CrankITCaff

Australian Ironman 2009 - My Learning experience

2009-04-11T14:08:00.007+10:00

Australian Ironman
Pt Macquarie 2009.

So I have come off some interesting results.
WA Ironman saw me pull in a 10 minute PB although an ITB issue put the breaks on at around 8 k’s into the run so a 11hr:14 min was the end result – Yes a PB but not what I was aiming for.
Off to Geelong for the 70.3 and for me, I was able to put in a really solid race with a 12 minute PB and a time of 4:47.

So now I’ve headed to Pt Macquarie with the family in toe to compete in the 2009 Australian Ironman.
My training has been solid and I have really focused on losing weight. My final weigh in came in at 71.3. This is the lightest that I have been in a very long time.

In the lead up to the race, Northern NSW has been flooded with Pt Mac recording 70mm on both Wednesday & Thursday (Coffs Harbour which is North of Pt Mac had recorded 660mm in a 24hr period and was then declared a Natural disaster zone by the state government)

The rain had made the few days prior to the race a little difficult to train as most of my training was swimming. The Hastings river was brown and with all the fresh water being flushed into the river, there was NO salt in the water at all – Just lots of sticks and rubbish.
So I missed my swimming until Friday (only a 15 minute swim) and then on the Saturday with Coach, Deb, Gavin, Big Boy and the rest of the ETPA (http://www.etpa.com.au/) crew. We swam for about 25 minutes in total with a few 100 mtr efforts to blow out the cobwebs.

Mentally, I’m feeling well. I’m not as nervous as I have been and I’m just enjoying myself this time with Jess & Oskar.
So with daylight saving changing and giving us all and extra hours sleep, it’s sure to be a nice night prior to the race …. Mmmmmm, not really. Boy did it rain, and rain and rain!!

SO the morning of the race comes and Mat, Big Boy & I head down to transition and all is good. My trusty rig has survived to rain well as I have placed my crank and cassette cover on the day before so that no mud or addition water would get into the vital components.
I kindly help out the fella next to me as it was his first IM and I could see that he was quite nervous (just like I was). I help him out with some tape, a plastic bag as he forgot to place his ridding top in his T1 bag, some last minute lube for his chain etc.

From there, I catch up with the lads and wait around for a while as this year the pro’s have a 35 minute head start on us standard age groupers. So off they go and I haven’t even got my over sized wetsuit on yet.
I get my wetsuit on and walk down to the swim start and say my goodbyes. Into the water I go and do a couple of 20 mtr efforts so try to get the blood pumping into the arms and shoulders. This year I have a white cap on which is second in order of expected swim times with Blue being first. I see a fella that I met the other day who is a Tri coach from Spain (his English isn’t too good – but a lot better than my Spanish …. Duo polo perfervour … 2 chickens please!!!)
I wish him good luck and he has a fantastic reply ….. “The only people that need luck are those that don’t know what they are doing and really bad bull fighters” imagine that in broken English with a Spanish twist …. It was gold.

So the race:
The cannon goes off and we are away. As normal, the first 300 – 500 mtrs is a free for all and anything goes. Naturally there were a lot of arms and legs going everywhere and I copped my fair share. Other than that, like most swim’s it was the first part of what was to be an eventful day.
As I get out of the water, the clock say’s 1:11 … Mmmmmm not good as Busso was 1:03 and I have been on the improvement in my training. Never mind .....
Into T1 and through the mud, I get changed and grab my bike …. So far so good.
I get about 1 minute into the ride and I lose my Jetstream “yellow filter” when I hit a small bump in the road.
I get through the hills on Pacific Drive , down Mathew Flinders and out on to the flat. By this time, my legs are starting to warm up and I’m feeling good. I start to count the in lots of 5 the people that I catch …. And I was doing this quite well. The first lap was good and I was now in a rhythm. Off I go again for lap 2 and again I’m picking off a few. As I get back to Mathew Flinders I’m half way up the climb and “Bang” my rear hub has disengaged and I had to quickly unclip so that I didn’t fall and run with my bike to the top of the hill. I quickly “played around with my pedals and the hub seems to re engage and off I go. Back into town through the rolling hills and no problems at all. So the final lap is on and my legs are still feeling good and no issues at all. From memory, I was on track for a 5hr 20ish ride and that was right on the money for me.
Out and back and all is good until I hit Mathew Flinders for the last time. Once again, I’m half way up the climb and I have just got out of the saddle to drive over the top and “BANG” …. Phuck …. Its happened again. My pedals where spinning but the rear wheel was staying put! Phuck this …. I’ll have to dismount and do the same as the last lap …. Well this time its a lot worse. Nothing I could do would fix this issue so I start walking with my bike towards the Pacific Hwy with some hope that the Shimarno mechanics will come past. So I start running with my bike, then walking, then running but no sign of help. I must say, I had plenty of people and fellow athletes ask if I was alright and if they could help. My general reply was .. “do you have a spare bike?” with an attempted smile on my face. 40 minutes later I'm back on my way!!!
I finally roll back into transition, grab my T 2 bag, get changed and off I go into the run however my head still wasn’t where it needed to be! (which isn’t the right thing as there are a lot of people who would have had bigger issues than me)
The run was reasonably uneventful Plenty of encouragement was coming from the spectators. I was looking for my good mate Chappo and I did see him on the ride in the lead AG pack. I then see him on the run course and the lad is moving very well. I give him the “push Chappo …. Your looking strong” he actually replies with “your looking strong too KP” …. Who me??? Typical Chappo …. Always giving a positive message …. That’s the sort of fella he is. While we are on Chappo (Trent Chapman), he goes on to finish 8th over all …. Yes, over all. He beat guys like Mitch Anderson & Jason Shortis (9th & 10th respectively).
So I’m still plodding on and I finally finish in a time of 11:47. This is about 30 minutes slower than Busso and definitely NOT what I wanted.
HOWEVER – I did FINISH and I need to be proud of that …. And I am J
The day after says a lot. I’m not sore as I have been (it’s more like the soreness of a Half Ironman) after an Ironman so I can tell that I didn’t push myself in the run at all. This was all in my head!
So at the Kona roll down I saw Anthony from CBD cycles. I went up to him with a smile on my face and said “ I have a cheap set of gravity zero’s …do you want them?” He looked at me and just turned his head away from me …. He was sitting with the two fella’s that my mate Chappo beat! I guess I wasn’t good enough to be in their / his company!
What did I learn from this experience?

