Running soul decay

Apparently the legendary Emil Zatopek, at the start of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic marathon, uttered the words "Men, today we die a little" in reference to the physical torment that lay ahead for the athletes. While not for a moment comparing myself to such a great man and his deeds, each Saturday that I head out to the Dandenongs to tackle to slopes of One Tree Hill I feel that I leave a little bit of my soul behind in the drips of sweat that drain from my skin.

I do love running and I'm grateful to even be doing some of it at the moment...but the effort of climbing those goddam steep hills on legs already tired from cumulative running fatigue, fills me with a sense of anxiety and dread for the kilometers and hills ahead. Each Saturday when I finish, along with my tired and stiff legs, the relief is measurable, until I think ahead 7 days to the next encounter.

Over the last four weekends this month I've done three assaults on the One Tree Hill loop (the Two Bays Trail Race was on the other weekend), a loop which was the scene of an epic bonk on the first weekend. Perhaps scarred by that memory I haven't tried a full three laps again, changing course after two laps to something slightly more moderate, by comparison, at least!!

So training has been going pretty well during January, getting in consistent and pretty good miles. Bleary eyes, tired legs and very slow morning starts are the standard, but much to my surprise a couple of niggles I've had during the month have actually improved, which is a great relief both physically and mentally. I concluded that being stiff in the morning is part of being old(er) and doing a lot of running, but things warm up after 5-10-15 or maybe 20 mins of shuffle at the beginning of each run.

In terms of actual numbers, the weeks of January have totalled 139km, 128km (incl Two Bays Trail run), 147km and 153km. Numbers are only part of the story, with session quality varying from week to week depending on fatigue, and each week has got slightly better in that respect.

Then there is the Saturday long run in the Dandenongs...my weekly nightmare. I started the 6ft campaign with the goals of doing 40km+ and 2000m+ ascent in a single run, plus running > 60km across Saturday and Sunday. For these three non-race weekends I've ticked the 40km+ box (45km each), also the > 60km box (62-65km) but according to both my Garmin GPS watch and the SportsTracks software I download it to, have only come as close as 19m short of the 2000m+ ascent box. So near yet so far...and it bugs me a little...but hurts my brain to think what it will take to get those 2000m+...

We've got two more weekend runs in the Dandenongs, and this Saturday we're going back to the classic and favourite - not to mention a lot "flatter" (many would argue with that!!!) - Belgrave-Ferny Ck loop, with extra bits added on to bring up the distance. Then the following Saturday I'm going for a final attempt at three laps of One Tree Hill that will hopefully bring the trifecta. It's that or bust!!! Monty is slowly gaining some mountain legs, but is suffering in the process, also!!

Something I have learned from doing these weekend runs is that I am never going to be signing up for an ultra marathon. Even the 6ft Track Marathon at 45km is pushing my boundary...I couldn't even think of doing more more, with 50km really being the entry point for being an ultra runner. As much as I love running, I'm learning there can be too much of a good thing, even if the surrounding trails are lovely.

The other thing I've learned - and loved - is just how gooood a large chocolate Big-M (or two) tastes on the drive home!! Mmmmmmmmm.

So it's onwards from here. Less than 6 weeks until 6ft, but still plenty of run training to go...

Training Lessons

Being a triathlete is not just about swimming, bike riding and running, it about the whole package of training like a triathlete and your approach and strategy for getting the most from the training time and effort you put in. Here are some lessons I've learnt - and continue to learn - about training.
Consistency trumps all
Getting fit and improving your performance does not just come from individual sessions - although key sessions are key for a reason - but from stepping out the door day after day, week after week and so on. Just training consistently can often be more valuable than the details of individual sessions, especially if you're not feeling ready for the planned session...still try to do something. The lesson is to train consistently, come good or bad.

