So whats happening now? I just finished off a not so great end of Tri age-group season because right now i am recovering...from Shingles!
It is the chicken pox virus which lays in your body dormant until it is triggered by stress of the immune system. No i'm not stressed, it mainly means stress of the immune system- training too much probably i'm prone to doing that unfortunately... anyway the virus sits on nerve endings and is quite painful, i have it on my left side which has also effected my back and leg muscles causing them to cramp.
So from many doctors appointments and advise from others i unwillingly decided to take some time off- completely- and it sux! i cant handle it!! I will have had exactly 2 weeks off on monday. Way too much time if you ask me but apparently if you dont get rid of shingles completely it can turn into chronic fatigue or glandular fever so because i dont want that i am being good and letting myself get very unfit. But i'm planning to come back on monday.
This means i have pulled out of Geelong :( very sad, i was looking forward to it to. But it will give me a week of training before Bike Camp in Jindy, following that an Olympic dist tri in Mooloolaba on the 25th March and possibly another the weekend after that on the 31st in Wellington, New Zealand. I'm very excited though on the possibility of going on a 'Young Guns' tour for some lucky junior triathletes to Honolulu, Spain and Japan from the 16th May- 3rd July. This would be the coolest trip EVER. I would love to eat, live and breathe triathlon for 6 weeks. (hey i would love to eat, live and breathe it forever).
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Hobart Sprint Championships- 18 February 07
I went into this race just like any other- excited. But the hype really got to me when the other guys had raced that morning, the juniors were up and racing and i was getting ready whilst passing by Annabell Luxford and Fliss Abrams.
Actually i dont think it really hit my until i was jumping into the water with them...what was i doing there and how the hell did i get there?
Swim start was fast and i started fantasticaly!! i was up there with the leaders and was sprinting away. I then settled in 2nd then 3rd and was so comfortable. I could really do this. Hmmm... Next lesson. Dont get too comfortable and look up every 2 strokes. I looked up (unfortunately after 2 many strokes) and lost them again. What was i doing!?! I just suffered the way back (only about 200-300 to go) and thought i was last out of the water. (i actualy wasn't suprisingly..)
Ok on to the bike and i wasn't going to go that easily. I powered off and was determined to catch up. I passed 2 girls really early on. And i felt i was making time on the main pack. I felt good then BAM. The cramps struck. They hurt too. Not just like those little calf or foot cramps that you get in swim training that you can swim through these guys were big in my hammy and quad on one side. It pulled and pulled but i refuse to pull out of races and this was not going to be an exception. It was made a reality though when i had to slow down, i just couldn't pedal anymore. And as i slowed the muscles got tighter and tighter and i couldn't move my leg. it was stuck straight. I hobbled to the 1st aid tent and they proceeded to take me to the massage tent to get it worked out. After some time the massuse said to me' i cant do anything for this leg go to first aid and see what they say and if you need come back and i'll give it another go'.
So with assistance i made it to first aid once agin where they gave me a very handy icepack wraped in 5cm of towel making it useless. Long story short no help- massage again where i regained 70% movement of the muscle again. I gave some thought to it and it had to be due to decreased levels of magnesium. Cramps had happened before it had to be the same thing.
Not happy. Little did i know at the time but this was to be the start of the epidemic called shingles. A pain in the ass virus. Dont get it.
Actually i dont think it really hit my until i was jumping into the water with them...what was i doing there and how the hell did i get there?
Swim start was fast and i started fantasticaly!! i was up there with the leaders and was sprinting away. I then settled in 2nd then 3rd and was so comfortable. I could really do this. Hmmm... Next lesson. Dont get too comfortable and look up every 2 strokes. I looked up (unfortunately after 2 many strokes) and lost them again. What was i doing!?! I just suffered the way back (only about 200-300 to go) and thought i was last out of the water. (i actualy wasn't suprisingly..)
Ok on to the bike and i wasn't going to go that easily. I powered off and was determined to catch up. I passed 2 girls really early on. And i felt i was making time on the main pack. I felt good then BAM. The cramps struck. They hurt too. Not just like those little calf or foot cramps that you get in swim training that you can swim through these guys were big in my hammy and quad on one side. It pulled and pulled but i refuse to pull out of races and this was not going to be an exception. It was made a reality though when i had to slow down, i just couldn't pedal anymore. And as i slowed the muscles got tighter and tighter and i couldn't move my leg. it was stuck straight. I hobbled to the 1st aid tent and they proceeded to take me to the massage tent to get it worked out. After some time the massuse said to me' i cant do anything for this leg go to first aid and see what they say and if you need come back and i'll give it another go'.
So with assistance i made it to first aid once agin where they gave me a very handy icepack wraped in 5cm of towel making it useless. Long story short no help- massage again where i regained 70% movement of the muscle again. I gave some thought to it and it had to be due to decreased levels of magnesium. Cramps had happened before it had to be the same thing.
