I am running out of blog titles...

Well here I am sitting in Jarrahdale, on another warm night *sarcasm*. The reality is I think this is the coldest town in the entire world. I think it has actually snowed here before, but everyone was so frozen it wasn’t able to be recorded.

The last few weeks has given me a lot of time to think about all of the aspects of my life, training and otherwise. There is nothing like a little bit of sickness and some life changing events to get you thinking about certain aspects of your life.

Something that I have truly come to realise is the massive part that music pays in my life. But also the fact that, man, my music collection needs expanding (since I lost 90% of it on my old computer). But I am getting there. On the train on my way to work, in the car on the way to swimming or smashing myself up Neddleton Road, music can really really set the mood, and I believe define moments of our lives.

So often now I find myself listening to tracks and associating them with various (good or bad) moments in my life. This can be trap however as I have had the occasional song ruined by an associated memory, moments from high school to current day. But man I do have some good memories with regards to various songs.

This general time of sickness and more work commitments has given me a lot of time to think, on an early morning or late night train to work, or an early morning (over tired) drive to swimming. These are all times I believe where I come across my best thoughts. My definition of good thoughts and the general consensus may differ though... :/

Then bam, it hits me. Wow, life is wayyyy to short. Life is too short to be unhappy, to be unfit, to be lazy, to plan, to postpone, to sleep in! I mean sure you have to stop and think about certain things, haha you can’t be tooooo stupid (I think we have all learnt that the hard way)... But life is too short, to be unhappy that’s for sure and we can all be responsible for our own happiness. I don’t believe in fate, everyone has control over their own destiny and now is the time to take control and make yourself happy..time to make me happy. :)

Anyway I thought this was a training blog...

On a more training based approach...this week has been a mix of ups and downs. Monday through Wednesday I was really on a roll. Double swim set Monday, and I FINALLLY got a killer run in on Tuesday! Tuesday was pretty much the happiest day of the week. It was the usual hills run with squad. This week was a warm up, 5 x 1k sets of up across down across up across down across (wow that is really confusing to read..). Brian had told the front group (myself included in this group) to run them on 4.30’s. This was a little worrying due to my complete lack of running over the past month and a half.

This was not going to bother me though, after instructions from the physio to run more and longer distances I was ready to really smash out the sets. The first one was a relatively each one, coming in just over 4.10, which I was pretty happy with. The next two I picked up the pace and dropped the group. I was feeling really good, and so fricken happy to be running hard again. That’s it I thought to myself, I’ll give everything on these last two laps, after all, to use a favourite quote of mine “I wasn’t there for a haircut”.

I set of on the second last one as it was the final one, something I love to do. It really makes you realise how deep you can actually go, and such a massive part of our sport, and any sport is the mental game. When you think you are giving 110% you really aren’t.

3.26, BAM! That was awesome, I was gone but man it felt good, 1 mins rest before the next one, I was off again. I was absolutely gone but I pushed deep, and decided not to look at my watch. 3.26, gahhh what are the odds!?! The exact same time again?? At least I didn’t positive split. I was so gone afterwards and could only manage and jog/walk warm down back to the car. But god I was happy.

Wednesday was an awesome set. 1k time trial. Oh wait, in an extra large t-shirt. My god killer killer killer. With still close to 3k to swim afterwards, the lane dwindled to 2 finishers. Satisfying set. Unfortunately from here the training aspect of my week went downhill. Work took over and I was unable to make the arvo swim set. Thursday mornings ride went out the window, due to a great night had out with some good mates on Wednesday (life’s too short to let opportunities like that slip by once in a while). Cruisy nights out with good mates are good for the soul.

Thursday night was spent watching the tour and praying Schleck could break “Pisterello” (urgh worst nickname ever). Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, but it was awesome to watch two of our generations greatest athletes battle it out.

Friday was a write off, I had such good intentions....until the call from my boss way to early in the morning, “are you able to come into work?” Dayum. Ruined.

Saturday and I finally got the chance to test out the Argon with at 808/1080 set up. OH MY GOD amazing amazing amazing, to find out more, please see photo :P

Then it was off to Jarrahdale, as soon as I got there it was onto the bike for 2 repeats up Jarrahdale road. I went really hard on the first one, but was confident to try and negative split the second one. Good news was I did, by over 50 seconds; I was super psyched, but goneeee. After an awesome dinner, it was off for the best night trek through the Jarrahdale forest with Paigey. The highlight of the night being the massive massive paddock we found with a massive number of wild Kangaroos as well as the rocky out crop we found, the highest point of the paddock. Was schweetttt.

