PSOF Championships 2013 - Challenge Henley

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  • Evening all. I sense a final build up to taper time. image So looking forward to this but haven't got my head round the boat thing yet. 

    I've been hammering the bike this week (not literally!) and done a couple of 30 milers at a fastish pace and my total bike miles this week is approaching 125! Dustboy gave me a good bit of motivation round Richmond Park yesterday, yelling at me up the upflats in a higher than normal gear. He makes a good coach. I've been concentrating more on getting my pace up than long slow stuff so I hope I don't crash and burn at 40 miles into Henley.  But there is no time time cut-off for the half so I know I'll finish. I'd just like to finish the bike in about 3:40. 

    But I'm mostly looking forward to cheering everyone in at the full - if Whizzkid doesn't beat me to the finish line that is. image

     

  • O.rangeCannon (kona-7) wrote (see)

    ok.

    whats the story with camping?

    I think most of us camping are booked here:

    http://www.swissfarmcamping.co.uk/

  • Evening all.

    Achilles still not great. Putting off making final decision whether I do Henley or not for another week or so. If I was sensible I would take some time out, then build up slowly  so I'm fit to start training in December for Nice!!

    Was thinking what are people planning for the Sat evening, meal wise. I was going to head over to Henley next week sometime to look at venues for post race do, but do people want me to book a table at an Italian or something for Sat night?

  • Soup - big gear work is great but do it in moderation it's one of the few things cycling that can cause injury! I don't think il be beating you around as my swim is so crap it's unbelievable haha! Spokekiklike a true cyclist!

    raf - an Italian sounds good, if we do go out can it not be really late as I have too drive back too newbury after! I hope you can compete but if its going too mess you up don't do it fella!

  • Thanks for the heads-up on injury Whizzy.  I'm also doing squats to try and build up leg strength. I'm determined to improve my bike speed and do long course next year. 

    Tough call on the injury Raf. image

    Camping - that's tempting. image

  • Hi all

    First of all, many congratulations Scuba. 

    Just back from a fortnight in France. Ran 105 miles while I was there and tomorrow I'll find out if I can still cycle or swim. Then a couple of reasonably hard weeks getting back to where I was (!) and then it'll be getting into taper land. Glad that, on the whole, we're doing okay - hope things get sorted satisfactorily Raf and I'm pleased you can do it Brooko

    Re the Saturday meal, since I'll have my wife and children with me - and since I'm going to be out playing all day Sunday I'm going to decline. (If it turns into a picnic lunch outside the teddy bear shop though you can count us all in!)

    Sept 8 is four weeks away, I reckon these could be a fast 4 weeks.

  • Congratulations to Scuba, and good to hear the taper mania is starting to rear its head early. Seeing as I've never got into full training by the standards oif you lot it looks like I shaln't bother with much of one.

    Holiday was hot hot hot (32 degrees) and humid. No gym, so only managed a tiddy bit of running (maximum 10 miles). I should have done more swimming, but couldn't get my head into it. The sea was 30 degrees too, FFS!

    This week I've been trying to recover from jetlag, but did manage a couple of bike rides. Today was 80 miles, including some bitching hills through the Forest of Dean before crossing the Severn Bridge to come home. Despite a low patch around 50miles I finished strongly enough to still have been thinking positively about carrying on, but time demanded otherwise. 5 hours done.

    I see that Whizzkid is even faster than he has been leading us to believe. I get this feeling that I'm only going to see him in the beer tent.

    Thinking of tents, my family have now decided not to bother supporting me on the biggest challenge of my life to date. I may therefore decide to cancel the two hotel rooms and go camping instead.

  • Bouncing Barlist wrote (see)
    O.rangeCannon (kona-7) wrote (see)

    ok.

    whats the story with camping?

    I think most of us camping are booked here:

    http://www.swissfarmcamping.co.uk/

    image I'll need to figure out where & for how long Mother has booked her caravan in!! image

    And the shield went in to be engraved yesterday! I'll bring it down with me! I'm going to miss it though! image image

  • Glad to see people are back from holidays and ready to go...

    That was a good weekend, wedding went to plan and had 2 great days. I also managed to squeeze in a 1hr swim on Friday morning before getting ready. On Saturday morning I ended up having to pick up our car from the hotel where the reception was (not part of the plan) which given a bit of a panic was going on I did 8mile in 22mins on the bike, nice little work out. Sunday morning was then 2:45 run (19miles) took some time to get into it (little hung over) but luckily bumped into Julie from my local tri club who is also doing Henley and ran with her for  half an hour after which I was fine.

    This week is going to be my last big week, 6 hours ride with 1 hour brick run and a 3hr run as well as usual other stuff. Not sure if I should do anything else differently, like more hills or intervals or is it too late to worry about any of that?

    Raf hope the Achilles settles soon.

    I'm still not sure whether to Hotel or Camp, like the idea of meeting up for Saturday evening meal but until I work out where I'm staying can commit. I'm also not sure about eating anything other than my own food on the day before the race.

    Last push to the end now, hope everyone is in good form.

  • Congrats ST! I like the fact you still managed too get in a crap load of training! Good stuff mate... I'm kind of worried everyone has done a lot more running and swimming then me! I only managed 2:15 long run this week (mainly biking getting in the way!) swimming I really am feeling can't be arsed as usual.... As I'm crap and hate the pool image! Oh and ST do not overdo hill and interval work that's asking for trouble unless you going sub 11 don't bother the increased risk of injury is too high!

