Huski Tri Festival - Long Course

And I thought Saturday was a good day!

Sinking beers with the team while enjoying some pasta and listening to some of the worlds best, including  Macca, talk about their careers and their passion for the sport I thought the weekend couldn't get much better

I was wrong

Macca went and made a comment about Spot and before you know it Pete had a mic in Spots hand and there he was on the panel. Gold.

 

Photo credit: Laura Siddall

Waking up Sunday morning, again at the crack of dawn, I was able to experience for the first time, life on the other side of the fence, as a part of the groupies.

WHAT A BUZZ!

Starting the morning off down on the beach, watching our first three guys getting ready for their Long Course race I could see the look in their eyes, and I knew that I had that same look the day before, although with the beauty of sitting on the side lines relaxed I could now notice it in others, where as previously it wasn't something that I have ever noticed. A quick pat on the back and a rev up and it was time to watch the pro's hit the water.

They are an uncooperative bunch. The men starting well forward of the line even while the race director barks at them, the women while initially holding back were just as quick to move of the start line a good 10m before the starter went.

Spotty was his usual entertaining self on the start line, showing of his gut and doing his best to sneak off the line. It wasn't enough though, and with the pro girls only 5mins ahead he threw the challenge out to catch the girls. Much to everyone's laughter.

Untill he caught them

Our two boys had great swims and both came out of the water looking strong heading up the stairs to transition.

It was a good feeling watching the team race and the support crew grew and grew as the morning went on.
Some breakfast while waiting for the next start group and the first bike lap was just what the doctor ordered and I was relishing in the relaxed atmosphere of the day.

Then all hell broke loose

Before we knew it, the bikes were punching out laps, controversy with Spot still out in front at the end of the second with our man in the sin bin (guilty as charged!), there was swim wave starts for the rest of team Bondi Fit, more laps on the bike, run transitions, more laps on the bike, more running, more cheering, more everything!

I think from the time I finished breakfast I didn't stand still for more than 30 seconds for the next 5 hours.
There was so much action that I spent the entire day running around the course cheering and taking photos.
I didn't even get to see any of the pro race as Team Bondi Fit were everywhere!

I think I was honestly more excited Sunday than I was Saturday. Don't get me wrong, I had absolutely no desire to be out there on the course with them, but it was exciting to see them push themselves and succeed!

There were so many good moments although the following highlights are what have stuck with me:

Adriel Young

A.K.A Bacon. This bloke is a machine. His ability to punch above his weight is amazing. Coming through the field to finish in 3:51:41 to finish in 10th overall is incredible. More incredible is the bloke rode the 220km home from Huski the next day.

"Lassie"

This bloke was having such a good day on the course that there were 3 specific times that he made me realise that there is more to it than your finish time. You have to love this guy.

#1: Blowing a kiss to the photographer as he strolled up the stair case

#2: Sneaking a kiss off his better half as he left T2

#3: The dog paddle, mid 20km run

Macca & Ambrose

These guys were out for a training run as part of a team. Some training run. They ran shoulder to shoulder for 19.5km at about 3:50min/km, then the race started. The last 500m was as exciting as it gets with an all bets off, elbows out sprint to the line! One for the memory bank!

Tommy v Macca

Our man, Tommy "The Kid", as part of the Bondi Fit long course team with Laura and Scottie, after winning his maiden gold the day before and polishing off some beers in celebration, put together a sub 76min 20km sprint to NOT ONLY snatch team gold for Bondi Fit, but to out run Macca by a full 15 seconds.

Man of the match:

Huski Tri Festival - Sprint Day

What a weekend!

Having only been in this triathlon business for a short time, I have learnt very quickly that race weekends are always good fun. Full of enthusiasm and anticipation as well as a general good vibe between all competitors, even if there is a strong sense of rivalry!

Although I wasn't prepared for what was going to happen at the Huski Long Course Triathlon Festival...


Leaving the office early on a Friday isn't anything new, I have been fine tuning the dispreading act for a long time now, although Friday of a race weekend always gets the pulse going a little more. Anticipating the traffic heading south is the priority of the day, even though this time Tommy The Kid and I didn't quite nail it... By the time we squeezed all our gear in the back of the little subie and hit the road, we discovered that we weren't the only ones taking a (well earned) early minute. It was a slowish drive with cramping legs through to Nowra, which always seems further than I remember... Although forgetting how close Huski was to Nowra was enough to turn the tables and lift the spirits!

