Now that Ride around the bay is over it was time to put the head down and get some Tri training in. As I type this blog entry up I realized that the first tri is 1 month away today at St Kilda. Yesterday saw me attend the Race Simulation at Elwood Beach with my Tri Group, Tri Alliance or TA as we all called it.
After a warm up run we got the bikes out and practice transition work. 3 run throughs everything felt good. Ahhhh then came the open water swim! On with the wetsuit (all repaired by 2xu – all the little holes, tears, etc gone) then thinker swim cap, grabbed the goggles and headed down the bay. It was flat and clear prefect swimming conditions, but OMG the water was cold not freezing but cold. Some people had their thermal wetsuit caps which I thought was a great idea but searching for it today I can’t find it. So we all swam out to the reef marker pole and back in, felt good in the water nice and strong. Once the group regrouped on the beach we practiced entry and exit out of water, followed by another swim out to the pole and back which I didn’t do. You’ll understand why when you keep reading. Packed up all the gear changed into warm clothing and then head off to Sail’s Café for some food with the some of the group.
After getting home warm shower I crashed for a sleep for a while and then time to head down to MSAC for the 2nd week of swim technique training. In two weeks I have noticed a difference in my swimming and not bad for $99 for 6 weeks. Last night and crashed and was in bed around 9:15pm and slept well until 5am which saw be up and at Elwood for another long ride session to Frankston and back. The plan was to do 100km but I felt trashed and did the 80km ride instead which included a trip up Oliver’s Hill and fast pace twice along station street and beach road. Came off the bike feeling wasted but good.
With swim training not on for the next 2 weeks I’ll do some Tri Race Simulations and some more Bay Swimming.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Ride around the Bay Event Report
Yesterday morning saw me take part in my 2nd Ride around the Bay event. Last year I completed the 50km event this year I step up to the 100km event. Conditions were not 100% ideal, but we all saw lots of Wind, some rain with touches of Sun. Some trying conditions, or as I looked at it character building qualities.
Saturday I spent the afternoon servicing my bike during the clean/service a cool change came through and the wind turned westerly around 40km/h winds. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but the wind did not claim down.
Sunday morning I got up had breakfast, got my gear all shorted, checked the weather and it was still blowing around 30-40km/h from the west. – Side winds for all the way there and back – ok I can deal with this. I packed the car and head off to the Albert Park, parked the car rode up to the start line (approx 3km ride) made my way down to the 30-35km group and waited for call up to the start line. We were all told this was a riding event not a race. At 8:05am off we went, it was a little slow going down city road until we got to Port Melbourne, 3 red lights in 3km’s, but once we got to Port Melbourne the group of the leaders I was within started to rev up the speed, averaging 35 – 40km/h. We basically fly down to Frankston being mindful of cross winds in open areas like between Mentone Hotel to Peter Sculin Reserve and again at Patternson River, where the wind wiped straight in from the bay unprotected by buildings or Tea trees.
At Frankston I took a break before heading back, noticing that the wind was more North West than West and felt a little stronger, oh well time to head back. The trip back certainly was not going to be as fast as going down. It was a hard push, between the wind and all the riders on the road. As we came back up through Brighton you could see a band of showers over the bay and just at Brighton Baths it came down in buckets. Myself and 3 other guys pulled up on the foot path under a tree and waited for the band to pass. As it was blowing hard the band of rain past within 5mins. We head off back to the finish line, but again along from Elwood through to Port Melbourne it was open and exposed so windy as, certainly everyone felt the conditions. I was only averaging around 25km/h come back When we turned off Beach rd and started to build speed again back up to 30-35km/h right into the finish line. My Garmin time for 100km – 3hr 48m. Not bad considering that I had previous done 100km in 3hr 30mins with no wind.
I felt spent, sore, my left quad was screaming. With a short walk into the park area, more fluids and some stretching I felt better. Went and got some lunch sat down for while listening to the crowds, the stories, the announcements etc while having lunch. I then collected all my stuff and rode back to the car. Once I got home I enjoyed a long hot shower and it never felt so good.
Next event ? well the Hanover in 13th November this is a 75km event down Eastlink and its timed event. Will interesting to see what times I get there.
Saturday I spent the afternoon servicing my bike during the clean/service a cool change came through and the wind turned westerly around 40km/h winds. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but the wind did not claim down.
Sunday morning I got up had breakfast, got my gear all shorted, checked the weather and it was still blowing around 30-40km/h from the west. – Side winds for all the way there and back – ok I can deal with this. I packed the car and head off to the Albert Park, parked the car rode up to the start line (approx 3km ride) made my way down to the 30-35km group and waited for call up to the start line. We were all told this was a riding event not a race. At 8:05am off we went, it was a little slow going down city road until we got to Port Melbourne, 3 red lights in 3km’s, but once we got to Port Melbourne the group of the leaders I was within started to rev up the speed, averaging 35 – 40km/h. We basically fly down to Frankston being mindful of cross winds in open areas like between Mentone Hotel to Peter Sculin Reserve and again at Patternson River, where the wind wiped straight in from the bay unprotected by buildings or Tea trees.
At Frankston I took a break before heading back, noticing that the wind was more North West than West and felt a little stronger, oh well time to head back. The trip back certainly was not going to be as fast as going down. It was a hard push, between the wind and all the riders on the road. As we came back up through Brighton you could see a band of showers over the bay and just at Brighton Baths it came down in buckets. Myself and 3 other guys pulled up on the foot path under a tree and waited for the band to pass. As it was blowing hard the band of rain past within 5mins. We head off back to the finish line, but again along from Elwood through to Port Melbourne it was open and exposed so windy as, certainly everyone felt the conditions. I was only averaging around 25km/h come back When we turned off Beach rd and started to build speed again back up to 30-35km/h right into the finish line. My Garmin time for 100km – 3hr 48m. Not bad considering that I had previous done 100km in 3hr 30mins with no wind.
