D-8

i always get the flutters before an important race; the shorter/ intense the race, the worse the feeling.

anyhow, it had been quite fun getting to this stage. all the morning hill intervals, sharing of running techniques and morning breakfasts. great to know that some of us in camp do actually love running.

on the other hand, there is also the persistent silence from the select few and race attire procurement process that puts its leopard tank counterpart to shame.

oh wells, time to just forget everything and focus on that 15 minutes tomorrow.

up the hill, down the slope.
up the slope, down the hill.
any sweat?
no sweat chicken feed haha all the way!!! 

=)

homesick

wow i wish that i could have been back home in Grenoble last sat as the Tour stopped by for the ITT!

and what's more, the route passed by some of my favourite bike trials as well. =)

can't believe that this used to be my usual cycling loop

mes entraînements du semaine W-0

01 mardi: Nager 1.5km (PU)
02 mercredi: Cycle 40km (TT-DU), CàP 5km (DU)
04 vendredi: Nager 2km (PU)
05 samedi: Cycle 60km (Le Touvet), CàP 10km (DU)
06 dimanche: Nager 500m (Bois Français)

En totale: Nager 4km, Cycle 100km, CàP 15km

Last week of training. Finally. Can't really say that I am feeling on top form now but I hope to be somewhere there on Sunday!

In any case, this year's training so far has been pretty disorganised, due to my many other commitments. Not being with my team and having a coach to map out my training has also contributed to my lack of discipline at times.

Its not easy training alone. Never is. The responsibility of mapping out the week's workouts, the determination to see them through, and the resilience to repeat them day after day, week in week out. And the mental strength to resist the 1001 other temptations of life which never fail to distract me. This year has really been a watershed one for me.

I can't say that I have succeeded totally, but I do not think that I am that much a failure either. I came to France last year thinking that I would be taking a gap year from triathlon, but look at what happened. I guess things do not change. At least not that easily. I have always loved the outdoors, and I have the tan lines to show for it. At this point in time, I cannot see myself doing anything else or being anywhere else in the world. Triathlon is more than a sport for me. It is my passion. It is my life. It is me.

So as I finally arrive at week 0 of my Ironman Swiss training plan, I do feel a sense of relief, but at the same time, I realise that it was the journey, and not the destination, which mattered more to me. Along the way, I managed to swim in the Mediterranean, cycle the many legendary cols of the Tour de France, and run to the ends of the Earth.

By comparison, Ironman is only a very long day of exercise.

So, come what may, I have nothing to regret. I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, and I hope to complete the race.

See you at the starting line. =)

mes entraînements du semaine W-1

23 lundi: Nager 1km (PU)
24 mardi: Nager 4km (PU)
25 mercredi: Cycle 60km (Le Touvet)
26 jeudi: CàP 16km (La Bastille)
27 vendredi: Nager 1.5km (PU)
28 samedi: Cycle 158km (Vercors)
29 dimanche: Nager 1km (St. Martin D'Heres), CàP 5km (DU)

En totale: Nager 7.5km, Cycle 218km, CàP 21km

mes entraînements du semaine W-2

16 lundi: Nager 1.5km (PU)
17 mardi: CàP 11km (Gières)
18 mercredi: Cycle 98km (Gap - Digne)
19 jeudi: Cycle 151km (Digne - Nice)
20 vendredi: Cycle 180km (Ironman Nice)
21 samedi: CàP 21km (Promenade des Anglais)
22 dimanche: CàP 30km (Ironman Nice)

En totale: Nager 1.5km, Cycle 429km, CàP 62km

Longest bike/run week. Now I need to do some serious swim training before its time to taper!

mes entraînements du semaine W-3

12 jeudi: Nager 4km (PU)
13 vendredi: Cycle 60km (Le Touvet), CàP 10km (DU)
14 samedi: Cycle 134km (Vercors)
15 dimanche: Nager 1.5km (PU), CàP 21km (Grenoble-Meylan)

En totale: Nager 5.5km, Cycle 194km, CàP 31km

mes entraînements du semaine W-4

02 lundi: Nager 1km (PU)
03 mardi: Cycle 92km (Allevard), CàP 5km (DU)
04 mercredi: Nager 1.5km (PU), CàP 10km (DU)
08 dimanche: Trek 20km (Mount Olympus)

En totale: Nager 2.5km, Cycle 92km, CàP 15km, Trek 20km

mes entraînements du semaine W-5

27 mardi: Nager 1.5km (PU)
28 mercredi: CàP 14km (Grenoble)
30 vendredi: Nager 2.5km (PU, 2km + 10x50m sprints)
31 samedi: Cycle 132km (Chambéry + Allevard), CàP 4km (DU)
01 dimanche: Nager 1.5km (PU), Cycle 40km (Crolles), CàP 12km (DU)

