April 8, 2007 at 5:21 pm · Filed under Swimming, Triathlon
Sundays now seem to be the day for upside down triathlons. This morning I nipped out for a short run around Chswick and Barnes Bridge to check out the aftermath of the boat race.
Gorgeous morning, the river seemed to be teeming with kayaks for a change.
After a longish transition involving the production of potato and gherkin salad and relaxation in a luxurious bath I headed out with the Stumpjumper only to return to the house a few minutes later to collect the forgotten helmet. I see a disqualification heading my way if I don’t sort out this mental block before Stratford. Bounced around Richmond Park for a bit before arriving at Hampton pool.
I am beginning to think that swimming is never going to be my thing. I haven’t really read any more of the total immersion book so I quickly flicked to chapter 8 (the drills section) while I was in the bath this morning, that just scared me so then I started flicking through in search of breathing tips. I saw a few references to yogic breathing which I know about but have never really tried under water. Book closed – non the wiser.
Started off in the pool “pushing the buoy”, then remembered to breath. Started the next length focusing on breathing. Breathing every third 3rd arm flap seems manageable but while I’m in this routine I seem to forget about pushing the chest down. Revert to pushing chest down then immediately stop breathing again. Bob up to the top gasping for oxygen after about 12 arm flaps. Finaly fall back into the ever so slow, vertical, head shaking, bilateral breathing technique that I started with before I wasted cash on umpteen books and special vacuum sealing goggles.
Got out of pool, devoured delicious potato salad and started smiling again.
Popularity: 37% [?]
Related posts
Tags: stumpjumper, Swimming, Triathlon
April 1, 2007 at 9:02 pm · Filed under Cycling, Swimming
It was time for some bike maintenance in the warriorwomen household today, very little zen involved just plenty of swearing. I clearly need a bigger flat – how am I supposed to watch the telly between all those spokes?
I headed out for Hampton outdoor pool this morning and I took the stumpjumper hoping that a little agitation on the dry trails in Richmond Park would dislodge the mudpack that has been covering her for the last month. It didn’t. Seemed to send plenty of sand between my disk pads though and I now have two bikes with dragging brakes. Hence the maintenance. Although I think it must be great training to ride with the rear brake permanently on, I really don’t won’t to compete in next months tri with any additional resistance. I won’t go into details about my workshop skills other than to say I broke my best tweezers, a pair of nail clippers, bent two forks and a knife, lost the skin off a knuckle and acquired two tiny little bruises on either hand.
After last weeks sorry attempt at swimming I’ve been reading up on the total immersion technique. I was too busy practising drills in the pool to count lengths but I’m kind of hoping I covered off stacks of them. I don’t like counting lengths, I always forget where I got to and then start arguing with myself about whether I should be on an odd or even number as I arrive at the side I started from and then I wonder how I ever managed to pass my maths exams.
The total immersion tecnique requires you to “push the buoy” which means pushing your lungs into the pool so your arse bobs out of the water like a cork, swim tall by keeping your arm outstretched until replaced by the t’other arm, and probably a few other things as well but I’ve only read the first few chapters. They don’t cover breathing in those few chapters so although I’ve sussed out how to swim with my head in the water I still have to flap around like a drowning thing every third of a pool.
Popped into a neighbouring pub on the way out for a mammoth sunday roast and a totally unnecessary but quite delightful apple crumble and custard. Made the ride home quite a struggle though.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Related posts
Tags: Richmond Park, stumpjumper, Swimming
February 27, 2007 at 12:34 am · Filed under Bikes, Commuting, Cycling, Off road
The bike shop rang unexpectedly today to say that the Stumpjumper was fixed already! Seems the shock failure wasn’t so catastrophic after all, but it did somehow swing around to being all my fault again. Ho hum!
I left the shop with a rejuvenated bike and a swanky new high pressure suspension pump. Apart from that I wasn’t in the slightest bit prepared for my cycle ride today. I didn’t have my spd’s, helmet, lights or a map/gps to help me get from Liverpool Street to Mortlake and I didn’t have a clue how to get home.
