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Iron Man switzerland

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  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    i had a rest day friday as had a tough match on saturday. we won and i played well so i was told. so i gave myself sunday off too.



    the rest has definitely done me some good as i actually woke up this morning without sore legs for the first time since i cannot remember.



    back in the pool this afternoon.



    not to worry or scare anyone but it is now less than 5 months!!!!!!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    It is still cold and my duvet is still the best place for training at the moment.Treefrog has raised and interesting point for any of you 'trick cyclists' out there.Over expectation of your abilities and what to do after your race when if you have finished within your expected time how will you top it when you are already on a high.The chap you met seems to want iron race fitness now not in 6 months on race day,are we infact over training.Have any of you entered any races after Iron CH??

    I only raise this due to inflicting this on my self,resulting in Glandular fever leading to a PVI and 12 months of feeling shattered if I exercised for more than 45mins.Happy trails everyone.As its cold I am quite happy getting bored doing 2.5 miles in the pool where it is nice and warm( I admit it I am a whimp).
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    hello, i have entered a few races but only one before the I.CH although i am going to enter a few half marathons, blackpool and liverpool.



    i am still struggling to get out of bed for that all important early morning swim too. they do make them duvets soo comfortable.



    Milton keynes london lough neagh and possibly blithfield for olympics this year[8D]
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I also intend to enter a few events before (and after) Zurich. I think its important as a dress rehersal where I can experiment and try out different things, transition, eating & drinking on the move and under pressure, kit, and bike position not to mention the intangables like mental strength and race strategy, but most of all a mass start open water swim - a prospect which I do find daunting.

    I also acquired a DVD of IM Western Australia, where a guy with no legs actually completed the course and in doing so beat fully able-bodied athletes, what inspiration ...if you need it to escape the duvet!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    For motivation try to get hold of the Ironman world champs which featured Dick and Rick Hoyt.This is a father and son team,the son has C.P.(I think please forgive me if I am wrong) and is confined to a wheelchair so his father tows him in a dinghy for the swim,takes him with him on a specially adapted bike then pushes him around the marathon in a specially adapted wheelchair.It shows the difference between us mere mortals and what Two people motivating each other can do.Happy training.
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    sweet jesus, if that does not make you cry i do not know what will.



  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D52rJd9GX10





    here's what i found and it was enough.



    Mr Hoyt, stand up as you are one of lifes legends.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Very humbling isn't it.As Wayne and Garth would say 'We are not worthy'
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Good morning guys, its a red-letter weekend for me : I will compete in my last sculling race before Zurich tomorrow, my recovery week is almost over, its my cycle club's reliability trial on Sunday, and on Monday I start phase 3 of the IM masterplan. So any doubts I had were dispelled by the inspirational links.

    I have opted for a Rudy Project helmet I forget the model but its the road one that has an aero form to it. All advice indicated that a time trial type helmet would be a recipie for over-heating, and my local bike shop will do a good deal on Rudy Project kit.

    I hope things are going well for all of you, oh and by the way (bike,wetsuit & running shoes aside) what piece of kit is indispensible? I'll start my gillet.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Hard one but for me it has to be micropore tape,it is fine for cuts,good for blisters and great to stop runners nipple and buy the right sort it lasts for the entire ironman race.Vaseline is okay for most things but it doesn't half make a mess of my kit.Nice day today so I was able to wash my duvet and go for a quick spin on my bike.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Wow.. What a weekend, I raced the scull on Saturday and came 5th (just missed 4th by 1 second) and all those ahead of me are in full time sculling training as was the sculler behind me. So I was very pleased. Then yesterday I took part in a reliability cycle 65 miles of speed and finished in the top group. I am now about to enter the big phase of my training programme with 100 min run tonight, followed by 10 min of turbo intervals.

    Before I go one question - how do I stop my glasses fogging up, they do it both running and cycling and its very annoying, will this happen in Switzerland when the temperatures will be higher ?
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Well since I last logged on I've ran 20km, did 30 sec. on/ 30 sec. off turbo intervals and a 1km swim. All part of the new programme. The toughest part is not the actual doing it but all the preparation inorder that I can seamlessly go to work, eat, do my homework and then do general house keeping!