CBD CYCLES will never see me again nor will I recommend them to any fellow athletes, family or friends. This falls on the back on the way they treated Komo when he was in the market to purchase a road bike. After purchasing many bikes from them, they wouldn’t even let Komo take a bike out on a test ride! What are they thinking. I’m sure that our cash is the same as the “super fast” athletes.
So I will be staying away from them …..
I have since been to meet the guys at CYCLESPEED (http://www.cyclespeed.com.au/ ) and they are now looking after me and my new rig is about to be ordered.
Andrew at cyclespeed (who I have never met before) greeted me with “How you going mate – do you want a coffee”
Well F&*k me …. This is the first time that any store owner / worker has offered me a coffee … so he had me straight away J.
And after the coffee, he treated me like a normal person ....... and thats all I want.
So what are the key take outs from the experience
Continue to trust your coach. I know Mat (ETPA) is getting me fit and strong and I’m just around the corner from doing something personally special.
Take this race as a great learning experience. Not everything goes to plan and you need to deal with it and trust yourself.

I do want to thank Mat, Komo, Jimmy M, Big Boy,Jimmy D, Ronny Z, Pistol & Archie for their help in training between WA & Pt Mac. This was the first time that the local crew haven’t done Pt Mac so I was on my own for a while. These guys all chipped in and offered training help & support when they could …… and it was awesome.

I now have to work out what I want / need to do over the winter. Do I look at Japan IM? Maybe Busso Half? What about the Melbourne marathon? There is plenty of options! Well I have the Easter long weekend to think about a few of the closer races and discuss them with Jessica.

Speaking of Jessica, she once again has been a rock. She continues to support me 110% and that make all the difference. She also does this while being the best mum in the world to our champion little fella Oskar Marley …. He rocks too J. She knows that doing this makes me happy and keeps me fit & healthy so that I can be as good a partner to her & father to Oskar as I can be …… and this is the most important thing in the world to me.

So now to enjoy the Easter break with my family & friends

KP

"WHY IRONMAN?"

2009-03-14T12:19:00.001+11:00

I’m sure that those in the sport of Ironman Triathlon get asked the same question over & over …. “Why?”
For me, the answer is that this is a sport that allows anyone to compete and in quite a few cases (other than Kona where you need to qualify) to race with and against the best in the world. At Geelong 70.3, we all raced with Craig Alexander who is the current Ironman world champion and also held the world title over the Half Ironman distance – What a thrill to see this machine in action!!!
Ironman for me not only has helped me get my health & fitness back after many years of treating my body like the town circus, it has also helped me “calm down” and look at many things in a different light. The most important thing being my family (which at time I took for granted). I have met so many great people out of Triathlon and people with so many experiences to call on for help / knowledge when needed.
So in 3 weeks time, I head to Pt Macquarie with my family (Jess & Oskar) in tow to compete in my 3rd Australian Ironman and 4th IM over all. Naturally the goal is to have a PB in each leg and do the best I can – yes I have a few personal goals that I have set and will let you in on at my post race review ;)
This preparation has been solid with more of a run focus and on a personal note, I have been extremely focused on losing as much of the unwanted kilos as possible J Currently I’m sitting comfortably at 72.3 kgs (last weekend I weighted in at 71.3) and with a strong & focused mind I can loose another 1 -1.5 kgs over the next 2 weeks and hit to 70 kg mark. This will then see me the lightest I have been for an Ironman or Half Ironman race and hopefully a quicker timeJ. Yes I know that hard training is the key and I can say that I have ticked the box on what the coach has presented me with in the lead up to IM.
Tomorrow will be another solid 7.5 hr day. This will cap off all the long miles that I have been doing and tomorrow is all about quality. Flick the focus switch and put the hard work down and enjoy the experience.
From there, it will be more about fast work, short and sharp while not getting injured or sick.
So for now, a little rest then play with Jnr for a while!
Stay tuned.

WA Ironman 2008

2008-12-11T20:30:00.002+11:00

So it starts like this. The biggest ETPA crew heads to WA to have a crack at the Ironman. A few first timers at IM and a few that have done them before. But don't be fooled by the first timers - these boys move fast! For me, I'm looking for a PB in all legs of the race. I'm feeling good in the water compared to previous races and the bike course is quick which will help due to the limited riding compared to my last race. As for the run, I have been doing a lot more running and I'm starting to feel good.

In the couple of days leading up to the race I was so nervous - more than any other race!

So to the start line we head. The swim is an out and back along the Busso jetty - yep one long jetty!!!

After all the official hoo haa the gun goes off and we are away. As it’s a straight swim it’s a bit messy for a while with lots of banging and crashing going on! I was nice and polite and moved out of the way of those who lost their GSP - I don't think so - I gave as good as I got ;). Half way out it cleared up and there was some clear water and I found a rhythm. Heading back in was quite relaxing and I tried to concentrate on what little technique that I have J As I got out of the water, the clock said 1:03:30 - that's a PB in the swim and I’m happy with that - two more to go! Into T 1 and relaxed I was. Took my time then out I went on the 180 k ride. I found a rhythm straight away and shortly after I caught up with Greer from WSTC. We legally rode together for just about the entire trip. At about 50 odd K’s Jimmy M joined in for the ride and once again we worked together. I thought to myself, G knows what she's doing and the speed was what I had planned to do so let’s be smart and bank some pennies for the run. Not much else to report on the ride as it’s flat and boring! Into T 2 I went in with Greer and Benny R and the both got out before me as I changed out of my race suit into a singlet and running knicks. Off I went for a 42.2 k run. The run was tuff from the start but if I could run the same as pt Macq I would finish around 10:40 ish and if I had a 4 hour run in me I was looking and 10:20 +. Well not to be as my knee decided not to play and packed in at around the 8 k mark. My splits show that early I was on track for the run that I had been training for and I was actually looking at a 3:50 run. Game on I thought for just a moment! Well I tried to pick up the pace on the second lap which I did but it was only a matter of time before it (the knee) shut down totally.

