Week 8 Update - My Busselton 70.3 Training Log

It's been a challenging couple of weeks again but I'm still hanging in here! I've had a few people comment that they enjoy reading my updates so I'll try to put a bit more detail in but as I've got 3 weeks to cover, I'll split this into separate blogs starting with Week 8, which is this one.

For week 9 blog - click at the bottom of this blog to go to the next one.
For week 10 blog - click at the bottom of the week 9 blog to go forward to the next blog.

For Monday of Week 8 I booked in with Ike for another killer "remedial, deep tissue massage".... I came out black with bruises. We had friends over for dinner the following weekend and I was still limping from the ordeal. I'm not sure it was a positive experience at all. As those of you who've been to her know, she is a bit of an extremist but everyone insists that the results are worth it, so although I was writhing up the massage table twisting in agony to avoid the muscle stripping techniques, I didn't say "stop". I do wonder now why I didn't walk out - at the time I really believed this was necessary treatment I guess. However, looking back and seeing how it stuffed up my following two weeks of training, I'm not so sure at all.

So, the day after the massage was Tuesday which is usually a double session day - I've been doing about 55k on the bike on Tuesday mornings, then an evening 2.5k swim. But I could do nothing - my hips and especially my glutes were so sore that I simply could not use my butt!! and riding was totally out of the question. So I stayed in bed but not happily... miserably aware when the alarm went off that I had to abort today's mission.

Wednesday I was ready to face more training so I did a double session day. Got up early for a 40 minute swim and did my usual 8km run in the afternoon. I have to fit this run in whilst my youngest does her ballet lesson so I started from the dance studio in the industrial area in Wanneroo then along Wanneroo Road and down to the Yellagonga National Park to pick up the loop around Lake Gooleleal (a really nice place to run) and then back to Wangara. I always enjoy this run but every time I do it its different for me. This time a really even run pace and no stops and no pain.

Thursdays, I've been doing a Wind Trainer session in my home gym together
with David. This is a real quality session so I look forward to it and because I don't use the wind trainer in the off season, I find it rather stimulating as its something different. I can push myself so much harder and its the only time my stupid HRM actually gives a proper reading so I set the session based on HR intervals. This one was 70 minutes and I setup my road bike for these sets - a total sweat-fest but I find it really awesome and feel a sense of accomplishment to get through the patterns.

Thursday nights used to be my interval run session with North Coast tri club but since the knee/hip issues started I've had to alter things around so that I don't run consecutive days so have given this session away for the time being. My gutsy 11 year old Leah has been committed to the CT's running session that is coached at the same time/same place so I still go down there with the whole family - I just do a core/strength workout on the grass under the trees instead, and my gorgeous friend Helen has been doing it along with me which is even better. Last week I stuffed up a bit and added in some heel lifts (my podiatrist egged me on saying most triathletes he's seen can't do 40 single-leg heel lifts so of course what do it I do? Prove him wrong of course and then can hardly bloody walk for the next week, but I did prove him wrong.... didn't I?! LOL). Honestly, he seemed to think that it was a good exercise for my patella strength anyway so what's the harm.

The following day was Friday so another double session day starting with a run. Had hoped for 11k so knew exactly which route from home to take but by about 7k I knew I'd have to adjust the route home as I felt my left hip start to ache and as I continued my knee started to tighten up so at 8.5k I stopped running and only had 500m more to walk to get home. I was frustrated again... the knee brace is annoying me - seems I can't get the tension in the velcro straps right. It's either too tight so my hamstrings pump up with too much blood pressure or its too loose and annoys me 'cause I worry it's not doing it's job.

Friday afternoons things are a bit hectic but I managed to fit in a quick swim after dropping Leah to her cycling session at Sorrento, which starts at the same time I have to have Chardae at her Karate lesson at Craigie Leisure Centre - so I try to get Leah there early but I'm always rushing. I actually try to fit in a swim during Chardae's karate! But this week I was a bit sneaky and told David how much Chardae would like him to watch her, so I took a bit longer and got a full hour in the pool knowing he was there for the end of her 45 minute class. Got a great set in with that peace of mind.

Saturday is my long ride. I'm happy with my long rides - comfortably doing 85 km rides every Saturday morning. Starting to like the hills again too as I seem to have no knee pain afterwards. Took 10 minutes off my time from last week too not that it means anything with all the variables that happen on these rides - wind, traffic light stops, stuff arounds and mind wanders!

So Week 8 ended with 10:28 hrs of training, with 2 full rest days.