En totale: Nager 5.5km, Cycle 172km, CàP 30km

Rain rain and more rain this week. Luckily the sun came out for a bit over the weekend and I was able to rattraper a little. Going to Greece next week, so will not be able to train much, but bikes and bricks will be the main focus when I get back!

mes entraînements du semaine W-7

12 lundi: Cycle 94km (Vercors area)
13 mardi: Nager 1.2km (PU)
15 jeudi: CàP 5km (DU)
16 vendredi: CàP 15km (DU), Nager 2km (PU, wetsuit)
17 samedi: Nager 1.5km (PU)
18 dimanche: Cycle 93km (Chapelle du Bard), CàP 22km (Grenoble)

En totale: Nager 4.7km, Cycle 187km, CàP 42km

Today the sun came out and so I was able to salvage what was left of the week. Was not able to train much during the week due to the weather and of course schoolwork datelines, plus my bike suddenly conked out on Wednesday, leaving me with only the weekend to get in a decent ride. Wetsuit swim was decent enough, but I got terrible calf cramps after that. Still wondering if it is a consequence of bad wetsuit sizing, or was I just dehydrated after the swim. Weirdly, the bike and run today eased my cramps! Most unusual indeed, as I was expecting a painful session today.

Speedwork next week, then its the Triathlon de Narbonne Plage on Sunday. Wow time passes so fast, but I can't wait! =)

mes entraînements du semaine W-8

05 lundi: Nager 500m (PU)
10 samedi: CàP 20km (Grenoble 2 loops), Cycle 91km (chez les Morels)
11 dimanche: CàP 8km (Col de la Madeleine)

En totale: Nager 500m, Cycle 91km, CàP 28km

Awesome training weekend; knees are still hurting from my car crash last week, but I still managed to put in some decent mileage. Bike from Grenoble to the Morel's was great (undulating but mostly flat with headwind), but the return today was better. Climbed all the way up to Villard de Lans, a sustained climb and something which I have not done for sometime now.

Anyway I intend to take it easy for the next two weeks, and let's see what the Triathlon de Narbonne Plage will bring! =)

mes entraînements du semaine W-9

28 lundi: Nager 500m (PU)
29 mardi: Cycle 40km (DU)
01 jeudi: Cycle 112km (Beauvoir)
02 vendredi: Nager 1.5km (PU)
03 samedi: Cycle 155km (Chambéry)
04 dimanche: Nager 2km (PU), CàP 10km (DU)

En totale: Nager 4km, Cycle 307km, CàP 10km

Ahh.. The sun's really out now, and that has made this long labour day weekend a great training weekend. =)

The highlight of the week has to be cycling, less the getting-hit-by-a-Dacia part. Did some hills on Thursday, then it was a flat and furious ride to Chambéry on Saturday. Even hooked up with a vélo club there and I got to draft them a little! Sweet.

Surprisingly this week I felt pretty strong training-wise, even though I thought that I would have needed some time to recuperate from the marathon.

Next week I'll be resting a couple of days again as I will be going to Amsterdam, then its another long weekend of biking and running I hope!

mes entraînements du semaine W-10

21 lundi: Nager 1km (PU)
22 mardi: CàP 10km (DU)
23 mercredi: CàP 10km (DU)
24 jeudi: Cycle 62km (Le Touvet)
25 vendredi: Nager 2km (PU), CàP 5km (DU)
27 dimanche: CàP 42.195km (Marathon de Lyon)

En totale: Nager 3km, Cycle 62km, CàP 67.195km

mes entraînements du semaine W-11

17 jeudi: Randonné/CàP 12km (Cinque Terre)
19 samedi: CàP 25km (Grenoble and environs)
20 dimanche: Cycle 56km (Le Touvet)

En total: Cycle 56km, CàP 37km

mes entraînements du semaine W-12

07 lundi: Nager 1.8km (PU)
09 mercredi: CàP 20km (DU 2 loops)
13 samedi: CàP 15km (Paris)

En total: Nager 1.8km, CàP 35km

mes entraînements du semaine W-13

01 mardi: Nager 1.2km - 3 x 300m drills (PU)
02 mercredi: Nager 2km (PU), CàP 25km (Grenoble and environs)
03 jeudi: Cycle 93km (D1090 - Pontcharra + D525 - Allevard)
04 vendredi: CàP 20km (Grenoble 2 loops)
05 samedi: CàP 6km - Fartlek (DU)

