Winna winna chicken dinnaaaaa!

Haha what a fantastic title...

Well another pretty big week this week and i am chuffed. Monday i was still in the pain box pretty bad, but made it to the Monday morning swim and managed to put in 100%, i struggled but i got the k's in :). Johno and i managed a nice few easy running k's in the arvo - a nice and very much needed recovery run.

Tuesday morning and due to some impeding potentially dannnngerous weather conditions Andy and I decided to hit up a good little interval wind trainer set, good work. Tuesday arvo was the usual hills set with the training crew - however we were cut one hill short as the ridiculous amount rain was actually making it hard to see/run. Wednesday and thanks to discovering the greatest swimming aid in the world (the forearm fulcrum) i was able to FINALLY get a double set in!! Super super happy chappy, and felt good to get two swims in in one day. Thursday and i got in a quick ride to and from work with a run off the bike after. Bricks are the best form of training, love them.

Friday and it was my usual day off work - yayzers! Up early for a good swim and some gooddd brekky with seano and scotty. Andy and I had planned a big ride but once again the horrible weather got in the way - we decided to hit up a well over 2 hour windtrainer set, the only reason we survived was thanks to Kona 08 and Ironman NZ 08 (the dvd's) and each others company.

We then went off to grab some lunch and after visiting the travel agent, i hit up the podiatrist to get the low down on my foot problems. The good news being (to cut a long story short) all good and i am clear to train - woot!! Afterwards Andy and I booked our tickets to NZ to race in Jan! Then it was off to jess' for her 80's themed 21st bday. T'was a good night, with the highlights being the inappropriate use of an airhorn and hot cross buns with andy and paige using beer bottles. Good times. And happy birthday jess, hope you had a good one :)

Saturday and after a nice sleep in it was off to Wandi for another Peel road race (not before spotting how amazing andy and i looked in thie photo...ok maybe just me...). I was feeling a little flat but looking forward to a good hit out. Just before we started Nathan approached me and asked if i was interested to mix it up with a bit of an attempt at a break early on. All ways keen to make myself and more so other people suffer i jumped at the opportunity.

We rolled out at 2pm and for 6 x 9k laps, it was windy as and the wandi course was quite undulating. On the start of lap 2 Nathan and I broke, we successfully got away, but wow, i blew up big time. We were eventually caught a few minutes later and i was suffering big time. I was honestly hurting so bad and was really struggling to hang onto the back of the group. I was really considering dropping out, but wow i am glad i didn't. At the end of lap 2 i was back onto the back of the pack when Nathan approached me again - "lets break again". Great i though, but was keen to at least help him out. The start of lap three and we broke again. This time with a third person, and this time it stuck.

The whole third lap we were working so hard, and just keeping the pack at bay. Then we got out of sight and broke them. However we didn't let up and continued to work, rolling through continuously for 4 laps. The way we were working was the best i have ever worked with anyone riding ever. We were all working equally and not letting up, it was awesome. By the end of the final lap, we had built up an uncatchable lead. I was gone and was just so so happy to have built up such a big lead. With about 300 meters to go the third person that broke with us lead Nathan and I out and let us sprint it out. Like i said i was gone and thought Nathan would have it but somehow i managed to find some sprint legs and get up and beat him!! I was super super happy and proud as we'd all done and equal amount of work so any of us deserved the win.

Afterwards i was toast but managed to make the drive up to Jarrahdale and head out for a short 4k run "off the (delayed) bike". Was nice but i was glad i got it done, because to use a phrase from last week, i was in the box, again haha. The rest of the night was filled with a couple of beers, some nice dinner, an intenseeee game of battle ships and a relaxing night on the couch :)

After a great "wake-up call" from paigey (a shove in the back and being dragged off the bed) i was up and ready for a nice cruisy 12k run through the Jarrahdale forrest with Todd, Elyse and Paige. Was a good run and a nice easy pace. The rest of the day was spent at Jarrahdale and then Murdoch open day with Paige...and me being an extremely tired sore little b*tch. Haha oh dear mark, how sad.

Well overall a really good week of training and other happenings. I am feeling good and looking forward to another week of tough training and my first proper running hit out for the season next sunday with the City to Surf Half Marathon on the weekend. Can't wait.

Keep training hard and stay happy people. I certainly am. :)

Cheers, markus.