Iz & Sam...

The work Workstation...

Taupo training camp base view

Taupo Training

This is from the last weekend in Jan so a bit late, but I did want to put something down before I forgot about it.

We drove down on the Friday night and I had decided the best idea was to find something down in Taupo. This sort of backfired as I forgot that Iz wanted something with air conditioning... So we ended up in a very small room in a hotel. Not exactly what we needed... no ideal for Iz.

Saturday:

We started with a short swim... about 15 mins in the end. A wee bit shorter than I imagined... Then back to the hotel and onto the bike. It was not a warm morning so I put on a jacket and headed down towards the houses (where the others were based). 

Picked them up then headed out onto the course... Today we had install at least 6 hours of riding and 4 x 15 min efforts to break it up a bit. Started very easy up to the race track, then just spinning at a good speed on the descent... looked back a couple of times to see a very long line of the group in single file very cool.

Just after the bridge, I took a few turns. We were going quite well! It did not seem as if we slowed down much or took it very easily! Oh no maybe I have already gone too hard... The faster riders went straight through Reparoa and almost all the way to the main road to Rotorua... Stopped at Reparoa on way back grabbed a drink and a pee, then straight into the first effort! I think I pretty much sat in (legal distance) most of the way and took a few turns. Then the next effort was from the bridge up to the race track. That one was pretty hard.

Stopped at Hotel for a feed and pick up more drink - only took two - and say Hi to Iz and Sam then back out onto the course... The second lap started the same as the first...Still going reasonably well even though we were not doing an effort... this got me quite worried!

Again we went all the way to the main road... this time though we stopped at the Dairy at Reparoa and tanked up on food an drink.

Another 15 min effort that I cannot really remember... I think by this time I might have even been sitting in a bit closer to Tony's' wheel than I would like to admit! I guess there was a bit of I just wanna get home going on!

The last effort was a bit easier for me to handle as it was up hill still bloody hard though!

Heading home along the waterfront I got a puncture so had to slow down. Just make it back to the Hotel without having to repair it...

Finished with a run. I just did this from the Hotel... ran along the road to the house, grabbed a drink and then headed along the waterfront. I did not know that there was a nice track along the lake side. Very nice. I popped out onto the main road at 2 Mile bay, just before the hotel and just in time to get passed by Mr Brown... dam it! I was running quite fast too... There was Mark W watching on the side too. A good 40m so very pleased!

Sunday:

We at least the weather was all right! Started with a swim from the yacht club. We did a few start simulations and then headed along past the hole in one pontoon. We were suppose to turn at 25 mins but the others turned at 20 mins not sure what happened there... I was sitting on Lizs feet and I do not think she liked it much but I was not feeling too good! On the way back I found Maddog's feet and although they go all over the place I was able to stay in touch... A reasonable swim if a little short.

Back to the Hotel and get ready to ride. I rode all the way down to the house this time and through a Triathlon race! They were just finishing the briefing... But apparently it was going to be one lap plus a bit and 3 x 20min efforts! Sounds like fun...

Off we went nice and easy to start with. Going up Napier road and then onto Broadlands. The ride started to get faster after the motor circuit, on the downhill... As soon as we got to the flat the first 20m effort started. This one was not too bad and I did do a bit on the front. Quite solid. Was wondering in the back of my mind if I could keep it up!

Again we went thru the 'round a bout and to the main road. Then back to Reparoa. No stopping today. Bugger. Then into the next effort. This time Tony went to the front and took off! I did not even dare to stay with him. Very solid! Thankfully when he say that we had been dropped he sat up and then lost a bottle so I upped to pace and made it as hard as I dared for him to get back on... Finished effort 2. I was going to take it easy for a bit but Tony went past and keep the pace solid! Oh well... I did sit in for a bit to get a bit of recovery going...

Next effort starts at the bridge. Off we went again... I went past Tony along the flatter parts and tried to up the anti a bit... kept it going up the hills all the way to the motor circuit with Tony giving me some support! Ok a push :)

Pretty stuffed I have to say!

The run! Isobel had transferred to the house and I went there too. Got the shoes on and off for run... I followed the road this time... Tony was at the start of the lake Terrace. I did not stop first time past and went all the way round to the IM finish. Coming back had a quick stop for water/coke and topped up the bottles then headed out for the 5 mile bay turn around... That was quite hard. Very hot. I was running quite well though... Thankfully there was some water at 5 Mile bay so stopped to get a drink! Bit of a life saver that one as Really hot today. On the plus side just getting to the top of Airport hill was only about 2 km go go after that. Turned out to be about 22Km and in just over 1h35m very pleased...

Worth noting going up the Airport hill is the 10Km to go marker for the second lap... i.e. 32Km. So if things are good it would be a good time to start winding up the running at the top...

Thoughts... So on the whole a good couple of days training. seem to be going OK in the swim, pretty good on the bike - although I have to say that Tony has really improved over the last few weeks since the Tauranga half very noticeable... of course he was not running so did not have to hold anything back - the run, well the the run is OK too, but I am lacking a few long runs...