I finally shuffled across the line in just over 11:14. While this was no where near what I wanted or had been training for, it was a PB if only just!

In summary, the swim was good; the bike was good and the run not so good. The saving grace on the run is that I know what went wrong and it was something out of my control.

My nutrition was good and I had no stomach issues at all – 80 grams per hour on the bike suited me perfectly.

What would I do different you ask – I would make sure that I didn’t change in T2 …. What goes on under the wetsuit is it for the race – the decision is WHAT? Is it a one piece race suit or is it a 2 piece knicks and race singlet ……. The latter is my preference.

I would also arrive on the Wednesday prior to the race (Not on the Thursday as I did this time) – I didn’t feel that I had enough time with registration on the Friday and bike check in on the Saturday I personally felt that I didn’t have enough time to relax while getting in the last minute training that I needed to do. Flying out on the Tuesday was fine.

As for the support – Dam awesome again. It’s a long day for the spectators and to stay load and happy all day is fantastic.

A MASSIVE thanks to Jessica (my fantastic partner) and my little boy Oskar who have never complained once and continually supported me – I think they are happy that I’m out of the pubs J

The entire Big Boy Clan where great along with everyone else who was there in full voice ….. Oh yeh - and the Coach …. Matty was there supporting all of his lads all of the way not only on the day but every day of the year – Thanks Mat, your support is awesome and very much appreciated. A special mention must go out to a good mate - Komo. This guy is a machine – Massive engine and an even bigger heart and an awesome family. He has helped me so much in my training….. As they say, you get faster training with faster people …. And this guy is FAST! …. So Komo, thanks mate ;)

So it’s moving forward now to Geelong 70.3 …. I have already jumped back into the pool and felt good. With some continued work on my knee I will be back on track next week ready to push out another PB (fingers crossed J ) and tick another box.

Until we meet again!

Craaaaaaank IT

Season 2008 - 2009 is well and truely alive

2008-10-27T18:59:00.003+11:00

Well i thought it was time to throw a few things down on paper - well you get what I mean.
The season has started and I headed off to the Gold Coast about 4 weeks back with a mate Flash (yes first name is Gordon). Naturally the conditions were a lot different than we had trained in down her in sunny Melbourne. without going into massive detail, we both had solid races in 30+ degree heat and came out with PB's - so no complaining there.
Now training has stepped up a gear and there are quite a few of us preparing ourselves for WA ironman which is on 7th December.
There are a few in our squad who are preparing for their 1st Ironman and if their awesome Half IM results a long with their solid training is anything to go by, these lads will have a cracker of a race. As for myself, after a couple of IM races, my legs feel solid and finally my swimming is starting to take shape. So there it is, the road to WA (then Pt Maq) is beginning to be built.
Stay tuned for updates from here on.
Caff

Australian Ironman 2008 race report

2008-04-20T14:20:00.001+10:00

Ironman Australia

Pt Macquarie April 6^th 2008.

Well where to being? The training was now complete other than 4 days of quick “freshening up” work and a swim every day.

Wednesday prior to the race, I jumped on a plane with Jess, Jimmy & Fay heading for Newcastle. From there, a hire car was the means of transport to take us up to Pt Macquarie on the north east coast of NSW. Once we arrived, we unpacked and I caught up with Komo and we went down to the Panthers Club for a massage which we had booked a month earlier.

So let’s cut to the chase …… Sunday morning arrives (an extra hour of sleep was gold – due to daylight savings finishing and we were to set our clocks back an hour)

Well the heavens opened up and down it rained ….. And did it rain. Once we had checked it, we all crammed into a tent hoping the rain would stop …. And it did (just) and off to my bike I went to make the final check, add my nutrition & water in my jetstream and really just make sure all is ready to go.

So do you think I could find anyone? Not a chance. I managed to get some shelter for some random chap (he was a top fella) and we just chatted for a while – helped me take my mind off what was just about to happen!

Just as I was making my way down to the water with my bag ( I was thinking I was going to have to leave my bag under a tree) I found Jimmy D. He took my bag, zipped me up and off I went ….. On my pat Malone!

I happened to see Kerry & the girls just before the race and after a cuddle & kiss from team Komo... Off I wondered into the water.

The Swim

Into the water I go and feeling as calm as I could. I had a couple of 20 mtr “sprints” as to try and warm up my arms. So once I was settled and the National Anthem was played (and the goose bumped died down) I was waiting for the 1 minute countdown … not sure if I didn’t hear it however the gun goes BANG ….. Yep, I’m off in my 2^nd Ironman …. GIDDY UP.

So after the first couple hundred meters of chaos, I managed to settled down and find a rhythm. All was going well and the madness starts again. This year they have made the course a little narrower hence a lot more “Bang & Crash”. While I got my fair whack, I kept the “western suburbs” theory in mind …. An eye for an eye. I dished out plenty! As I completed the first lap (of 2) I was feeling quite strong and happy with the thoughts going through my mind. I managed to find some feet and I stuck with them for quite some time. So as I was leaving the water, I look up at the clock …1:10:20 …. WTF!!! Aaarrrrrrr …. And I felt so good in the water too. Dam … naturally I was hoping to go quicker than that. As it turns out, it was a slow swim so I’ll take that as ‘not a bad result”

Into T1 …. I just took my time. Dam wetsuit didn’t do me any favours with it getting all scrunched up around my feet. Nothing much to write about …. Everything else when OK. Over to my bike, a quick drink of 30grms CHO …. Grab my bike and off I go.