The next morning I was up early to hit up Neddleton road before our planed group training run. The ride was tough and I hit up the entire route in the big chain ring. Tough tough tough but really good. I’d finished and grabbed some brekky and everyone started to rock up for the run. I was told by Brian I would be running two 10k loops. We had no idea how tough the course was but we quickly found out, undulating for 2.5k on the road, then ridiculous ridiculous ridiculously huge hills off road for the next 2.5k and return. The run was so tough only 3 of us could make it out for the second lap, respect to everyone else running it though, this course was the hardest I had even run.

I ended up smashing the run and felt so so excellent. This was well over double the furthest I had run since Busso and I was so happy with the results. However I was absolutely goneee after the run and had to have a close to two hour nap before I left for home.

Overall a really good weekend, and as I lay hear on my bed absolutely gone, I am very satisfied with the weekend happenings training and all. 10 weeks to Gold Coast and I am really starting to feel confident and am RARING to go.

Train hard, live happy people

Markus

Training training training

Well the start of the week didn't go to well, mon tues i was sick as a dog, couldn't even make it to work :( by the time wed came around i was starting to feel better. But if I've learnt anything from these last few months, it was not to push myself and let my body recover more. Thursday came around and thanks to the vitamins and extra sleep i was feeling really good again.

I hit up a big hills ride with scotty to hotty, my place to Jarrahdale and back. The ride was great and was a really good hit out. It was the first try out on the new Argon, she was amazing :) :) I was just happy to be riding again and really enjoyed my self.

I missed swimming on Friday morning, which means it was a no swim week this week :/ BUT i got a TEN K run in with Seano at lunch time!! This is the furthest i have run since Busso at the start of May and i was so happy to be running relatively pain free!

Saturday rocked up and it was off to road racing as usual, this time it was a 50k HILLY HILLY HILLY out and back. I was in the 3rd last group to go, and the first pack to go had 25 mins on us, this was going to be tough. We set off and as we hit the first climb within 2 k, i shed my entire group. Great i thought to my self, i rode alone to the first turn around, 25k, and i rode hard. I was pretty happy with my self as i had put a lot of time into everyone in front of me, but Paige and Caroline we riding really well, i was worried! :/

As i got to the turn around the A/other B grade boys caught me, riding solo had taken its toll, and the group of 7 (of them) had worked well, but i jumped into the pack, ate the last of my lollies and with 25k to go put my head down and went for it. After working hard with the group for 15k Nathan and I made a break. And it stuck, a couple of k later i saw Paige up the road, she was riding fricken well, we were putting on a mean pace and as we passed her, i sat up for not even a second to let her jump on the train.

She had absolutely no problem and we were away again, working fricken hard. With 4k to go we caught Clarky, she was riding incredibley hard and had done a fricken awesome job holding us off for the win, i honest though she had it. I felt pretty bad as she couldn't quite jump on the train :(

The finish was INTENSE there were five of us me, nathan, paige and 2 others, riding at well over 50k an hour trying to break each other. I went so deep and was sure i had the win with 20 meters to go. Unfortunately it wasn't to be and the boys pipped me! Ahhh bummer but not to worry, i worked so hard in that race and was happy with the effort. I was also pretty happy i didn't get chicked....wow that would have been realllyyy embarrassing..hahaha.

I was buggered afterwards and after catching the tour with the Bowmans and Clarkys, fell asleep pretty well.

Then it was up and at 'em again this morning, for another hills ride...who's great idea was this :/ it was a struggle but was another really good ride. :)

Got a run this arvo and then back to swimming on Mon, i have 6 swims to do this week...ekk!! Cant wait! And i'll be back running yay! Really looking forward to be back at it again, properly! TOUCH WOOD :P

Stay classy guys and train hard.

Reeeeeeegards

Markus :)

Hmmm

Oh the sweet irony of the title of my last post..

Since then i hit up 2 sweet swims and 3 wind trainer sets in 3 days, and i was feeling goodddd. Saturday came around and i wasn't feeling 100%, however i decided to hit up my usual road race regardless. I was left in B grade even though i hadn't raced for 3 weeks and was ready to get smashed. Farrr out the pace was hot from the start, 7 laps - 9k each, and an honest pace not dropping below 40kph. As if that wasn't bad enough, constant attempts at breaks. It was tough! I was keen in keeping it real though and doing my work at the front and working on catching attempted breaks.

This was all going swimmingly until the end of lap 5/start of lap 6, long story short, the final break that broke the proverbial back. I was soooo annoyed. Again i found myself in the position of trying to "solo" to get back into the pack, what i realised at this time was however, we had shredded a lot of riders over the five laps. After a whole lap of trying to keep in touch it was pretty clear that the pack weren't going to let me catch up.

