70.3 Training - Week 5 (recovery week) AND a race report

So we have already completed 5 weeks of the 70.3 course. Time absolutely flies by when your life revolves around training sessions…it is funny how days of the week start becoming referred to as doubles, singles, bricks or rest days!

Week 5 was put forward with the comment that if we had been “good” and achieved all or most of the sessions over the previous 4 weeks we should take the opportunity to have a recovery week and ready ourselves for the next block (Strength and Endurance ie HILLS).

Yup - it was a chilled week!

Not sure Coach anticipated how literal I would take his instruction. You have heard about people entering “BEAST MODE” and smashing their workouts well I managed to channel my very own "SLOTH MODE" and I nailed the recovery week!!

All jokes aside, I did have a good week and I think it was just what the doctor ordered.

The Tuesday long run was my most enjoyable run in a VERY long time. It was pegged to be a 70min run…35min out and back along the South Perth foreshore. Well I was very pleased to get to 6.5km by the 35min out lap. A quick gulp of water and I was on the return. I was nicely paced by one of my training buddy’s and we made a steady and comfortable return back along the river. Just at 10kms there was another water fountain so while I pulled in for another quick slurp my pacer did not…this meant that I had a rabbit to chase for the final 3kms and I know that this certainly helped ensure that I kept on going and finished (fairly) strong.

Sunday (RACE DAY) was the 4^th race in the Telstra Triathlon series. It was hosted by the city of Rockingham and it was a fantastic event. Looking at the prior year results they have run it for 7 out of the last 9 years (no ‘08 and ‘11 for some reason). Well all I can say is that it shows. It was well organised, laid out and run. The course was nice, flat and fast and everyone I talked to had a good day.

The day itself was the usual early start with me getting to the race venue at about 6:30. Sorted through registration and body marking and then onto help with the finishing touches of setting up the club tent (in truth all the hard work was done and I swooped in and got in the way helped!)

The swim – 750m – 14:23

The swim area has a very large sand shelf and as such we waded out to the start line. Siren sounded and we were off. This felt like the most congested swim start of the series so far. I managed to not get kicked but I think this was more by luck than anything else. Thankfully once I rounded the first marker I managed to get some clear water and my swim improved considerably. Only “excitement” was once I rounded the second last buoy I ended up being “herded” off line by the guy swimming just ahead of me. I was on his right hand side and he was swimming diagonally away from the final turn buoy. Thankfully I was sighting well and was able to “feel” I was off course and I let him swim passed and I then righted myself….I did grab his foot to pull him up so he could look where he was headed and right himself too…I didn’t stop to check but there was a life guard right there too so I knew he wouldn’t get too far off course. As was expected we hit the sand shelf and had to wade/run/walk the last 40 or so metres. I ran about 2 steps and decided not to risk falling on my face and waded my way out of the water.

The ride – 20km – 33:46

Uneventful ride overall. Two laps on a flat course with only two real corners to negotiate. Got into the drop position a couple of times to get out of the headwind (which after Busselton – honest it is coming...soon) was nothing by comparison. Took some shot blocks with 5km to go and changed to a lower gear with about 2km to go to spin my legs out before the run.

The run – 5km – 25:10

Very happy with my run. Despite a slight hiccup of packing the wrong shoes for the race (I packed my “long distance shoes” rather than the ones with the elastic laces) which meant I lost a handful of seconds in transition I felt really strong and pretty relaxed on the run. I have had a niggle in my left knee for a couple of days so wanted to keep that assessed on the run but it never even featured (the joys of race adrenaline). Kept a view on the watch and the first 3 kms passed at 5:11; 5:07 and 5:07 per km. Then I somehow pulled a 5:04 out the bag. I knew I was feeling good as I was happily high fiving anyone that I could convince to hold their hand out (and high fives make you faster) and I pulled a 4:42 for the final km!!  Happy happy days!

Photo credit: Tri Events Facebook

Strangely, it was not a PB in the swim (by 1:40) nor the run (by 2secs) but it was through T1, T2 and the cycle (nearly 5mins!). It was that strong cycle that resulted in the overall 1:16:56 which was a PB overall. I wanted a sub 1:20 and I am so chuffed to have achieved that and some I am now going to work towards a sub 1:15!

So after the high of the race weekend I now enter the second phase of training and look forward to documenting that over the coming weeks. This next block ends with the Karri Valley Triathlon at the end of March and I am very much looking forward to seeing how we go at what is touted as being a great hit out before Busso.

Thanks for reading.