RIDE

Well my plan was to ride at a low HR so once through the township of Pt Macq and onto the flat my HR was settled and into a rhythm I went. Nothing much to talk about on the first lap. I saw Komo and he was on a mission ….. Gee he was riding strong. Then I saw Pistol Pete. I was about 4-5 minutes behind him so while keeping my HR in check; I was trying to peg him back. Into the second lap I was slowly closing in on Pistol while Komo was smashing it up …. He was riding away from me at a rate of knots! So into the 3^rd lap and Matty (Coach) tells me to slow down – I think he may have thought I was over riding (which I wasn’t) but I followed his instructions and slowed down. While on the 3^rd lap, I had a piece of plastic get caught in my wheel and while it didn’t seem to effect the bike I decided to stop and get the plastic out from my wheel ….. This was a good time to take a leak so off to the bushes I went.

Back into town and all was going well. I slowed down for the last few minutes with a marathon in mind! The conditions on the ride were varied, clearing skies in Pt Mac while we had rain and wind out at Lake Catheye – so we got a bit of everything.

Into T2 … once again, no hurry.

I changed my socks, runners on and took the cap of choice and out of the tent I went … what to do next? Stretch …. Yep, I sat myself on the ground and had a dam good stretch of my back and hips …. And yes a few comments came my way!

Up I got, sun screen added and off I go. The best thing happened to me as I left T2, I ran straight past a guys leaving T2 and he was hurting! … GOLD … I thought to myself – I’m in better nick than someone else. So off I went and at the boat ramp turn around a few k’s down from the village I saw Pistol. I took note of his position and then went back into my own world of concentration. Back into the village and off to the other side is where I saw the Team Crankit crew who were giving us all great support. It was time to relax and flex the guns for a few pics and keep the crowd happy ….. Always the entertainer. At this stage I was feeling well and I had found some sort of rhythm.

Into lap 2 and I had already downed 1 ½ flasks of gel (I run with 2 – 1 per 20 k) and I thought to myself .. Go easy pal! I was adding water to the empty flask and utilising every ounce of energy I could find in the flask. I go past the place I spotted pistol on the last lap so I’m thinking, just keep the pace and there could be a chance that we finish this race together (we had discussed this during many of our training days that we spent together) As I get back to the team CrankIT crew, I was starting to get the wobbles …. Here I am at the 28 k mark ….. Hold it together! As I went up windmill hill for the second last time someone yelled out ….. just have fun & enjoy it. Yeh I thought to myself … enjoy it. And off I ran for the final 14 ks of this great race. By this time I knew I was behind where I wanted to be in terms of my run time (but not a massive way away).I ran into Shannon from WSTC and he was having ITB issues … so as the good bloke that I am, I told him that he had to run with me … and he did for about 5 K … he then had to walk for a couple of minutes …. I kept plodding on. I then get to the place where I spotted pistol and here I was still catching him …. Yep, by about the 38 k mark I should meet up with my training buddy and then cross the line together …… well someone forgot to tell Pistol that. The Pistol … or is machine gun got to the 38 K mark and then hit the gas button and off he went …. In a great display, the big fella had a great last 4-5 k’s and ran away from me. As I get close to home, I zip up the race suit, brush the hair …. Add some lippy and off I head down the runway. I have been thinking about what “signature move” I was going to offer the screaming crown and a favorite WWF wrestler John Cena was going to be rewarded with a “you cant see me” manoeuvre. So I’m heading down the runway all alone, I see Jess a give her a high 5, a few steps later a few fist pumps leave the body all ready for the “signature move”. I get 2 steps from the line, pump the fist again and turn back to the screaming crown who could sense that something special was about to happen J And something special almost happened .. as I turned, two maniac’s were sprinting down the finish line and almost took me out ….. No signature moves for the crowd …… well you know what that means ….. I’ll just have to come back and do it all over again ….. And a lot faster too J …. Oh yeh, I had a 55 min PB from last year and a small goal was to run the marathon …. Aid stations and all …..And I did.

MASSIVE thanks to the ETPA crew who made there way up to Pt Mac and supported us all before, during & after the race – it make a massive difference and helps so much. Thanks to all that sent me messages of support …. Every bit helps.

To Pistol & Komo – thanks gents …. And gents they are. Two awesome men who trained extremely hard and had great races in what was a hard day at the office. They helped me out before, during and after the race and their assistance is & was very much appreciated.

Time for me to now flood my body with COFFEE; add a kg or 2 to the waist enjoy the next week or so before I get back into a long winter of training looking forward to a quicker 2008 / 2009 season.

"There is no tomorrow"

2008-04-01T11:35:00.004+11:00

Well the time has come. 5 & 1/2 days until I take battle with not only 1600 other hardcore athletes but also myself with the aim of putting a sizable PB next to my name in the 2008 Ironman Australia in Pt Macquarie on Sunday 6th April.
Coach Tippet at ETPA has provided me with the platform over the winter months and along with PB's in both my Half Ironman's that I competed in, I feel healthy in both mind & body.
Tomorrow morning I jump on a plane with Jess and a couple of friends (and training partner) Jimmy & Fay heading for the lovely town of Pt Macquarie.
Once up there, I will need to control all emotions as this is where you can waste lots of energy by getting caught up in all the pre race hype.
This year I feel a lot better prepared as I have a year of training under my belt and a better understanding of what the day is all about - In saying that, I still have a MASSIVE amount to learn and that will take years - for now, it's all about listening to what those close to me have to say, taking it in and believing what my mind tells me. At the end of the day, I'm the only one responsible for my actions on the day and what I do at certain times of the day to make my race a successful one.
A quick thank you ( in no particular order) too:
Jess & my baby ninja (Due 08/08/2008)
Coach Tippet
Komo (Racing IM)
Pistol (Racing IM)
Jimmy D
Captain
Princess
Big Boy
Damo
Ron
Dennis
And all ETPA training partners that have helped me out throughout the year.
Not only will I do you all proud, I will do myself proud.
Supported with my mantra of:
"Nice & light and full of fight"
&
"HTFU"
"There is no tomorrow"
Stay tuned for my race report
Happy training / racing
Caff

"Sunday - Not far away"

2008-03-21T11:09:00.002+11:00

Well Sunday 6th April is not too far away and ETPA training schedule has been at its best over recent times.
I have been doing a lot of work with Pistol and over some long sessions, some interesting conversations have been had :).
This weekend is the end to all the endurance and some speed work will cap us off nicely.
I have scheduled in quite a few physio sessions that will help keep my body straight and in good working order.
Like most who are heading up to Pt Macq, I have been replaying my race in my head over and over again. I know what I need to do and with some good fortune coupled up with all the hard work, I know I will achieve!
So back to the couch now for some rest and then off for a ride .......
Caff

Geelong 70.3 race report

2008-03-10T18:10:00.002+11:00

Yeh I know, it's late - but hey, better late than never!

