Firstly apologies for the delay of the weekly blog... I actually don't have an excuse, other than the fact that the weeks roll by so quickly and before I know it Sunday is upon me and it's time to blog! However this week Sunday rolled on by and I got a little confused with the days, so anyway here is Tuesday and it is time for the weekly blog.
I signed off last weeks blog post-race from San Fransisco. Monday was one epic day of travel...what should take about 3-4 hours ended up taking 10+ hours due to a few delays and wotnot. This wasn't too much fun when I felt hungover for the entire day (but I actually wasn't, hadn't even had one drop of wine...go figure!). Anyway I think lack of sleep + a little dehydration may be the culprit.
I pulled up pretty sore from Alcatraz Tri...even more sore than what I get from a Half Ironman. Once again not too sure of the reasoning, maybe it was that torturous sand ladder!! So it was Wednesday before I got back into the swing of training. I put in a few great rides as well as some training in the heat of the day to prep for scorching temps at Vegas, and I finished off the week with a very nice solid 20km run on Sunday arvo.
Vegas 70.3 is only about 12 days from now so I will start to wind down the training and get my body fresh and ready to race. I'm looking forward to putting all my hard work to good use come race day...and then hit the pokies afterwards!
Exciting news of the week - Mum arrives in Boulder in 2 more sleeps!! Looking forward to showing her the sights and getting a good feed or two. Might even offer her the novelty of doing my washing if she is feeling super generous!
It is crazy how quickly time has flown over here. Only a handful of weeks and a few races to go and then I'll be on my way back home ready to tackle the Aussie tri season. Happy days :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Alcatraz Tri - 3rd!
When deciding my race calendar for the 2011 US season I made sure to fit in the Alcatraz Triathlon. This was my 2nd year racing at Alcatraz and it truly is one special race!
Race morning kicked off at 5.30am with a bus trip from transition to the ferry terminal. It was then onto the boat with some 800 other crazy triathletes bound for Alcatraz Island. After about an hour of sitting on the boat trying to keep the nerves calm, stay warm and prepare for plunging into the 15 degree (shark-infested??) water, it was time to go! At 7am the horn sounded and before I knew it we were jumping off the boat into the sea below.
The initial chill of the water doesn't quite hit until about mid-way into the swim once the adrenaline rush starts to wear off. However, there is plenty to take the mind off the cold, like where IS the swim exit?? The distance from the shore combined with the current and chop make sighting in the swim really tough. At times I couldn't see anyone or any boats around me and started to get a little concerned as to where everyone had disappeared to... Although eventually I could make out some flags on the shore, so put my head down in an effort to get out of the freezing water asap! To make it a little more fun, we had to swim a 1/2 mile further than last year (past transition). As such we had a mini 4th leg of the triathlon with an 800m run from swim exit back to the bike. This was actually pretty good as it helped get me warm for the cycle.
I exited the swim in 5th place and soon went about trying to make up some time on the 25 mile bike leg. The bike course took us through the hills surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge, then down onto the Great Hwy for an out and back section, before entering the Presidio for a gradual climb and finally back through the hills. It's a great ride with a bit of everything. It's important to focus on pushing hard the whole way as it's easy to back off on the downhills if the mind wanders. My bike split was 4min faster than last year which is always good to know!
Out onto the 7 mile run, and I was still sitting in 5th so knew I had to put in a strong run if I wanted to improve on last years 5th place. The run begins with a 2km long flat section, followed by a climb up to the Golden Gate Bridge. We then dropped down to the beach for 400m of sand running before coming face to face with the 400 step sand ladder. This is the toughest part of the whole race, with what seems like 400 steps of pure pain. I had managed to run into 3rd place at this stage, however the girl in 4th was starting to make up some ground so I knew as soon as I hit the top of the ladder it was time to get going, not look back and hold on. I made sure I pushed the down hills and finished strong along the final 2km flat section.
I ended up crossing the line in 3rd place with the fastest run split of the day. I was aiming for a podium finish so was stoked to come in 3rd. It's an awesome race and if anyone ever has the opportunity to do it I would definitely recommend!
Massive thanks to Sam and Bos for their awesome cheering! Also to Tri-California for putting on such a great race and looking after us for the weekend.
Big thank you to Malvern Star, Brooks, Selle SMP and Giro for backing me, as well as Josh for continuing to work with me.
Now it's back to Boulder for 3 weeks of training before hitting the World 70.3 Champs in Vegas on Sept 11 followed by one last race of the US season at Syracuse 70.3.
