Training Log Archive: Rowl

Late to the surf club session because the roof racks were adjusted for the bathtub and I managed to crack 3 nuts but couldnt get the 4th until I got a hammer out and got angry.

Got out on the water and was glad to spot the surf club on the inlet, if I caught up I could do the rest of the session, which turned out to be a 1km time trial. Managed 5:45 which I am pretty happy about, but the knee didnt enjoy the agressive leg driving and by the end wouldnt hold for the whole stroke.

Finished the session with starts - I actually managed some semi reasonable one. In the last one, where we all started together I was on and paddling in the same time as the slower clubbies.

Super disorganised tonight, almost forgot my paddle and I did forget my towel.

Event: MTB Orienteering - Pickering Brook
 

Kept trying to tell myself that I was out in the bush on my bike, I should be enjoying myself - but it didnt seem to be working.

Managed to fall off right in front of Sam and Mark trying to negotiate a rut on the way to the start line and look like a right gumby, ego was slightly bruised :-(

Found 1 & 2 easy then faffed around at 3 for at least 30min failing to find the start of overgrown tracks and then despite being on the right track thinking it was the wrong track and turning back because I wrongly assumed that large fallen trees across the track would be shown on the map.

Finally got to 3 and had a mini tantrum to let off some steam, then continued on to find the rest of the controls easy. Unfortunately all the extra riding and carrying I did around 3 sapped all of the energy out of my leg and my knee was already cranky so I had to go mind numbingly slowly for the rest of the course.

My mapboard which I tightened extra tight this time still managed to work its way off the rubber strip and go all floppy - so in between cursing at my knee, I cursed at that instead.

Finished just a little bit grumpy....

C • The track to #3 9

Good fun paddle with Wal's caffienated team from the UWA rowing club around Herrison Island and back, with me filling in for Jill since she is still on holidays.

Wal and I were paddling the bathrub and Robbie and Louise were paddling a big yellow kayak. Despite the fact that we were slower than the kayak this was the best paddle we've ever had together in the bathtub. I felt strong and in control of my stroke the whole way and really enjoyed having Wals strength in the back to power us along.

In the flat water we were able to ride the wash of the kayak, but I think their steering was about as good as ours because they were zig zagging everywhere and it was a huge mental effort to continuously correct the steering to stay behind them.

Coming back across the bay was fun but wet as the bow of the ski was alternating between being under water and way up in the air. Wally told me off for an uneven paddle stroke which would have been easy to fix if I knew whether my paddle was going to be pushing on water or air and I wasnt being used as a wave deflector.

Robbie and Louise had a good laugh at us as they ploughed through the chop with the front of their kayak deflecting all the waves downwards and they only got a bit wet from paddle splash. By the time we got back I was drenched and had an icecream headache from the cold water hitting me in the face.

Mmmm, white chocolate and raspberry muffin and maple tea at Robbies house for my efforts, while I jealously listened to their team planning.

Knee was cranky yesterday - maybe I pushed too hard on the bike yesterday morning, and I think it is still suffering slightly from all the walking on the weekend. A bit better this morning, but I'm still not sure whether to walk at lunchtime, a bit of gentle walking seems to help.

Rode out along the estuary and limestone track, then back along the road.
HR function wasnt working for some reason but I felt like was working pretty hard. Legs felt flat again this morning.

It was still dark when I started and I had lots of rabbits, and a pair of mating birds playing chicken with me this morning.

Damn it - I've only had the 310XT for 4 days now and it has already had an accident... The screen is cracked pretty bad and I need to send it back for repairs :-(

C • 'Chicken' 5

A really easy session with the surf club cut a little bit short to get to my Pilates class.

500m easy
500m pull
500m kick
500m long and easy
300m long and easy with fins (and supposedly paddles but as mine have been nicked and there were no spares I missed out)

Some good tips from the coach were:
- roll like a pig on a spit around your arm when breathing
- kick up as well as down
- make sure your hand doesnt cross your centreline because it turns you to the side (could be why I have been ploughing into the lane rope...) should enter the water mid way between ear and shoulder

Close to the end of the session I glanced over at the lost property pile and spotted my pull bouy - score!!

Also got introduced to Mr Smooth
Mr Smooth

A little bit tired at Pilates, felt more inclined to just lie back on the mat and stretch, partilcularly at the beginning of the class. Woke up by the end, Pilates always makes me feel happy and bouncy!

We did an against the wall posture test and I got scored a 2 out of 3, which the instructor said was really good as she has only ever given one person a 3, everyone else in the class got either a 0 or 1 (not that I'm competitive or anything...)

More hopping practice this morning - feel like I am slowly getting better but still a stiff hop rather than a bouncy hop.

Managed 3 x 10 fairly respectable single leg decline squats getting my knee just level with my toes

Another technique session with the surf club and the maiden voyage of my new training toy (310XT). I didnt use my virtual partner this session because it was stop/start but Wally has insisted I name her "Pamela - my silcon friend".

Paddled out into Koombana Bay and pretty much repeated Tuesday's session. I was slightly better at the starts this time and even managed 2 respectable ones where I got both legs in, stayed upright and didnt drop the paddle or get it tangled between my legs.

Feeling a pretty good connection with the paddle and ski today. One tip from the coach was to imagine you are pushing the ski forward through the water with your heel each time you leg drive, another was to pause the front hand near the end of the stroke while bringing the back hand up into position for the start of the stroke. These tips seem to be helping.

Rode out along the estuary. I got up a bit late and the legs were feeling a bit flat this morning so the 1hr ride got cut a little bit short.

Almost forgot, breakthrough of the morning was that my leg is now strong enough to let me stand up briefly and pedal across a road - YAY!!

First swim back with the surf club - luckily for me they are on a recovery week in their training plan so it was a good time to start back swimming and paddling with them.

After telling Chris I was there to make him feel fast I blitzed past him in the warmup and even managed to keep up in the kick. Quads died a horrible death in the first kicking drill and I dropped back a whole lap (I also managed to lose a flipper twice by catching it on the lane rope)

I took it fairly easy but didnt want to get in the way so pushed hard enough to keep up with the others in my lane (the slow lane) and was impressed at making it through the entire session.

400m easy
400m kick
400m pull
Main set 8 x 200m with fins
1st - 6/6/6 kicks on Lside/front/Rside
2nd - catchup
3rd - hmm, can't remember
4th & 5th - catch & scratch
6th & 7th - fists
8th - long & easy focusing on good technique
600m pull & paddles @ 65%
200m backstroke easy (I did the last 100m as freestyle)