By 6pm in February it is way too dark to cycle without lights so I’m afraid I had to “share” pavement space with the peds to save myself a 10 mile walk. I decided to hug the river home as the pavements are wider and there was more chance of finding cycle paths. Also, as I live on the river, provided I picked the right direction I was bound to find my flat eventually.
The embankment is absolutely beautiful at this time of the night so I overloaded my phone with night shots. I think the Samsung D900 handles low light conditions particularly well.
Still trying to avoid both pedestrian and vehicular collisions I took the rash option of the Thames trail from Putney to Hammersmith Bridge. Without lights or even a segment of moon the track was pretty darn scary – my first attempt at night riding.
The path was so waterlogged that at one point I worried that I’d managed to ride off the bank and into the Thames.
There were a peculiar amount of runners choosing this spooky stretch for their evening run, given the choice I would definately opt for the bright lights of the embankment.
Got home eventually, absolutely filthy and determined to eat more carrots.
Stumpy went in the shower and blocked my bath up again so I’m not sure where I’m going to get cleaned up today.
I missed my usual date with the treadmill this evening due to all the excitement so I’ll have to try and pick that up tomorrow if I can ignore the ironing for another day.
Popularity: 32% [?]
Related posts
Tags: GPS, stumpjumper, thames
August 27, 2006 at 4:50 pm · Filed under Running
I didn’t run yesterday, not sure why, I was feeling a bit under the weather I suppose and lethargic. I felt really restless by the end of the day though and nearly took myself out for a jog at midnight. Trouble is my routes aren’t really suitable for solitary night time runs. I made sure I was up nice and early this morning to ensure I got some running in.
I went out to Richmond Park with the intention of joining the Nike training run but I miss judged the distance to the start. After walking 6k and finding I was still miles off the start point, I decided to just turn around and run home again.
Its a slightly hillier route than I’m used too but I spent as much time descending as climbing so I still recorded my standard 35 mins for a 5k. I hope I’ll be able to get this down to 30 mins eventually. Richmond Park is quite a good area for running, you can see from the satellite image that their are plenty of route options across the park, I reckon I could get loads of different length routes here. I feel pretty lucky to live around here – I have some really scenic running and cycling routes on my doorstep, which isn’t bad for London.
It was a bit of a lazy week, I have felt a bit rough, but fortunately I haven’t actually come down with anything so I should be back on track next week. Tomorrow I plan to cram in a 10k run, Shakti has agreed to cycle alongside me with the Stumpjumper, she seems really comfortable on that bike.
|
Week Commencing
|
Distance
|
Time
|
Av Pace
|
|
21/08/06
|
13.03k
|
1:31:46
|
7:02
|
|
14/08/06
|
25.5k
|
3:05:40
|
7:16
|
|
07/08/06
|
11.4k
|
1:23:24
|
7:24
|
|
31/07/06
|
21.3k
|
2:40:50
|
7:33
|
|
August Totals
|
71k
|
8:41:40
|
7:20
|
Popularity: 8% [?]
Related posts
Tags: Nike, stumpjumper
July 3, 2006 at 2:01 pm · Filed under Bikes, Cycling, Equipment, Off road
Can you believe it? It seems that I am so short, that I have to buy a girls bike!
I went in to the bike shop to pick up a men’s Specialized Stumpjumper FSR comp, but even the small is too big for me. The women’s frame is only just ok, but I have to make do with the puffy colours.
I’m not really complaining, its a beautiful bike. I ended up getting the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert, which is just a tad above my current skill level, but it was the only one in stock. What can a girl do?
I pick it up tomorrow, after they have removed most of the seat post length. Can’t wait to have some fun this weekend. Got to get my skill level up quickly, you can’t have a bike like that and then start behaving like a wuss on the trails.
Popularity: 25% [?]
Related posts
Tags: stumpjumper