Set goals
Can you imagine life without goals and aspirations to inspire you? Neither can I. While I would never discourage people from exercising just because they don't have any goals, having goals to drive and motivate you makes the process so much easier, especially when you have stepping stones to measure and reinforce your progress. Goals also become part of your being, and you have an emotional investment in achieving them. This lesson is about training with a reason, purpose and meaning to achieve your goals.

There is no easy way
If triathlons were easy then everyone would do them, but they're not...for a whole lot of reasons...which means that in order to be your best it is going to be hard. It will be time consuming, cost money, make you tired, compromise other areas of life and more if you want to have a good go at it. There is no easy way to being your best as a triathlete. Of course, you ultimately control the extent you take this to, so this lesson is really just advance warning of what you might be getting yourself in for.

Make rules and deals with yourself
Training (and racing) can be hard, and it is easy to find reasons not to do parts of it, or short-cut it. So try making rules for yourself about what you're going to do, and make your own pride accountable if you break them - this is far more motivating than any external stimulus. For example, make a deal with yourself to get started and go for a set period / distance, and then decide if you're going to stop the session. This lesson is about being accountable to yourself, and the personal standards you set.

Don’t think, just do
Training is quite a mechanical process, where given a training session / plan your goal is to just get on and do it. It's easy to over analyse and suffer analysis-paralysis, where you should really not think too much about it, and just do it. Just as action is the antidote to despair, action is also how you get things done, so stop mucking around and just get started. The lesson should be clear, as the sports company logo says, just do it.

Don’t travel to training for longer than you’ll be training for
Training is time consuming enough as it is without adding more time (and mucking around) of travelling (long) distances to get there. A rule I had was to never travel to/from training for longer than I was actually going to train for...unless there was a VERY good reason for it. It's all about justifying the time to use (waste?) when you could be doing other things. This lesson is to stop wasting time. (Races are different!!)

Don't judge other people's training
Triathletes love to know what other people are doing in training...how far, how long, how hard, how fast, blah blah blah. The problem is that from any snippet of information it is all to easy to make a judgement about another athlete, whether it was from hearsay or passing them during training. The thing is, unless you are their coach you have no idea about their current situation, or anything about the bigger picture (or smallest detail) of what they are doing. The lesson is to only worry about your own square metre.

Running Lessons

For what appears to be a simple sport, there's a lot to know and learn about running, and since it's always been my favourite triathlon leg I've been a student of sport for years, both as a triathlete and a runner. Here's some of the lessons I've learned.

Running is hard on your body
Anybody who's run a bit will know how hard it is on your body - feet, legs, hips, back, etc. It takes time for your body to adapt to anything, and running is especially the case...DOMS is the great reminder that your body hasn't adapted to the workload you're putting it under. The fact it is hard on your body is important to remember at any stage of your running development, and I've certainly fallen foul of doing more than I can handle with an (almost) inevitable injury as the result. So the main lesson is to hasten slowly with running, and give your body time to adapt, using the combination of duration, frequency and intensity as the variables you have control over.

Running form is important
When running, gravity is your biggest obstacle with every step. Your muscles not only propel you forwards, but also keep you erect so it makes sense to ensure you have optimum alignment of your body position so your energy use is more efficient. There's a lot more to running form, but being upright is at the core (pardon the pun) of good running form. Running form is a skill you should practice in every session, with a combination of drills and exercises to help develop and maintain it. The lesson is that the more efficient and more resistant your form is to fatigue the better runner you will be.

Time on your legs is key
In contrast to swimming and cycling where easy sessions are little more than time consuming and have little benefit to your fitness, running is different in that almost any running at almost any pace will help you develop the fitness and durability that will help you to withstand more running...which is key to improving. Easy runs do have a distinct role in a program, as it is time on your feet. Long, slow runs have multiple roles, part of which is time on your feet. This lesson says that all running will have some fitness benefit...so just run!!

