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

Went for a 10min run after getting home from work, then did a little bit of weights after that. I’ve also found a convenient swim squad at a reasonable price. It’s in the Cook & Phillip pool near work. They have sessions from 5:30 – 7:00am Mon – Fri, 12:00 – 1:00 Mon, Wed & Fri, and 6:30 – 7:30pm Mon, Wed and Thurs. I can go to as many of those sessions as I want for $115 per month, which is only a little more than it would cost me to do 3-4 swim session per week on my own. They typically swim around 3000m/hr so it will force me to do a bit more than I’m doing now. I’m looking forward to it.

R: 10mins – W: 1 session

Not really feeling like doing any training this week. I’m just exhausted, possibly from some low-grade cold or something. Got up for a swim yeaterday morning and just felt totally drained, so went back to bed. Went for a 2omin run last night which went OK, then made it to the pool for a swim this morning. Did 200m and realised that I had no energy, so got out and went into work. I’ve decided I’m taking the rest of the week off until my bike ride on Saturday morning. Rest, recuperate and push the training schedule out by one week.

OK, Fat Club has been going for a month, so here’s the progress:

OK, that’s the week’s training over, so here’s the report:

I’m just going to ignore the run targets from now on and just start from an even lower level and do my own thing in my own time. I’ll bump the swimming and bike to make up for it though.

Went for another ride down to La Perouse with the BRAT group, then did some hill work in the park afterwards. Quite a few more came on the LP ride than last week, though we were a little better organised on the road this time. Still some communication issues, but as Ian pointed out, we’re still the only group he has had that has not crashed. Hopefully those words won’t jinx us. The hill work was tough: 5 laps, the first was 39 ring sitting down, 2nd was 39 ring standing up, 3rd & 4th were the same except in the 53, and the last was in the highest gear (53-12) and just get up the hill. I found the standing up ones really hard, apart from the 53-12. The sitting was easy enough though. All in all another good session, though I’ve done something to my right knee, which isn’t good. I think it was caused by the stand-up hill climbs, though I can’t be sure. Either way, I’ve a couple of days before I’m next on the bike.

B: 141.7km – S: 3600m – R: 20min

Well that didn’t go very well at all. Just attempted to go for a 20min run, but knew within the first 200m that my knees were having none of it. I think I’m going to have to go back to basics on the run. Forget about 4 runs per week and just do two, spaced well apart, then build up gradually from there, maybe even adopting a run/walk protocol at first. Also, no more running on paths/roads – only grass or something soft – as that just seems to be asking for trouble. The question now becomes where do I find a grassy area that is within walking distance, and doesn’t involve running around in small circles? I think I’ll also have to up the swimming & cycling distances to make up for the lack of running.

Got another three laps around Centennial Park in on the way home last night, then headed out for dinner with John and Sarah. Was feeling a bit tired this morning, so postponed the swim until lunch-time. Turns out I’m about 4secs/100m faster, presumably because I’ve woken up properly. I still reckon morning swims are better as they’re less crowded though. That’s my swimming done for the week too. I’m looking forward to Sunday when I can sit on my arse all day and do f*ck all! Tired…

200,300,200,300,200 FS, 30s rest (Pace: 1:22)
Total: 1200m

B: 71.7km – S: 3600m – R: 20min

Went for a run when I got home last night, and this time I got the full 20mins done without any knee issues. Someone told me that it takes 1 day per km to recover fully from a marathon. Coincidentally, yesterday was 10 days since I did my 10K. I doubt the same rule normally applies to a 10K, but given my untrained running state, it probably does in this instance.

Got out of bed for a bike ride this morning. I had no issues with the new pump, unlike Tuesday morning, so it was off to CP for 3.5 laps before continuing on to work. Made it just in time as there were a couple of spits of rain as I pulled up outside the office. It has warmed up considerably in the last few days so my new arm warmers are almost out of a job!

B: 50.3km – S: 2400m – R: 20min

Went into Cheeky Monkey on the way home from work yesterday to change the bike pump I bought at the weekend, then did three laps around Centennial Park before heading off.

Got up this morning with a bit of a hangover and hit the pool. There were a couple of people in my lane at the start, but they all disappeared shortly afterwards. I had the whole lane to myself for a while until some silly cow got in and started doing breaststroke, despite the fact that the lane is clearly marked “Fast Lane – Freestyle Only” – she only had another seven lanes to choose from!

200,300,200,300,200 FS, 30s rest   (Pace: 1:27)
Total: 1200m

B: 27km – S: 2400m

The second week of the training plan starts today. Targets for this week are:

Swim: 3600m

Bike: 90mins

Run: 80mins

Once again, the run will be the issue and I’ll end up doing way more than necessary on the bike, so it should balance out nicely.

Made it to the pool nice and early this morning for the first swim of the week.

200,300,200,300,200 FS, 30s rest   (Pace: 1:26/100)

S: 1200m

Picked up the Sunday Telegraph this afternoon as it had the result of last week’s 10K race. Myself and Jacqui got the same time crossing the finish line, but since she was a bit keen to get going, and crossed the start line two seconds before me, I beat her by two seconds on adjusted time! I did 1:05:47 for 5126th place, and she did 1:05:49 for 5127th. Both times were a little faster than I thought we had done too., which was a little faster than I thought we had done. Niall finished 297th in 43:16, just outside his best of 42:48. Gotta be happy with that!