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Training for a shorter Tri
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Good luck for everyone for tomorrow! Waiting to read your race reports.
big hugs steady.
I still ain't dun nuffin...well I'm on holiday in germany so I've mostly floated in the pool and ate-drank too much. Oddly no proper swimming allowed in the pool...we were at old foggies health spa with the inlaws. Its been way too hot...mid 30s.
Good luck to everyone at the outlaw today.
No training for me for at least a few days. Knackered my knee yesterday, it just gave up on the bike 20 miles from the finish and made the run impossible. Walked 13 miles and then stopped.
Going to try to defer my Helvellyn entry to next year and then just start doing regular long rides and runs for the enjoyment for the next few months. Then next year aim for a couple of halfs (probably the DIY and A Day In The Lakes) ready to build back up to Outlaw for 2017
DB - sorry to hear of your DNF.
What a crappy day it was at outlaw - weather was horrendous. I was cold on the swim, started getting cramps in my calves and I have no idea how many of the small buoys I swam into! Made it in time and was so glad I didn't have to get on a bike. I was really cold, had a hot shower, bacon butty and sugary coffee and felt a bit better. Pingu, our biker, made it but also got very cold. Buttercup no doubt will post later, but got very cold and didn't make the whole run - so a DNF for us too. To be honest, by 6:30 in the evening I had decided it wasn't really fun anymore and just wanted to go home and be warm and comfy on the sofa! I got worried about buttercup and walked out with her OH to find her, frozen and soaking. She got a lift in a yellow van back to race HQ
I'd decided it wasn't fun any more by about 11:30 in the morning. Think it was another 2 hours after that I was enjoying myself again. That feeling lasted for about 30 minutes.
Yes I got a ride in a neenaw
Big old dirty DNF for me yesterday - I started cold (waited 1.5hrs in running gear for my awesome rider, Pingu, who battled 112 miles like a trooper to get back to transition so I could run), wore my tri-top and bottoms and a short sleeve running top thinking I wouldn't need my jacket as I would get hot once I started running. I didn't count on it being torrential the whole time and being so cold. By the time I got back to the lake I was very cold and glad to see Mrs D and Digger with my jacket.
A bit warmer I kept on going still running intervals, but I was wet and frozen to the bone and by the time I hit Lady Bay for the second time my legs were cramping so I was forced to walk - I resigned myself to walking (I knew I still could get to the finish before the cutoffs) - I was feeling super miserable but I didn't want to let anyone down since they had been superstars on their legs so I kept on going. One of the marshalls was a star and walked with me until I got to the feed station where they fashioned me a rubbish bin liner jacket as it was clear I was very cold and shaky and my own bag of chips, but I was still talking and walking so they let me go.
Have I mentioned I am super stubborn? I kept on going (by this point B had decided the conditions were horrendous and he knows I wouldn't stop even when I should've and he and MC came to find me). I got to about 500 metres from the next aid station and they caught up with me. They took one look at me and manhandled me out of most of my sopping race gear into some warm dry clothes and gave me a shake and some sugary nakd bar. The next 500m was the slowest ever as my right quad was cramping and very hurty and it was clear that getting to the finish line was not going happen. I had a nice visit with a paramedic and a ride in an ambulance back to the start. I headed for the showers (slowly
) and found Bookie and Red Stripe. After a lovely long hot shower we wandered up and had some hot food and a couple of hot cups of tea.
So lessons to take away? I am not bigger than the conditions - dress appropriately even if it says it is Summer. Stay super warm up until you start. Know when to call it a day - I hate quitting and will go until I can't go anymore (I struggle with this one). Even in the depths of a horrible race you can always say thank you and attempt a smile to the Marshalls and the other competitors who tried to perk me up when they could see I was flagging.
Thank you my Piratey friends you are all amazing xx
Good post, well done on the effort. And aye, no matter how grim I felt I tried to thank all the volunteers, marshals and supporters. My favourite marshal on the run was just before the feed station before you get on the lake path after returning from the river. When I passed him he took one look and shouted "Come on Smiler!". "Cheers you sarcastic bastard" and gave him a high five
Sorry to hear about DNFs DB and ButterCup. I still think you're stars just getting to the start line!
Buttercup I think we share the stubbornness, but you out did me with a ride in a neenaw.
The weather conditions yesterday sounded awful from all accounts and it was not any better down in the south.
DB, I am sure you will come back stronger.