You need to be able to run slow to run fast
Further to the previous point, where just running is at the heart of any program that will lead to improvement, a vast majority of your running will be at slow, easy and comfortable pace. The cumulative build up of miles and the associated endurance and strength it provides is the foundation to doing faster and harder running. Using a common analogy with a house...these the slow, easy miles are the foundation upon which you build the walls, roof and fittings. The risk in running too hard when you should be running easily is mainly about the risk of injury, but also undermines a structured approach to training and the benefits that come with it. The lesson is to enjoy the process of running easily, because it underpins all your other training and fitness.

If you think you're injured you probably are
Many runners will get injured. It is a fact of life. But like many things, early intervention is crucial to ensuring the problem is "nipped in the bud" early before what might be a 3-day injury becomes a 3-week injury. The most important part of this is being honest with yourself about when you think you've got a problem...if you think it might be an injury, it probably is, and continuing to train will only serve to make it worse and pro-long the matter. It's easy to fool yourself and push on, but this is not desirable, whereas getting it checked out to understand what it is and taking appropriate steps to deal with it, is. The lesson is to be honest and proactive about anything that might be an injury.

Runners are not all hairy leg, bad fashion, headband wearing geeks
Parts of the running community have a long history in the sport, and are reminiscent of a stereotypical running geek with hairy legs, t-shirts from 80's fun runs, and often with a beard (for men). However, don't let those crusty demons taint your general opinion of runners, who come from all walks of life, sizes of people, speeds, fashion sense and more, much like a cross-section of general community. Runners are nice folks!!!

Two Bays Trail Run

The Parks Victoria brochure says "The Two Bays Walking Track from Dromana, on Port Phillip Bay to Bushrangers Bay near Cape Schanck is the longest continuous walking track on the Mornington Peninsula." The Two Bays Trail Run follows this track over 28km which traverses a wide range of dirt roads, single tracks, boardwalks, through gates and over stock barriers. Not only that, as part of the event runners can choose to do a return trip back to Dromana, making it a 56km ultra marathon.

It should also be noted that the same brochure goes on to say "Many visitors will not wish to walk the entire length of the track on a single day. However it is well suited to being completed over a number of visits by the use of formal and informal circuit walks. The grade and surface of the track varies from steep gravel sections around Arthurs Seat to an undulating grassy track through Greens Bush." Not an easy trail to run...

After a number of years as an informal event, this is the second year of being run as a well organised race by a local organising group which has proved very popular filling the field capacity of 750 months out from race day. Along with a few guys from our running, including my brother Sam, I'd also signed up for it partly as lead-in race for the 6ft Track Marathon 8 weeks later. From the entries there looked like being a good field headed by defending champion Dan (a 2:19 marathoner) and Jay (2:24 marathon). I'd be happy with top-5 but had a time goal of sub-1:55hr based on times of people I know ran the year before.

Logistics for the day meant a god-awful early start for Sam and I to head-off from home at 4:15am, which got us (in directly) to the start line at the foot of Arthurs Seat about 6:35am with enough time to collect our race numbers and do a brief warm-up. It was a welcoming and low-key atmosphere with a mix of ultra die-hards and keen road runners making up the field on a perfect day with cloud and coolish temps, perfect for running.

With a blow of the hooter by some dignitary we were off at a rather relaxed pace along a stretch of footpath before we got to a road to begin the upwards trip towards Arthurs Seat. Immediately a fellow I also noted on the entry list, Barry, took the lead. I last ran against him at Puffing Billy where he outran me in the last 3km after the second stop at a rail crossing. He is a front running athlete who, like me, is not scared of pushing the pace and running hard from the get-go so it was no surprise to see him pushing the pace early...with me right on his heels.

At about the 1.5km mark we turned off the road and onto the dirt trail, quite a bit steeper with the odd step and other hurdles...it was hard running. Barry kept pushing the pace uphill and I was working hard to keep up, but wanted to stay as close as I could...as hard as it was. Nearing the top Dan eased his way past us to the lead, with Jay also joining our group in 4th place as we ran along some great trails complete with tree roots, over hanging branches...not to mention some great views over Mornington Peninsula in quick glimpses to the right. This was great and exhilarating trail running at pace, risking ankles as we ran through the bush.