Rocking up at our bed for the night we discovered that we were in fact staying at a Triathlon brothel. There were more beds than rooms, more people than beds and more bikes than people. Our kind of place!
To make it better we were surrounded by our Bondi Fit team, the best (and loudest) support crew anyone could ever ask for, and the excitement and energy was contagious, with every new face the energy grew. It was the most fantastic pre-race feeling and after we managed to roll out swags, pump up air mattresses and squeeze into a corridor for a little shut eye (at 11pm if you don't mind...) it dawned on me that the usual pre-race nerves weren't there, only excitement and the feeling that race day was going to be a good day!

4:30 is very early. Although getting out of bed and getting moving isn't usually a problem on race morning as you are mentally in another zone of running through the morning pre-race routine. Shower, muffins with strawberry jam, electrolytes. Bike check, sense check, out the door.
It was a gloomy morning and sure enough as we were setting up in transition in the pitch black it rained.
Feeling the nerves creep in a little at this stage.
Although after heading down those infamous stairs at to the beach, we were greeted with the loudest, brightest bunch of muppets and the nerves once again turned to excitement!

A quick high five in the water before the gun goes is enough to get the blood going, and as usual the pack heads off at full speed... at least leading the right direction (which is better than usual). I grab onto the feet of one someone as I take the conservative approach to the first 200m and I notice Tommy doing the same on my right hip. Sure enough they start falling off the pace one by one. I was lucky (or maybe smart?) enough to be able to jump a small gap and draft off a few more guys that managed to hold the pace a bit longer, and then jump another small gap when that pack broke up again. By the time we hit the first can I was feeling good and had settled into my stroke and we were starting to pass some of the earlier waves which was a good boost, although I lost sight of the other guys in my wave in the process. I hit the beach and felt relaxed and ready for the bike. I know I heard the Bondi Fit circus cheering and I'm pretty sure I heard someone shout I was out in the front. As it turns out I was 3rd out the water.

The crowd carries you up those long stairs and through to transition, trying to keep the heart rate down is tough.
Although getting away on the bike while relaxed lets me settle in and put my mind to what I want to achieve over the next 20km, 35min on  the bike. I really wanted to make sure I played the Bondi Fit way and negatively split this race. To be honest I really needed a confidence boost as I had struggled through the run at Kurnell a few weeks earlier and didn't want to suffer the same fate.
For that reason it was hard to not put the chase on when Tommy and Cam edged past me about 4km in to the bike leg... Checking my splits every 5km was such a boost as I watched my times drop a little each split and I managed to execute my bike leg to plan, almost to the second. Definitely a boost going into the run. And feeling good!

Hitting the run I had the same argument with myself as always, SLOW DOWN, it always feels so good running out of T2 with the crowd going and music in the background... Although it's been my downfall in many races to fall into a false sense of security early then fade horribly as the km's grow... This time I wanted to have a good run, I wanted to run sub 22:30 and I wanted to negatively split. Lets face it, I wasn't racing for a medal, so I wanted to race for something, that something was the confidence that I could race to a plan and that I could feel comfortable doing it. So I backed off and tried not to watch as I was passed by all sorts of people through the first km or two. Although as I started to wind it up through km 3 and 4 I watched a lot of those same people head backwards. Now that's a good feeling,
By the last km I was pretty much on my limit and still feeling good. Coming round the corner past transition was a great feeling, so much so that I even managed an Ironman moment with a wave to the camera, for which I received a healthy dose of sledging from coach Scotty. Sprinting down the chute and past the Bondi Fit Temple was awesome, with the crew cheering over the fence and handing out high-fives it was an awesome way to finish!

Besides the heckling and sledging that followed regarding my honourary membership to Team Ironman, I was absolutely stoked that I was able to race to plan. What a fantastic feeling! I absolutely understand the negatively split plan. It really does make such a difference to your mind set later in a race when you can lift the pace instead of fall off the back...!

To top it off even more I later found out I managed to snatch 7th in a field of 49 with a time of 1:12:08.
Tommy managed his first ever gold with a time of 1:05:19.!
Celebrations were in order and we put away a 6pack under the Bondi Fit Temple while watching the Miniman race. Epic.

And that was only the Saturday.... What was to come on the Sunday was maybe even greater...

Training is treacherous

Well it has been a while between updates, and for the most part it has been a hit-and-miss month training wise. Work has dragged me down somewhat and consistent 7am meetings in the office do not help morning training sessions, and shitty days at the office don't help motivation for afternoon ones... hence I have missed a few that I should have made. Now it's time to make up for it this month.

I am recently back from the first Tri Training Camp of the year down at Wollongong with the Bondi Fit crew. A little sore and fragile although not defeated!
The weekend was great all in all. Had a good 85km ride Saturday morning with Spot's group up past Jamberoo including one good climb then stopping at a little coffee shop on the way back for a pretty mean bacon and egg roll!

