This week I have 1 hour wind trainer set and 2 x 3 hour ride.
First and foremost I need to become friends with the bike. I like to view our relationship as frienemies. This however, really has to change seeing that on the day of Ironman I am expecting to spend up to 6 hours on the damn thing. I only picked up road cycling in August last year and it's not an activity I choose to do if I have a bit of free time up my sleeve. Don't get me wrong once I get out on the open road, I love it. We are so lucky down here on the peninsula that no matter where you ride you can see the water. It's just the thought of going on a 3 hour ride when I'm all snug in bed that doesn't excite me! You must understand that right?!
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| my beast in all it's glory |
My beast is a year 2000 Trek 1000 that I bought of my friend Ildiko. It's unlike the fandagle, light carbon bikes I see flying down Nepean highway, but it has served me well. So far I have placed above 7th in all of the sprint races last summer and won my division down at Geelong in the olympic distance in February this year. Looking forward, I have a goal to buy a new bike by September, this gives me enough time to get familiar with it before I race Noosa (olympic distance) in November. I was going to write comfortable here but let me be straight, comfort isn't something you find on a bike!
Having accepted that I'm so out of depth, Clinton is going to assist me with the purchase. I'll be looking at spending around $4,000. $2,500 being the frame of the bike and up to $1,500 for the wheels! Hence why I have been cruising around on the beast, I didn't want to spend this kind of money not knowing my commitment to the sport. Ironman 2014.... I think I'm committed.
Eating on the bike is the other challenge I've got to experiment with. I got in 'trouble' last night by the coach at swimming for not eating enough on my 3 hour ride on Sunday just gone. Having eating 1, 1/2 english brekky muffin and a gel before getting on the bike and then consuming another gel and a clif bar (which I struggled to eat whilst trying to breath!) I thought I had done a good job... Not the case! So now I have to look at doubling my food intake on the bike. I must admit I was totally zapped by the time we got back! The boys looked out for me on the ride making sure I don't drop back and getting me to draft them which helped a lot.
The other form of bike training we do is wind training. Pretty much, just imagine an RPM/Spin class on steroids and you're close. I can remember my first session I went to at the tiny club house in Frankston. I actually thought I was going to die. My legs hurt so much and this crazy Clinton had this smile on his face, he was actually enjoying it... it made me feel stick! It was thanks to Veronica who pulled me thought that first session of hell! that I survived. She's in her sixties and still fighting fit. She's my inspiration! Each week she is there ready to work hard and has the best attitude towards training. I was like "shit, if she can do, I better bloody get my butt into action! No complaints." We set our bikes up next to one another and encourage each other along when the set gets tough, agreeing that most of the time at training we feel totally dead but more alive than ever! In this last year I have met some really amazing people. That's what I love about triathlons, it attracts people from all walks of life.
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| Bear hugs with V are a tough W.T set |
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| These two Peter and Veronica. Spring chicken's I'd call them, no such thing as too old! |
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