Cuttin the mustard?: Walking the walk

Cuttin the mustard?: Walking the walk: Nothing gives you a new found perspective for the training you set like following your own ironman specific program for 20weeks through wint...

Walking the walk

Nothing gives you a new found perspective for the training you set like following your own ironman specific program for 20weeks through winter.

Since 2004, you could say I have very loosely followed a plan when I have trained for events, but not a full training program like the one I have followed for Hawaii.

Years of program formulation as a coach can dull the realization of what it actually takes physically and mentally to follow a set program, all the while trying to live life too.

Experiencing one of my own age group level Ironman programs 8 years on from my last Hawaii prep at 41years of age has given me a new respect for the athletes I coach and the effort it takes to follow the program. Constant muscle soreness, being time poor, and asking those near and dear to accommodate you during this time is tough!

I must chime in and mention that my beautiful partner Lyndsey has been so supportive and understanding over the last few months, as I know I haven’t always been the easiest to live with.

As a coach I have advised all kinds of athletes over the years when they felt flat, injured or just needed perspective with their training. But even with this experience behind me, it hasn’t always been easy to see sense when the shoe on the other foot. Having perspective to understand why i didn’t perform well at this or that session when I’m training my ass off isn’t easy, and this exercise has reminded me of this.

Case in point, Yeppoon 70.3 recently, not the best performance I have ever had in a half Ironman. I can easily explain away why this was the case, but it still leaves a slightly off taste in my mouth.

Getting older

My current read has been Chris McCormack’s new book, ‘I’m Here to WIN’. Chris touches on how he changed his preparation for racing to accommodate his advancing age. Now that’s I am preparing for Hawaii, aged 41, I have had to do the same.

There have been a number of adjustments I have had to make. I just can’t do the training volume and quality and adapt as quickly as I once used to.

I have had to rely more on massage and stretching to assist me to get up for the next session if I wanted to adapt fully.

I can’t just bullock thru anymore, my body needs that extra assistance to help with recovery. It has been a great lesson to learn first-hand about prehab and how my body reacts. I am not age 30 anymore, and I have had to change my approach accordingly.

Also being a little time poor now, I’ve had to find ways to adjust sessions so I can still do them, but in the confines of a stacked schedule. For example doing split runs to save time but also better aide in recovery whilst maintaining mileage 

I am now near the end of the prep, in Airlie Beach, northern Queensland with KK and Joey on a heat acclimatization camp.

The first few days were quite tough. I have never been great in the heat, and have had aching muscles and feeling a bit drained. I’m thinking my god why do I feel this way under 3weeks out from the biggest day in the sport. Of course I know, but at times it is hard to see it when you are not looking from the outside.

Even up here, when a session doesn’t go super, the apartment can fall a little quiet.

But that’s the brilliant thing about experiencing Hawaii again, this time as an athlete with Kristy and Jo. We can bounce things off each other and provide some perspective.

We have 5days left at Airlie. Pete (thighs of justice) has arrived for some time up here with Jo.

The tan is getting better with each day, aiming to have a good base so I won’t get too burnt come race day. I think this will be a great few final days leading into the Hawaii trip.

I actually was sitting on the couch, and mentioned to Jo today that this time next week we would be heading to Kona. She suddenly felt sick to the tummy. Haha, those sudden realisations! Yes we are going to Kona, we have trained as well as we can given our circumstances, and are ready to race.

So whatever happens, we will soak up the experience of the big Island, and all that comes with the race.

I will send out a final pre-race blog once we hit Kailua Kona, and give you the goss of the undie run, the expo with all its gear, and of course the pro watching, and whose looking primed for a top day on October 8th.

Id finally like to thank my coaches Ben Street and Steve Davis for picking up any slack during this time and the team of athletes at Fluid Movements and the Melb Tri Club for supporting me as I have trained over the last few months.

I am very much looking forward to implementing some of the new stuff we did on the Hawaii program, and bringing the experience gained to the way we coach going forward.

Foz