Feeling Specialized

The lovely Specialized ladies: Laura Wilson and Emily Smith

I'm still pinching myself! Yesterday I became the proud owner of an amazing bike. For the next 4 months I will be gracing the road on 001/200 Specialized Edition, S-Works Amira, SL4. Um frieneme with the bike...what, me say that?...haha never! We're totally best friends now ;)

This is an incredibly generous offer from Laura Wilson and the team from Specialized and I can't wait to get on the gorgeous machine.

Coming from a second hand Trek 1000, thanks Ildiko, I’m really going from one end of the spectrum to the extreme other. Don't get me wrong the Trek monster and I have had a great time over the last 12 months. I have gone from being a complete newbie on the road, to a competent rider, having only ever fallen over twice from a stationary position. (Classy I know!) I've built up my confidence on the road, along with a growing stamina for the longer hauls, with greater hauls ahead!

Handmade, this is the first female specific road bike created from the ground up. Could is be any sexier! 

Coming into the phase of longer rides, I'm actually jumping out of my skin to be on a bike of this calibre. The sheer weightlessness of it blew me away, not mentioning the floral print on the back frame. Irrelevant to some, crucial to me!

Adam doing a few final tweaks.

I’m looking forward to discovering the brilliance of this bike as the weeks go by. Adam, I’m going to call him the Specialized bike GURU, sat me down for a crash course of what creates and in particular, defines a bike like this apart of the rest. I commend him for successfully conveying extremely in-depth, technical and meticulous information, in other words total gibberish, to a complete bike nuff!  For all those tech heads out there, here are all the juice facts!

Now that I comprehend what I’m riding and the engineering behind it, I can already feel my appreciation for the ride component move to another level. I’m excited to share my learnings with you as I go :)

So let the fun begin! Tomorrow the coach has got the Trispecify Crew hitting the road for a 4-hour session. Perfect timing. Can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning… right?! We are setting out for a 3-hour ride, followed by an hour run. This will be the longest ride/run set I would have done to date.

I’m interested to see how the body transitions into the run from a long ride.  I’m sure having my new wheels (Rovals, for those playing) to take me along for the ride, will make all the difference!

Maddy xx

Big Picture Stuff

I am pumped to be back and blogging. It's an exciting time as I'll be racing Noosa in 6 weeks and followed closely by my first attempt at a half Ironman in Shepparton in 8! It's so great to have a goal to work towards. We've all heard that before I know. But it's powerful stuff. It gives you that drive and purpose you just can't create on your own, especially when the Melbourne weather decided to turn for the worst.

In the last 48 hours I have had the joyous company of a head wind on my ride around the bay from Port Melbourne to Black Rock and back. Endured the speedy yet graceful dash to the pool last night, freezing in my bathers and this morning when my alarm went off at 5:05am (snoozed till 5:15am) I was delight to hear the sound of the pouring rain on the tin roof. So much so I thought, gosh it's going to be a pleasant run this morning!





Hey head wind, thanks for the company on the ride.



Rain. Hail. We Run. Savouring the shelter.

I find being focused on the bigger picture of my goals rather than each single session, I'm not so much phased by the icky Melbourne weather. I'm making a point of this due to the reoccurring, I'm calling it an excuse of, 'oh I'll wait till the weather's better', 'it's was too cold', 'I just have no energy in the colder weather'. So many of us tell ourselves these things to make it 'ok' not to head out to the gym, pool, studio or whatever it is that you do, to only feel guilty later on. Trust me I've felt the guilts. But what if you could look past the right here right now (cold, tired, busy) and think of the bigger picture? What then would be possible?

I'm really enjoying my training at the moment. I'm at the end of the build phase (strength, hills and high interval training) and about to move on to speed and endurance where I'll be looking at longer run and ride sessions. My main improvement thus far has been my swim, seen both in my technique and speed. After having another catch up chat with the coach last night, I can see the change in myself in terms of keeping open and constant communication with him as well as being consistent in my training. I am no longer disappearing when this aren't going smoothly and more importantly I've still got my sparkle.