En total: Nager 3.2km, Cycle 93km, CàP 51km

Not a bad training week; The weather's getting warmer now and its that bit easier to head out for training now. Managed to squeeze in 6 hours of tennis as well as the days are getting longer. Might do a long walk later today as cross training. Let's see how. =)

mes entraînements du semaine W-14

25 mardi: CàP 30km (Grenoble and environs)
26 mercredi: Nager 600m (PU)
27 jeudi: Cycle 10km (truncated due to puncture)
28 vendredi: Nager 1.6km (PU), CàP 19km (la Bastille)
29 samedi: Cycle 93km
30 dimanche: CàP 36km

En total: Nager 2.2km, Cycle 103km, CàP 85km

This week has been pretty good training-wise: The weather was great over the weekend, I did a PB (50mins) doing the 10km Berlioz to Bastille route, and I even managed to cram in 5 hours of tennis! The only blight was getting a flat on Thursday, and having to bike back 10km back to Berlioz - All on a flat rear wheel! And replacing it wasn't cheap either. Véloland only stocked Michelin Pro Race2s in 650c and I had no choice but to get those at €38.90 each!

What will next week toss up for me? =)

mes entraînements du semaine W-15

17 lundi: Nager 1.2km (PU)
18 mardi: Cycle 56km (Le Touvet), CàP 12km
19 mercredi: CàP 11km (DU)

En total: Nager 1.2km, Cycle 56km, CàP 23km

Shortest training week ever! Leaving tomorrow for Berlin and Krakow for the long Easter weekend so that's all for this week. Put in some quality speedwork sessions yesterday and today, and I'll be doing long distances again when I return.

=)

mes entraînements du semaine W-16

10 lundi: Nager 1.8km - 4x300m drills, 4x50m sprints (PU)
12 mercredi: CàP 10km (DU)
14 vendredi: CàP 26km (Grenoble et environs)
15 samedi: Cycle 105km (D1090 - Pontcharra + D525 - Allevard)
16 dimanche: CàP 30km (Le Fontanil)

En total: Nager 1.8km, Cycle 105km, CàP 66km

mes entraînements du semaine W-17

03 lundi: Nager 2km - 3x350m drills, 6x50m sprints (PU)
04 mardi: CàP 17km (Grenoble et environs)
06 jeudi: Cycle 60km (D1090 - Le Touvet), CàP 5km (DU)
07 vendredi: Nager 2.2km (PU)
08 samedi: Cycle 94km (D1090 - Pontcharra + D525 - Allevard)
09 dimanche: CàP 24km (Grenoble et environs)

En total: Nager 4.2km, Cycle 154km, CàP 46km

Had a horrible horrible near-miss accident with a TER on Thursday. Looking back, it was really careless and stupid of me to assume that no trains were approaching before I crossed the tracks. No more "shag cannot think" incidents, simply because there might not be another chance to learn from my mistakes!

Anyway, here are the profiles of my current bike and run routes. The bike route is more or less about 90km, so its good for Ironman training. Terrain is undulating with some nice flat and fast parts, and I intend to throw in a col or two to simulate The Beast in Zurich when I get stronger. The best part is that I get some pretty nice views of lakes and waterfalls on some pretty quiet roads along the way!

As for my run, it is pretty flat save for a major climb about halfway into the loop. Nowadays I run to centrale ville so I add another 3km to the half-marathon loop.

90km to Allevard

21km run loop

mes entraînements du semaine W-18

25 lundi: Nager 1.2km drills (PU)
26 mardi: Cycle 40km (D1090 - Crolles), CàP 5km speedwork (DU)
28 jeudi: Nager 1.6km (PU)
29 vendredi: CàP 23km (Grenoble)
02 dimanche: Cycle 92km (D1090 - Pontcharra + D525 - Allevard)

En total: Nager 2.8km, Cycle 132km, CàP 28km

In related news, I installed my VisionTech aerobars on Wednesday and finally took them out for a spin this afternoon. Wow they made a huge difference to my ride (on the flat and windy stretches at least)! I wonder why I didn't install them earlier.

Anyway, my bike fit seems to have improved after a slight tweak or so on Wednesday as well: No more back aches and I felt just at home with the aerobars. In fact, I did my best Allevard 92km loop so far just now: 3hr15mins. Not bad considering the killer winds and crazy hills!

Looking forward to (hopefully) faster and stronger rides now. =)

DIY-ed the white handlebar tape

new cockpit