We then came to the first descent...phew...which started gradually and steadily got steeper. I was surprised how easily the others took it and eased myself to the lead and opened up a gap without really meaning to!! Maybe they were all out for a Sunday jog...either way, I led us down some steeper parts to where I took a wrong turn for 10m or so (corrected by a shout from behind) and turned to see Sam coming up closely behind having ripped out a great descent also, making up gallons of time - I think it might almost have been brothers 1-2 for a brief moment!!!

Soon after, though, Barry caught back up and we ran shoulder-to-shoulder, swapping the lead...Barry generally leading the uphills and me the other parts. It was good to be running, racing, this close with someone else. We were pushing the pace out pretty well but due the course it was not consistent around the corners, up hills, over ditches, through ferns and bracken, along boardwalk and associated steps and more. The trail was fantastic to run along requiring concentration but not overly technical. It was well marked with quite accurate km markers along the way.

We reached halfway in about 61mins, but with the second half being more down than up our average pace was increasing. I started to wonder what we'd do if we stuck together to the finish - would it be a "sprint" or something more physical!! Whatever, Barry and I were making good progress until the 17km point where Dan & Jay just cruised up to and past us, which surprised me since I didn't even hear or sense them coming. They were going faster, but not too much faster so I tagged on and we managed to drop Barry - phew - during a gradual downhill section. It was good to break the 'elastic' band that had been holding us together for so long.

Jay & Dan were running really well, and I managed to hang on for while despite nearly tripping badly at least twice!! Finally around the 21km point I died. It took a little uphill and some steps, and I was dead gone and starting to look behind for the looming figure of Barry. Dan was pulling away from Jay ahead, both looking strong in these latter stages, with me posing no threat to the now top-2 runners...I was more worried about clinging onto 3rd.

There is a final road crossing at about 23km mark where I stopped to refill my drink bottle...and only succeeded in getting sports drink all over my hands. Yuk. The path then reached the coastline at Bushrangers Bay and wandered down towards Cape Schanck lighthouse. The view to the bay was beautiful and we were way above on the cliff-top. The trees changed to smaller bushes, often making a closed canopy and tunnel to run through...where a small sign of encouragement read "There's a lighthouse at the end of the tunnel". Amusing.

But still there were ups - where I dragged my feet - and downs - where I was slightly better - and was really struggling and praying that Barry was too. Checking the time and distance on my GPS watch it looking like I'd miss my sub-1:55hr goal by 1-2mins, unfortunately, which wasn't helped by a cruel, cruel set of steps at 25km...a post-race survey revealed that no one ran them!!!

The 27km marker came earlier than I expected, and putting my goal back on track - not sure if my GPS was wrong or the course markers. Whatever, I was in the last few mins of a hard race and a good look behind showed that I was safe in 3rd. The lighthouse came into view, and then the car park and finish line...I crossed in 1:54:48hr by my watch (official time had me at 1:55:00hr). Phew. That was really hard and my legs were aching and sore.

Dan won it 2:26min ahead, Jay in 2nd 54sec up and Barry in 4th 58sec back. The next runner was my brother Sam, who had a great run in 1:58:57hr, with Joel, Monty and Shaun from our running group coming in with good runs. Post run is always good between the stiff and sore steps, talking with other runners in a language perhaps only we understand about parts of the race we each experienced...it's nice to know there's other like-minded people out there!!!

We car pooled back to the start where a few race officials were waiting for the leaders in the 56km event. This race and my epic training bonk a week earlier has served to reinforce that I won't be joining them in that ultra event/distance. Short, hard and fast suits me better...but there's still the 6ft Track Marathon to come...