Not happy. Little did i know at the time but this was to be the start of the epidemic called shingles. A pain in the ass virus. Dont get it.
Penrith Oceania Championship- 4 February 07
Awesome. My first Olympic Distance Triathlon as a pro and i was excited. Traveled up to Penrith with Ben, Jimmy and Elliot Wise and stayed at a comfortable and cosey little caravan park with a triple bunk (sailor style) for the kiddies and double for coach. Poor Jimmy didn't fit all that well and elliot and i could only laugh when he proceeded to have a conversation with his girlfriend without failing to mention the fact that he was sleeping inbetween another chick and dude.
Anyway race day - a late morning race. So we rode in in the morning for a warm up but drove in later for the start. Organisation unfortunately wasn't quite up to scratch. After a bit of curfuffle the men ended up starting first with the gals about 10min back.
Swim start. I started great- i was ready for the sprint this time but unfortunatley it doesn't stop there. They also sprint around the buoys. Point taken for next time. I lost it and ended up back of the pack again. 2min down on the leaders. WHY??!?!
But onto the ride and again one of the other girls and i worked very well together to make up time. we caught a small group and soon caught the main field. We were also putting time into the leaders. It was working fantastically until i got a flat. I just have to mention here that changing flats is my favourite past time. I changed it- no i didn't have a spare wheel. I did the manual operation and apparently it was caught on video and was quite quick. Great =). But i had lost the pack. I was determined not to get lapped and to finish the race. I was dead last and got the sympathetic claps. How embarrasing. But i pushed on, somewhat slower than what i would have done in a group but nervertheless i made it onto the run course all by myself.
The run. It was lonely and messed with my head. I felt like i was plodding and really just wanted to finish. I was so far back and kept getting visions of finishing 10min behind the last person and they would be packing up...But to my suprise at the beginning of the last lap there were girls infront of me that i could actually see!! I was gaining on them too! Soon enough i passed 2 of them, then there was a third (who was one of my main rivals- she had pulled out (heat probably)) and then another. I was flyin! (somewhat). I finished with a run time of 38:22 (not bad =)) and with an overall time of 2:13:49. I came 7th place and was 8min back on the winner. Concidering i lost 6min on the bike altogther this was alright! Bring on the season. (without flats please).
Anyway race day - a late morning race. So we rode in in the morning for a warm up but drove in later for the start. Organisation unfortunately wasn't quite up to scratch. After a bit of curfuffle the men ended up starting first with the gals about 10min back.
Swim start. I started great- i was ready for the sprint this time but unfortunatley it doesn't stop there. They also sprint around the buoys. Point taken for next time. I lost it and ended up back of the pack again. 2min down on the leaders. WHY??!?!
But onto the ride and again one of the other girls and i worked very well together to make up time. we caught a small group and soon caught the main field. We were also putting time into the leaders. It was working fantastically until i got a flat. I just have to mention here that changing flats is my favourite past time. I changed it- no i didn't have a spare wheel. I did the manual operation and apparently it was caught on video and was quite quick. Great =). But i had lost the pack. I was determined not to get lapped and to finish the race. I was dead last and got the sympathetic claps. How embarrasing. But i pushed on, somewhat slower than what i would have done in a group but nervertheless i made it onto the run course all by myself.
The run. It was lonely and messed with my head. I felt like i was plodding and really just wanted to finish. I was so far back and kept getting visions of finishing 10min behind the last person and they would be packing up...But to my suprise at the beginning of the last lap there were girls infront of me that i could actually see!! I was gaining on them too! Soon enough i passed 2 of them, then there was a third (who was one of my main rivals- she had pulled out (heat probably)) and then another. I was flyin! (somewhat). I finished with a run time of 38:22 (not bad =)) and with an overall time of 2:13:49. I came 7th place and was 8min back on the winner. Concidering i lost 6min on the bike altogther this was alright! Bring on the season. (without flats please).
Canberra ITU- 27 Jan 07
This was to be my first race as a pro. It was a sprint race (750/20/5) and I was very nervous. It was also going to be an afternoon race which was different from what i was used to- it was also going to be draft legal.
The swim was a bit of a square and a mass start with everyone lined up against the wall of lake burley griffin. It was furious and fast. I was completely lost right from the start- where did all that speed come from!?!?
So i didn't start out very well. I was way back right from the start. With 11:20 swim (told ya i was lost!) i was 1min back on the leaders already. But was excited at the prospect of being allowed to work with girls on the bike and so soon we created a small pack of 4 and another girl and i worked very well together and managed to close the gap on the main 2nd pack. The ride was a few laps of parks way from the Civic Pool roundabout to the roundabout infront of the war memorial. Unable to break away from this group we all went onto the run together about two minutes down on the leaders.
