Sunday's Race Gear

Seeing as my first Sprint Tri is this Sunday I thought it wise to lay everything out again and see if anything needed fixing, or if I was missing anything. Nothing missing and everything in tip top shape. Can't believe how well all the colours match. Totally freaky that I had the bike on layby before I even knew the new club colours.

Recovery week - the best.

This week has been just the best and definately what I needed after 3 weeks on my new training program. There is no pressure to have to perform at a certain level, no speed work associated with the swim or bike, no hard efforts. Just you and the pool, bike and runners. No pressure. Just about doing the workout at an easier tempo and letting the body recover from what it has just experienced.

I especially noticed it in the pool yesterday. Normally my 3.5km sessions although feeling easier were still challenging because of the extra effort I put in to perform it at a certain level of intensity. But yesterday I dropped it a notch - actually dropped it a few notches and wore my fins for alot of the session.

• 400m Easy Fr/s
• 6 x 50m kick with fins
• 4 x 500m done as Fr/s without fins, Fr/s with fins, Fr/s with paddles and fins, Fr/s with pullbouy
• 8 x 50m Fr/s with fins
• 400m cooldown kick

It was so nice to swim without feeling like my shoulders and arms were doing it all. Just nice and cruisey. There was actually a moment there where the sun started to peek through the clouds and it set such a pretty pattern on the pool floor. I really didn't want to get out - brought back memories of when I was younger and training in the outdoor pool at Guildford. It's amazing what little things trigger the old memory bank.

So today is meant to be a spin class but may be going to have another road ride with a friend. A week ago she had her bike stolen from her garage and it got replaced yesterday. She has never had cleats before so today she may go and practice getting in and out of them before Sunday as she too is doing the Tri. Karma will get it's own back on those that stole her bike I am more than sure of it.

My new and improved Tri Bars.

My hubby helped with wrapping it. Stephen is a retired tennis coach and has had many years of practice at getting the tension of this wrap down pat. With his expertise and my creativity I think we got it looking pretty hot.

A girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do.

I couldn't help it. Blame boredom, inner creative flair wanting to escape, wanting to enhance natural beauty - whatever - the black Tri bars just weren't doing it for me. Yes they looked sleek, racie and ready to go. Sure they would have felt like a part of the group, but I have never been one to really conform and I like standing out from the crowd. So I gave it a little something - al la Barbie.

Now I feel like this bike is starting to reflect who I am as well as stand out from the other bikes on the rack. I would love to see if I could get into the minds of the producers of these tapes and see if they could come up with magnificent designs to reflect each individual owner and their bike. How cool would that be. Maybe today is the day I send some emails out to see if they a) have these available already and I just haven't seen them or b) they think it's a cool idea and I could be a part of the process.

I guess your probably wondering why I am bored - what with the training I am doing. Well this week is a recovery week for one, and secondly last night was supposed to be my track session - but the rain and wind god's decided to attack so track was was cancelled. I was really looking forward to it - I know crazy huh. But maybe it was meant to be. It took me a good 5 days to recover from last weeks track. My calf muscles were so tight I could hardly walk and they were in dire need of my recovery socks daily and a good old hit of ibuprofen as well.

So today I hit the pool and what a crappy day awaits me. Thick dark cloud cover and bucket loads of rain. That's the one good thing about swimming - I will be wet anyway. It's just getting from shelter into the pool that I hate and getting back out again.

Will have to post the photo of my Tri bars seperately has it won't let me post a photo in this post.

Wish I had of known sooner.

Tri bars make you faster. Or atleast they make ME faster. I cannot believe how much of a difference it made. If I had of known how much more powerful I felt in this position I would have purchased a set with my bike. I am still no Pro on the bike, but even a couple extra km's an hour works well for me.

I must admit though it took me a bit to get used too, and by a bit I mean maybe all of minute. If I could try and describe the feeling - I guess it's like trying to balance on a tightrope. If you lean either way a little too much you find yourself totally going in that direction. Engaging my core was of absolute importance to maintain a balanced posture on the bike.