Things I've Learned about Cycling

The bike leg accounts for the biggest part of a triathlon, and correspondingly usually accounts for the largest component of training time and effort...I know that I've spent a good portion of my life on top of a bike training in the past. During that time I learned a few lessons about bike riding for triathlons, here are some.

Bike riding takes a lot of time and is weather dependent
This is stating the obvious, but is important to know and factor into your week. Some parts of cycling can be made time efficient by using indoor trainers and the like, but nonetheless you need to spend a good amount of time on the road just getting miles in. Not only do the number of miles you'll ride take time, but there are inevitable stops along the way for traffic lights, drink stops and the like, plus factors that slow you down such as wind and hills. Riding is also weather dependent, and there are times when it is not a good idea to ride outside and so you need to have a plan B to rely on to at least get some training done - the rain radar is a cyclist's best friend. All these things are considerations when planning your training so it is safe and effective.

It's not all about the bike part 1
There's a triathlon truism that says "the ride is for show, the run is for dough", which means that in triathlons it is not about who has the fastest bike split, but the person who is the best triathlete that prevails. All those people with big cycling legs look impressive, but I'd prefer multi-purpose legs that can ride AND run. Remember that you need to train like a triathlete across all three sports, even if cycling has the most appeal. So train hard on the bike but not at the expense of compromising - or ignoring - your training in the other legs.

It's not all about the bike part 2
Cycling is a very aesthetic sport. Cyclists worry a LOT about the look, having the right gear, the coolest paint job, the slickest wheels, the brand name components...socks at the right length up your calf and more. Pleeeeease!!! I wonder if many of them actually worry much about how well they ride. Unfortunately, triathletes follow the lead taken by cyclists, especially when it comes to ticked out TT machines, aero helmets and the like. While these are important, what is more important is the engine that pushes the pedals and once have a good enough bike then spend any extra cash, time and effort on improving your engine by training effectively.

Group riding can be both good and bad
It seems that more than in swimming and running, cycling is a sport that is done in groups of two or more. This fits the adage that cycling is the new golf in the sense that pedalling only serves to interrupts the talking!! Cycling in groups is a great social exercise, complete with adrenalin and excitement when the pace picks up. However, in terms of training effect, 'noodling' along in a group is low on the effectiveness scale so depending on your training objective for the ride, then riding in a group might not be the best option. Also, don't make your objective of bike training to see how long and/or how many wheels you can hold...put your own nose in the wind at times.

However, some groups can be very productive and achieve fitness benefits you might not be able to achieve on your own. Not just for the group aspect, but the sustained pace a well coordinated, good size (4-6) group can achieve can play an important part in building your fitness regardless of the length of triathlon you're training for. The hard part is finding the right group for you and your cycling.

You need to train the way you want to race
This is also the rule of specificity and it seems to particularly go amiss in cycling training. If you think how hard you want to go in a race...then think some more about how often in training you go at the same intensity for similar periods of time...in the same bike position? A lot of bike training seems to be done in the "mushy middle" in terms of intensity, which can help to build general fitness but will not necessarily prepare you to race a TT in a triathlon. Group rides are particular offenders for encouraging "mushy middle" training - with some exceptions - and certainly don't allow aero position riding. You need to get out on your own sometime to really get in some race specific training.

Bike skills are more important in training than racing
There's no doubt that staying on two wheels is a direct result of how well you can handle a bike (plus some luck). Since you'll spend most time on your bike actually training, and inevitably a good deal of time with others it is really important that your bike skills are up the task - you don't want to be the one who brings the bunch down. So learn the skills of bike riding solo, in a group, in traffic, in variable weather and more in order to save your own skin...and others.

The sun burns when you ride
The cyclist sunburn is like a tattoo od pride for many on their arms and legs. But as we all know, sunburn is also skin damage and by virtue of the time you'll spend in the saddle in the sun, you are exposed to this. But there are many ways to avoid this, starting with sunscreen (re-applied during the ride) and including sun protection garments like arm covers. And for the folically challenged guys...remember you head too, because helmet sunburn marks look silly!!