Geelong 70.3

Coming into this race, a few of us have been putting in the miles for the journey of Pt Macq in mind ….. So no real taper for this one!

Matty had indicated that there was going to be NO real speed for this race as this was a prep for IM OZ

Going into the swim, I was reasonably comfortable.

Training had been going along well and I was ready to have a good swim.

So hear we go.

As the pro’s continually drifted forward 50+ meters from the start, the gun went off. Us age groupers had to then wait another 5 minutes before they let us go.

SWIM

Into the swim we went all 1100 athletes heading to the first buoy at 500m.

I think my good mate Komo punched me smack fair in the jaw after about 10 stokes or so ….. So my thoughts were correct, this is going to be nasty!

And yep, it was. As we hit the first turn, BANG …. We are heading east and straight into the sun, can’t see a thing …. But I wasn’t on my own, 1100 others were having the same issue.

Throughout the swim, I was kicked in the throat once, kicked in the “Back tyres’ twice, punched more times that I could keep count of and had my goggles ripped of once … so out of the water in 35 + minutes

T2 was OK … no real story … all went OK ….. Although I could have got my wetsuit off a bit quicker!

BIKE

Off for a 90k roll and for the first 5 minutes that’s all it was. The traffic of bikes throughout the parklands was crazy. Once I hit the HWY, I was able to find a rhythm and off I went. Control was my motto for the day and this is what I did.

I got my HR down into E2B+ and that’s were it stayed ….. Other that climbing the hills!

All was going well and even keeping to this HR I was set to ride a 2:36 – 2:38ish which is what I was looking for at that effort.

UNTIL – A fat doughnut eating official pinged me for drafting … and what made things even worse was that when he pinged me, he told me that I was drafting some 3ks back from where we were at the time and this was after I had climbed the hill and was all alone … WTF!

Off to the penalty box I go …. Waiting, waiting!!!!

Lucky it was the last lap and after the 5 minute penalty, I was off for a short ride back into transition.

Ride time of 2:44 with a 5 minute penalty

RUN

Control was still the call …. Stay in control and don’t let a fat doughnut eating bum spoil my day.

So off I went and from the word go, I felt comfortable. HR was into the 150’sand I was feeling nice.

Lap 1 came and went and I was happy as I was feeling fine ….. no real pain, my back was in good knick and I had forgotten about Mr Doughnut King

Lap 2 was good as I was slowly picking off a few people and still feeling fine. I was sticking to my plan of “NOT” looking around for others and keeping a lid on things. Lap 3 was nice and controlled. HR stayed the same for the entire run and legs were good……… easy to say now I know, however I did feel I could have kept going!

Run time of 1:43

Over all in the lead up to Pt Macq, I was a happy camper

"When it rains they sleep"

2008-01-20T16:24:00.000+11:00

Today was the end of week one of an endurance phase which has seen lots of K's riding & running.
Today, Pistol Pete & I rode out on our journey towards to cold & wet town of Ballarat - and we weren't disappointed - Yep, it rained all the way there and half the way back!
As we had plenty of time to talk & think about what we were doing, my thoughts went along the lines of - YES, we are the only ones out here....... conclusion, "When it rains they sleep"
I must say that riding with Pistol is fantastic as his passion and reason for doing what we do is first class...... and he can ride!!!!!....... he has an engine and it's about to be unleashed!!!!
When I woke this morning I could hear the rain smashing down on the roof, for a brief moment I thought to myself now nice that was until I remembered that I was to be riding in it only an hour later.
Back to reason for this blog ..... I can only hope that the conditions at both Geelong & Pt Mac are like today as a fair amount of my competitors would have rolled over and said "Not today".
I know that the hard core group at ETPA would have jumped out of bed like they do every morning with one thing in mind. Train & train hard ..... the results will then look after themselves.
I have a mirror image of training this week so the legs may be looking for a well earned massage by the end of the week in preparation for the Geelong Half Ironman. From there it's off to Pt Mac and after last year when it gave me a good slapping, this and many more "endurance phase" training sets will give me the tools I need to give it one back ..... as I will be taking a secret weapon with me ... it's called HTFU.
Off to get me another mug of liquid gold
Caff

"There is no tomorrow"

2008-01-07T20:56:00.000+11:00

With only 34 days until the Geelong 70.3 and 84 days until Ironman OZ there are now no excuses as to the effort that is to be put in to my training.
What you miss today can't be replaced tomorrow - easy - don't miss a beat for 85 days as this is when the results come. After a mug of my favorite liquid today (Coffee) with a fella who is as hardcore and disciplined as they come mentioned to me that 'I ain't seen nothing yet' in terms of the hurt & pain as the month of Feb is going to bring to me got me thinking - use these days as if there is no tomorrow. Train like you have never trained before, be as disciplined in terms of technique as I can, stay right on the money in terms of my zones (they are there for a reason), stay focused on the job at hand and allow no distractions (when & where possible) - This will equal the result that I'm after - NO QUESTIONS ~! As we all know, this sport can become very selfish and a great partner is needed - I'm lucky to have Jess at my side who will support me through 85 days of mental & physical pressure 100%
I have just about got my body right and touch wood, the injuries stay away. I have booked in to see all the people who will maintain my body and keep it straight all the way through until PT MACQUARI E on Sunday April 6th.~ No stone must be left unturned.
I know there is a group of us at ETPA who will be taking the same attitude into there chosen races over the next few months.
From now until then - "THERE IS NO TOMORROW"
Caff

"The weight game"

