It'll only get better

I'm gonna start with yesterday's training, I was a lil busy. We started the day with a 4hrs ride up Stanwell Park, I mean UP!! Up and rolling all the way, i just couldn't keep up with the pace. Not very use to doing all these, I only started to feel good on the way home. That's a bit too late!! But I'm glad I pushed myself through it even when I don't feel good so I know when I do feel good it'll be different.

4:30p.m. was just gym, everyone was so tired from the ride everything Sean gave us just seems so hard. But what the hell nobody cares!! Smash it. And that was pretty much a day.

This morning I ran down to North Beach a bit early to do some drills before running session. I feel better running after doing drills. It was a 50-60mins run for the others. So off we went to the same route I use to run there and did a loop near my house which meant 20mins warm up, 2-3 loops of bout 8mins and run back. But for me I did 3 loops and ran home which was 20mins + 50mins. Felt very good on the run.

Swim session at 11a.m. It was a threshold set:

2x50m at P200 and P400

400m AT

2x50m at P200 and P400

2x200m AT

3 times through!!

The started to come after the 2nd set could barely lift my arms!! Again I survived. Was suppose to run again at 4p.m. but I had physio appointment at 3:30p.m. I had been having tightness in my ITB bands so Jamie referred me to a physio here in town. Apparently I have very weak core stability, I have been using the wrong muscles all these while so I will be on a beginners program for this just to get good habits so I don't have to suffer. Thats great another of my weakness solved!!

2nd day and counting down

My day started out with riding again this morning, as usual it starts at 6:20a.m. even though I had done this ride a few times but i had no idea what the place is called. Anyways it was mountains on the way there and rolling hills riding tempo on the way back. I missed the pack when I took the lead with another young guy, when we were in front he just pushed the pace so fast my legs gave way on the 3rd rolling hill and couldn't keep up. Jamie said i have to tell him, he was riding with his ego. I dunno what to say......

We swan at 11a.m., today was not so hot but it was actually quite humid. Feels a bit like home.

Main set for swim practice:

3x 6x 50m  1. bouy & band

                     2. bouy, band and paddles

                     3. bouy and paddles

600m with 1 min rest

12x50m bouy & band with 10secs rest

3x200m with 30secs rest

6x100m bouy & band with 15secs rest

We meet at North Beach for run practice at 4p.m., did a short warm up and did drills for 45mins. Most of the drills we did was from the BG Junior Development camp in Hungary so it was very familiar for me. Went for an aerobic 30mins run after, I felt like the drills gave me some memories of how i should be running. I just wasn't pulling my arms high enough and feeling very tight because I wanted to keep up with the other girls, today I was in front of them. YAY!!

My world of pain

Officially my world of pain starts today and I'm ready to face it. Its gonna last 6 weeks, the first 2 weeks here is just adaption and I feel that the first 2 weeks is the most painful of all. The body is getting back into the hard work mode. Legs burning, heart beating mad and lungs telling me STOP!! But its all over now, I feel the legs are getting strong and adapting.

This morning we rode at 6:20a.m. from North Beach to Mount Keira and had to do 6x6mins SE and then went for another 10km high cadence through to centre point and back to North Beach. I'm very happy with my performance on the ride. Instead of having a coffee at diggies I thought I'd threat myself to a smoothie, refreshing and delicious. Made my way back home and rested for awhile til swim workout at noon. 

Swim Menu:

2x300m 25m skull+25m skull w kick

              50m fr b/c 3/5/7

2x200m 50m side kick

              50m build to P400

2x75m   50m skull+25m fast

3x50m   30m skull+20m speed drill

1x50m + 50m ez      ( Efforts on 1:15, ez on 1 min )

2x50m + 50m ez

3x50m + 50m ez

4x50m + 50m ez

3x50m + 50m ez

2x50m + 50m ez

1x50m + 50m ez

1600m pull ( 4x400m decending non stop )

6p.m. 1hr run inc 10x30sec surge to 3:20 pace

Another day

Last night my house mate had a BBQ at home for Australia Day, I was also invited. So we went grocery shopping and then some of their friends came by. My house mates are very nice people, thanks Jamie!! We had steak, salad and baked potatoes, delicious!! Chatted and had a very nice chilling night. Helped them clean up a bit and head to bed. 

