Anyone coming to Wildflower should bring plenty of warm clothes. The weather has turned. Its cold and windy.
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Dark Place
Arriving here early has afforded me a lot of time to think. My normal life allows for little of it.
I spent an hour on my bike today - just me and my I pod. I got to thinking about the upcoming race and it occurred to me that I was looking forward to racing in a way I hadn't in a great many years. I'm not sure why that is but, as I said, I've had time to think and this is what I've come up with: at first I was thinking that maybe I was keen because my fitness is higher than it has been in a good long time. Still, in relative terms I'm not near as fit as I was twenty years ago when I took racing much more seriously. I know that in the grand scheme of things I will be in the top 50 % of my age group. But in a way it is about fitness. The thing is, I've got this feeling that because of my increaseed fitness this Saturday I just might be able to go to the Dark Place. You need a certain level of fitness to go there. Three presidents have sat in the oval office since I've been there.
Now I'm not talking about the "Peter Reid" dark place - that time in an IM when you are beseeched by dark thoughts and a feeling that things are lost. I'm talking about that place you can go in racing and training where everything around you dims except the effort and the pain - and you embrace the pain. You toy with it and you test its limits.
I think might be able to go there this Saturday. Its been a long time since my last visit and I'm both nervous and excited. It feels like I've made a date with an old lover I remember only with fondness - yet in the back of my mind I know there's a reason why she is an ex.
I am probably thinking too much.
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
I spent an hour on my bike today - just me and my I pod. I got to thinking about the upcoming race and it occurred to me that I was looking forward to racing in a way I hadn't in a great many years. I'm not sure why that is but, as I said, I've had time to think and this is what I've come up with: at first I was thinking that maybe I was keen because my fitness is higher than it has been in a good long time. Still, in relative terms I'm not near as fit as I was twenty years ago when I took racing much more seriously. I know that in the grand scheme of things I will be in the top 50 % of my age group. But in a way it is about fitness. The thing is, I've got this feeling that because of my increaseed fitness this Saturday I just might be able to go to the Dark Place. You need a certain level of fitness to go there. Three presidents have sat in the oval office since I've been there.
Now I'm not talking about the "Peter Reid" dark place - that time in an IM when you are beseeched by dark thoughts and a feeling that things are lost. I'm talking about that place you can go in racing and training where everything around you dims except the effort and the pain - and you embrace the pain. You toy with it and you test its limits.
I think might be able to go there this Saturday. Its been a long time since my last visit and I'm both nervous and excited. It feels like I've made a date with an old lover I remember only with fondness - yet in the back of my mind I know there's a reason why she is an ex.
I am probably thinking too much.
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wildflower
Hope this works. I'm trying to submit this report with my Blackberry. Heather and Trevor Wurtele have made the journey to wildflower. We are amongst the first to arrive here. Its at least 30 degrees. We set up our camp and went for a swim. The water is merky but a nice temp. Yesterday we stopped to do a little run and had stunning good luck when we found some beautiful trails in Wolf Creek Park.
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Back to the Treadmill
So yesterday I was to repeat the treadmill death march from the previous week - only this session was to run a mere 30'. Now that might seem easier but all it means is that you hit the dark place a lot sooner. Just to recap - the drill is to start flat and slow and increase the incline and speed every five mintues - timing it so that the last 5' of increased put you in danger of failing.
This time I didn't screw up. I started the machine out faster and jumped the inclines by 2% each 5'.
I was a still a bit sore from the downhill run on Sunday but not bad at all.
Here's how it went:
MpM
0-5 0% 11:00 AvHR 115
5-10 2% 10:30 AvHR 129
10-15 4% 10:00 AvHR 145
15-20 6% 9:30 AvHR 157
20-25 8% 9:10 AvHR 171
Warm down - AvHR 133
Probably one of the best 30' I've ever spent running. I felt strong. Could not have run another 5 seconds at the final pace and incline.
My weight is holding at 170. In some ways this is a bit discouraging but in others it's not.
I got back from Tucson and was 169. In the past 172 has been a barrier I've been unable to come under. I have the feeling if I can hold this weight for just a little longer I'll start to see another drop. Any day now!!!
On the coaching side of things I'm busy and loving it.
Heather is ready for Wildflower and I'm really enjoying a few new athletes I just begun working with - Kim Hager and Teresa Copeland.
Rachel Keirs is going to brave the chill waters at the Cultus Lake Oly in two weeks and I think she's going to surprise herself.
I now have an "all welcome" swim Tuesday mornings at Crystal Pool, 7:30-9 (with thanks to Steve Chater and Team X!!) I've been working to establish something like this for some time but pool space in Victoria is a rare commodity.
This time I didn't screw up. I started the machine out faster and jumped the inclines by 2% each 5'.
I was a still a bit sore from the downhill run on Sunday but not bad at all.
Here's how it went:
MpM
0-5 0% 11:00 AvHR 115
5-10 2% 10:30 AvHR 129
10-15 4% 10:00 AvHR 145
15-20 6% 9:30 AvHR 157
20-25 8% 9:10 AvHR 171
Warm down - AvHR 133
Probably one of the best 30' I've ever spent running. I felt strong. Could not have run another 5 seconds at the final pace and incline.
My weight is holding at 170. In some ways this is a bit discouraging but in others it's not.
I got back from Tucson and was 169. In the past 172 has been a barrier I've been unable to come under. I have the feeling if I can hold this weight for just a little longer I'll start to see another drop. Any day now!!!
On the coaching side of things I'm busy and loving it.
Heather is ready for Wildflower and I'm really enjoying a few new athletes I just begun working with - Kim Hager and Teresa Copeland.
Rachel Keirs is going to brave the chill waters at the Cultus Lake Oly in two weeks and I think she's going to surprise herself.
I now have an "all welcome" swim Tuesday mornings at Crystal Pool, 7:30-9 (with thanks to Steve Chater and Team X!!) I've been working to establish something like this for some time but pool space in Victoria is a rare commodity.
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