Race morning kicked off at 5.30am with a bus trip from transition to the ferry terminal. It was then onto the boat with some 800 other crazy triathletes bound for Alcatraz Island. After about an hour of sitting on the boat trying to keep the nerves calm, stay warm and prepare for plunging into the 15 degree (shark-infested??) water, it was time to go! At 7am the horn sounded and before I knew it we were jumping off the boat into the sea below.
The initial chill of the water doesn't quite hit until about mid-way into the swim once the adrenaline rush starts to wear off. However, there is plenty to take the mind off the cold, like where IS the swim exit?? The distance from the shore combined with the current and chop make sighting in the swim really tough. At times I couldn't see anyone or any boats around me and started to get a little concerned as to where everyone had disappeared to... Although eventually I could make out some flags on the shore, so put my head down in an effort to get out of the freezing water asap! To make it a little more fun, we had to swim a 1/2 mile further than last year (past transition). As such we had a mini 4th leg of the triathlon with an 800m run from swim exit back to the bike. This was actually pretty good as it helped get me warm for the cycle.
I exited the swim in 5th place and soon went about trying to make up some time on the 25 mile bike leg. The bike course took us through the hills surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge, then down onto the Great Hwy for an out and back section, before entering the Presidio for a gradual climb and finally back through the hills. It's a great ride with a bit of everything. It's important to focus on pushing hard the whole way as it's easy to back off on the downhills if the mind wanders. My bike split was 4min faster than last year which is always good to know!
Out onto the 7 mile run, and I was still sitting in 5th so knew I had to put in a strong run if I wanted to improve on last years 5th place. The run begins with a 2km long flat section, followed by a climb up to the Golden Gate Bridge. We then dropped down to the beach for 400m of sand running before coming face to face with the 400 step sand ladder. This is the toughest part of the whole race, with what seems like 400 steps of pure pain. I had managed to run into 3rd place at this stage, however the girl in 4th was starting to make up some ground so I knew as soon as I hit the top of the ladder it was time to get going, not look back and hold on. I made sure I pushed the down hills and finished strong along the final 2km flat section.
I ended up crossing the line in 3rd place with the fastest run split of the day. I was aiming for a podium finish so was stoked to come in 3rd. It's an awesome race and if anyone ever has the opportunity to do it I would definitely recommend!
Massive thanks to Sam and Bos for their awesome cheering! Also to Tri-California for putting on such a great race and looking after us for the weekend.
Big thank you to Malvern Star, Brooks, Selle SMP and Giro for backing me, as well as Josh for continuing to work with me.
Now it's back to Boulder for 3 weeks of training before hitting the World 70.3 Champs in Vegas on Sept 11 followed by one last race of the US season at Syracuse 70.3.
Monday, August 15, 2011
YouTube Funnies
At the moment I'm supposed to be writing an assignment for Uni, but true to form my procastination skills have taken over. Assignment writing and YouTube watching seem to go hand in hand. As such I thought it appropriate to post some of my fav YouTubes for this weeks blog and spread the procastination bug around! Enjoy :)
This one is my all time favoutite!
Pretty cute Panda...
Very American football...but so good!
Best day of my life...
Funny
Not bad for a 12 year old!
This one goes for a while but it is worth it...amazing
This one is my all time favoutite!
Pretty cute Panda...
Very American football...but so good!
Best day of my life...
Funny
Not bad for a 12 year old!
This one goes for a while but it is worth it...amazing
Monday, August 8, 2011
Boulder Blog
It feels as though it was only last week that Sam and I arrived in Boulder for 4 months of training and racing, yet 10 weeks have already passed! Since my last race which was in Muncie at the beginning of July, I have put in 4 weeks of tough, consistent training. The key for me in getting fit is consistency - doing the same core sessions week in week out. This gives me a way to gauge my progress and to see which areas need more work. At times it feels like Groundhog Day - wake up, breakfast #1, train, breakfast #2, train, lunch, sleep, train, dinner, repeat.. However I know how lucky I am to have this opportunity and wouldn't have it any other way.
If someone were to create the ideal location to train for triathlon, then Boulder would certainly tick most of the criteria. There is no worrying about what the weather will do tomorrow and whether or not it will affect the planned training session as every morning without fail the sky is blue and filled with sunshine!
Over the past few weeks I have managed to rack up some of my biggest run and ride weeks. My times in training have been getting quicker each week and I am feeling stronger and fitter. One of the most important things for me to remember when training so often and up this high is to focus on recovery and food. Sometimes I get super tired, but it's often because I haven't eaten enough following a session or have missed my miday nap (hard life I know!!) However I am continually learning about my body and how much I can push it before I cross that fine line of over training.
