Celebrate the small victories!!
6th Overall and 1st in Age Group
Last night I completed my third splash n dash in Wellington (ocean swim and run). The distance of 750m followed by a 3 or 4k run couldn't suit me less - lots of swimming time, no biking and a fast run! The first one I did in December, the night after I arrived in Welly, I struggled home in 11th place in a time of 24:30. Two weeks later on a slightly faster night (there weren't too many white horses) I clocked a 24:25. After a few weeks solid running I'd picked up some pace on the run, but was still disappointed in my swim.
However, a Christmas on the beach (with the wetsuit) and generally putting in the hard yards and my swimming has come on a notch. I was out of the water last night in 7th, a quick transition and I hit the run in 6th. Even with an extra k of running (last night was 750m, 4k) I managed to clock a 26:03. Nearly 2 mins off my swim and T1 time from early December.
The AG group win was nice, and to be 6th behind some Sprint and Olympic specialists is no disgrace . A perfect confidence boaster for the Lake Wanaka Half on Saturday.
I've had a rest day today (treated myself to a massage) and will be heading down to Queenstown and Wanaka first thing tomorrow. The field seems small, with the big guns going long on the full event (Challenge Wanaka), so maybe I can scrap a top 10 or even better!
Will post Sunday / Monday with an update.
Laurence
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
New Zealand
Ok, so it's been a while, nearly 6 months, since my last post but I've not had my feet up all the time.
Post IM Switzerland I had a few plans for some fun racing over the UK summer but 2 weeks of absolute rest followed by a tough 5 days around Mt Ventoux for the penultimate stage of the TdF saw me pretty shattered and with a bit of an Achilles problem. In the end it was September before I was up and running again and with the trip to NZ on the horizon I kept the training light and concentrated on sorting my life out to get everything in order (house rented out etc) to come out to NZ for 6 months.
Flying out Mid Nov I've been here 6 weeks now and Wellington is starting to feel like home. The weather is pretty incredible - howling winds, glorious sun, freezing southerly gales seem to occur in rapid succession most days - I keep being promised it'll settle in Jan. So I'll be out on my bike in the sun tomorrow...
Wellington is more than I could have hoped for in terms of a training location, I have a 33m pool on a beach (Freyberg) 5min jog from the flat so have a choice of open water or pool swims on tap. The running is great with tonnes of on and off road routes and millions of people to hook up with. I couldn't ask for more in terms of riding, in 4 weeks here I've already come across pretty much a group every morning and evening of the week! Sunday group rides from Capital bike shop see up to 60 guys doing a fast 3hrs, with a 30k race back to town on the way home (normally with a tail wind), packs of 20+ racing at 55kph+ seem to be the norm. Awesome.
So 5 weeks of 16-18hrs and I'm starting to feel like my old self. I've been putting off shaving my legs until I was feeling faster but stripped them down this morning, that's going to give me an extra kph this afternoon for nothing!!
Also took delivery of my new BMC TT02 on Christmas Eve. Waiting for the Zipp 808's to be swapped to Campy and then I have a race machine... see the little pick below. Thanks to the guys at Capital Cycles for doing such a great job on it.
I have a little tester in two weeks (Sat 16th Jan) down in Wanaka where I'm doing the Challenge Wanaka Half distance. So expect the updates to be coming in a bit more regularly now.
Happy New Year
Laurence
Post IM Switzerland I had a few plans for some fun racing over the UK summer but 2 weeks of absolute rest followed by a tough 5 days around Mt Ventoux for the penultimate stage of the TdF saw me pretty shattered and with a bit of an Achilles problem. In the end it was September before I was up and running again and with the trip to NZ on the horizon I kept the training light and concentrated on sorting my life out to get everything in order (house rented out etc) to come out to NZ for 6 months.
