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
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
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
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
Thursday, July 1, 2010
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
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
Monday, June 28, 2010
Highs and lows
Well from the highs of one week too the lows of the next. Last week i was really getting into my training well and enjoying getting back into the swing of things, maybe a little too much. After my apparent minor injury on Saturday morning, things really went down hill. Monday morning after swimming, i couldn't walk from the traino to my office without having to stop...oh dear.
Consequently i had Monday night through to Saturday night off. Oh except for when i flipped my roadie and bruised my lower back and backside trying to teach my little sister how to ride her first road bike (oh the sweet irony). So i was a bit down this week!
"Commentating" Saturdays road race with Craig was good fun, and it was good to see Caroline and Lauryn having a good crack pushing the pace in their respective grades. It was also really good to see Brucey and Paige have a really good shot at their first road race with Paige, i'm pretty sure taking out third!? Well done! (my coaching must be doing wonders... :P)
It was off to Jarrahdale after the race to relax and freeze in some classic Jarrahdale temperatures (minus 50 billion), and listen to Grace reminisce how EVERYTHING tastes/sounds/feels/reminds her of Jarrahdale.
Sunday morning rolled around and i felt it was finally time to have a crack at riding again....everything felt good :). Me and Paige smashed out a short but hilly 40k and i felt so good afterwards! I may have smashed it a little hard on the return trip up hill, consequently bringing up my 5 wheatbix and coffee, at the summit of the big climb. It looked delicious. After some deeeeelicious bacon and egg sandwiches i hit the road and made it back home. Good weekend. For some reason i had one of the worst sleeps i have had in a long time on Sunday night, but that didn't stop me from hitting up a good swim this morning. 3.5k and i was feeling good.
Now to carry on this positive feeling through the week ahead! Can't wait. Stay uninjured...
Peace and Love
Markus
Consequently i had Monday night through to Saturday night off. Oh except for when i flipped my roadie and bruised my lower back and backside trying to teach my little sister how to ride her first road bike (oh the sweet irony). So i was a bit down this week!
"Commentating" Saturdays road race with Craig was good fun, and it was good to see Caroline and Lauryn having a good crack pushing the pace in their respective grades. It was also really good to see Brucey and Paige have a really good shot at their first road race with Paige, i'm pretty sure taking out third!? Well done! (my coaching must be doing wonders... :P)
It was off to Jarrahdale after the race to relax and freeze in some classic Jarrahdale temperatures (minus 50 billion), and listen to Grace reminisce how EVERYTHING tastes/sounds/feels/reminds her of Jarrahdale.
Sunday morning rolled around and i felt it was finally time to have a crack at riding again....everything felt good :). Me and Paige smashed out a short but hilly 40k and i felt so good afterwards! I may have smashed it a little hard on the return trip up hill, consequently bringing up my 5 wheatbix and coffee, at the summit of the big climb. It looked delicious. After some deeeeelicious bacon and egg sandwiches i hit the road and made it back home. Good weekend. For some reason i had one of the worst sleeps i have had in a long time on Sunday night, but that didn't stop me from hitting up a good swim this morning. 3.5k and i was feeling good.
Now to carry on this positive feeling through the week ahead! Can't wait. Stay uninjured...
Peace and Love
Markus
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Riding with better riders...
Well it's Sunday night and i am s-m-a-s-h-e-d. I was feeling a little tired during the week, as a result of being a little to eager and jumping into training pretty hard, so i took the smart option, a couple of easy days, well...kind off. I didn't swim Wednesday arvo and it was amazing to be able to leave work and just come straight home!
I had Thursday off work, so it was decided previously in the week i would meet up with Bestie Lauryn and 2nd Mum Caroline for a early morning hills ride. We rolled out at 6am from Lauryn's and headed out through Rockingham and into the hills, up Neddleton (correct spelling??) Road. We road into Jarrahdale stopped for the worlds STRONGEST double shot flat white then road back to Lauryn's. 120k in the tank and i was buggered!! Was a good ride :). I came home relaxed ate an extremely large amount of food, the it was off for a nice 7k cruise with Paigey, and Nugget (Paige's dog). T'was a nice run, with the highlight being Nuggets un-canny ability to find her way home no matter where we were. It was funny watching her trying to lead us the short way home.
Friday unfortunetly work was in the way and i had to miss my second swim off the week!! NOT HAPPY JAN. Not to worry though, i really appreciated the rest and i believe this put me in good stead for the weekend. Friday night turned into one drink and then another, however being the sensible athlete i am, i stopped early and hydrated up with water!
Saturday morning rolled around and it was an early cruisy run around Kings Park with Bennooo, Carloline and Janet. The run was going swimmingly until about 11k through the 12, my right foot got instantly painful. I'm still not sure what happened but it feels as though someone has stood on it/ran over it. Not good. After i limped back to grab a quick coffee (I am quickly becoming an addict) it was off home to get ready for the road race.
