Training Log Archive: Dangerman

Big day yesterday combined with flatmate's dinner party = rest day today.

Distance from google as I didn't have my GPS with me.

Another good paddle with Fletch. I felt flat most of the day even after a long sleep in this morning. Got back from a friend's BBQ and had a nap. Must have made all the difference as I felt OK on the paddle.

As usual, the wind screwed me around again. Nothing on the way out to the narrows and then a headwind, i reckon up to 10kts, on the way back. Did an interval through the claisebrook inlet and felt good but couldn't maintain it all the way around. Interestingly I didn't get the HR past 91%...

However, the borrowed paddle felt good. Despite having the same size blades as my lettman, it felt like it had more resistance in the water. It did take some time to figure out how to use it though. It kept fluttering through the water and I eventually realised that I was not immersing it completely, leaving the top of the blade out of the water.

I still think a small/medium or medium blade size might be better for me. I think that because of the HR I achieved today. It was lower than Friday's race. I'm taking that as an indication that I have enough to power the larger blade. I wonder whether logic actually works.

Hey Tooms, can you send me Neil's email? Maybe I should ask him?

C • My two cents 8

Event: NavDash 4 - Minim Cove
 

Got up on time but my IBS kept me from leaving on time. Really getting bored of these symptoms. Hammered it to try to catch up with the group and thought I might catch a glimpse of them as I approached UWA. Nope. Continued on through Crawley and Jutland Parade etc and once I got to the private school in Claremont I had an aaahhhh moment.

This group doesn't go this way. Hmmmmm. Just imagine me sitting at the lights and realising this. Being an expressive person, I'm sure that if anyone was watching my face at that particular time would have had a laugh.

However, I had actually rode the route in reverse. So I kept on going knowing I would meet up with them eventually. Found them at West Coast highway (pretty close to halfway) and joined them for the ride home.

The finishing sprint taugh me a nice lesson - don't be the sacrificial lamb! Some young kid took off really early and was extending his lead over the pack. I went for it and chased him down. We swapped leads once and then he was no where to be seen. Cheeky youngster. At that point the group came past not 200m from the end.

Another fun course that required some accurate nav. I think I was more lucky than accurate as I stumbled upon most of the controls without losing too much time without being really sure where they would be. Obviously something that I will have to improve before I hit the bush.

I kept to the half run half walk routine too. Legs held up ok with only some slight swelling from the right shin.

Funny moment heading into 10 too. Had a runner behind me and thought it was fletcherB. I ran along and he wasn't catching me. Odd. So I tried to look really together and cool as I ran straight past 10 without seeing it and then had to stop, turned around and start scanning. It turned out to be Boltboi chasing me and the master Navman had followed me past to the control too!

Another interesting moment was when I almost walked of the edge of a cliff. What was even more interesting was when I climbed down from the cliff, a piece of it broke off (the piece I was holding) and I fell, shat my pants and lost my glasses all in that order.

From 16 I headed along the fence for a few metres to get past the uncrossable fence on the map. I then crossed the fence and instead of heading south to the earth bank, I went east and ended up in the middle of the crescent shaped earth bank. Of course, this was unintentional. I had gotten confused and the terrian was very steep there and difficult to get through so I ended up going east as I thought it was the only way possible. Anywhooooo, after have a huge rush of adrenalin and finding my glasses I continued on without too much hassle.

Time approx. (edit time and distance updated from official results - i did better than I thought!)

And then off quickly to North Freo for a paddle race. This was fun cause there were heaps of people there. I was very surprised to see skis everywhere on the ocean.

I took a bit to stablise myself after the startes gun. Paddle was going under the boat a few times and I wasn't too comfortable with the sideswell even though it was really small. Round the fist marker and I noticed Bae and Karl right next to me. I jumped on to Bae's tail but she didn't look too stable. Once, here boat was leaning so much I thought, that's it, she's in. But no!

For some stupid macho reason I pulled out from her draft and she slowly started to drift ahead. Top marker was the start of the downwind leg and it was perfectly aligned with the waves today. I liked this leg as it was where I punched above my flatwater weight. I quickly left Bae behind after catching a few runs and stringing them together and I didn't see Karl at the bottom marker at the end of the leg.

Lap 2 and three had me dicing with the same guy that beat me at the paddle bash. With his near horizontal paddle stroke the guy was faster than me into the wind, but only just. On lap 2 I overtook him on the downwind but let him catch up so that as we turned up wind I was on his tail. I held him all the way to the top and then went for it on the downwind. I got ahead but by very little.

He caught up and there were 3 of us coming into the beach at the same time. A small wave made it even more interesting. I kept paddling all the way in and at the last second jumped out of the boat and sprinted to the finish. Luckily I had undone my leg leash about 200m back in anticipation of the sprint. I know for sure one of my competitors didn't as he tried to get up and got promptly pulled back into his boat!!!