Bonking on One Tree Hill

I headed back out to the Dandenongs this morning for another long run, the first one there in 3 weeks due to Xmas and an untimely week off running due to a TFL problem, so I was keen to put in a good long run and shoot for the combine goal of 40km+ and 2000m+ of ascent.
The plan was to run three laps of the One Tree hill killer loop, with Monty joining me for the first lap before he headed off some other roads. I devised this loop 2 years ago with a length of 14.5km which can be added to (or cut short) in a few ways. I wasn’t sure of the ascent per lap before I started but do know it is VERY hilly, featuring two particularly tough hills – Belview Terrace which starts off each lap with 3.5km straight to the top, climbing 340m, and then the godforsaken Chandlers Track which is only just 1km long but climbs 170m – plus a few other hills of various length and steepness. The only flat part of the loop is where the tracks change from up to down (or vice-versa)!!!

Monty and I started at 7am straight up Belview Tce, and my climbing legs felt pretty good, to my pleasant surprise since I spent all night high in anxiety about this run. In his first run real in the hills, Monty was found out a bit, but ran strongly over the top and down Tyson Trk, Outlook Rd, Mystic Rd and Hansen Trk (great names!!) down to the base of Chandlers Trk commenting that he noted we’d been running downhill for 10mins, with a strong hint of worry for what was ahead...which is well founded!!

Chandlers Trk is steep from the start, but has 3 upward kicks in it that get steeper the further up you go. It feels a LOT longer than 1km because it is so steeeep and slow. I was still feeling good and ran up strongly, noting the park benches along the way there to tempt the weak!!! Anyway we made it, and continued further to the top of One Tree Hill which is a little oasis with a water tap (often surrounded in wasps) and from where all roads lead downwards, which is where we headed back to complete the first lap which for me was 15.5km (a few double-back parts) in 1:18hr. Running this loop is slow, where on a good day my average pace at 5min/km will be 45-50sec per km slower than a similar run on the flat – did I mention this is a hard run??

Monty and I went different ways at this point and I headed out on lap 2, running strongly to the summit, down to Chandler’s Trk and back to the summit maintaining my pride at not walking any of the hills – this is small victory!! Lap 2 was 14.5km in 1:12km giving elapsed total of 30km in 2:30hr. As I started the third lap I assured myself that this was the “money” lap, which would count for most in fitness terms. To this point I’d also had 3 gels with 2 more in my pockets.

I was getting tired by the third lap, and Belview Tce was getting steeper but I was still running until I finally wilted to take 5-6 walking steps – this was hard. But as hard as I was finding it, I still caught and passed 2 guys on mountain bikes who were both very surprised and I think a little embarrassed to be passed by a runner. Onwards to the top and my time to summit was slow (20:50min compared to 20:30 and 19:45 for laps 1 & 2) and most notably, my hip flexors were tight and tired making it hard to lift my legs. I stopped for a drink and a gel and shuffled off down to Chandlers Trk for a final battle up it today.

Oh. My. God. I ran the bottom stretch without stopping but then I bonked. I stopped. Walked the steep parts. Shuffled the less steep bits. Then stopped again, teasingly beside one of the park benches which looked like a soft sofa at this stage. I was getting light headed and just no energy. My hip flexors hurt so lifting my legs  to walk, let alone run, was hard. I just had to get to the summit of the hill where I’d have my final gel at the water tap, which was still 2km away. I walked a lot of the hill, slowly. I was worried the walkers I’d passed earlier would catch up to me...that would be embarrassing!!

There was still 1.5km and 110m ascent to the summit from the top of Chandler’s Trk, but I was shattered and struggling to move. The stars in my eyes were getting brighter and even a small incline was hard to even walk. I stopped many times, but the worst part was the final 200m to the summit where I stopped about 3-4 times, having to summon the will to push on...I was completely empty and just aiming for the water tap and final gel. I can’t remember ever bonking this badly on a run before.

