Two a day sessions!!

Well, with the Mooloolaba triathlon only 7 (ish) days away now, and very little training time left, and the fact that I have set my goal time for the triathlon at 2 hours and 35 minutes, it is time for some last chance or last ditch training.


The theory is like the one that I used as school and through my university study years - 'it is never too late'. See, people used to say a day or two, or even an hour or two before an exam "if you are not ready now, you will never be, the last ditch effort and cramming is not worth it". What a load of bollocks, I used to cram very effectively and efficiently, and got great results. Yes, I had also done the work during the term, or semester, but cramming can certainly help (in my humble opinion). So, how does that philosophy transpose itself onto training for a triathlon. Well, I believe that you can always get fitter and faster. I have never been very fast, reasonably fit, but never fast. Although rest days will be extremely important in the day or two before the triathlon, the week or two before should certainly be used wisely, and used to increase stamina, fitness and pace.


In the two weeks leading up to Mooloolaba, I am doing two a day sessions - slightly shorter, but higher intensity. Remember that I am self trained at the moment, later in the year, when it comes to an ironman or similar, a training program will be required, but at the moment, I am doing it by feel really. The other thing is that I am supposed to be following a running program at the moment, leading up to the 100k run, in May, but I have parked that until next week (when there will be only 7 weeks to go to the event - holy crap). Anyway, currently my morning sessions are lighter sessions, for about 45 minutes, with the goal being to burn about 500 plus calories for the session, keep the heart rate at about 80% and be consistent.

The afternoon sessions are a different matter, altogether. They are tough sessions, and they are still only about 45 minutes, though I burn more calories (marginally). The swimming sessions involves 2 by 1 kilometer swims. Each kilometer involves a slow lap, a medium lap and a fast lap (full on). I am not much of a swimmer, so you might like to do more, but 2 ks of that is enough to leave me gasping. The riding session involves 5 minutes off (around 100 RPM) and 5 minutes on (about 120 RPM). Again, a tough session, which lasts an hour. Finally the tough run is about hill sprinting. Where I am currently working, there is a 2.75 k each way loop, with a significant hill about 1k from home in the homeward direction. So, after running out, turning back and running to the base of the incline, the hill sprints started. After six of them done (to about 75% of the hill), I was shagged, and only 45 minutes had passed. Very tough.


By the way, I am alternating between swimming, cycling and running (in that order). So, this morning it was cycling easy, then this afternoon it will be swimming hard. Tomorrow it will be running easy then cycling hard, if you can follow that.


Last year, my Mooloolaba time was 2.41 hours and Noosa was 2.39 hours. So, to go 2.35 will be a big effort, but it is certainly achievable. I want to go 2.20 at Noosa at the end of this year, so there is a challenge.


I am sure all this is working, and that showed last Saturday morning, with a great run and ride.


My next goal is 10k in 45 minutes. That will be achieved sooner rather than later, I hope, and I will keep you informed.


Finally, 'you know you are an elite athlete (not) when you want to do the Rocky Balboa arms in the air pose when you get to the top of a hill after six hill sprints'.


Oh, forgot to mention, the riding above is done on an exercise bike (I am again on a remote mine site), and I am working 12 hour days in between training sessions. Early nights and heaps of sleep is the order of the day at the moment.


Until next time, keep training.


Anton