Flying out Mid Nov I've been here 6 weeks now and Wellington is starting to feel like home. The weather is pretty incredible - howling winds, glorious sun, freezing southerly gales seem to occur in rapid succession most days - I keep being promised it'll settle in Jan. So I'll be out on my bike in the sun tomorrow...
Wellington is more than I could have hoped for in terms of a training location, I have a 33m pool on a beach (Freyberg) 5min jog from the flat so have a choice of open water or pool swims on tap. The running is great with tonnes of on and off road routes and millions of people to hook up with. I couldn't ask for more in terms of riding, in 4 weeks here I've already come across pretty much a group every morning and evening of the week! Sunday group rides from Capital bike shop see up to 60 guys doing a fast 3hrs, with a 30k race back to town on the way home (normally with a tail wind), packs of 20+ racing at 55kph+ seem to be the norm. Awesome.
So 5 weeks of 16-18hrs and I'm starting to feel like my old self. I've been putting off shaving my legs until I was feeling faster but stripped them down this morning, that's going to give me an extra kph this afternoon for nothing!!
Also took delivery of my new BMC TT02 on Christmas Eve. Waiting for the Zipp 808's to be swapped to Campy and then I have a race machine... see the little pick below. Thanks to the guys at Capital Cycles for doing such a great job on it.
I have a little tester in two weeks (Sat 16th Jan) down in Wanaka where I'm doing the Challenge Wanaka Half distance. So expect the updates to be coming in a bit more regularly now.Happy New Year
Laurence
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
IM Switz Analysis
Results for Hawaii roll down are up for Switzerland. I missed a slot by 15:13, the slowest M30-34 qualifier doing 9:14:09
I just compared it to Arizona last year where I was 14:43 away from qualifying, with the slowest M30-34 qualifier doing a 9:34:13.
Taking into consideration a puncture (which according to my Garmin had me stopped for 4 mins) I just need to find another 11mins and I might get that slot.
Another 8 months of training, a good day and maybe it'll be third time lucky at Ironman NZ next March!!
May as well target sub 9 to be safe !
I just compared it to Arizona last year where I was 14:43 away from qualifying, with the slowest M30-34 qualifier doing a 9:34:13.
Taking into consideration a puncture (which according to my Garmin had me stopped for 4 mins) I just need to find another 11mins and I might get that slot.
Another 8 months of training, a good day and maybe it'll be third time lucky at Ironman NZ next March!!
May as well target sub 9 to be safe !
Monday, 13 July 2009
IM switz
I'll write a proper report later. But for now just a quick one to thank everyone who supported, on the course and especially all those that mailed, text and posted on our forum.
Offered 9:29 with a puncture on Friday I would have taken it. But offered 34th in AG I might not have been so keen. The standard yesterday (maybe helped by some drafting) was incredible. I had a slightly ropey swim, hitting T1 in 63mins, a quick transition and I picked up a puncture at 15k on the bike. 4mins later I was off again and the rest of the bike was good. A great course of decent hills and mega fast pancake flat lakeside.
Off the bike in 5:06 (about 6:12 on the clock) I hit out at 3:10 pace. This lastest two miles before I setled into 3:15 pace which seemed sustainable. Bumped into Justin Webbs teamate Tim Bishop (Optima Race Team) half way into the 2nd lap (of four) and we ran together for nearly 10miles. Thank Tims, without you I would have almost certainly dropped off more. Tim ran off about 20miles and in the end took me for just over a minute. Well done on the Hawaii slot mate.
The last 10k were pretty brutal, the last 5.5 were impossibly hard - sorry Ed there was no chance to enjoy them! Bu I was really chuffed to dip under the 9:30 mark.
In the end I would have needed to go 9:08 to be guaranteed a slot. So even without the bad swim and puncture I would have been lucky to get within 15mins of a slot this time.
Not sure yet what's next. A week or so of R&R and a 'fun' trip to the Ventoux and I'll start making some plans. IM NZ is looking good for next spring!