Anyway, I got to the tap, had a long drink, my gel, sat down for a while to contemplate the final 4.5km – all down – to the finish. I cut out an optional 1km, which I would later regret a little as it would have got me to 2000m ascent. The run down was OK with some new energy in my veins, but this was a really hard run – the type of run I’ll remember (and fear) for a while. Nonetheless, I want to do this again and run the whole thing well. The final lap was 13.5km and took 1:18hr.

Total stats – 43.5km, 3:48hr, 1981m ascent.

Things I've Learned about Swimming

The swim leg is often thought of as the poor cousin in triathlon...the necessary leg to endure in order to get to the bike and run. By comparison, it is short, cold, wet and adds an extra layer of gear and complexity to participation - life would be a lot easier without it. But as long as triathlons are swim, bike, run events you need to deal with the swim leg, and if you're at the competitive end then how you swim can make or break your race.

Over the many years I swam as part of triathlon training I came to learn and appreciate a number of things about swimming. Here are some of them:

Don't under value swim fitness
Swim fitness is not just about being a faster swimmer. Swim fitness is about having a great aerobic fitness and capacity that carries over to the other sports, also. Your swim fitness means the swim leg takes less out of you from the first and shortest component of a triathlon...which is really important in an IM. The geater your swim fitness the more confident you'll be going into the swim leg, and stronger you will be later in the race when things get hard. Gaining swim fitness is also about the discipline and dedication to swim up and down a pool looking at a black line early in the morning.

Swim hard / a lot because you can
Because swimming is non-stressful it means you can train year round because your body can handle it, and you'll benefit from the swim fitness. The amount of time you'll usually spend swimming per week is small, so there is zero risk of overtraining at swimming, which means when you do go swimming not to fluff around hanging onto the lane rope chatting, but actually swim. Save the talk for later. Also, swim hard...there is no comparison between an easy run and an easy swim. The first is a valid training session, and the second is a missed opportunity to improve your fitness.

Do the best with the technique you've got
There's no denying technique is important in swimming, just as it is in running. However there comes a point at which, as an adult, your capacity for technique improvements diminishes so you just need to do the best with the technique you've got and work on something you can improve - your fitness. Drills in a still pool, with a black line and no one touching you are far removed from the real world of open water swimming in a wetsuit. Work with the technique you have and become fit enough to swim well with that.

In rough water, just keep swimming
Sometimes in races the water is rough, and you get tossed around a bit. When that happens, don't stop. Keep your arms turning over and keep swimming. With sufficient swim fitness you'll be able to keep swimming through the waves, much like you keep on pedalling up and over hills, and in wind. Keep your rhythm going and roll with the waves rather than letting them stop you.

In hard sessions, do what is necessary to keep up
Sometimes in hard sessions when you're struggling to hold the repeat times, you need to just do what is necessary to keep up rather than taking time out to rest. What this may mean is using equipment like a pull buoy, paddles, fins or the like. Do what is necessary to finish the session without skipping parts of it. When the going gets tough, "man up" and keep going...it will help your swim fitness.

Butterfly hurts so good
Hands up if you hate butterfly? OK, then do more of it to get better - it will help your fitness no end. As above, do what is necessary to do it, eg, fins, but at least try to do it, and keep trying. Butterfly is to swimming what hills are to cycling and running. Also, being able to do backstroke and breastroke helps your familiarity and comfort in water, and provides variety in training.

A good swim squad is invaluable
Swimming alone sucks. It is boring, unmotivating, less intense and did I mention boring. A good squad could just be some friends you meet to do sessions with, or where there's a coach on deck to set sessions and provide feedback and advice. Either way, swimming in a group or squad is the best way to get in quality training...although this makes it easy to fluff around hanging onto the lane rope chatting. Save the talk for later. Use the group to push you to levels you might not achieve on your own.