The race was at 2pm at Baldivis with it being a graded points race, points for the top 5 over the line, over each of the 6 laps. Unfortunately (to every ones (all my "friends") satisfaction) i was moved to B-grade. Boy wasn't that a shock! I had the intention of trying a break or two, but my god those guys were good. Unfortunately i am not much of a sprinter so i was out sprinted (out of the points) on all the laps but managed to keep up with the boys...untill..with 3k to go, the peleton split. The 4 or 5 guys i was sitting behind, literally, gave up. I was so angry! (I learnt a lot about race tactics this day). I "solo'd" for 3k trying to catch the guys, i didn't give up but i just missed them :( ahh well live and learn.
This was a tough race but a really good training run. I was quite surprised and happy to be moved up to b grade after 1 race, and look forward to the future challenge and moving up further. I was stuffed Sat night and it was an early one for me...(lameo!)
Up early again this morning (Sunday) to meet Clarky and 3 other guys for some hill riding. Wow. I of the guys is heading to the TDF in two weeks to ride and follow TWENTY stages of the tour, the other was a sub 4.30 180k rider. I can honestly say, i have never ever, ever been more physically exhausted after a ride and all most after any type of physical activity. 100k ride, 60 - 70k of hills, with QUALITY riders, i was absolutely exhausted, totally smashed.
But i loved every minute of it. I am so enjoying training at the moment, with people that are much better than me. It lifts your performances 10 fold. My confidence is growing by the day! Unfortunetly my foot is still sore (still unexplainable) but i will just keep of it for a day or two as it is feeling better as time goes on. Tomorrow it's back into the pool finally :) and the usual afternoon core and upper body set. Can't wait. Hope all winter training is going well peeps. Hopefully i will see you out there. Keep it rubber side down...unless you are wearing a rubber helmet...?
I need some sleep...
Cheers
Markus
I had Thursday off work, so it was decided previously in the week i would meet up with Bestie Lauryn and 2nd Mum Caroline for a early morning hills ride. We rolled out at 6am from Lauryn's and headed out through Rockingham and into the hills, up Neddleton (correct spelling??) Road. We road into Jarrahdale stopped for the worlds STRONGEST double shot flat white then road back to Lauryn's. 120k in the tank and i was buggered!! Was a good ride :). I came home relaxed ate an extremely large amount of food, the it was off for a nice 7k cruise with Paigey, and Nugget (Paige's dog). T'was a nice run, with the highlight being Nuggets un-canny ability to find her way home no matter where we were. It was funny watching her trying to lead us the short way home.
Friday unfortunetly work was in the way and i had to miss my second swim off the week!! NOT HAPPY JAN. Not to worry though, i really appreciated the rest and i believe this put me in good stead for the weekend. Friday night turned into one drink and then another, however being the sensible athlete i am, i stopped early and hydrated up with water!
Saturday morning rolled around and it was an early cruisy run around Kings Park with Bennooo, Carloline and Janet. The run was going swimmingly until about 11k through the 12, my right foot got instantly painful. I'm still not sure what happened but it feels as though someone has stood on it/ran over it. Not good. After i limped back to grab a quick coffee (I am quickly becoming an addict) it was off home to get ready for the road race.
The race was at 2pm at Baldivis with it being a graded points race, points for the top 5 over the line, over each of the 6 laps. Unfortunately (to every ones (all my "friends") satisfaction) i was moved to B-grade. Boy wasn't that a shock! I had the intention of trying a break or two, but my god those guys were good. Unfortunately i am not much of a sprinter so i was out sprinted (out of the points) on all the laps but managed to keep up with the boys...untill..with 3k to go, the peleton split. The 4 or 5 guys i was sitting behind, literally, gave up. I was so angry! (I learnt a lot about race tactics this day). I "solo'd" for 3k trying to catch the guys, i didn't give up but i just missed them :( ahh well live and learn.
This was a tough race but a really good training run. I was quite surprised and happy to be moved up to b grade after 1 race, and look forward to the future challenge and moving up further. I was stuffed Sat night and it was an early one for me...(lameo!)
Up early again this morning (Sunday) to meet Clarky and 3 other guys for some hill riding. Wow. I of the guys is heading to the TDF in two weeks to ride and follow TWENTY stages of the tour, the other was a sub 4.30 180k rider. I can honestly say, i have never ever, ever been more physically exhausted after a ride and all most after any type of physical activity. 100k ride, 60 - 70k of hills, with QUALITY riders, i was absolutely exhausted, totally smashed.
But i loved every minute of it. I am so enjoying training at the moment, with people that are much better than me. It lifts your performances 10 fold. My confidence is growing by the day! Unfortunetly my foot is still sore (still unexplainable) but i will just keep of it for a day or two as it is feeling better as time goes on. Tomorrow it's back into the pool finally :) and the usual afternoon core and upper body set. Can't wait. Hope all winter training is going well peeps. Hopefully i will see you out there. Keep it rubber side down...unless you are wearing a rubber helmet...?
I need some sleep...
Cheers
Markus
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