The run was along the foreshore, I had a steady run and managed to pass quite a few girls and come in with a 19:31. This put me into 10th place with an overall time of 1:05:04 which was 3minutes down from the winner but only about a minute and a half from 2nd place. So although i was bitterly dissapointed with my swim (which had actually been going quite well in training..) I had a pretty good chase and was happy with the outcome of my first pro race.
Next was Penrith Oceania Championships. Olympic Distance- more my cup of tea =)
The swim was a bit of a square and a mass start with everyone lined up against the wall of lake burley griffin. It was furious and fast. I was completely lost right from the start- where did all that speed come from!?!?
So i didn't start out very well. I was way back right from the start. With 11:20 swim (told ya i was lost!) i was 1min back on the leaders already. But was excited at the prospect of being allowed to work with girls on the bike and so soon we created a small pack of 4 and another girl and i worked very well together and managed to close the gap on the main 2nd pack. The ride was a few laps of parks way from the Civic Pool roundabout to the roundabout infront of the war memorial. Unable to break away from this group we all went onto the run together about two minutes down on the leaders.
The run was along the foreshore, I had a steady run and managed to pass quite a few girls and come in with a 19:31. This put me into 10th place with an overall time of 1:05:04 which was 3minutes down from the winner but only about a minute and a half from 2nd place. So although i was bitterly dissapointed with my swim (which had actually been going quite well in training..) I had a pretty good chase and was happy with the outcome of my first pro race.
Next was Penrith Oceania Championships. Olympic Distance- more my cup of tea =)
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Christmas 'Break'
After Newcastle i planned on having a small break from training. It had been a hard start to the season.. But with my attitude, uni finished and noone else taking much of a break i decided instead to smash myself with much success.
Ben and i decided after the way i had been racing lately it was time to step up, and i applied and received my professional racing licence. Because of this new motivation- and my first pro race in sight (Canberra Capital Triathlon) and seeing as i had all day everyday to do what ever i wanted- i trained. And got better and better until i started to fatigue but christmas break was coming so i coninued.
Over the break i went to adelaide to visit my grandparents and uncle for christmas (much to my delight my mum was also there!). I didn't bring my bike but i ran everyday morning and night along the beautiful stretch of beach to glenelg. I think this is where my sickness started somehow because this is where the cramps started. They wern't just small isolated cramps..they were all up my legs hammies and quads and they were painful. unlike the ones i would regularly get in training. It took awhile to recover because my legs were screaming in pain and lost all flexibility. Why dont i learn?
After a couple of days getting these cramps i did learn and decided to take the rest of the time i was in adelaide off so i was ready to come back to training when i returned.
After coming back i continued to train hard and had only one episode of the cramping whilst out riding.. I was worried by that stage but it turned out that would be the end of it and i figured i was just dehydrated.
In this time i also did my first cycling crit- B grade womens. I won it and was absolutely stoked! I loved this crit thing. I won $25 too (my entry fee back +$2 profit. More than i'd ever made before!) The next week i stepped up- A grade womens. I was stoked when entering that Canberra Cycling Club had decided to give me an Elite Cycling Licence for the season for free- promoting womens cyling. Awesome now i didn't have to pay 1 day licences! I was scared shitless at the start line but i did it...and WON! wow i couldn't belive it. I was srong though at this stage because of all the riding i had done over christmas. So I was into it and ready for the ITU junior race in Canberra.
Ben and i decided after the way i had been racing lately it was time to step up, and i applied and received my professional racing licence. Because of this new motivation- and my first pro race in sight (Canberra Capital Triathlon) and seeing as i had all day everyday to do what ever i wanted- i trained. And got better and better until i started to fatigue but christmas break was coming so i coninued.
Over the break i went to adelaide to visit my grandparents and uncle for christmas (much to my delight my mum was also there!). I didn't bring my bike but i ran everyday morning and night along the beautiful stretch of beach to glenelg. I think this is where my sickness started somehow because this is where the cramps started. They wern't just small isolated cramps..they were all up my legs hammies and quads and they were painful. unlike the ones i would regularly get in training. It took awhile to recover because my legs were screaming in pain and lost all flexibility. Why dont i learn?
After a couple of days getting these cramps i did learn and decided to take the rest of the time i was in adelaide off so i was ready to come back to training when i returned.
After coming back i continued to train hard and had only one episode of the cramping whilst out riding.. I was worried by that stage but it turned out that would be the end of it and i figured i was just dehydrated.
In this time i also did my first cycling crit- B grade womens. I won it and was absolutely stoked! I loved this crit thing. I won $25 too (my entry fee back +$2 profit. More than i'd ever made before!) The next week i stepped up- A grade womens. I was stoked when entering that Canberra Cycling Club had decided to give me an Elite Cycling Licence for the season for free- promoting womens cyling. Awesome now i didn't have to pay 1 day licences! I was scared shitless at the start line but i did it...and WON! wow i couldn't belive it. I was srong though at this stage because of all the riding i had done over christmas. So I was into it and ready for the ITU junior race in Canberra.
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