I felt spent, sore, my left quad was screaming. With a short walk into the park area, more fluids and some stretching I felt better. Went and got some lunch sat down for while listening to the crowds, the stories, the announcements etc while having lunch. I then collected all my stuff and rode back to the car. Once I got home I enjoyed a long hot shower and it never felt so good.
Next event ? well the Hanover in 13th November this is a 75km event down Eastlink and its timed event. Will interesting to see what times I get there.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Duathlon Race 5 – Richmond Race Report
This morning saw me complete my first Duathlon along with first as a Tri Alliance team member and loved every minute.
It was a little cool in the wind but nice in the Sun, I got there early spoke with coach Sarah while getting the team tent up before heading over to registration and collect my race pack then proceeded to place stickers on the bike and helmet along with putting the timing chip around my ankle. I then proceed to rack my bike and setup my transition area. Shoes on bike – another first for me, bike on the rack seat first another first.
Caught up with Sheridan and Lidia who also where setting up their transition areas. We worked out Run Entries / Exit’s, Bike Entry and Exit then we headed back to the team tent to drop off our bags and talk about how to use our Garmins in Mutli-Sport Mode. We made a call to do a quick warm up a little run up along the course along with approx 10 other team mates until coach Sarah came along to told us to be aware that we would need to do another warm up closer to the race. We head back to hear the race briefing and take a team photo.
We then all headed down to the start line first off was the sprint group and approx 5mins later the Dash group (us). The horn sounded and we all took off, during the run we saw more Tri Alliance guys out on their long run. Thumbs up and cheers from everyone at the run turn around I was holding a very nice sub 5min pace back up to the cross country bit heading back to transition, holding a good pace but happy with the race so far. I hit transition area swapped the Garmin to Transition mode, off with the shoes, socks and run visor, on with the helmet and grabbed the bike out to the road over the Mount line couple of hops and jump and on the bike and away we go, Garmin to bike mode and slipped the feet into the bike shoes, another first! I powered up the hill to the turn around and back again. Powering fast and hard with a 29.9km average speed. I had to complete two laps as I came back to transition area for the 2nd time I had one foot out but didn’t get the other foot out until the very last min due to a turn into the dismount line so I didn’t get to swing the leg over correctly. Oh well there is next time. I run back into transition, Garmin to Transition mode racked the bike off with the helmet back on with socks, shoes and visor out and for the final run and changed the Garmin to run, back down the cross country trail from the first run down to the turn around and back. High fiving all the team on the trail run. Got back to finish with the team including coach Emma cheering the team over the line. My time 33m 38s as per my Garmin.
The team cheered the rest of the team over the line for both races. The Team collected 5 medals for the day.
We are looking good for Tri Season and it was a day of firsts for me, and my Plantar Fasciitis did not play up during race in any way which I am happy about but slowly, slowly no really long runs yet.
It was a little cool in the wind but nice in the Sun, I got there early spoke with coach Sarah while getting the team tent up before heading over to registration and collect my race pack then proceeded to place stickers on the bike and helmet along with putting the timing chip around my ankle. I then proceed to rack my bike and setup my transition area. Shoes on bike – another first for me, bike on the rack seat first another first.
Caught up with Sheridan and Lidia who also where setting up their transition areas. We worked out Run Entries / Exit’s, Bike Entry and Exit then we headed back to the team tent to drop off our bags and talk about how to use our Garmins in Mutli-Sport Mode. We made a call to do a quick warm up a little run up along the course along with approx 10 other team mates until coach Sarah came along to told us to be aware that we would need to do another warm up closer to the race. We head back to hear the race briefing and take a team photo.
 |
| Team Pic |
We then all headed down to the start line first off was the sprint group and approx 5mins later the Dash group (us). The horn sounded and we all took off, during the run we saw more Tri Alliance guys out on their long run. Thumbs up and cheers from everyone at the run turn around I was holding a very nice sub 5min pace back up to the cross country bit heading back to transition, holding a good pace but happy with the race so far. I hit transition area swapped the Garmin to Transition mode, off with the shoes, socks and run visor, on with the helmet and grabbed the bike out to the road over the Mount line couple of hops and jump and on the bike and away we go, Garmin to bike mode and slipped the feet into the bike shoes, another first! I powered up the hill to the turn around and back again. Powering fast and hard with a 29.9km average speed. I had to complete two laps as I came back to transition area for the 2nd time I had one foot out but didn’t get the other foot out until the very last min due to a turn into the dismount line so I didn’t get to swing the leg over correctly. Oh well there is next time. I run back into transition, Garmin to Transition mode racked the bike off with the helmet back on with socks, shoes and visor out and for the final run and changed the Garmin to run, back down the cross country trail from the first run down to the turn around and back. High fiving all the team on the trail run. Got back to finish with the team including coach Emma cheering the team over the line. My time 33m 38s as per my Garmin.
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| Me on the bike |
The team cheered the rest of the team over the line for both races. The Team collected 5 medals for the day.
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| Team Winners |
We are looking good for Tri Season and it was a day of firsts for me, and my Plantar Fasciitis did not play up during race in any way which I am happy about but slowly, slowly no really long runs yet.
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