As I have mention in a previous post I need to focus in on the bike. Now that I am no longer frienimes with it, I need to become one with it for durations up to 4 -6 hours in the next few months. Oh wish me luck haha. I'll be thinking of the bigger picture. 

Word.

I've been out of touch lately with my blog, and now I'm back. 

Yes I have been busy, aren't we all. It's how you choose to handle it, how you choose to speak about it and how you act that make the difference. I'm rarely at home and that was before I started my IM training! Now time is even more precious, and trust me I get that I'm not the only one. Work, friends, boyfriends, family, socialising and training oh my. I found this last couple of weeks that everything felt like a burden. Do you ever feel that way? 

 Poor me. I'm not going to be getting home past 10pm for the entire week. I have to be up early for training, then I have to be apart of a lululemon photoshoot, then I do have time to have lunch with friends but then I have to write my inspiring blog and then to head to a V.I.P night at work. 

Sound shocking doesn't it....I know I know, it actually doesn't, because it isn't. I am doing things that I love, so where is the problem? It's definitely not in my day!

Instead of 'I am SO busy' and it's just the way it is, I now chose to say 'I live a big life' and it isn't anything until I create it.

When I first created this blog, I said that it was to share my good days and the bad. My trials and tribulations. Well over the last few weeks I haven't held my word. When things got tough, I got outta here! Instead of sharing what was happening, I got back to old habits of thinking; why should I write my blog, I don't have time, I have nothing to say, what's it all for anyway....? I lost sight of the bigger picture and my intention. There whole point of documenting this challenging journey is firstly: for myself to look back on and see how far I have come. Yet more importantly, to inspire you to find your potential beyond you perceived limits, even when things get tough.

So if you hadn't already pick up, things have been tough, balancing training and life isn't easy and when motivation evaporates you are simply left to your commitment to you word. Here I am, back in business and sticking to my word. Word.

mads xx

Bigger than me

To keep things in perspective, I'm making my journey to Ironman bigger than me. It's safe to say that by committing to a challenge as big as this, it can be so easy to let it become all about you. The training, nutrition, sleep and planning can soon become what your world revolves around. I want to try my best to keep this in balance (wish me luck!) and at the same time leverage off it to help raise money for a cause that captured my attention.


The super six.

Up Up Up, Down Down Down, the climbs felt never ending!

Earlier this year in June, Lill's and I set off on a different kind of challenge, Kokoda. As testing as some of the climbs we conquered and as rugged as the terrain we crossed, we had a blast. It was on this trip that I first heard about Dr Barry Kirby. I was amazed by his efforts in Papua New Guinea to reduce the mortality rate in women during or after childbirth. Being pregnant in PNG instantly places women at a risk up to 240 times greater of dying in childbirth compared to here in Australia. Most cases are from complications that are entirely avoidable. 


The children in the villages were adorable...

Dr Kirby, previously a trades man, witnessed such an preventable death in 1990 and since then has transformed his life in order to aid others by becoming an obstetrician. He has been building initiatives to improve the care given in medical centres, along side creating incentives for women to travel from remote villages to have supervised deliveries. What a simple intervention.

For something that is so common and celebrated here at home, it shocked me that childbirth can become a life or death scenario all too often in country that is practically on our doorstep.

I am in the process of working with Send Hope, Not Flowers, to create a direct debit link from their webpage, however in the mean time I am taking cash donations or contact me via facebook message. 

To find out more about the organisation:
www.sendhope.org 

For more info on Dr Barry Kirby and his cause:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/a-builders-labour/story-e6frg8h6-1226613133623

Week #33 - Trail Run Fun

The words from the coach were: solid week, plan well, stay healthy.

A solid week it was, finishing with a weekend running and riding up in the hills of Dromana and Arthurs seat. Even though my legs where heavy come Sunday, I was buzzing from such a great week of training.

Melbourne graced us with her finest weather this week which ranged from Clinton standing in the pouring rain as we smashed out a tough dimishing 100m's in the pool, to a gorgeously clear morning on Saturday for our trail run though Red Hill.