Pretty happy with the time for 12k's, especially in the ocean. Happy with the medium blade paddle too. Might try a small/medium blade to see what that is like before I make a choice.

Mucked up nutrition today though. Too many sugary drinks without enough water. Started to fade on lap 3 and felt very dry too. Need to prepare better for these long days.

The MTB is the best commute machine, so much better than the roadie. Yeah, it is a bit slow, but I can jump kerbs, crash through potholes and generally be lout on the way to work without damaging the bike (edit: and I like being a lout) Almost drafted a bus today too.

Here's one for you juffy:

Riding home on beaufort is always dodgy, narrow street with both lanes jammed with cars and the occasional bus too. Was approaching a car recently parked in the left lane. I slowed and gave it a wide birth and yep, they opened their door without looking. Due to my foresight I already had my verbal abuse loaded. "Watch it Yuppie" He was driving some flashy car.

I also tRickily beat the route 66 home too :-)

New PB! and new HRmax too.
Hilarity was kind enough to lend me her spare paddle even after I called her sweetie and made a poor joke about her sense of humour. And I think the paddle made a big difference. I found it hard to use though. It presented a lot more resistance than my paddle. I actually felt some lactic acid build up during the race whereas with mine it would be more of a cardio effort.

I think this means I am ready to move up from an extra small blade to a small or medium me thinks. I reduced my PB by 30s which is significant and, from memory, the conditions were pretty similar. Technique throughout was above average. I occassionaly got some leg drive in to. Torso twist was there throughout however I did have to remind myself to maximise the twist as I got more tired.

Massage lateral quad by lying on rolling pin and rolling quad over it. V ouch.
2 x 12 slow and fast shin raises. Couldn't do the 3rd set today. I think (Martin crosses his fingers) that my heel raiser somehow activated my shins during my last run. That is why they are still sore now. And that is why I didn't have any shin pain when I ran last time. Could it be?

5.5km (5630m) - Splits

I'm off to get admitted! :-) Yay!

C • Is the cute doctor involved? 1

Waiting to get my sleep study results and diagnosis. My cute, gorgeous, bubbly doctor isn't in today though :( Was going to scope the ring finger today too. Spewing' dude.

C • Catch 22 13

Errands. Got sleep study results back. Apparently I stop sleeping 12-15 times per hour. A normal sleep pattern would be in the range of 0-5. And I kicked my legs for an hour just after I fell asleep and another time at around 1am. Funnily enough I did get the average 5 REM sessions in. So there.

The wind was nasty today. Probably would have made for good downwind conditions but by the time I got to the beach (on my bike) it was dark thanks to the end of daylight saving, so I couldn't make out what the ocean was doing.

So instead, I did my own downwind on the bike. I got up to 50 on some sections and had a scooter pull up next to me and chat while passing Leighton beach.

This session was probably 20 minutes too long. In that last 20 I could barely get the HR up past 65%. I was basically coasting home and doubt that that last 20 created any training effect.

p.s. only used my right orthotic today to try to lengthen the right leg. My back pain took just under 2 hours to arrive and it was about a quarter as mild.

4 x 30s hip flexor stretch
4 x 30 hamstring stretch
massage outside of right calf. Think I have an minor injury there. Hurt when riding.
Massage TFL and lateral quad again. Ouch again.

What can I say?

C • Regale us! 4

Beat the 21 and 68 home today. Pretty cheeky, caught a draft of both buses on the way home. Nice breeze also pushed me up Beaufort street. Split the traffic up Beaufort too as there was a car parked in the left hand lane near Walcott street that was causing a bottleneck.

How's that Juffy?

I just felt so strong today. The moment I hopped into the water I felt good. And every time I wanted to slow myself down, I would speed up again without realising.

Feeling good, I extended the paddle by going from Bank Reserve to out past the Narrows for 15min. Started to fade on the way back past Herrison Island but still managed a 80%+ 3min interval at the stage. Also managed to do an interval through the Claisebrook inlet.

A little latter my paddle challenged my good mood by breaking on me (again). But nope, still felt good and used one side to get home.

My excellent adventure:
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://api.motionxlive.c...

C • Is it a Finn paddle? 2

3 x 12 slow & fast shin raises
3 x 12 single leg squat and raise
3 x 12 ankle inversion
3 x 12 ankle eversion
4 x 30s ITB stretch (right only)

Felt tired this afternoon, no surprise after fasting etc. Had two dinners today so somehow that should give me more energy for tomorrow (just let me dream it will).

3 x 12 fast & slow shin raises
3 x 12 L&R ankle inversion
3 x 12 L&R ankle eversion
3 x 12 L&R single leg squat and raise
Lateral Quad Massage
TFL massage