    I really do need suggestions to stop the fogging up of the glasses ; last night I actually glanced off a road sign post and went careering into a hedge - very funny for the onlookers but very annoying for me!

    I hope all is good with evryone and look forward to your replies.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    fogging happens,motorcyclists rub a thin layer of washing up liquid into the inside of the lens,make sure it is practically invisible or it will drip into your eyes.Or try moving your glasses a fraction of an inch away from your face to allow the air to circulate particularly if they are face hugging.Most often I have towait for my face temp to match the OAT.I frequently cannot see where I am going.The other option is to spray water on the lens every time it happens.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    s for the anti fogging advice JonE. I'll try it and report back. Last night was a bit of a disaster in that I arrived at the track to find it ice-bound. One foolhardy athlete did a trial run (literally!!) on it and even wearing spikes he declared it too dangerous. I ended up doing about 5km of interval sprints between lamposts but the ice and dark made it all a bit dodgy.

    What do you guys think about intervals? For me they may have limited benefit for IM but they do give you a turn of speed and they also serve as a short sharp shock which prevents the body turning into a long slow distance machine, plus you feel great having done them ( and terrible whilst doing them)

    I hope the weather is a little more clement with you and that the pull of the duvet is being overcome!
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    good afternoon,



    moving your glasses away from your face works for me.



    trainginhas been a little lax of late due to work commitments and rugby, but should be able to hit it hard from here on in. though the weather is not exactly condusive for nice pleasant runs of over an hour.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    I hate speed work my body just loathes it,I know that you should keep at it,but I just want to vomit,retch etc.The weather is cold too cold for cycling so during this inclement period I stick to nice easy runs being very careful,even today at 2pm when I was out on a twelve mile run there were still large patches of ice.Couple of days off due to work committments now.Take care in the snow.
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    there is definitley something a little special about a run in nice crisp frost where you can see every breath you take.



    thenyou realise frost bite has set in and your toes are ready to drop off!!



    turbo trainer all the way for me with a nice swim in the morning.



    all my speed/interval work is done at rugby training and so it is the hard yards i need to concentrate on.



    continuing from another thread - i am looking at upgrading my wheels and there is a lot of talk of the planet x carbons. do you know anything about these?
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I have heard vey little first hand information about Planet X kit. Two years ago a friend did consider buying a set of them but in the end he went for a set of Spinergy aeros mainly because he got them for a steal as the bike shop was switching to MTB only. I bought a pair of Corima aero clinchers because A: I wanted a fast aero wheel and B: Corima were the lightest option for a clincher version. They cost £800, but should be worth it. Both 220 and Cycling + did a comprehensive wheel test recently (ish) and I'm pretty sure that Planet X's were tested and compared with others. Probably best to look up the website to get the issues and then do a back order. I'll find out for you but I'll not be behind a computer until Monday.

    You almost got me onto a roll there as I finally did get the bike this week and it looks great. I'll bore you all to death with pictures if you can be bothered and if so, if I can handle the technology to put onto the thread!

    I had a good night last night getting a 3km slow swim - it has put me in good form for this evening's 30km'er, and afterwards what could be a rather raucous cub dinner!
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    training has been very poor this weekend as went to watch the rugby on friday night and then................................stayed out til saturday.



    so i have been a complete write off.



    however, it has definitley made me think more and realise that i cannot afford to be wasting weekends like this.



