First day in Rapperswil

We travelled to Switzerland today. Left from Dublin airport at 11:30ish and made it here around 4. It was quite nice out so we went for a wander and got some food. Then a walk over to the start area and transition areas. Saw a few people going out for a canoe polo training session, but we didn't stay to watch them.

Came back towards the hotel and got some ice cream before deciding it was time to put the bikes together. After that it was time to test them out. So out on the road (remembering to stay on the right hand side) I had some small problems with gears skipping but sorta got them fixed. We got a little bit lost and then a lightning storm started! So we quickly found the right road and stormed back to the hotel just in time. Time now to relax and have a quiet beer.

All packed

So, I'm all packed and ready to go. The bike bag is full of all my gear and I only need to remember to get my passport in the morning.

This evening I went for a last cycle just to keep a feel for it and to test out the new aero drinks bottle I got last week. I had meant to try it out at home at the weekend, but of course I had to forget something. That time it was my cycling shoes. Silly me. They are of course packed this time :)

Only a few days left now

It's time to take it easy. Ish. I'm not a good one at taking it easy. On Thursday last, I went for an outdoor swim in Malahide with Waggers and with Louise as our lookout in her newly repaired boat.

Friday was drinks out with work and then drive home on Saturday to play a league match. We were beaten by two points by Templeport in a lousy match :(

The B team were beaten today by Cornafean and after that I went on back to Dublin. Just back a short while now and going to head off for a swim shortly. It'll be Gráinne's first proper time in the open water. Luckily Malahide isn't too deep at all.

Pics from the weekend

Here's a few pics of me and the others at the Fingal tri

Fingal tri pics

The results are out

For the Fingal tri. I came 25th with a 2 minute penalty for drafting. I've sent the organisers a mail to see where I was drafting so that I can make sure that it doesn't happen again.

Fingal Sprint Triathlon

Woke up good and early and had breakfast of porridge and honey. Packed up the camper and drove around to pick up Greg. Got to the NAC at about 7:40ish and went to register. Got the goodie packs with a large toblerone and powerade and toothpaste. They do put the most random stuff in there!

Checked the bikes and then racked them into transition. Got all my gear laid out as I wanted it too. Then back to the camper for 40 minutes before the race briefing. Drinking a lightly dilutable drink and snacking on a few pieces of chocolate to keep my energy levels up. I watched the first wave go off and then went and got changed. I was in wave 2, lane 3. We got given swim hats and then into the pool. One length of a warm up and then 750 metres of a swim. I started off in front but got passed after 3 lengths by three people who were close together. I picked off two of them over the next few lengths and the last guy on the last one. So that meant that I was first out of the pool in my lane. I got whooshed out by the guy at the end and trotted out to T1.

Everything went smoothly coming out of T1 and onto the road. the Gardaí were out in force with the marshalls, stopping traffic and directing us around roundabouts. I got passed by a few lads but kept them in my sights. At the turn around, I had passed them again and they seemed to miss the cones. I powered out from the turn and kept the lead until near the end of a long straight. Two guys passed me there, but seemed to slow on the small incline after it, so back I went again past them. I kept pushing hard until the end of the bike and got in first.

Another decent transition despite throwing my glasses off when I took off the helmet and I was out in front. I pushed hard for the first few hundred metres and then got into my stride. Kept up a good cadence and felt really good. At the turn around, I got confused by the marshall asking me was in wave 2 and slowed a bit. I saw the next few lads behind me, so I pushed again up the hill to the corner. Then I eased back into my stride for the next bit. Turning the last corner and heding downhill to the NAC, I pushed up the pace again. I was starting to feel it now but pushed on. I didn't want to look behind me just in case I was being caught, this was about my race for me. Got in to the finish and across the line with no problems, all done in 1:08.

Overall, I was happy with what I managed, did a little bit of stretching and had a shower. Put on the compression tights and lived in them for the rest of the day.

We hung around for the prize giving and then headed home. Had tea and cake and watched the Cavan and Antrim match. Everyone was tired, some went for a snooze.

Went out later to get food for a pasta bake, ended up making three and salad and garlic bread. Got an early night too, it was well needed!

Up this morning at 5 to drop Pauline to the airport, no pains or stiffness.