Thanks again everyone. Lxx
Offered 9:29 with a puncture on Friday I would have taken it. But offered 34th in AG I might not have been so keen. The standard yesterday (maybe helped by some drafting) was incredible. I had a slightly ropey swim, hitting T1 in 63mins, a quick transition and I picked up a puncture at 15k on the bike. 4mins later I was off again and the rest of the bike was good. A great course of decent hills and mega fast pancake flat lakeside.
Off the bike in 5:06 (about 6:12 on the clock) I hit out at 3:10 pace. This lastest two miles before I setled into 3:15 pace which seemed sustainable. Bumped into Justin Webbs teamate Tim Bishop (Optima Race Team) half way into the 2nd lap (of four) and we ran together for nearly 10miles. Thank Tims, without you I would have almost certainly dropped off more. Tim ran off about 20miles and in the end took me for just over a minute. Well done on the Hawaii slot mate.
The last 10k were pretty brutal, the last 5.5 were impossibly hard - sorry Ed there was no chance to enjoy them! Bu I was really chuffed to dip under the 9:30 mark.
In the end I would have needed to go 9:08 to be guaranteed a slot. So even without the bad swim and puncture I would have been lucky to get within 15mins of a slot this time.
Not sure yet what's next. A week or so of R&R and a 'fun' trip to the Ventoux and I'll start making some plans. IM NZ is looking good for next spring!
Thanks again everyone. Lxx
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Ironman Switzerland T - 14 hours
Another easy day today, plenty of fluids and time off my feet - I could get used to this.
We took an easy swim in the lake this morning and it was clear and warm. Nice place for a bun fight!
Also got driven around the bike course by a teammate. It's a cracker. 30k flat along the lakeside. 35k of hills including a couple of decent 5k climbs and then fly back down to the lakeside for another 20k of flat apart from a short sharp ascent of 'heartbreak hill'. And repeat.
The bike is checked in and nothing more to do but gather my bits for the morning, eat some more pasta and get an early night.
Don't forget you can watch my progress at Ironmanlive.com and I'll post an update soon as I can.
Cheers for all the good luck msgs.
Laurence
We took an easy swim in the lake this morning and it was clear and warm. Nice place for a bun fight!
Also got driven around the bike course by a teammate. It's a cracker. 30k flat along the lakeside. 35k of hills including a couple of decent 5k climbs and then fly back down to the lakeside for another 20k of flat apart from a short sharp ascent of 'heartbreak hill'. And repeat.
The bike is checked in and nothing more to do but gather my bits for the morning, eat some more pasta and get an early night.
Don't forget you can watch my progress at Ironmanlive.com and I'll post an update soon as I can.
Cheers for all the good luck msgs.
Laurence
Friday, 10 July 2009
Ironman Switzerland T - 2 days
Arrived in Zurich yesterday. All is well. After a small bag mix up (all my fault) I got to the hotel, set the bike up and went for an easy ride and run.
In contrast to Arizona last year I am not feeling the same amount of pressure for Sunday. I'm genuinely excited about the race. Obviously there are the normal nerves and desires to just be started, but all that's normal.
The course looks fantastic, a warm (ish) clear lake swim, moderate ride - on great roads, and a pancake flat run around the lake.
I'm feeling as strong as ever. So fingers crossed I can do myself justice out there.
Laurence
In contrast to Arizona last year I am not feeling the same amount of pressure for Sunday. I'm genuinely excited about the race. Obviously there are the normal nerves and desires to just be started, but all that's normal.
The course looks fantastic, a warm (ish) clear lake swim, moderate ride - on great roads, and a pancake flat run around the lake.
I'm feeling as strong as ever. So fingers crossed I can do myself justice out there.
Laurence
Friday, 3 July 2009
New Garmin 310XT
Many thanks to Paul at Garmin UK and Jo at sweatshop for helping me source one of the new Garmin 310's for Switzerland next week. Waterproof and with a 20hr battery life I can take it real slow!!
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