    although i did have a good time.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    HI,this thread seems to have got quiet over the past few days.Steveo I treat any training in jan/feb a bonus and when the weather picks up in march you will be out with a new sense a purpose,longer days and more time to fit in the miles.Just enjoy what you can get in the next few weeks and do not compare your training to anyone else's it will only dishearten you.Keep drinking the pints.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I seem to be going through a bit of a purple patch, Friday saw a 2.37 30km'er at HR 139, and then on Sunday I went out on another reliability trial, where I spent 3 hours at the back dreading the killer hill at the end, when it did come it was easy. Yesterday then a great 20 km'er - 93 mins. Enough of this, I know its tough to get motivated from time to time especially when the weather is cold & wet, and when friends tempt you with all sorts of distractions like pints and nights out. I suppose the reason I started this thread was to look for motivation and inspiration by knowing that others are going through the same as me. Use the advice and the anecdotes from the threead to get yourself out there and do it.
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    i will probably sit between the last two pieces of advice. by having a pint whilst running!! hahaha



    seriously though i am worried about you treefrog. you do not want to burn out. it feels good now hammering all your times but your body will just have enough one day and hit you with a flu that will end all the good work you have done. might be a good idea to just tone it down for a week and let your body have a better rest.



    i know this is against most training programmes but it has worked for me so far as i know i am much better after a lighter week.
  • Thought it was time to contribute again (if what I say can be deemed as a contribution?) as not much time with work, travel, and oh, training of late. I'm glad the subject of training has come up recently because I read what you guys are doing and think to myself that I might be way under training. Treefrog, I think you could put in a decent time for the IM tomorrow! I am trying very hard to take Jon.E's advice and not compare my training to anyone else's at the moment. I know I could be training much harder, but it is only mid-Feb. For example, I have just started on the running (about 12-15kms a session, with a half marathon planned for 17 March, then build up to 30-35kms before June). Any advice on how hard or easy I should be going from those that have done IM before?
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I'm touched that you are worried about me burning out. I'm aware that this could happen, but I've had nigh on 20 years elite/low level international rowing training behind me and a natural capacity to take on huge workloads, and I also know when I've bitten off too much (well sometimes!!!). IMCGIBBON is right : avoid comparing programmes - we're all different in our capacitity to train and in mental discipline and we all want our own prizes from the exact same race in June. This is why its agreat thing to be part of and why this thread is good .

    I'm extremely self disciplined meticulous and pay attention to details, it works for me but equally I know Olympians who are not this way at all, yet I've learned lots from them. My two pieces of advice are :keep a training log if nothing else it boosts your morale (I saw that I was jubilant having swam 1 length back in October!!!) and if too tired then do not train "listen to your body" but don't let it give you a get out of gaol free card if you don't need it.

    Anyway keep on trucking brothers>
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    on the other hand i am not meticulous at all. i am very reactionary. this may be to my detriment but as long as i finish i will be a happy bunny.



    i am already at the 15k run mark without getting tired legs and happily do 5 hours on the bike so i am sure i will be able to build this up to peak at the right time. although i am still worried about the swim. i just do not get enough time to go in the pool and when i do it is only half hour snapshots here and there.



    we are all different but we will all be having a well deserved pint at the end of it no matter what time we post.
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Remember it is not always the fastest who wins it is the one who crosses the finishing line first.I have strolled past other athletes(including elite) who have burnt out to quickly the Ironman is a long event and ANYTHING can ruin your meticulous planning.A week out or resting will not damage your long term plans unless you are seriously going all out for THE RESULT.We all know our bodies and like to push to the edge the problem being we find that edge when we fall off,it happened to me Doh!!!!
  • Having a well deserved pint at the end is all that's keeping me going! Speaking of food, for those that have done IM CH before, what's the ' carbo party' like on the Friday? Worthwhile for more than the atmosphere?
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Hi, IMCgibbon,the pasta party is okay,food is good quality,spot prizes are given away,the venue was miles from the race start last time,sort out your return transport early as any taxis are snaffled quickly.It is a good laugh.
  • steveosteveo Posts: 69
    life is finally beginning to settle down and hopefully just in time for the good weather.



    do you think that skiing will have any aerobic gains for me as i am going on the 3rd of march also will finally be able to get some swimming done in the hotel as no work constraints on holiday.



  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    Don't mention the war.... Well it had to happen I finally managed to get the cold and was out all weekend with only light sessions yesterday & Monday, however I''m feeling much better and will do a proper session tonight. As far as skiiing goes anyone that I've met has come from the slopes in much better form and generally get motiveated to really get going so this along with the brighter mornings and evenings could be the antidote to the duvet!
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