Only 5 days to go now until I dip my toe in the tri waters for the first time, feeling confident over the distances, not really got a time in mind for the whole thing but hoping for a 8.30 or faster swim, a sub 50 cycle and a 27 run. Most nervous about transition and doing something stupid that gets me disqualified.
simo, you will be fine
stupid things to avoid that could end in dq: naked in transition, touching/unracking bike without having your helmet on, riding bike in transtions, drafting.
there are other stupid things, but those are the only things that spring to mind that could end up in dq - even then, most organisers wouldn't automatically dq you specially if they realise you are a novice.
I am still feeling shattered after Sunday! but might go for a little run/walk as a way of ignoring the housework!
I have cleaned my shoes and the tent is still drying - shoes were rank
I washed all my race gear and managed to completely forget about them 
still tired but had a sleep in today so back on track Pilates tomorrow!!
Simo,
I've seen many a stupid thing in transition but on our smaller triathlons up here in Aberdeenshire, no one has ever been dq'd. Most other racers will advise you loudly if you're about to do something wrong. I think it depends on how picky the organisers are.
Well done to everyone who was at the outlaw at the weekend. Sympathies to the DNF'ers. You're all ace just to get to the start line.
Buttercup, I was amazed at how tired I was, take things gently as it is easy to forget just how hard you pushed your body on Sunday.
I may go for a walk this afternoon, once I have made up the hours for work as this morning was spent at the hospital. Diagnosed with Calcium crystals in the shoulder which is the most painful thing for shoulders.
I haven't stopped sleeping, so glad I've got a few days off work.
Sorry to hear about DB and Buttercup, it was horrible weather to suffer in, I was shivering from halfway round the bike course till I got to the shower
Good luck Simo, enjoy it and have fun, don't worry about messing up, the marshals will help you out
Every race I ve been to has meant full waterproofs at some point in the day.
Next year then!
Runner, swimmer, cyclist and triathlete
Devoid of a competitive streak
Who cares, I'm in it for the medal!
I'm leaving the country soon. The company I work for isn't massive so I'm not getting a huge move fee, this means I'm having to down size my belongings. Being a bloke I don't own that much but last week I had to throw out the old trainers that I ran the Inverness Marathon in. It was such a wrench.
And now I'm looking at my tatty bike jacket and thinking that it needs to go too, but I don't want to. I'm keeping all my race t-shirts/numbers etc.
Does anyone else feel sentiment towards their training kit or should I just man up and look forward to new purchases in the States?
pete - man up!! no, I don't chuck my stuff either despite OH complaining about all the trainers etc all over the place
good luck with the move! At least the kit etc should be fairly cheap to buy over there and I think there is a fairly big tri scene (well, my view might be distorted by facebook groups that I am part of!)
Sorry to hear about the DNF's DB and BCup, never nice but there are far more important things than triathlon (eek am i banned now I've said that?
)
10 weeks still to go for me and we've had a big wobble as the new intermediate bike cuts offs are ridiculous. 17mph av for the first 66 miles, then 18 mph av for the next 22 miles followed by a leisurely 12mph av spin home.
But there no changing them so I will just have to get on with it.
Due to this news training has ramped up even more than planned and although it's just week 1 of the new plan I'm already knackered.
6hrs swimming last week I swam over distance getting to 2.58 miles in 2 hrs OW
If I can swim faster it will give me some more time on the bike.
I have fallen out with my new vista goggles so am reverting back to my kayennes it may feel like my eyeball is rubbing the lens but they don't leak!
Oh I've also swum a mile in the sea last week, including leisurely stops it took 1 hr.
I'm also thinking of doing some training where I pick my bike up, leap over barriers and doge a few bouncers/security guards, after all if they can't catch me they can''t stop me
3hr pre work bike this morning, heart rate is now being ignored and the mantra is if I look at my speed and it's below 17mph (it normally is) and I'm not on a hill, peddle faster! I'm not sure which hurts more my lungs or my calves.
Finally I think I have the starts of trench foot, seriously it would be nice to do some training in the dry for a change.
Onwards and upwards hey
I will tow the line knowing I have done everything I possibly can.
Ali - blimey those cuts off are harsh - I can't remember which race you are doing
look after your feet!! get some cream or something from the chemist to deal with the trench foot/any other bugs on them!
I have turboed and run today
not a brick because I had stuff to do in between but the turbo was a sufferfest and the run was hard
think tomorrow if the weather is good I will take my mtb out for some fun on the trails round here. It has been raining most of today, even though it wasn't forecast
@alibear, can you explain what you mean when you talk about intermediate bikecut offs, are these for a certain event ect?
I had my first DNF ever at Outlaw.To be honest it was a disaster from start to where I finished.