  • FFS, you think that you've done a decent session, and within 2 posts you get ST reporting that he's done your session but backed it up with a marathon run ON ONE LEG. And for fun he gets married in between brick sessions. Not a knitting club? Blimey.

    And Whizzo, who lives, eats, sleeps, and no doubt craps from on his bike manages to get a run in. I bet he was wishing he was cycling for all those 135 minutes. No wonder he doesn't swim, he'll go rusty.

    One more thing, on a slightly sensible side. Do these organisers send printed joining material out, or are we supposed to keep checking the website?

  • They give you a full very detailed race pack on Friday/Saturday and there is a compulsory race briefing

  • I'd best start acting intelligent then. A race pack the day before the race just won't be absorbed. As it is I'm manfully trying to remember that it's 3 laps for the bike and 4 laps for the run.

  • Ok for the bike you have a computer or a watch and trust me... You won't forget... The run is easy last year they gave you bands red,blue,white no band on first lap... Simples!

  • Blisters wrote (see)

    I'd best start acting intelligent then. A race pack the day before the race just won't be absorbed. As it is I'm manfully trying to remember that it's 3 laps for the bike and 4 laps for the run.


    Dont worry - I'll be there shouting 1-2-3-4 if you need me to...supporting doesn't get any easier than that!!  

  • oh yes - dont forget the race briefing. I did last year and regretted it. Done a few of these but each is different and ended with me having a serious panic on the Sunday morning.

  • Just made exciting adjustments too my bike very aggressive now.... Probably going too be running bent over double!

     

    not long now!

  • I'd better start training then.

  • Blisters wrote (see)

    I'd better start training then.

    Just wing it... Will be fine!

  • How many othe pirates racing full or half at Henley ?

    I will be at Henley on Sept 8th for my first middle distance tri. Also waiting for IMUK 2014 to open and I'm going for it. Never been as nervous as taking my second driving test ( failed the first for speeding as pulled over by police for speeding ). But I want to go long before the 50th approaches.

    I'm a year behind ironman plans due to torn tendon in arm from Bristol Olympic tri. 

    Whilst I suppose it's too close to get pirate kit for myself for Henley I will be sure to shout out support to other pirates and accept any pirate yells that gets me along the way image

     

     

  • Blisters - You have read the race info that is available to download from the Challenge Henley website? I'm a bit anal about my training at the moment, last push before taper madness, it doesn't mean I'm going to be quick but hopefully I'll finish.

    Red Stripe - Welcome, there are about a dozen Pirates either doing the IM or the HIM. Make yourself know to the Pirates and I'm sure your get plenty of support.

    Whiz - Be careful with those changes so close to the event, remember you still need to run a decent marathon. I hope you have thought again about dropping your IM dreams to just ride, your club mates only see your bike potential we can see how good you are at long distance Tri. A winter of structured swimming and a good season of running and you will be on the podium every time.

     

  • St - im on the fence to be honest, il still be swimming and running regardless im just not so sure about the iron distance, im relativly confident in doing some decent times in halves but i need too asses my situation and see How i do at henley, ive got a plan for the race which isnt conventinal but will hopefully work for me!

  • Hi all, glad to see everyone is doing well.  I'm planning on getting to Henley on the Friday and was considering doing a lap of the bike course...does that sound like a stupid idea ?  

  • Brooko - yes that sounds like a stupid idea! Going for a short spin is OK to check the bike out, but you want to be resting your legs up as much as possible!

    (And some other advice - don't try to bunny-hop up a kerb on a fixie1 It doesn't work and there's a high probability you'll go arse over tit image)

  • Brooko definetly waaaaaaasy too much a day or two before! 

    Raf - lol tit!

  • Rafi - That has to be as good as my curb diving, did anyone see you? Any update on the injury?

  • Brooko - that is an idea fail. The most I'll be doing Friday is packing. 

    Had a $h1tty week last week. Felt weird, possible infection as my lymph nodes were all swollen up. Still, better now - had physio this morning, then a 2 hour run/walk, a spot of lunch, then a 2 hour bike. My final century is on Sunday then I'll probably drop my long bikes down to 3-4 hours or so. 

    Also just bought some new race tyres, chain and cassette for my rocket ship so that she's ready for her big day. image

  • I think that Raf has got a severely dented ego, a red face, and a wounded pride.

    Whizzo, I am predicting that you are going to have an absolute BALL at Henley. Get out of the river at the back of the pack (but miles ahead of me) and then you are going to jump on your speed machine and be a Biking God. We know that you are anyway, but nobody will overtake you. You will pass hundreds and hundreds. Your bike fitness will take you through the run.

    Scuba, thanks, I've dug out the 17 page red pack and read it once more. I may change from Premier Inn Marlow to camping at Swiss Farm. I really didn't twig just how far away the swim start was from the rest of the world. Mind you, the camping's not that cheap. I guess that it's not aimed at 2 man tents.

  • Thanks blisters been feeling a bit meh about the whole thing! I'm hoping you are right, just came back from my weekly time trial was a lot slower then last week (45secs) still a podium as everyone else was slower and the important thing is I annihilated the other tri-af-elites lol... Was wet and shitty so I can't singe too much... But I just couldn't push my heart rate past 170 which is quite low for me on a 10 mile... I think I'm looking too much into it! I'm not loverly worried about the run... The ultra marathon mantra will go through my head...relentless forward progress...

     

    any nough moaning I'm looking forward too taper time.... And more importantly I'm looking forward too meeting the people I haven't met! Might be down on Friday but probably Saturday... Love ya all

  • I did manage to stay on the bike - just! Just proves my superior bike handling skills!! image

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