This morning we rode for 40mins, just easy spinning cuz the rest had a race down at Canberra and I also did the aquathlon race. As usual we all sat down and had coffee at Diggies, it like a tradition almost. At 11a.m. we did a swim session about 4km. Very hot sun!! The heat is so different over here, more to dry heat. The sunshine actually stings the skin, I'm dark as charcoal now. The weather is so much better then the last time I was here so I have to stop complaining.

Training in AUS

I arrived in Wollongong, AUS on the 11th of Jan. It was a very long and boring journey on the plane. Arrived safely and stayed at Jamie's place for the weekend and there was someone staying at the room I was renting. Did a light run that evening, felt pretty good. The next morning I swam, biked and run like a pre race stimulation as I'm doing a race in Sydney on Sunday morning. I'm so not fit to do it but thought i'd give it a go, see how 3 weeks of rest did to my fitness.

We drove down to Sydney at 5a.m. got to the race site at 7a.m. Had to register and set up transition so had not much time for a warm up. Briefing was 15 mins before race starts at 8a.m. The water was cold!! Didn't swim so well and felt very bad on the bike, my ITB was very tight and sore so I didn't run. Don't want to make it worse. After the race we slowly drove back to Wollongong.

After lunch I moved in to my new place, it's very nice!! I even have my own bathroom with a bath tub, how good is that!! I had to pay $120 a week but its all good, near to everything. We swim and do gym at the Uni of Wollongong which is 3km from home and we normally meet for bike rides and run at North beach which is bout 5km from home. The 1st few days I actually had to have a map with me but now I know it from the back of my head.

The 1st 2 weeks of training was the hardest and most suffering time of my career, my body is getting back into all the trainings. Everyday was a hard day for me, I come home anytime of the day and needed a sleep. Here's the menu:

14/01/2008- 20/01/2008

MON     Cycle 6:20a.m. Recovery

TUE      Cycle 6:20a.m. with bunch inc 20mins Crit

              Swim 11a.m. 4km

              Run 40mins easy

WED    Cycle 6:20a.m. 3hrs tempo/AS

              Gym 4:30p.m

              Run 6:30p.m. 40mins tempo

THU     Cycle/ Run 6:20a.m. quality brick

              Swim 11a.m. HR and quality pull 5km

              Run quality 3p.m.

FRI       Open water swim 8a.m.

              Long run 1hr 9a.m.

SAT      Swim 7a.m. AT

              Ride SE 10a.m. north

SUN     Race at Illawara tri club (didn't race but rode dawn to race site with bunch)

21/01/2008- 27/01/2008

MON    Cycle 6:20a.m. SE 2hrs

             Swim 11a.m. 4km

             Gym 4:30p.m. 

             Run 6:30p.m. North 40mins LSD

TUE    Cycle 6:20a.m. bunch inc 20mins Crit

             Swim 11a.m. inc 1km TT (12:58)

             Run 4p.m. quality track

WED   Cycle 6:20a.m. 3hrs tempo/AS

             Gym 4:30p.m. 

             Run 6:30p.m. north 40mins tempo

THU    Cycle 7a.m. easy 40mins spin

             Swim 11a.m. HR and quality pull 5km

             Run 3p.m. 40mins fartlek

FRI      Open water swim @ north 8a.m.

             Cycle/run pre race brick

SAT     Aquathlon race @ north (800m swim and 8km run)

Race report:

This race was organized in conjunction of Australia Day, there was so many people at North beach. I rode down on my mountain bike, a good warm up for me. Got my race pack and went for my run warm up, i was feeling very good on the run. 8:30 sharp the men started their race then 3 mins later it was our turn. I had an awesome swim, the run was painful but manage to hold my lead and paced the mens. I won the race, at least something to boost my confidence. My training hasn't been going good lately. Glad that Jamie talked me into doing the race. HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!

My Life, my Journey

This will be my journal in documenting my Triathlon journey...........