Hill Ride

First morning of non daylight saving and it was a stunner, so very happy to head out on a hill ride around the east with Niki, Shersten, Paul and Fungi. Was a bit worried about the hills as I hadn't been on the bike for a couple of weeks but they felt al right. We did Heartbreak, 4 repeats of Wentworth Avenue, Watson's Bay and Campell Parade/Bondi Rd to finish. So all up about 35 kms this morning and just a beautiful autumn mornnig and great not to need lights! Stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/163485788.

Swims

Didn't make the ride this morning - hearing thunder when the alarm goes off at 5.25 is not conducive to getting your bod out of bed! So I headed out for the Hurts swim session and only 4 people turned up including MC. Seems he has injured his hammy again so has been swimming all week but should be back to running next week. First swim since the Kurnell tri, so knew I was going to struggle when the first 100m was done in 1.32 and I was right. Managed 1.3kms all up but cramped up in the left calf/shin and had to get out. So all up a 2km run, swim and then a 2km run home.
Managed to sneak in a cheeky wee 1km swim at Clovelly today while the kids were meant to be sleeping so not too bad an effort this week. Planning to get out for an "end of DST" ride with Niki and a few others tomorrow morning, weather permitting.
Won't have a big week next week as we head off for our family Easter holiday to Cairns on Wednesday night for 10 days.

Easy Thursday

Legs felt pretty tired this morning after yesterday's effort so headed out with Adam and Jim for an easy 8kms around the Monday Hurts course. Good to see Jim is pretty much back after almost a year out with an Achilles injury and aiming to get to Hurts sessions from May. Couldn't get a lock on the Garmin for a while, so the stats for today are pretty skewed but from Adam's watch we were sitting around 4.45 pace so a nice gentle recovery run. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/162635365
Out for an early bike ride, hopefully the last one for a while in the pitch black, to La Per and back and then the Hurts swim session at lunch. Another light on week and off on hols from next Wednesday night so will really need to get the half marathon and 10km trainign back on track after Easter.

A Century of Corp Cups and a PB

Well everything aligned today for my 100th corp cup run with a fantastic 23.39 and a pb by 20 secs. It's been about two and half years since I did 24 flat and I've not been close in the last 2 years. Conditions were pretty mixed with a wet, slightly longer course and the rain threatening. Anyway, I've done it and knackered my handicap now for the next series - stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/162350071 and thanks to Adam, Derek, Ant and Dat for the encourage and support along the course today

Out on my own

Due to another urgent work request with a tight deadline I missed the Hurts session today so just went out on my own for some speed work. Didn't get out until almost 1pm so just did 4 x 3mins with 90 secs rest in Farm Cove. Very happy with average pace of about 3.40 and then took it easy back to the office for about6.5kms all up. Stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/160318616. Won't be out tomorrow as we are going on our first proper camping weekend down near Bundeena, so having a early mark and can't really justify an 90 minutes off at lunch. So a light week but hopefully back to normal next week.

Wednesday

Been out for the last few days with a man cold - Hamy has had some virus so proabably a result of that. Got out today though but wasn't feeling 100% so was going to take it easy and that is exactly what we did. Adam and Simmo turned up along with MC, James, Russell, Rob and Jonathon. Pace was comfortable on the way out but chest still felt a bit tickly especially on the hills. Simmo dropped off at Rushcutters and took the easy option of Loftus. So he has to front up to Dat and admit he couldn't handle the action! Adam and I peeled off at Fox Studio gates and headed back to Martin Place for 12.3 kms and about 13kms all up at a very slow 4.54 average pace. Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/160053185 and aimng for hurts 550m hill sprints tomorrow which won't be fun.

Slightly less wisdom

Day off on Friday as I had to get a wisdom tooth extracted in the afternoon, so headed down to Clovelly for a swim after dropping off the kids. 6 laps for about 1.5kms all up and it felt pretty easy. Enjoyed a rare lunch with the missus at North Bondi Italian before hitting the dentists. Tooth came out very easily and have had no pain at all so pretty happy. Should be good for a run tomorrow and having eaten soup and soft food since Friday night, I'm down to 76kgs so that could be beneficial.

Wed and Thurs

Well 24 hours from now, I'll be down one wisdom tooth, up two fillings and hopefully in very little discomfort. Unlike today, where after corp cup yesterday I did the 10x400 with Hurts at Rushcutters.
So Corp Cup yesterday was another exercise in futility and despite the course being 100m shorter than normal, I managed to do exactly the same time as when it is 100m longer than normal! Ridiculously frustrating despite missing Tuesday speed session and feeling really good on the way up. Did the first couple of kms faster than normal at sub 4min km pace but just had nothing on the back half (last km was 4.05 pace that is normally sub 4) and probably lost a load of time on the steps. So next race is number 100 and maybe everything is lining up for a sub 24 then. Stats for yesterday at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/158096348.
On to today and we headed across to Rushcutters Oval but a cricket match was taking place (who has time to play cricket on a Thursday lunchtime?) So it was a semi-measured 400m course and my garmin died on the third one (pathetic battery life as it was fully charged yesterday, off since lunchtime and yet it ran out after about 4 mins today). Pace was 3.30 for the first two but I reckon it dropped off during the set. First time I have been last for the whole session. Bit of an accident on the last repeat when one of the guys ran straight into a maiden and completely bowled her over - nobody's fault really and she was ok. Limited stats for today at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/158096346.