2007-12-08T10:25:00.000+11:00

As we move into summer, all my training and focus us on Pt Maq - April 2008.
So with the heavy amount of training it was time to really stick tight & true to my diet.
Of late I have been having a protein bar after training - as to do the right thing for my old body. From there I have been really strict about the amount of food that I'm eating and
If anything I have been under eating.
Here is the funny thing - since I have taken on the protein bars, I have put on weight ... what the!
Even though it's only 800 grams, I would have thought that my weight would have dropped ... which it was 2 weeks ago.
So here it is - from today, I'm going to consume only natural protein ( Fish, Chicken etc ) with NO artificial "performance bars" etc.
If anyone out there has a theory on this, please let me know
Caff

No race is Easy

2007-12-08T10:16:00.000+11:00

Anyone who tells you that some races are easy just arent having a crack.
Tomorrow a few of the crew will hit the waters down at Elwood and race in the 2nd race of 2007 - 2008 Gatorade series.
500 /20 /5 is the distance and while the distance wont worry any of the crew, it then come down to what time we do for each leg.
With a long summer about to kick in, it will be nice to test out the new Gravity Zero 85/50's in a short race and have some fun along the way.
For me - I have no real expectations - Just a nice solid race and hope like hell that my back & hip get through - If they do, it will give me a massive amount of confidence as the body has been going through a tough time of late.
So to all those who are racing tomorrow, good luck - and keep out of the right hand lane as the K-Train will be giving you wind burn :)
Time for a coffee I think

ETPA Warriors go to War

2007-11-16T23:11:00.000+11:00

As I sit here downloading Kona DVD's for my holiday to Bali, my fellow warriors are about to put all the hard yards of training into practice as for all bar 2 it is their first battle of the season and for some their first battle ever!
Yep, this Sunday is the Shepparton half Ironman and I wish all the tough nuts of ETPA every success.
Komo & I counted approximately 16 Hard chargers who are about to battle out the Flat, Fast but Hot course. No Half IM is easy however with the work that some of this crew has done, I have no doubt a few eyes will be raised when they see all the crew in NEW ETPA race suits punching out massive PB's.
As for me .... yep Jess & i are off to Bali to soak up the sun (and yes I has a few run sessions planned) for a week - then its all out PT MAQ for me with a lot of hard days ahead.
Back to shepp ....... I'm sure all the crew will have a great day and I will be thinking of you all (And texting like hell to get updates!!)
See you all in a week.
K-Train is out of here!!

HARD CORE

2007-11-04T14:35:00.000+11:00

Today when nearly all of Melbourne were tucked up in bed due to the howling winds and torrential down pour of rain, the ETPA "HARD CORE" lads were smashing up a 2hr + ride / 1hr 40 run set.
These guys are now officially "Hard Core" (as we always knew they were).
The conditions were / are the worst I have seen for a LONG time so my hat goes off to these guys.
This is another feather in their cap and something they can draw strength from when racing the Shepparton Half Ironman in about 3 weeks.
I on the other hand needed to play this one a little smarter as I injured myself earlier in the week so it was off to MSAC (Melbourne Sports Aquatic Center) to punch out a solid swim set - which I did.
In signing off, a quick "Good luck" to those competing today up at Pt Mac in the Half Ironman.
I'm sure you will all have a solid race.
Caff

Working with the same Attitude

2007-10-13T18:33:00.000+10:00

Time has come for a fellow ETPA athlete to finally live his dream.
Julian Wain AKA Captain is about to take the journey of what will be the most amazing day of his life
KONA - Yep, the Hawaiian Ironman 2007 is only hours away and the Captain has deserved the right to be with the worlds best.
So while Captain is slugging it out, a few desperates with the same attitude will be following him in my living room.
Yep, I have set up a live feed from the laptop into the Plasma and in the wee hours of Sunday morning Komo, Jimmy D, Damo & I will be smashing ourselves to pieces on the Mag trainer watching the live feed of Hawaiian Ironman 2007. At 2:30 am, we will be showing our respect to Captain and applying the same attitude as he has and hopefully give him that added "something extra" when "that" time comes.
I guess where I'm going with this is that it's great to be associated & surrounded by people with the same attitude and goals as I have.
This is 100% NOT the sport to have negative people and thoughts around you. You not only need to be fit & healthy, you need to be mentally strong and positive. Last week, I had a few days where I wasn't where I needed to be with regards to my mental thoughts ......... and it didn't take long to get back into the right frame of mind purely because of the people that I surround myself with.
You guys know who you are and I thank you for that.
So the preparation is about to start for me ... off to find as many towels, old sheets etc to lay on the floor to soak up the many buckets of sweat, make sure the coffee machine is full, drink bottles are full and most of all, a final check to make sure the live stream from Hawaii to Melbourne Australia is spot on (which it will be as I have checked it every night this week!!!)
I know all at ETPA wish the Captain every success tomorrow
I know he will SMASH it
Caff

"Building a bridge with some harden the F@#K up"

2007-10-07T08:57:00.001+10:00

Well it's time that I put the tool belt on and start to build me a bridge!! ( and unnamed person told me that yesterday while riding !!)
So after a week of being hard on myself, I realize that there is nothing I can do about last weeks race other than learn from it and let it go!
I have decided that I will give todays run at the "G" a miss and enjoy the blue sky of Sunday, read the paper, drink COFFEE and just relax.
As tomorrow is the start of my training toward Ironman OZ ( with a few races in between being Geelong 70.3 and a couple of sprint distances)
So my mind will now focus on shedding 4 - 5 kgs, improving all 3 disciplines and building my mental strength.
I have gained a massive amount of information from last weeks race which will hold me in good stead for further racing ( Not all things go to plan as you want them too - Just look at the All Blacks - they have just lost the quarter finals to France in the Rugby World Cup and they were just about unbackable - proves anything can happen if you put your mind too it ..... or if you don't!!)
Geelong 70.3 is 126 days away and Ironman OZ is 154 days away so I have the right amount of time to step up, put in the additional hard yards and enjoy my days training.
Step 1 - the construction has started!
Caff

"Not the end result I was looking for"

2007-10-05T17:36:00.000+10:00

The the Gold Coast HIM has come and gone and needless to say - I didnt rget the result I was after.
As the day panned out, the run took its toll on me - i'm still not sure whether or not it was physical or mental ... perhaps both!!
A little wrap up for you all

Swim : 400 grams of caffeine doesn’t help! Felt calm in the water however after about 900mtrs my arms & shoulders became very heavy and I didn’t feel like I had any power.