Went on a little sprint out of Jamberoo with Spot and a random (but very nice) guy who joined us in Jamberoo. We broke away and had a really good ride for 20km or so before backing off and re-joining the pack. Was good to be able to tuck into the aero bars and stretch the legs out, really makes me wanna drop the coin on a tri-specific bike now...! Com'on Tax man!!
Although with every positive there is a negative, as a result of taking on the boss, I got a love tap into the faster group for Sundays ride, which made me second guess my efforts... although without pain and without someone pushing I won't improve, so why not!

Saturday arvo ramped up with a run-swim-run combo out past the Wollongong Harbour. It was a nice run with a bit of trail and a bit of road with a couple of small hills to beak it up. I definitely went out to hard (I can hear the taunting already) and paid the price later. My knees held up quite well and I didn't get any pain through the tendon which was a nice change, although the ITB's were still tearing at the side of my knees and causing some good pain by themselves... But thats something that I can work on fixing, so not such a dramatic problem.

The swim was a nice short spurt around the harbour in still (albeit murky) water. Couple of loops which felt good. I felt quite quick as well which was good. I really like that wetsuit!

The run back was rubbish. Haha. Cramping up, ITB's felt like they were going to either snap or tear my knee out of my legs... Slow and painful was that experience... I even got hassled when I made it back, with suggestions of having to find me a get the glow sticks out... ha. ha. ha
I have to get these knees fixed!

Roller, roller, roller... that was my Saturday night... straight outta the shower, onto the foam roller, it hurt so good. Pub for diner with the mob, then back on the roller... Hoping that it would prove it's worth thinking ahead to the 120km ride that loomed Sunday...

Sunday morning came and man did I not want to get outta bed! But suited up, loaded the fluids onto the bike, packed some Mountain Mix and Energy Gels into the bike bag and rolled out to the carpark, to find a bunch of sore triathletes and a few sporting a bourbon headache from the night before (glad I dodged that one!)
Scotty was feeling the effects of the night before so handed us the coastal road instead of the highway which was music to everyones ears, although thats where the good news ended... Our pace was good for the run over the new coastal road out of Wollongong, managed to hold the pack well enough, although as we started the climb to Stanwell Park my good vibes were shattered! That's a shitty hill.

We regrouped at the park and then set off for the ride through Royal National Park. there was a little climb into the park but then some well received downhill sections that enabled me to catch and pass some of the guys at the back of the pack (knowing I would be watching them go past as soon as we started to climb again...)
There are some serious hills in the park. I need to spend time on the bike climbing. Seriously.
As expected I watched the guys (and girl) scratch past me on the climb up to Audley but held hope that I might be able to reel them back in on the descent.
After 50km of riding (just under 2 hours) I saw one of the group heading back. Magic. Just around the next corner was another and we decided to call it and head back, knowing the rest of the pack was well off in the distance.
I held on to the two of them for the first part of the climb out although soon enough had to let them go and fend for myself. I thought I might catch them on the descent back down to the Waterfall turnoff but came up short, partly due to an impromptu meeting with a cliff face, the bitumen and the traffic barrier....

I was only 2 corners away from the bottom of the descent (well 1 and a half) and was carrying some good pace. Too good. Coming around the right hander the road dipped away and all I saw in front of me was the apex of the next left hander which happened to be a nice section of rock... I couldn't shave off enough speed to allow me to turn any harder so when I left the bitumen and hit the dirt I decided I was going to take the cliff on... From what I can remember I grazed the cliff with my left hand and arm, managed to keep the bike somewhat upright for a split second which must have been enough to get me back onto the bitumen, then lost it from underneath me, hit the deck and slid 20 or so metres across both lanes and came to rest at the traffic barrier in the oncoming lane.

In the short time of about 3 seconds I had already resigned myself to some form of serious injury, I thought for sure I would be an absolute mess.

I estimated that I hit the wall at about 50km/h (I can confirm this now with the data from my trusty Garmin at 49km/h).

Incredibly afterwards I picked myself up and dragged myself and my bike into the gutter to assess what had just happened and what the damage was.

I tore my left glove to pieces, grazed my knuckles and grazed my elbow. That was it. Wow.
I think I became religious for a moment there.
My bike was sure to be trashed. Or not. I pinched the front rim, tore the tyre and took some bar tape off... That was it... Well at this stage anyway. I need to take it to the shop and have them look at it to make sure the frame is ok...