Good start to the week

Headed out for a ride this morning with Nick and Chris but Nick managed to sleep in so it was the two of us. Did La Per via Maroubra and back the same way but managed to convince Chris to avoid Arden Street on the way home. Not a bad ride but certainly didn't feel as good as the tri last week and not that happy with how the bike is running - chain taking a bit to get into the large chain ring and something is rubbing either tthe wheel rim or a pedal. All up roughly 30kms this moring and stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/157235847.
Backed up with the Monday Hurts session and a big crowd but no Mike or Tom. Laura, James and I kicked off the session and I stuck on the front trying to keep MC's 4.40 target average pace. Couple of guys went off the front and felt ok at the turn around so came back to CQ and an average pace of 4.39 - so not a bad effort given this morning's ride. Run stats are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/157235858. No Adam today as he suffered a Baker's cyst behind his left knee at the of last week but ultrasounds looked ok today and he managed an easy 5 kms. No run tomorrow as I want to give myself a good chance for my 99th Corp Cup on Wednesday.

Friday Swim with Todd's Trunks

Loving the Hurts Friday swim option despite being hopeless in the pool on Friday. I had forgotten how much I liked swim squads. Not a bad crowd with Todd, Mark M and Emma among the gang - and Todd sporting some serious lycra. A brand call FunkyTrunks and more of a euro-bather than a speedo cut but the colours are something to be seen. I stuck at the back for the 5 x 100m, 5x 200m and 5 x 100m with a 200m warm up. Managed the first 100m set on a 1.50 repeat but could only do 2 of the 200ms at that pace so took a breather and did 4 of 100m for a total of 1.5kms. Did 10 minute run up and came back in 8.55 and not a bad finish to the week.

Done In

Firstly, run stats from Moday are at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/155402621. Got out today but had forgotten the Garmin so was free from the shackles of average km pace, distance etc and it felt great. Adam and Dat put in an appearance - having done 1 session for the year last week, Adam has done all Hurts sessions this week - better keep an eye on him. Only 8 of us today including Tom, MC, Jonathan, Mike Race and James. Adam and Dat were keen on just doing to Fox Studio gates and coming back via Oxford Street, so I pushed my pace up Ocean St and around the park to stick up the front with Tom and Jonathan - no way I would have kept going but it felt all right. Took it pretty easy coming back to the office and started to feel really crap after my shower - pain in my joints, have a very strange pain going from the left side of my neck across the top of my shoulder and really tired. Will get in an early night and hopefully feel better in the morning as keen to do the Hickson Road set tomorrow. All up about 15kms today.

Kurnell and Monday Run

Well after 6 years absence from the Kurnell sprint triathlon's I made a return to racing yesterday morning. While I didn't break the 70 minute barrier (overestimated my swimming and cycling ability and training) I certainly didn't disgrace myself. I was 17th overall in my age category (35-39 and 106 entrants) with a total of 71.23 and very happpy with splits of 13.50, 36.56 and 20.36 all including transition times. My full results are at http://www.multisportaustralia.com.au/RaceTecResults/MyResults.aspx?CId=1&RId=627&EId=1&AId=614. Thankfully the weather cleared up from the rain over the past 4 days so that we got a dry race although we could have done with a little less rain on the cycle course. That was the last one of the series and I'll be in the 40-45 category if I'm around for next year's series - if I did the same time I would have been 5 minutes off the best age group time.
I backed up with the Hurts monday run, but have left my garmin in the office. Big crowd today, and so much for MC's 4.40 recovery run pace, with Adam making his first Monday run of the year mind you it is his birthday today. He dropped off at Shelly Street and we were clocking an average pace on 4.33 - not what I needed after yesterday. I held on to Circular Quay and I think the watch had avergae pace at 4.25. Jim passed at the Hyatt but couldn't reply to his shout. All up I think about 49 mins for just over 11kms and I'll get the stats loaded tomorrow.

Wet Wet Wet

Didn't get to meet a top quality Scottish band from the 90's today - just got drenched running to and from the pool for the Hurts session. Must have been about 15 people turn up for the swim - not surprising given you would have been wetter running - including MC, Derek, Fast Charlie and Todd. Pool was pretty quiet when I arrived and straight into a 500m warm up and this week I maanged to do half the set and stick to the 1.50 time repeat. So all up 1.6kms in the pool and very happy to say that the run back felt fantastic - not sure what happens to your body some days, but everything just felt right and very easy on the way back. So probably 4kms of running toround out the week and hopefully put me in good shape for Sunday.