There were a couple of downsides to being in this position:

• Sore shoulders
• Stiff neck
• Sore under-carriage
• Dribbly nose......++++

The positives:

• Increased speed
• Reduced pain in my back
• I finally felt Tri worthy
• Love the power in my pedals - could feel the bike surge forward with each downstroke
• Reduced fatigue

I spent most of my 55kms today in that position, apart from the occasional "butt in the air" stretch. That always feels nice to do but not sure if it looks good from behind. Who cares anyway, my poor little toosh needs a break every now and then.

I remember back to when I first started riding my legs and butt would get super sore after 5km, now it's closer to the 50km. Everyone was right when they said it takes time in the saddle.

All in all, today was a good day. Glad I got to practice on the Tri bars before Sunday. Now I can really attempt to push hard on the bike leg. This is going to be fun.

I'm in love.

Yep, you heard it right here. I have found another love - my bike set up. Wow, is all I can say. I woke up so excited this morning because I knew today was D-day, the day I would have "Aaliyah" set up like Xena warrior princess ready for my first sprint battle.

Before I put up some photo's I must own up to another day of rest first. Last night I woke up with a real attack of the butterflies and couldn't sleep for ages. I kept going through the race a hundred times in my mind. This is what was going through my mind:

• What would my set up look like.
• How would I tackle the swim.
• Should I have my shoes on the bike or on the ground.
• What sort of speed should I hold on the bike.
• Do I aim to run the first and third 1.25km slightly faster then the second and fourth.
• Or should I aim to just make it to the end.

I finally fell asleep but woke up this morning excited about my bike but feeling a bit seedy. So I opted to just take it easy today and make the most of my outing to Panther's Cycles.

I wish I would have taken a snap shot of my excited face, I am sure it would have looked like this:

Thank god the guys at the shop are used to it by now and they just go about their merry way.

So here it is: DRUM ROLL PLEASE............................................................................

I noticed too that everyone's TT bars are wrapped. But I had forgotten to ask if the guys could do it at the shop, so I rang hubby and asked if he had any wrap left from the one's he used to wrap the kids tennis racquet handles. He said he did so I set about wrapping it myself after searching for it on YouTube. I know, there is not art or science to it, but if I wrapped it the wrong way it could come undone. And i can't have that happening. What do you think?
I know the wrap says "Wilson" on it, but beggars can't be choosers. Feels nice to the touch, just like the white wrap that is on my drop bars. I think Aaliyah looks the part now.

So tomorrow is my 2hr aerobic ride. Perfect timing, can practice riding using the bars and checking on my cadence too. Have to keep it at 90. Can't wait.

Week 3 totals.

Swim: 8.5km in 4hrs
Bike: 70km + 1hr spin class in 3hrs 43mins
Run: 15.63km in 1hr 36mins

Good news is I have more kilometres under my feet in the run department and I hit a new distance for my bike leg even though I had an off beginning of the week. Things are definately looking up in Barb's training world.

I often wonder if people look at me and wonder why I get so excited about the little things that I accomplish or do, but I just keep going back to what I was like at the end of 2008 - 2009 and how far I have come and cannot help but smile.

I forgot to mention yesterday too that I used a new cream on the Chamois of my cycle shorts.
Chamois Butt'r is really nice. It's easy to apply (not thick at all), has no smell to it and it washes out super easy. I took this 9ml satchet with me on my ride but was not able to re-apply on my journey as there was no-where for me to hide and do it. I knew far too many people out on the road yesterday.

I was sent these satchets by my friend Denise whom I met out on my Kiama ride a couple of weeks ago. Go to the website and check it out.

Also looking forward to tomorrow. I get my Tri bars fitted, my new seat post and my new bike computer. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Stay tuned. Photo's will be in abundance tomorrow.