Last week I went on two awesome rides - one to a place called Carter Lake. It's a great view - just like the dam at the top of Falls Creek...ah the serenity. The second ride was up a climb following the Big Thompson River. It was a tough ride, but the views on the way up made it that bit sweeter.
We also did a great run up at a place called Eldorado Canyon. 20km of hills, views, trails and the odd snake or two.
I was also going to race in the local Stroke and Stride event last Wednesday night to get some open water swimming practice in but the swim was cancelled due to lightening which was a bit of a bummer! Maybe this week :)
In about 10 days time Sam and I are off to San Fran for the Alcatraz Triathlon. Behind Falls Creek Tri, Alcatraz would have to be one of my favourites. It is so unpredictable as anything can happen in the swim and on the run with the 100 step stair climb...but that's what makes it fun!!
Following on from Alcatraz I'll have 2 weeks until Vegas World Champs which are on September 11. All is on track for a good race and I can't wait to get out there!
If someone were to create the ideal location to train for triathlon, then Boulder would certainly tick most of the criteria. There is no worrying about what the weather will do tomorrow and whether or not it will affect the planned training session as every morning without fail the sky is blue and filled with sunshine!
Over the past few weeks I have managed to rack up some of my biggest run and ride weeks. My times in training have been getting quicker each week and I am feeling stronger and fitter. One of the most important things for me to remember when training so often and up this high is to focus on recovery and food. Sometimes I get super tired, but it's often because I haven't eaten enough following a session or have missed my miday nap (hard life I know!!) However I am continually learning about my body and how much I can push it before I cross that fine line of over training.
Last week I went on two awesome rides - one to a place called Carter Lake. It's a great view - just like the dam at the top of Falls Creek...ah the serenity. The second ride was up a climb following the Big Thompson River. It was a tough ride, but the views on the way up made it that bit sweeter.
We also did a great run up at a place called Eldorado Canyon. 20km of hills, views, trails and the odd snake or two.
I was also going to race in the local Stroke and Stride event last Wednesday night to get some open water swimming practice in but the swim was cancelled due to lightening which was a bit of a bummer! Maybe this week :)
In about 10 days time Sam and I are off to San Fran for the Alcatraz Triathlon. Behind Falls Creek Tri, Alcatraz would have to be one of my favourites. It is so unpredictable as anything can happen in the swim and on the run with the 100 step stair climb...but that's what makes it fun!!
Following on from Alcatraz I'll have 2 weeks until Vegas World Champs which are on September 11. All is on track for a good race and I can't wait to get out there!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Thirst Quencher
When it comes to training in Boulder, there is very little that could be improved on. The sun is shinning 99% of the time, there are endless trails to run on, the most scenic and hilly roads to ride on and a swim squad filled with the best names in the game to swim with.
However, unlike in Melbourne where a drinking fountain or tap can easily be accessed on demand, Boulder does lack this one essential novelty. Normally I can push through a run without having to ingest much or any fluid. However, over here it is so hot and humid that I find my self scrambling for water at any opportunity.
After my first few runs where I almost keeled over from dehydration, I am now accompanied by my small trusty drinking flask (8oz to be precise) for most of my runs (very novel of me I know). This is all well and good until the fluid in that 8oz drinking flask runs out...as I learnt last week.
I was down to do a 90min run with about 30min of effort in the middle. So off I trotted with gel in one hand, drinking flask in other and a 35+ degree day on the way. All was going swimmingly up until about 60min into the run. I had just finished my efforts, downed a gel and before I knew it I was down to my last drop of water...and I still had 30min to go. Now when I say there are no drinking fountains or taps in Boulder, I really do mean that. Not even a Servo has a communal tap (well there is this one servo but they charge 50 cents to fill up with water...absurd!). Anyway back on with the tale...30min of run to go, dehydration kicking in, but I know I have to just guts it out and get home.
All was on track to get home unscathed until out of the corner of my eye I spotted the sweet sight of a cool, flowing river. NO! I tell myself. Resist the urge...you don't know where that water has been. But then I hear YES! YES! water! Hunters and gatherers always drink out of rivers, the water will be fine, it's flowing, forget about the cows upstream and the sprawl of civilisation surrounding the river, it will be the sweetest most satisfying water you have ever tasted. I decided to reason with myself, a splash on the face, no water in the mouth, you'll be on your way, all will be fine. So with sweat pouring off my face I make my way over to the river, the sweet succulent water drags me in and before I know it I'm guzzling down the water like there's no tomorrow. STOP! STOP! I tell myself, you will pay for this, your guts will protest. I somehow manage to pull myself away, but not before I have downed about half a litre of this suspect water and copped a few questionable looks from passers by. Anyway, I give my self a quick once over, guts seem to be fine, thirst quenched, body temperature returning to normal and I'm on my way.