Open Water Swimming

Remember, when you want to swim in the sea to check the tide times!
Went out this evening with Gráinne and Waggers to go for a quick dip down by Bull island. When we got there, it dawned on us that this was not going to be all that fruitful! The tide was way out. But we got in anyway and after wading out for a few hundred metres with the water no deeper than out knees, we came back again.

Jogged back home with Waggers and got beeped at by a few cars. Is it only Ireland that people can't accept that someone might want to go out and do some exercise?

They arrived!

Finally, I have a new set of tri bars. I had to change the delivery address yesterday because we missed a couple of delivery attempts. They said it wouldn't be delivered until tomorrow, but even better it arrived today!
A brand spanking new set of bars, so this evening will be spent putting them on the bike and getting it all set up nicely.

Happy happy, bounce bounce!

Swimming and running

Nice little brick session today. I ran from work to Westwood and then went for a quick swim. Just a little 750m at race pace. Then a run from Westwood to Antioch along the coast road.
Overall it took just over an hour and a half.

Wilmslow tri

We had an early start on Sunday last for the tri. My wave was off at 8:20 with Greg off earlier and Pauline off in the wave after me. The swim went well, I started first in the lane and passed out the two others in my lane. Out onto the cycle, I passed someone on the first corner but then didn't see anyone for about 15 minutes. I wasn't sure if I was on the right track, but kept going and eventually saw some signs showing me the way. I passed out some more people and kept tapping along at a nice pace, not too fast, but keeping my legs going.

On the way back to transition, I nearly missed the turn off the main road. I recovered and got back feeling fresh. As I went into drop the bike off, I heard Greg and Sarah shouting for me. Nice to hear someone cheer you on!

I spent a few seconds trying to take out the spare tyre and repair kit from my pocket, but then gave up and decided to run with them. The run was getting warm with no breeze and running through a nice little park before heading out through a housing estate. There was a great family out passing out water and hosing us down as we went past. Very nice!

The rest of the run was quite uneventful, passed out some people and kept a good cadence up. I felt like I could have run for a lot longer at that pace. Coming in to the finish line, I had to up the pace and sprint over the line :)

At the end of the race, Edinburgh Cycle Co-operative had a stand of free drinks and power bars, so myself and Greg fed and filled water bottles with as much free stuff as we could.

Pauline came through shortly after and got interviewed by the guy with the microphone and then he spent the next five minutes asking if the Dublin people would be having a beer or two that evening :)

After it was all over, we had a few hours to wait until we got the final results. Pauline came third overall in the women's section and first in her age group.
I finished in about 1:14 according to the official results, but I thought I was about 3 minutes slower than that. Not going to argue though!
After we got home, it was time for a trip to Decathlon and then off to the Curry Mile for dinner.

Greg and I went home on Monday, getting to the airport one minute before check in closed, being given priority boarding passes and getting to the gate as they opened up. Perfect!

Countdown

Only a few days to go until the first tri of the year. Wilmslow is on this weekend and while it's only a short one, it should be good. I also get to visit Pauline while I'm there, which will be good.

Things are starting to fall into place too, I have the tri suit, the new runners, a new bike bag and my watch all set up and ready to go. The only thing is that I still have no tri bars. Syntace are sending them out again as UPS sent them back to them for some reason. No official word from UPS on where they are yet either, so I wonder do they even know what they've done with them.

Greg is lending me a set for the weekend, except he still has to pick them up from one of the other guys who has them at the moment. I hope he gets them!

This week we had some great weather so it was a pleasure to get out and do stuff. Spent Monday in Bray at the beach, just chilling out and relaxing. Tuesday was a swim and then cycling home the long way along the Coast Road. Then a race back into town for a dancing lesson before dinner. Today was the long way home and then a 40 minute run with Waggers.

Tomorrow I'll probably take as an easy day, I might head to the pool in the evening just to splash about and do a few lengths. I still want to figure out the tumble turn as it keeps confusing me :)

Good swimming

A good week of swimming. A session on Tuesday and then a better one on Thursday. Feeling good in the water in the run up to Wimslow. I'll have to try and get a session in a 25m pool tomorrow before next weekend, just to get the distance sorted in my head.

I'm still waiting for my tri bars from Syntace, they sent them out a couple of weeks ago, but UPS seem to have lost it. I've started a trace, but I'll have to try and source a new pair for next weekend.

Oh, and another good win on Friday night against Butlersbridge in the League. We won 0-8 to 0-5.