2012

Happy new year for 2012!! I haven’t done much of a blog update for a while, despite the fact that so much has been going on...I think we (Ms A and I) covered off most of the big ticket items from the list of things that happen in life in 2011. Things like getting engaged, selling a house and buying one together, moving in together, getting married and then getting pregnant...her, not me!!

So obviously the big event for 2012 will be a new person in the household, due to land in about mid-June – I think this will trump everything from 2011 in just about every respect in terms of what it means to our lives. Although we don’t know the sex yet, we’re going to find out when we can just so we know, and so we can cull half the names from our potential name list. But until it makes an appearance we’re referring to it as “Smiffett”, for obvious reasons given our respective surnames!!

Suffice to say, all this dominates our thoughts and we’ve got a lot of things to get sorted by June...but at least we already have a pram, so that is a start.

There’s other things going on aside from making babies, namely in relation to sports – running, coaching, writing and associated activities. Each of these things could take a whole lot more time and attention, so I find I’m in a constant battle to balance out the attention each gets to strike a balance between doing each justice and making sure I do a good job with each to the standard I aspire to. To that end I realise I need to put constraints on the demands of each...even though I’d like to do everything!!!

My running is generally going OK, with some annoying “naggles” from time to time serving to frustrate me. I’m realising my own mortality in terms of what my body can cope with, although this is also a source of great challenge and intrigue to see what I can do to manage my fitness and durability to achieve the performance I still aspire to. I do still have a burning desire to achieve some great goals that drive me each day to overcome the morning stiffness and tiredness that is part of life at my age!! But, of course, when Smiffett arrives things will change, like it or not, so I’ll need to be flexible and realistic after June...we’ll have to wait and see...

Coaching is going well, and is the source of great motivation and enjoyment in working with a wide range of people who also happen to be driven to achieve their own sporting goals. I feel that I’m just a facilitator to guide their energy and drive in what seems to be the best way I know how, and that we all learn along the way – I certainly never stop learning from what each person does and achieves. I’m in a fortunate position of literally turning people away so I can maintain the level of service I set for myself, and it’s humbling that there are people who seek out my coaching services...and that the same folks support our group by continuing to come to training and be part of the group. Good karma.

Then there’s a range of other, related things and opportunities that are beginning to pop-up and force careful thought about how it’s all going to fit in. Run technique coaching has been a big interest for quite a while, and with the addition of a new video camera is a service I’m beginning to offer as a more specialised service to paying customers. I’m refining my approach with practice, but there seems to be some good demand for this kind of service where I can at least offer an option.

I’m still writing articles but don’t have as much time as I’d like to devote to this area, which is frustrating as there’s so many things to write about on different levels. Just about all the things I write appear on www.firstoffthebike.com which has been a great way for me to explore a wide range of topics and a platform to publish them on. There’s more opportunities coming up in that area this year, in particular in the area of race coverage, which is exciting.

Another opportunity that may take off this year is holding regular deep water running classes, which would be great but again with the challenge of fitting it in. Deep water running is something I’ve done way too much of, and with increasing awareness of it is as a viable training option is something I think would be popular. There’s a few things that need to happen for this to go ahead, but I’d say there is a pretty good chance of it getting going early in the year.

The other main thing in life is, of course, work, where I spent most of my day and am on a big project that will run for another 1.5-2 years and is both enjoyable and challenging on a professional level. Having said that, I’m looking to shift to a part-time basis – 8-9 day fortnight – during and by the end of the year, so the sake of the kid and these other interests. So work is going quite well at the moment, which is good.

With all that there’s a lot going on in this little head, and rarely a dull moment...although having said that, the last few days at home with little on have been wonderful, spending it with my lovely wife and just hanging out.

I’ll keep on posting updates in various bits and pieces as the year goes on...so stay tuned for on just about everything!!