I love being outdoors, it's one of my favourite aspect out the training I do and going on a trail run took this love to a whole new level. We duck and wove though some of the most stunning scenery, I didn't even know existed at my own backdoor! On the trail you don't know what's coming next, a log to hurdle, a mud puddle to leap over or a vertical climb up a fire break. I felt really strong on Saturday morning, I kept pace with the boys and found that I always had that extra something to get up the steepest of climbs that we came upon. In total I think we ran for close to 1hr 30mins covering 13kms, and it just flew by. You really have to hold your focus on your footing and what's just ahead. A few times my mind would wander resulting in a slip or slide!

Trail running is messy business, but oh so fun! We finished covered in mud, matched with big smiles, such an awesome way to kick off the weekend, which saw me heading straight to work (after a quick shower of course!) One of the many joys of working at lululemon is that I am forever in their threads whether it be work, rest or play!

Getting down and dirty!

My get up for some trail run fun!
Outfit: Speed Shorts, Flow Y bra, Swiftly long sleeve,
Nothing but run jacket, headband and gloves 

My week look a little like this:

Monday - PM: Wind trainer V02 focus

Tuesday -  AM: 1hr Power flow yoga @ Kozen Yoga

               - AM: 1 hr run : 20mins easy / 20mins mod / 20mins easy

               - AM: 1 hr Pilates @ LV Studio

Wednesday - AM: 3 hr ride including Two Bays x 6 : easy/mod/hard/easy/big chain

                   - PM: 1hr swim set : diminishing 100m's 

Thursday - 1hr run : hills & speed work, felt great this morning, was able to keep up a strong effort though to the end, Troupa and I push each other to the end!

Friday - 1hr swim set

Saturday - Trail run hills, mud & FUN

Sunday - 3hr ride including Arthurs seat time trail x 2. I was so proud of my effort up this climb especially after such a leg strength focus week. I stayed focus and way able to push that bit harder round the steep corners. I just cleared under 15 minutes each accent! 

In the saddle

I'm definitely starting out with what's necessary,
with complete faith the rest will soon follow!
- http://pinterest.com/swiftwick/cycling

What a 3hr ride looks like:

Wake up and have a shower, to actually wake up.

Make a smoothie: spinach, rice milk, banana, frozen berries, almond butter, chia seeds, kiwi fruit - yum!

Get my gear on: full length leggings, padded shorts, long socks, my trust worthy lululemon swiftly long sleeve top, riding vest, wind break jacket and head band.

Pack my gear: bike (obviously), helmet, bike shoes, shoe covers (my poor toes get so cold!) 2 pairs of gloves, water bottle, 2 x clif bars & 1x clif gel.

The preparation in itself depending on how efficient I'm am can take up to an hour!

This particular ride was on Wednesday, it was a 3hr including 6 x Two bays road efforts -  easy/mod/hard/easy/big chain/out of the saddle.

I know I need to practice the mental strength of riding for a long period of time by myself for Ironman, however at the present I'm really enjoying having company on these rides. Today Morgan was my riding buddy and for that I was so grateful. I love having someone to set a steady pace and for me to match and focus in on. And I especially love having someone on the hill of Two Bays with me whilst doing repeats. Morgs also help me timed my eating so I could get the most out of my delish clif treats!

Our first 1hr and a half we warm our legs up and headed out of Frankston up to Mordialloc with a head wind then sailed on back, Olivers Hill is always a rude awakening to the legs, followed by a steady incline up Humphries Road all the way to the beginning of Two Bays Road. It's not the greatest surface, and my brakes get a work out on the way down. Slow and steading on the first decent, yet by the sixth decline I've gotten a feel for it and can fly down with less brakes involved.

I feeling stronger each time I head out on the bike and on my big chain effort I was able to click down a few gears heavier and really work it up the hill. I get such a kick out of these small little milestones in improvement, it's great!

The ride home is all down hill (my favourite thing about riding, to no ones surprise!) with an amazing view of the city over the bay. We fly down Olivers Hill, Morgs has taught me to take up the whole lane, at first I didn't that that was the wisest move, but coming down that hill is the last place you want to be sharing a lane with a car, bus or truck!!

