Another few laps of Centennial Park this morning. I hit a bird almost as soon as I started. Well, it hit me really, bouncing off my front spokes. Lots of sqawking. I didn’t stop to see if it was alright. Not sure what I could have done anyway – brain it with a rock? Anyway, it wasn’t there on the next lap, so I assume it flew off.

It was 23C already by 7am, so I think I’m going to have to start leaving the house a bit earlier. Traffic is also starting to build up by 7.30, which means I’ve a few cars trying to squeeze by me on the way up Old South Head Rd. which isn’t a great experience. Came home by Military Road again for a total of 32km. The plan was to get 150km+ in this week but that’s unlikely to happen now as I forgot I’m doing the ocean swim in Watsons Bay on Saturday morning, so that’s the long ride out the window. Still, I’ll try and get a few laps in with Niall tonight to get over 100km.

B: 88.2km – S: 5300m

250 FS, 150 Form
3 * {
    100 as 10 strokes FS, 10 BC, 15s rest,
    100 as 6 strokes BF, rest FS, 15s rest,
    50 FS/50 BC, 60s rest }
300 Fast on 4:40 (4:07)
300 Easy on 5:00 (4:22)
300 Build on 4:50 (4:14)
3 * 100 Choice, 15s rest
200 easy
Total: 2700m

B: 54.2km – S: 5300m

Did a few laps of Centennial Park; some on my own this morning, then a few more with Niall this evening. Met up with Tom for a bit of breakfast and then rode back home via Military Road. I had thought that since it was uphill for quite a distance that it would be a bit harder than it ended up being. I guess I’d overestimated the steepness, so now that I know that it’s quite easy I’ll do it a bit more often.

B: 54.2 – S: 2600m

Lunchtime swim squad.

3 * {
  200, 10s rest
  50 single arm, 10s rest
  25 K/25 Full, 10s rest} FS
3 * {
  200 FS Pull on 3:45, (2:50)
  150 FS Build on 2:40, (2:00)
  100 IM on 2:00,
  50 FS sprint, 60s rest (37)}
200 FS easy
Total: 2600

S: 2600m

Not Centennial Park this week as the beginner’s group winds up. This was the last week, so we were out on the open road the whole time. Down to La Perouse via Malabar Beach, where the ocean swim series takes place, then a few hard laps around the oil storage depot at Botany Bay, then over to Heffron Park where the club holds their triathlons for a few more hard laps of the biks course, then back to the park for the traditional bacon & egg burger. A grand total of 70km. Next week we join the regular 6:30am ride leaving from Cheeky Monkey, going down to Kurnell and back. We’ll have to be on the ball as it’s no longer a beginner group so I’m not sure how tolerant people will be if we forget to call out obstacles.

B: 104km – S: 5900m – R: 10mins – W: 1 session

Lunch-time swim again today. This one was a good bit faster with two lanes on the go. There were five of us all around a similar pace, so it augurs well for the future.

300 FS
3 * {
    100 Kick on 2:20,
    200 Pull on 3:20 } FS
2 * {
    200 FS on 3:20,
    200 Form on 4:00}
2 * {
    100 FS on 1:30,
    100 Form on 1:50}
2 * 100 IM on 1:50
300 Easy
Total: 2900

B: 34km – S: 5900m – R: 10mins – W: 1 session

Went back to Adam at Cheeky Monkey this morning to adjust my bike position in an effort to sort out my right knee. I ended up buying a new pair of bike shoes, as the ones I had were too big. I could feel my feet sliding around in them, and since your feet on the pedal is the most important part of the bike, there was no point shelling out moeny for a good bike and then runing it with poorly fitting shoes. So, I’m not the proud owner of a pair of Shimano SH-R215s which fit like gloves. Yes, they are silver, so I’ll have to get a bit faster to justify wearing them!

Anyway, the end result of the bike fit was that the most likely cause of the knee issue is pushing big gears up a hill, so I’ve to stop doing that for a while. No need to change the position beyond the adjustments necessary for the new shoes. He said to come back in three weeks or so if there’s still an issue.

B: 34km – S: 3000m – R: 10mins – W: 1 session

On a more positive note, myself, John and Kevin have decided to do the Men’s Health Ocean Racing 1.5km swim at Watsons Bay. John’s been doing a bit of training, Kev hasn’t (but he’s going to enter anyway). It’s on in two weeks – October 16th.

It’s bloody never ending. Went for a cycle around Centennial Park this morning and noticed that my right knee is giving me trouble. About two weeks ago, while doing hill work as part of the group training, I noticed a slight pain toward the rear of my right knee, as if I’d hyperextended it (which I hadn’t). I haven’t been on the bike since, but the sensation is still there, albeit only when I’m pushing hard or climbing. Not sure what the problem is, but I’m off back to the bike shop tomorrow to get my fit tuned, so hopefully that will be the end of it.

My plan was to stop running until the New Year, doing lots of stretching and leg strengthening exercises in the meantime, and doing extra cycling and swimming to keep the weight going down. If I don’t get this knee sorted I’ll be reduced to only swmiming!

B: 22km – S: 3000m – R: 10mins – W: 1 session

Went along to my first organised swim session in about 7 years at lunch today. Misread the times though and got there at 12:00 instead of 12:30 ;-) Turned into a good session. I was fastest, but there are other days with swimmers who are faster again which will be cool. Got an easy 3000m done, which is almost three times any session I’ve done in the last while. It makes a big difference when I just have a session that I have to get through, rather than trying to make up something to keep myself going. I thought I’d struggle with the 3km, but it was fine.

400 FS
3 * {
	100 Kick on 2:00,
	100 Pull on 1:45,
	100 Full on 1:40 } 2 FS, 1 BC
3 * {200 FS on 3:20, 200 BC on 4:00)
3 * 100 FS arms/ BF kick on 1:40
200 easy
Total: 3000

S: 3000m – R: 10mins – W: 1 session