I tried to change the tube out in the front tyre to keep going, but with the tear in the rubber I was left stranded. I called for a taxi to get me home. The rest of the crew filed past eventually and all slowed, although I was beyond their help so waved them through and let them carry on their next climb. Two of the lads came through a few minutes later, looking like they were going to burn their bikes, stopped "to make sure I was all good" and used the time to stretch some very tired and sore looking bodies! They carried on shortly after and I got my taxi ride back to camp (all $150 of it!!!) although considering my luck I took it in my stride and didn't let it get to me.

So that's pretty much the story of my weekend. I'm sore, bruised and a little battered now, although all in all very happy that I went along. Besides getting stuck in some shitty traffic on the way home due to Cronulla copping a hiding in the NRL it was enjoyable!

Now, to get the bike into the repair shop and to start getting my tax sorted... Hrmmm... so many choices... Did I hear someone say something about the new Specialized...?

Coach's motivation is better

Well, it's nice to know that your coach is full of motivational encouragement...

Looks like I'll be water logged by the time my knee is ready for the track!

Just a taste of the motivation:

 Monday night motivation from Spot:

Physios and doctors will tell you what you CANNOT do - Spot will tell you what you CAN DO...

SWIM 8 times this week - use a pull-buoy or wetsuit for surf!

readthe attached race report - doctors told me not to do anything for 6 weeks -I did Ironman 8 DAYS after getting off crutches...

Spot Anderson - Head Coach.

My challenge response: 

Sounds like a challenge.
Nothing like a bit of brutal motivation.

I'll be there Wednesday morning

Tuesday morning reinforcement from Spot: 

Good boy - otherwise I'll enter you in an Ironman next weekend!

Ironman next weekend? I don't think so...!!


Bring on the swim sessions!

Spot completing an Ironman, 8 days after getting off crutches!

Knee injuries are the best...

Well what a few weeks of ups and downs... 

A few days ago I was planning this entry and it was all positive news. But since the 6km mark of my Saturday morning run, it has seemed increasingly negative...

My training has been consistently inconsistent over the last three weeks. I have averaged 2 of 3 swim sessions a week, some while battling a minor man flu (it's a real thing!), I have missed all but one Thursday morning bike session due to a required increase in presence in the office at 6:30am. I was yet to make an appearance at the run track in the afternoon due to my knee (which was getting progressively better over the last few weeks) and I am yet to set foot in the surf on a Saturday morning...

With all that in mind I had high expectations for the coming weeks. Everything was settling down and it looked like I was ready to really step it up.

I have ordered my wetsuit in preparation for some ocean swims along with a bunch of other goodies from Wiggle (that place is a trap!) which should be here in a few days (love international shipping!). I had a bit of a trial fitting to make sure I got the right size, then went ahead and ordered the Orca 3.8, which with its extra buoyancy should keep my sinking legs from, well, sinking! Well I hope so anyway...!

The Elite Energy Triathlon series opened up its season pass, allowing entry to a 7 race series across the summer, which I had been contemplating since early days. I jumped on board and grabbed one as it is something that I am really looking forward to for some experience and a challenge.
I knew that it was a lot of racing coming up to an Ironman, although I figure that the experience in those would be invaluable come the big race. It also fit in nicely with some of the longer distance Tri events over the summer. All positive I thought!

Plus, if Spot decided that it was perhaps a little too much to slide in all the races AND complete the Cairns Ironman then I would reschedule my Ironman dream till Bussleton 2013, which would give me time to focus more on longer distance rather than Olympic distance... Not my ideal plan, but then again not a show stopper!

 

But then...

6kms into my Saturday morning run my left knee started to complain again. Sick. This has now thrown a massive spanner in the works and left me feeling miserable all weekend. I couldn't walk Saturday afternoon, let alone climb stairs... hell even trying to use the clutch was an excruciating experience...

I started thinking the worst, how many weeks would I be unable to run for? Will I be able to train for the start of the Olympic series in October? Will I be able to ramp up to be ready for Ironman in June?

Would I be out of the water and off the bike while I recover? How much is this going to hurt my progress...?

After this mornings trip to see my physio Niamh, my fears have all but been confirmed... I look set for a few weeks of no running, perhaps some light jogging in a few weeks time if I'm lucky. My swim sessions for this week have been eliminated, perhaps a return on Friday morning, and the bike seems the same... 

All very depressing really

I have another follow up session on Friday with Niamh and hopefully she can work some magic and boost my spirits (along with fixing my knee...)

Until then my daily routine is:

• Wake-up
• Stretch
• Foam roller (ITB's and Quads)
• Work (boooo)
• Home
• Stretch
• Foam roller
• Leg lifts and modified squats
• Ice
• Dinner
• Stretch
• Foam roller
• Ice
• Bed
• Repeat