Bike : as soon as I got on the bike I felt happy. I knew I was moving well as no-one was passing me and I was picking up plenty of people.

Got half way and told myself to relax and get my heart rate down – which I did. I was continually telling myself to relax and be ready for the run. I span the legs for the last 500m or so at a high cadence and was getting out of the saddle when I could so to make sure to stretch my back.

Run :

I got off the bike feeling ok – ran off at some type of pace for the first few hundred metres. I got to the 1 k mark and spewed up but wasn’t feeling too bad.

Continued to spew for the next 35 minutes or so – at the same time I kept telling myself that my legs will come.- well they didn’t until I had a crack with 2 k to go.

Was it mental – Yes.

Was I tuff enough - NO!!

I wasn’t tuff enough to have a total crack on the run - this is something I need to learn

So for me - its back to the drawing board. With only being in this sport for 12 months now, I still have lots to learn and we all know that you can learn a lot from your mistakes!! :) ..... And plenty were made.

So no time to rest, back into it.

Until we next chat

Caff

"Now is the time"

2007-09-24T20:36:00.000+10:00

Well the time has come to put all of the training into action.
Its time to remember all the cold mornings with the gang out at wildwood road climbing hills for hours, its time to remember all the hard yards running off the bike and many sessions in the pool.
My weight has been slowly (yes slowly) coming off which is the right sign! :)
So where am I going you ask ... The Gold Coast awaits!
Sunday 30th September 2007 - Gold Coast half ironman.
This will be the time for me to have a crack and give it all I have.
A big thanks to all of those that have helped me -

Komo
Damo
Princess
Jimmy D
Archie
Big Pete
Big Boy
Jess
and many others ( sorry if I missed you)

oh ... thats right ... and Matty Tippet ... you da man!:)

It's all up to me now
I'll let you know how I go
"Pain is in your Mind"

Caff

"Pain is in your Mind"

2007-09-12T18:43:00.000+10:00

As for my previous "tough week", things became a little "tougher". I have had a tingling sensation on my ribs over the past 3 weeks or so and after a discussion with a couple of training mates, it was off to the doctor I go ... long and the short of it all, the Doctor tells me that i have "Shingles" .... Shingles???? what the????. Well as most of you may know, it's the adult version of chicken pox and comes to life when you are "run down". Tired / run down, we all feel this way most of the time due to training the way we do.
Does it hurt? Nah ... just read the title :)
Any way, enough about that and more about my prep for Gold Coast.
All flights are booked, I have arranged to borrow some race wheels from Komo ( Thanks mate) and I'm continually being told by all that GC is mine (well you know what I mean).
With only 18 days left, it's now time to consolidate all the miles that we have done, keep up the quality of work that Mat has me doing now and bring home the bacon (Thats a PB)
Unfortunately I have a work conference over the next few days which only slightly throws out my training - Maybe a morning off might be the best thing for me? only time will tell.
Like a training buddy of mine, the run has become a fav of mine hence the 5am start tomorrow before heading down to Torquay tomorrow at 7am.
It looks like a few additional runs will be coming my way!
To finish off with a fav quote of mine

"Pain is in your Mind"

Caff

"Tough Week"

2007-09-08T11:16:00.000+10:00

Well it's been a tough week at work and training. As we know, work pays the bills and allows me to train & participate in the amazing sport of Ironman. This week has shown me that know matter what challenges I face, I can manage them in a way that delivers a successful outcome for all.
I have also shown myself that I can combine the two (work & training) when the pressure is on both and come out on the other side better for it.
With only 3 weeks from Gold Coast Half Ironman, I'm starting to get pumped up and it's now time to "switch on". This is what we all train for ...... racing!
I wouldn't call it luck, however I'm blessed to have an awesome bunch of training partners /athletes in the same corner that provide inspiration, motivation & most of all share the same hard work as we all do. Combine this with Coach Mat, and we as a team have a very successful formula.
The body is feeling ok - well a few sore spots are starting to appear but nothing that wont be ironed out over the next week or two
Today consisted of a strong swim session - this is just the build into tomorrow which for me is a "race day rehearsal".

I'm sure I'll provide you with a wrap up of the day
Until then, time for me to rest and maybe a BIG cup of Coffee
Caff

No hiding!

2007-09-02T20:12:00.000+10:00

Well the Coach is back from a well earned holiday / honeymoon and I have no doubt he is ready to push us all as the 2007 - 2008 season of triathlon is just around the corner.
For me, my first race of the season is the Gold Coast half Ironman on Sunday 30Th September - Yes only 4 weeks away.
The past week for me has been a good one in terms of training - All boxes were ticked.
So now is the time for me to make sure that I watch my food, listen to my body, and train the house down so that I can achieve my goal - A PB of course!!
This will show me what a cold winter in Melbourne has done for me and all the freezing morning's that a group of us spent climbing "Wild wood road" over & over again has done for my strength.
I know my running has improved with a couple of results in a 10K & Half Marathon heading in the right direction (quicker)
For me, there is No Hiding - time to put my balls on the line, be tough & disciplined on myself over the next 4 weeks and bring back a positive result.
Too Late for a COFFEE now - I'm off to bed - a 5:30am swim awaits me!

