Week 11- More training and Mooloolaba Tri

Week 11 got off to a good start. Despite a 5hr ride on Sunday, I felt good. 

I decided to run to work for my long run on Tuesday. I ran for 1hr:45 and covered 16kms.  It was a nice easy pace and also decided to try out my race kit. A two piece 2XU endurance suit. I wore the tri shorts for cycling on sunday and they went well so I have decided that I am not going to change between legs ( one less thing to worry about on race day).

Jac E and I caught up again on Cootha on Wednesday morning. We both commented on what a beautiful morning it was and how lucky we were to be out cycling and on such a nice day. I ran from work on Wednesday night to meet Brett at the pool. Out of all the sessions I find the Wednesday night run the hardest. Whilst it is only a 30-40min easy run the lead up of the long run on Tuesday and Cootha's Wednesday morning leaves me feeling really tired.

I enjoyed a squad run on Thursday morning. Despite feeling really tired I managed a few sub 5min km efforts. The coffee afterwards was the best.

Friday morning I had the day off training and Brett left me in charge of packing the car for Mooloolaba. We arrived at the pool ( Valentino our cat and I) ready for our road trip.

I managed to get through the week without being evicted by Brett!!! Whilst I felt tired, not nearly as bad as the previous week and felt more on top on things at home. Guess I have got my routine a bit more sorted.

Saturday morning the various BTS IM people met early (5am) for a 1hr30min ride before the squad ride. In total we did 3 hours ( about 85kms). I was a bit nervous about being tired for the race on Sunday, but Mark reassured us that we had put in the training to cope with this before our race.

Sunday morning arrived, it was a bit cool. I scored an early wave start of 7:06. The swim went well and I hit the beach in 28 mins, my total swim time including transition was 28:55. I started to freak out at one stage as there seemed to be no one else around me and I was beginning to think I had missed a buoy. My swim training is paying off ( my best 1500metres to date at Noosa has been 30:20).  My friends Alex, Tim and their son Edward managed to capture my swim exit on video. Ed ( who is 8) didn't quite get my head in the shot but managed to get a lovely butt shot in my pink BTS tri suit. Brett kindly said my butt running up the stairs looked like two possums fighting. ( my husband is so charming lucky I am not the sensitive type).  The video certainly provided plenty of laughs post race.

Out on the bike course I felt like a pro rider, the tailwind was pushing me along at just over 40kms per hour. However I could tell by the way people were swearing and scowling on their way back towards me that the headwind wasn't going to be pretty after the 20km turnaround.  At times I was lucky to hold 20kms per hour on the way back.

Half way through the course one of our Friday morning coffee friends Fiona passed me.  We spent the next 15 kms battling the headwind together and having a bit of a laugh about the conditions. (of course ensuring we were the draft legal distance!!!)  Fi is amazing, she has powered through the training after having her first daughter Evie, just over 8 months ago. Very inspiring. One of our other friends Ann, who also had Annecy 8 or so months ago was also competing.( well done ladies, juggling motherhood and training). I think my life is tough and I only have myself to think about before training.

I finished the bike in 1hr:19 rack to rack( avg pace 30km/hr total bike split 1:23  ( 4 minute transition time( clearly taken by aliens for that part). My legs felt tired but I still felt strong.  

The run leg is my least favourite and knew I just had to truck through it. The hills at Mooloolaba make for a tough run. I set out on the run course and through the tunnel. I was on the look out for Robson from Active Stride ( Robson said if I didn't look like I was running fast enough when he saw me he was going to give me a hard time ( I think I hit the tunnel at just under 5min/km pace, this wasn't going to last though).  As I hit the first hill I heard my friends yelling at me from their balcony this was a great boost.  I hit the first turn around point sitting at about 5min15sec pace. Then it was up the headland again into the wind. On the second lap around the wind seemed like it was stronger and on the way up the girl beside me said don't you hate this hill ( not what I needed to hear!!) She did however add that I must know heaps of people as there seemed to be lots of people yelling out go B.  I think the pink tri suit stands out. My husband tells me I spent too much time socialising on the run course.  This was reconfirmed by my BTS friends Alicia and Sarah who commented that there was way to much smiling going on and not enough "running ugly".  Despite what seemed like a tough run that took forever I finished in 53:20 ( avg pace 5min19sec) ( total time surprisingly 17seconds quicker than my Noosa run time, which indicates that my running is getting stronger).

One thing that makes me laugh is that it normally takes me nearly as long to get back to the squad tent after the race, as it does the actual race. I find myself constantly running into people and stopping for chat to see how their race went.

My total  Mooloolaba race time was 2hrs:45mins:xx. I was happy with my efforts and felt good after my first few solid weeks of IM training. A very good training day out.

All in all a great week and weekend. I am feeling more confident leading into the next few weeks before the half at Port on the 1st May.