I used the last lap as more of a warm down and made sure i thanked all of the the guys who all ways spend their time out the at the corners stopping cars etc. Good on you! :)

Things haven't got much better, as i woke up this morning feeling worse (flu)...a day off and I'll see how i feel in the morning..fingers crossed. But if there is one thing i have learnt over these past few weeks, it's to be patient and recover properly.

I hope you peeps are having a little more luck than me :) keep training hard over the winter! And in the words of Bear Grylls "when you are not training, someone else is training, and when you meet them, they will win". Haha but what about taper time and recovery Bear? :P

Cheers guys

Markus

Back on track

Well, its been an interesting few days, but i am happy to say i am getting back on track! Swimming has been going swimmingly (wow, i am so sorry...lame) and i have been enjoying smashing some good sets out. After the physio on Friday, my foot was taped, ultra-sounded and iced and i went for a short run Saturday. Good news, no instant pain, but still some aching. But this was a good sign.

Unfortunately some family commitments prevented me from doing any training Saturday (no road racing) and most of Sunday. However i did manage to fit in a nice 120k into the hills Sunday arvo. With our recent snap of cold weather here in Perth, it was a bit of a shock riding back at 6pm and all most freezing to death. Some stomach cramps weren't helping either, but i think that was a gel/nutrition problem.

Monday it was back into the pool for another good set. I had planned a double swim but UNFORTUNATELY i had to miss it to pick up my new roadie!! :D so excited, nice little Giant TCR Advanced, just what i need. Can't wait to smash some k's on it. Tuesday was back to the physio again and things are getting better. Less pain, so it (my right foot) was strapped again, and i am instructed too to two short runs this week, the first on Friday. Can't wait. Afterwards i poped in to see my new Argon E-114 being built up. OMG she looks beautifullll :) will (fingers crossed get her on Thurs).

Another good swim this morning, and can't wait to smash out another this arvo. I will be picking up the new Argon on Thurs or Fri, so can't wait to get out on both new bikes this weekend!! Which one to ride? Wow i've never had that choice before :P

Stay classy readers

Markusssssssssssss

Reader Requests

Well, i was quite surprised to see that my last blog attracted a bit of attention from some (all be it a little crazy) "fans". And as i sit here, under trained, injured and fairly annoyed, i can't help but think of one of the requests from one of the "fans"; injury tips.

I guess my words of wisdom would be as follows. Listen to your body! So many times people have made the grave mistake, "ahh, she'll be right", "i'll just train, through it", oh dear what a mistake indeed. As soon as you feel a niggle coming, stop and re-asses. Have i felt this before? How much does it actually hurt? Is it related to a previous injury? Make a smart decision, either stop training, or ease it up and cruise home. If it's to bad, call for someone to pick you up (another reason why you should all ways carry a mobile with you when training - except for swimming...).

Trust me as i am learning the hard way now, it's so much better giving up one set, just as a precaution, rather than two, three, four weeks. However most injuries can be prevented, how?? Warming up and cooling down, properly. Dynamic stretches while warming up (movements stretches) and Static stretches when cooling down, are the most effective to prevent injuries. Walk for 5 or 10 minutes after every session, this keeps your blood flowing for oxygen delivery and lactic acid removal.

Eating right, Protein and Magnesium promotes muscle growth and repair, hydration helps the body recover better, and you'll cramp a hell of a lot less, with the correct levels of salts and sodium. Ice baths (and to a lesser extent hot and cold showers) reduce muscle swelling and damage as well as compression gear, i.e. socks, tights etc.

Probably most important is sleep (learn from your own advice Mark...). Your body repairs its self when we are sleeping. If we deprive ourselves of sleep, we deprive ourselves of recovery and repair, which will, trust me, catch up with us in the long run.

As for hip pain - the best recovery methods are as follows. Rest, Ice and Heat Application, Stretching, Anti-Inflammatory Medication and Physical Therapy. ;)

Well that about sums up my brief knowledge. As for my self. Monday i was back in the pool and feeling good, 3.5k under the belt. I was ready to ease back into running on Tuesday, i arrived early and with a nice little warm up under my belt, i set off. 100 meters good, 150 sweet, 200 GAME OVER. Instant pain back in my foot. As a result i have been pretty shattered the rest of the week and am visiting the Physio tomorrow. I will keep you posted.

Well that's about it for me. Keep training smart and recovering properly, trust me, injuries suck.

Cya out there peeps.

Markus