Also I am not comfortable on the bike this is very disturbing and I am going to have to change things a bit to see if this improves... not a good idea I know but I will not be very happy on the day if my shoulders and neck hurts like f..k!!!

The new ride...

With 11 speed Record... Nice.

Module: Time VXR Proteam and Time headset, fork, stem, post

Gruppo: 11 speed Record

Wheels: Fulcrum Racing Zero

Tyres: Michelin Pro3 Race

Tubes: Vitoria Ultralight

Pedals: Time

Bar: Deda Newton Shallow

Tape: Fi'z:k

Cages: Profile Design

Saddle: Fi'z:k Arione

Speedo Polar wireless S625X

Apologies:

Cages, 

Saddle (mind you if it was white then there would be a lot of white !),

Still some shimano on there...

No Apologies (Hey I'm getting old OK):

Spaces,

Fi'z:k gel on top of bar,

Shallow drop bar.

Other:

Shoes: DMT (white/some blue)

Helmet: MET Strad II

Last big weekend...

WOW what a weekend!

The last of the big weekends leading up to IRONMAN NZ was a doozy!

To start things off I made sure that I got in a good 4km swim on Friday. Managed 13*300m so all good there. Not as fast as I would have hoped for around 4'35" for each one.

Saturday dawned was surprisingly cold compared other the rest of the week and I did not dress well. Was in Hamilton on my own so decided to head over the divi and then Big Naike. Got over the climb and at about 1hour only to get a puncture! Not biggie until I realised that I did not have a pump! DOH. A quick call to Iz took a bit long due to lack of cell coverage... but finally got through... She was still asleep and had to feed Sam first...

A guy finally came along  on his bike and I was able to get a bit of air in the tyre so I could at least get riding again and warm up!

Iz past me just other side of divi and got some more spares and pump etc...

Decided to head back to Hamilton, started to rain too. Found a bit of clear sky and headed past Temple View to find it, then Peacocks road to home, grab some food and then over to Pukemoremore Road. Started to really rain on way home. But did get in some good steady efforts. Finally ended up with 160Km and 5h15min. Not too bad and please to get it down if a bit short.

Then got home and drove into town to get Sam's 4 drawer dresser ! That took a bit of lifting.... back home and off for 30min run all done!

Sunday. I drove to Auckers sat night. Started with a ride from Titirangi with the Super Coach group. Tony took the lead to start with and I followed Hamish at third wheel with Bevan behind me... Like this for a while then I decided to take the lead and up the tempo a bit as it was a little to easy... About 43mins out and ended up with 1h20m so a bit quicker back. Bevan put in a big effort on one of the shorter climbs in the big ring... very impressive I did not even try to go with him... Tony tried but did not make much headway... He did comeback to us as it did look very Solid!  Max power Me 900w, Bevan 950w Tony 850w. Ave Me 233, Bevan 300+w (!!!) Tony 244w. Not sure why Bevan's was so high as he was following mostly. Tony thought that he had breaks on and pedalling down hill...

Then onto the run. I must admit, I thought that the run was going to be my strong point for a change, and everyone was going to try and stick with me. Well I could not have been more wrong. Not Tony but Bevan, Hamish, and Hannah were all running well. We ran together for about 40mins until Bevan started to wind it up... given that this was going to be about a 3hr run and I have done nothing more than about 2hr20m I really did not have the confidence to run with him and let him go... Plus the calf was playing up a bit... I tried to go past him and control that pace but Bevan did not want to play that game... I did try to stay in contact an going up Opanuku road was in touch.. nearly caught Bev but he saw me and took off! Just at the top there is about 300m of stupidly steep driveway... this was really tough and I just got up as best I could... I did make some inroads and caught up a fair bit.

Stop for a coke and gel and off along Scenic drive. I rain with Bevan again for a bit and then he started to motor again especially on the downs... my calf was not up for that and I let him go again... of course I was also not sure if I could make it at that pace... Hannah was just behind. We went out for about 25m and then turned around and back to Tony and the car for more coke and gels... Bevan just left as I arrived so no chance to run with him again. I waited for Hannah and we rain together for a bit. I upped the pace on the downhills and along past the Info centre... The plan was to open it up a bit along the pipeline track... I bonked should have put some coke in the fuel belt I really needed it! Oh well... the last 3 km just got slower and slower...

Still a very good run for me and the legs though sore have not broken! Bonus. 2h50m and about 38Km !!! I do not think I have run that fast for that long on those hills for a very very long time... 

I can only think of 2 or 3 occasions, once when running with Alison Roe in the 80s. We did not want to be beaten by a girl, even one who had the world marathon fastest time... That day we ran 24 miles in the Waitaks in 2hr25m...

Very impressed with both Bevan and Hannah. I have never run with Hannah before but she is a very classy runner. Bevan has morphed into a new athlete too. Incredible what you can do if you put your mind to it!

NOTE: Bevan's ave power was not 300W but 228W. That seems a little light for him but he did not do much on the front!

Isobel & Sam...

This was taken about 2 hrs after Sam was born... Iz is looking great!

My new Gruppo!