Swim
My first mistake was forgetting my timing chip, I got to the waters edge and a marshall asked me where my chip was? SHIT 5 minutes to go , I ran back to the tent in bare feet and wetsuit, tipped my bags out but couldnt find it, I started running back to transition as I got to the car park I heard the horn go for the start of the swim, I ran as fast as I could to see if I had put my chip in my swim/bike bag but no luck, as I started throwing my kit about in a rage a lady marshall asked me what the problem was, I told her and she said I will get you another chip folow me and another marshall put all my kit back in my bags.so with my new chip I ran down to the lake to the cheers of the crowd and dived in.
I was 18 minutes behind the rest of the field and started to swim like crazy but it was no good, I wasnt swimming I was panicking so I told myself to calm down and managed to get into a rhythm of sorts slowly I started to gain on the backmarkers, Once I had caught up I relaxed and said to myself "your back in the game now" so I got my head down and ploughed on, I came out of the water 1:54, but my garmin which I started as I dived in said 1:36. which is faster than 2013.
.
Bike
Rode out of T1 with Abi and John-Paul ( dont know their Pirate names) kept with them until the Pirate feed station, they stopped off I just rode striaght through to the cheers of the Pirate massive which gave me a great boost.
To cut a long story short I completed the southern loop when it started raining and the wind was getting up so onto the bypass by now the wind and rain was relentless and I was getting colder and I was having problems changing gears. onto the Northern loop and Oxten Bank and down through Southwell and on to the A road which was wide open to the elements, by now I could'nt feel my hands and was stuck on the big ring ( I could'nt change down). The loop finished and head back to the Southern loop, Got to a roudabout and no marshall , did'nt know which way so edged onto the roundabout and noticed a sign pointing left so left I went. After 25 minutesI realised I had gone the wrong way I was back at the bottom of Oxten Bank, I turned round and headed back to the bypass where I saw the other sign that had turned part way round in the wind (my own stupid fault for not going with my instincts) by now I was having real problems with my hands, I physically had to look where I was putting my hands because I could'nt feel anything with my hands. I came to another roudabout and tried to brake but could'nt pull the levers and had to swerve to avoid a car so at that point I decided to call it day before I had an accident. A motorbike marshall came alongside me and said you have 18 minutes to get to the start of the Southern loop which is only up road but I told him I was finished as I can't feel my Hands. I'll send the van for you he said so I rode on for another mile when I saw the van. They loaded me and my bike into the van gave me a space blanket and put the heater on full and ferryed me back to HPP medical tent to warm up. With shivering so much my back had gone into spasm so had to have a massage to free it up.
After a hot shower and a bite to eat I started to feel better and went to support the runners.
I got as far as I possibly could in the circumstances as safety came first but I have this niggling question going on in my head " did I give up to easily" and "if I had got on the Southern loop could I have got to T2"
I felt really strong all day and I had no issues and felt I could of had a good run had I got to T2 but the questions keep jumping back into my head.
I live to fight another day as Sunday definately was'nt my day.
Someone up there had it in for you Razor. The conditions were just grim when the rain started. I was just coming off the northern loop when it started, which was also about 30 minutes after my back started playing up. My sense of humour failed completely not long after. This summer has been ridiculous with the weather, and the elements were certainly against us on Sunday. Survival is more important than finishing.
Horse was worried about you the whole time, when I finally got onto the "run" and he saw me he was desperate for news of you. Glad you're ok now though fella.
((razor)) - if you had stayed on the bike you might have ended up having an accident, you did the right thing stopping. I think I saw you swimming past me - I was surprised when someone was swimming so fast past me towards the end of the swim! Never realised it was you.
Razor you were right to stop and did not give up too easily, I was in similar circumstances at the Outlaw Half and in the cold you come to a point where your safety and those of others is the most important. OSB do a fantastic job of looking after cold wet cyclists and runners.
I have started to do some exercise this week, walking from the mainline station to the office and back, a mile each way. It does not sound like much but until now I have hopped on a bus as it was too much. I also did a 2 mile walk one evening, I am very conscious of not doing too much too soon as I was so close to developing full blown chronic fatigue syndrome when I got ill and the recent stress regarding Mr Steady has taken its toll. This weekend I will watch the Ride London event jealous of others but knowing that I have a place for next year.
Pete, you have to take one item of each bit of kit at least, otherwise the first thing you will need to do is go shopping for essentials whereas its more fun shopping for extras, the most favourite bits of kit must be kept.
steady - sounds like you are starting to feel a bit better, take it easy and don't rush back too soon. Hope mr steady is starting to improve too
Razor - you were blue when I saw you, right decision made!!!!