Now I know I just said that cruising down hills was my favourite part of riding but let me amend that. It's actually getting home having a shower and then heading out to eating delicious food and coffee. The rewards of hard work :) Our hot spot at the moment is Om Shanti, a vegetarian cafe in Frankston on the Neapan Highway; the food and coffee is amazing and you leave feeling fabulous!

till next time

Maddy xx

Week #34 = Double Trouble

I like to think of it as organised chaos. My weekly planner.

So this week is my first taste of double up training days. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I have a morning and afternoon session. I am pretty happy with how I have been feeling after each session and even more so at the next. Keeping in mind at least one of the sessions on a double up day is endurance focused which means long, 1+ hour, run/ride keeping my heart rate low. It almost feels like an active recovery.

The quote 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail' has been playing over in my head since I saw this weeks training set come though from Clinton. Straight away I sat down with my dairy and planned out my week to make it work. This has to be one of the most crucial tools I use with my training. As I work odd hours at lululemon, my weeks are never the same so it's important I make time to plan each one out individually.

My training week look something like this:

Monday - PM: 1hr 'Very High Intensity' wind trainer set

Tuesday -AM: Pilates at LV studio in Oakleigh

                - AM: 1 hr run keeping my heart rate low, below 140 for me.

                - PM: 1 hr remedial massage, the first since getting back into full swing training....ouch! dry needles are a god send!

Wednesday - AM: 1hr W.T set, once again keeping heart rate quite low. So having just started in a new relationship you now things are going pretty well, when you feel comfortable enough to get up at 6.15am, set up the wind trainer in his lounge room and get spinning. Mind you, he scared the crap out of me, sneaking up on me once he woke up!

                     - PM: 1hr swim set, I really enjoyed this set, we focused on technique which I need, learning how to roll the body with each stoke to lengthen and stream line in the water and also focusing on pushing back the full length of the stroke, in particular the right side for me.

Thursday - AM: Run group - 500m diminishing.  I think we hit a record this week with close to 45 crazy peeps up bright an early and ready to work! and it wasn't easy. In the simplest terms, you run 500m's and have 1 minute rest. From then on after each 500m's your rest is diminished by 5 seconds untill it is non existent. Sounds like fun right?! After setting out on the first 500, my left quad tightened up, I had never felt it do that before. After appearing it didn't flare up again, nor did it slow me down. I iced it once I got home. Might have been an after effect from my massage earlier in the week.

                 - AM: Body Pump, @ Fitness First Glen Waverly with Chrissy. 

                 - PM: 2 hr ride. This didn't quite go to plan. It was my first session that my mindset and time management let me down, turing it into 45min stint on the bike. It was a perfect opportunity for me to be in communication with Clinton as to why/what happened. His reply: breath in, breath out.

Friday - AM: 1hr swim set before work. Really focused on practicing the body roll and full stroke during this set. 

            - PM: 1hr Run 20mins easy/20min Moderate/20mins easy. Ironically, the hardest part about this is the easy part! Up until now when I've set out for a run, I've wanted to feel like I'm really working, going faster, going longer. Not the case now. Now the ficus is turning my body into an efficient endurance machine. 

Saturday - AM: 'Run the Tan'  the official launch of the new Melbourne wide lululemon run group. Through landmark, I have been practicing being fearless and taking on challenges, this saw me being apart of the team that created/organised this run group and to actually lead on of the groups as well. Something I have never done before. I was to lead the cruisey (beginner) group. It was a great wake up call for me to step out of my world of training and re experience the humble beginnings of running. Our pace was slow but I was able to encourage and help my group around the Tan. What an experience!

'Run the Tan' Bright! Bright and Early with Terri and Bess

My 'Cruisey' group in action, looking fabulous

What's a lululemon shin' dig with out a bit of cheer!

So that leaves Sunday; right now as I write this.
                    AM - I had an amazing sleep in, even though my body woke up at 6am!

Learnings from this week - I need to plan/focus on what food I'm eating. Especially as training apms up I really need to be prepared for the days when I'm out and about all day and good nutritious food isn't always on hand or easy to come by. Once again this bring me back to the trusty saying, 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.'