Caff

"Treat your body like the Ferrari that it is"

2007-08-29T13:51:00.000+10:00

If we all had a Ferrari, i bet we would wash it every week, clean the inside most days, be on time with it's service and love it like nothing else - and this is how we need to treat our body.
We should listen to our bodies and if required ( as none of us are the same) book in for regular massage, chiro, soft tissue treatment etc.
Personally, I see someone every two weeks ( soft tissue therapist & a myotherapist ) and boy has this made a difference to the way my body feels. This allows me to train the way I need to with no major side effects (injury prevention).
For me, I'm hoping to see this pay off with some good results over the next 6-8 months - PB's are what we all want.
Long and the sort of it all - Treat your body like a king as its the only one you have (too hard to get spare parts!!!) and all the training that you put in will pay off.
Once again, I'm off for a COFFEE

Caff

" Colder the Better"

2007-08-26T13:10:00.000+10:00

After yesterdays 2 hr run & a swim to back it up, my left hip was a little sore last night. As I had Sunday off I thought I would go down to Altona and support / watch a few of the team compete in the local Duathlon. - So i thought to myself, why not bring your swim bag and do a cold water recovery and watch the race at the same time. Well I did and my legs / hip feel FANTASTIC. I have always rated the cold water recovery however I have been doing my recovery at home in the bath - well I can say (for me) that there is no comparison at all. The Beach water wins hands down! And as we know - the colder the better - Yes my feet & ankles freeze for the first couple of minutes but then its great. I had to walk a little further than normal as the tide was out, but I must say that the extra walking took my mind off the water temp!
So when your muscles are saying "ooouch", remember - COLD water is your friend - and at the time is your best friend.
Coach T told me that you need a minimum of 12 minutes for the water to "do it's thing" and 30 minutes is the cut off ( No benefit after that time)
If anyone has any recovery tips, please post a comment

I'm off for a COFFEE

Caff

VO2 - Yes it can MAX you out

2007-08-24T07:44:00.000+10:00

Well I think I have just had a good taste of what happens (to my body) when I have a crack at my Thursday night Mag trainer sessions.
Last night we had a 13 minute race pace effort with all the bells & whistles at the end of the session. This is where I hit 98% of my VO2 max. I was feeling great - got home had a lovely piece of fish and some salad ( nice protein fix ) and as soon as I hit the pillow - GAWN - Good night me!!!
So there is the build up - what I'm getting at is my swim this morning - 16 x 200 with 15 sec rest - Not too hard I hear you saying - think again. I was smashed after 8 and the last 8 I must say weren't real quality - just hanging on - And I thought this was a recovery week. Well other than the past 12 hours, it hasn't been too bad. I can only see this as a real benefit to my swimming as I'm seeing very small signs of improvement.
The question that I pose is: When should we aim to "max" out and for how long in a training session?
"Train as you play" was always heard by the coach at footy training - If we maxed out all the time I would guess that most of us would crumble very quickly.
Interesting thought and if any of you have a thought on this please let me know.

I'm off to get a COFFEE

Caff

Your legs will love it

2007-08-23T10:31:00.000+10:00

listening to Today's blog comes to me after my 5am run. For the first time in a long time I ran with my Ipod listening to tri-talk pod casts ( www.tri-talk.com) - The info on this site is pure GOLD
My run was at E1+ for 70 minutes - nice easy session - however listening to the podcast, my mind wondered from what is was doing and I did a little forest gump and kept running. 90 minutes later I though I should head home!!
Listening to my Ipod is something I wont do too often (as we don't race with one) however today was a nice break - and my legs loved it (Hence the title) as I wasn't too focused on running - I just hope my technique was OK!!!! :).
In case your wondering, yes I kept my HR where is was meant to be.
This now comes back to a lot of info I have received from my training mates telling me it's good to break things up every now & then.
A change of scenery whether it be in your mind or as a visual can be just what the doctor ordered.
And just whats needed for the next Ironman

The key that I have found when running with training buddies is that you will need to be a little picky as to who you run with. It can be easy to fall into a "slower" run than you would normally do if running with someone slower than you. luckily for me, most of my training mates are quicker than me so I work a little harder than I meant to which in turn has helped me improve my running.
Chow for now
Caff

OZ IM Pt Mac 2007

2007-08-22T17:18:00.001+10:00

"Getting wet"

2007-08-22T09:20:00.000+10:00

I'm finally starting to enjoy my swimming training - its only taken me about 10 months to get to this stage. I'm actually going to swim squad now and for some reason I'm looking forward to it!
Its not that I havent liked swimming - I love the water however swimming a mear 2 ks isnt as easy as it sounds - especially when you havent swam for 15 years +.
So to all you out there that have the little demon in your head saying .... DONT SWIM ANYMORE or THATS ENOUGH ..... tell the demon to go and get ....... well you know where I'm heading with that !!
I wanted to let you all know that yes it does get easier and yes you will start to become fun just like Mag trainer sessions and those long Saturday sessions that we do.
Personally, I'm finding that my new friend Mr Paddles have been a great help in building up my shoulder and chest strength.
As mentioned in my previous blog, my mate Komo has been a great help in picking up many of my flaws in this swimming caper - So the suggestion once again is to work with a mate as you will both help out each other regardless of your ability. You wont wake up in the morning and hit the snooze button because you have committed to helping out your mate- and yes it will be easier as we dont like to let our mates down.
I keep reminding myself that you need a minimum of 20,000 repartitions to create memory routine. Based on 40 strokes per 50 mtr pool, you only need 500 Ks before your arms know what the hell is going on!
Caff

The "Weight" Game

2007-08-21T18:30:00.001+10:00

As we all know, a lot of this "triathlon game" is about what weight we can race at. A great new friend of mine "CrankITKomo " has been a great help in helping me train my mind to achieve the weight I need to be at so that my body is happy to race at. In saying this, I'm not there yet but come April 2008 and I intend on being super fit at 69.9 kgs - Well thats the goal - and we all know that we are goals setters in this caper!
I can only recommend doing with with a training buddy as they can be a fantastic influence in achieving your weight target - and along the way you learn so much.
One rule that I'm slowly starting to understand is that our body fluctuates with it's weight by both water retention and a bit too much food at times! For me, its about 1 - 2 kgs.
This also depends on where we are at with our training and what coach T has us doing.
I've started to cut down on my meal portions at night and if I get hungry - Watermelon is my best friend ! YUM
Q: What tips and tricks do you all have - Yes i know - Eat less & sleep more - Does anyone out there have a favourite food that gets them through a "time of need?"
CarnkITCaff