon giving those Palace boys a shooing at home, showing what playing in the Premiership is all about. Bring on Boxing Day and another 3 points against those Pottery boys. We could be safe by the New Year.

Curl Curl Parkrun - 3rd in 17:34

Legs dead from the start. Hardest run I've done all year. Interestingly, like Macca, the best bit was running up the hill. Otherwise legs just too stiff and sore to get going. Ran with JB for the first 1.5km until he just pulled ahead inexorably and he ended up running 16:52. At least it's all uphill from here.

Jogged there and back with Macca (back the longer, flatter way) for 14km all up.

Slipstream Lindop

Appreciated Timmy's effort to come over from Erko for the Akuna ride this morning, joining myself, Ben S and Jon Mulder. He used the excuse of not knowing the way to sit in behind us all the way to Mona Vale. Fair play to him, he made a bit of effort to bridge the gap to Jon as we went around to Church Point, but from then on whenever Timmy hit the front, he made sure he jumped hard when we were blindsided to open up a nice gap so that we couldn't share his wheel. He smashed us up the Col d'Akuna and then had the temerity to make ME hit the front right on the start of the hill into a headwind along Warringah Rd. Fair to say it'll be a while until he gets his next invite North of the Harbour. All up 62km in 2:05. A little slower than usual as we had no train to jump on up to Mona Vale.

Then this arvo I did a rare run - steady 10km in 41:47 (4:10's) to Shelley and back. Nice to stretch the legs after a few hard days in the saddle.

I've foolishly agreed to do the Parkrun with Macca tomorrow. Anything under 17:30 will be a bonus.

Will I survive

Well, this morning I almost gave up. Don't think I've felt as knackered since the long Sunday run I did with Macca in the lead up to the Marathon last year. Macca seems to be the common theme here. Out bright and early with him and Big Sam for Akuna Bay but adding in West Head too. It adds about 20km, but it's a bloody hilly 20km - up and down all the way albeit on a beautiful surface.

Bit of a mistake doing this ride after all the glut work with Dave yesterday. They just gave up on me on the return from West Head and I was dreading Akuna Bay. Sure enough, at the bottom of the 3km climb Macca and Sam turned the screws and motored up with me slogging it out behind. Managed to get into a routine and held on from then on by leaning forward more and using a bit of glute that hadn't bonked yet.

These are the stats: Tom Almost Dies

Having said all that, it was an awesome ride. Saw 5 wallabies bounce in front of us (fortunately not when going 69kmh (aiming to break 70 soon) down the hills) and the early morning views from West Head were fantastic.

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.