Something happen this week… as I decribed it to my flat mate the results I am seeing from my training took 2 steps up this week.

Well… on the bike anyway. (I am still slacking off in the swimming and running training category – possibily because riding to work is easy to slot in)

I am up out of the saddle powering up hills, getting to the top saying damn that felt good!! and then cruising on. 5 weeks ago this would have amost been a heart exploding event.

I desperately need to sit down and working out a more structured training program. Whilst I am on track to be able to complete this event… a little more training would see me complete it in a little more style!

This has been a particularly unproductive week as far as training is concerned (though I did see the Rocky Horror picture show for the first time – so it wasn’t a total waste)

My cycling is getting a lot stronger, my times are coming down on the way to and from work and I am feeling much stronger on the bike. Eating hills which I use to thing were a little bit of hard work!

I am also noticing the sustained speed I can maintain along Military Rd in the morning is getting faster and faster.

My diet of pasta, pasta and more pasta seems to be serving me well. I have plenty of energy during the working day as we as heaps in reserve for getting home and hanging out at night. I am drinking a heap of milk at the moment (with lots and lots of Milo!!!) as well as smashing down 4 weetbix in the morning.

That roll of winter fat is disappearing too which is not a bad thing.

Now I just need to spend more time in the pool and pounding the pavement! 🙂

Hello!!

Last weekend it was Cole Classic… one of the major fundraising activities for Manly Surf Life Saving club.

This is an excellent event which is organised extremely well… it would want to be being the worlds largest ocean swim! There are 2 events, the 1km and the 2km.

Seeing as the Half Ironman is a 2km swim, I opted for the 2km swim. I have never swum 2km before so I was little nervous and the 2 km course looked like it was a lot longer than 2 km.

I missed my age group start because I miss judged the colour of my hat… but I managed to get in on the last group of the mens swimming.

The starter accidently pulled the trigger and half the field were away. He set of the second cap to indicate a false start… but there were about 60 odd swimmers who didn’t get what the second cap was and the were away. The surf live savers doing water safety cut them off at the pass and the came back for the second start.

The first 500m was the hardest… whilst my shoulders warmed up properly. After that I fell into a 3 stroke per breath rhythm and powered around the rest of the course.

Ok… there was the occasional mouthful of sea water and someone swam right across the front of me 45 degrees in the wrong direction which was interest.

Oh… and this girl (obviously from the groups starting after us) swam past me so fast I thought she was a fish! Incredible.

My time was roughly around 45mins…

I took a lot of confidence out of this swim as I didn’t stop (which was my main aim) I came out of the water still feeling really strong. As I was running up the beach I did think to myself I could quite happily jump on a bike now.

Saturday I spent the whole day in an IRB (surf rescue boat), first for the exam (which I passed) and then for an additional patrol to make use of my shiny new license! Such an awesome day!!! Weekend for that matter!!

Today (Monday) was my (forced) rest day… it was so hard not to head out for a swim or a jog! My biggest fear at the moment is over training.

Every once in a while my body decides what is best for me. I thought heading out to a 6am training session for the PT cert I am doing was the best thing for me this morning.

My body didn’t… I slept straight through the alarm (well, I am not sure if I turned it off).

I was knackered. This week has been ridiculously hot, though I have still be riding too an from work and doing a bit of swimming and paddling on the board. I am thinking the heat may have got to me more than I thought.

I do have a slighly sore hip bone as well. Yesterday on the cycle down to the beach… I had a very excited playful 3 year old run out in front of me on my push bike. I grabbed the brakes so hard I went straight over the handle bars, over the top of the kid and landed in a (somewhat classy) forward roll.

Luckily I managed to totally miss the kid. He was a little shocked but unharmed much to the relief of some very thankful parents.

According to my flat mate Bill, who I was riding with, the whole event looked quite spectacular.

Today has been a very lazy day. Some PT this morning and a lot of sleeping / relaxing on the coach. I might head out for one last swim before the 2km Cole Classic this sunday.