How great I think to myself. I have now found an endless supply of water for my runs, no more suffering in the heat of the day...genius. That is until I return home where I decide to bring up this topic of conversation at the dinner table with our homestay host Pam. Pam I say, would you drink the water from the river down the road?? Her reaction almost sent me through the roof. I actually thought she was about to pop out a baby (albeit 7 months early) with her level of exclamation. You what! No way! That's disgusting. Your going to get giardiasis . I turn to Sam for some sort of reassurance, but he is in on it too. But I was soo thirsty I protest! Neither will have a bar of it, you will pay they say.
For the rest of the day I am paying extra attention to my body's vital signs, making sure that a toilet is in close proximity at all times in case the dreaded giardiasis decides to show itself. However, as the day progresses the signs of a backlash seem more and more unlikely, until it comes to the stage where I can diagnose my self with the all clear. Phew, you were lucky I say to myself! However on reflection, if faced with the same dire situation again, I am sure that I would once again be sucked into that succulent cool flowing water, however next time I WILL NOT let that sweet succulent cool water pass my lips.
However, unlike in Melbourne where a drinking fountain or tap can easily be accessed on demand, Boulder does lack this one essential novelty. Normally I can push through a run without having to ingest much or any fluid. However, over here it is so hot and humid that I find my self scrambling for water at any opportunity.
After my first few runs where I almost keeled over from dehydration, I am now accompanied by my small trusty drinking flask (8oz to be precise) for most of my runs (very novel of me I know). This is all well and good until the fluid in that 8oz drinking flask runs out...as I learnt last week.
I was down to do a 90min run with about 30min of effort in the middle. So off I trotted with gel in one hand, drinking flask in other and a 35+ degree day on the way. All was going swimmingly up until about 60min into the run. I had just finished my efforts, downed a gel and before I knew it I was down to my last drop of water...and I still had 30min to go. Now when I say there are no drinking fountains or taps in Boulder, I really do mean that. Not even a Servo has a communal tap (well there is this one servo but they charge 50 cents to fill up with water...absurd!). Anyway back on with the tale...30min of run to go, dehydration kicking in, but I know I have to just guts it out and get home.
All was on track to get home unscathed until out of the corner of my eye I spotted the sweet sight of a cool, flowing river. NO! I tell myself. Resist the urge...you don't know where that water has been. But then I hear YES! YES! water! Hunters and gatherers always drink out of rivers, the water will be fine, it's flowing, forget about the cows upstream and the sprawl of civilisation surrounding the river, it will be the sweetest most satisfying water you have ever tasted. I decided to reason with myself, a splash on the face, no water in the mouth, you'll be on your way, all will be fine. So with sweat pouring off my face I make my way over to the river, the sweet succulent water drags me in and before I know it I'm guzzling down the water like there's no tomorrow. STOP! STOP! I tell myself, you will pay for this, your guts will protest. I somehow manage to pull myself away, but not before I have downed about half a litre of this suspect water and copped a few questionable looks from passers by. Anyway, I give my self a quick once over, guts seem to be fine, thirst quenched, body temperature returning to normal and I'm on my way.
How great I think to myself. I have now found an endless supply of water for my runs, no more suffering in the heat of the day...genius. That is until I return home where I decide to bring up this topic of conversation at the dinner table with our homestay host Pam. Pam I say, would you drink the water from the river down the road?? Her reaction almost sent me through the roof. I actually thought she was about to pop out a baby (albeit 7 months early) with her level of exclamation. You what! No way! That's disgusting. Your going to get giardiasis . I turn to Sam for some sort of reassurance, but he is in on it too. But I was soo thirsty I protest! Neither will have a bar of it, you will pay they say.
For the rest of the day I am paying extra attention to my body's vital signs, making sure that a toilet is in close proximity at all times in case the dreaded giardiasis decides to show itself. However, as the day progresses the signs of a backlash seem more and more unlikely, until it comes to the stage where I can diagnose my self with the all clear. Phew, you were lucky I say to myself! However on reflection, if faced with the same dire situation again, I am sure that I would once again be sucked into that succulent cool flowing water, however next time I WILL NOT let that sweet succulent cool water pass my lips.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)