Mr. Cleetus: RunRunRun with a little CX

[IronGirl]

Yeah just read that IMNZ is cancelled, what's going on down there? Dead right a half is nothing like the full thing, a half is just a long Olympic distance.

I hope things are not going to affect the Nationals for you.

[Alistar]

Hey Mr C, hope the Nats went well and everything came together on the day

At least you wouldn't have had to compete with Hurricane force winds this weekend

[Mr. Cleetus]

Yeah, Wellington certainly put on a good day. One can in no way fault the weather! One of the best days of the year, no doubt.

Unfortunately I didn't put on such a good day. Actually, it went more-or-less exactly as I expected it to, just with a slower bike, and a lost contact 20m into the swim. So, I can't really complain, but my hoped for miracle speed from nowhere didnt happen! ah well... My swim was ok, somewhere in the 23s, and considering my lack of training and the fact that I took a heel to the goggles right at the start and had to keep dumping my goggle out, I'm pretty happy with it! (I didn't realise my contact was gone until T1). I just felt like poo on the bike and clearly have some residual damage from the Brevet which my negligable chamois did nothing to help. oooohhhh it hurt and I had to keep standing. I rode 1.08-1.09 (not sure exactly) which would be a PW for me. I felt ok at the start of the run and came thru 5km somewhere in the high 21s but had a bad couple of km in the second 5km and finished in around 45. Pretty slow, but I know I shouldnt really complain given that I think I had less than 10 training runs for it (but, as you know, I find it hard not to complain ). I gave up a bit mentally in the second half of the run when it was clear I was too far OTB, which is a bit annoying (giving up, I mean). I did manage to get it back together and run one or two "good" kms at the end though. Needless to say, I didn't qualify.

I think I am pretty much over racing.

edit: by all accounts the ride was 41.5km. gotta give myself any boost i can!

[Alistar]

Well done Mr C! Yeah always was going to be a tough ask especially with such limited time for specific training, and a surprise entry. So well done for sticking it out! Would have been so easy to have pulled out before or during. Damned tough level of competition too I bet.

Around what overall time is needed to qualify at this level btw?

[Mr. Cleetus]

Thanks Al. I didn't actually see the list of who finally qualified since it was pretty clear I was out, but it would be under 2.10. You don't need to be blazingly fast, but you can't be messing around.

I'm not sure what to do now. I am off overseas for most of April, but I don't want to lose the start I've got now at swim/bike/run fitness. Xterra is out since I will be away - and my work is still completely OTT with stress, so I gotta find something to keep me motivated beyond just basic ticking over.

[downhillingdemon]

Why not an off-road Duathlon?

[IronGirl]

Well done Mr C. Super effort considering the time you had to prepare. I was amazed how fast you jumped into it after the Brevet, great powers of recovery just to do that.

There must be some good adventure racing down there. There are lots of short 5 to 6 hour races in the UK now, do you have anything like that. I reckon you'd be really competitive with your recent training mix. Pity about the Xterra that would have been perfect for you. I wish they would do one in the UK.

[Mr. Cleetus]

Adventure racing seems to have pretty much died down here. I have some friends who still race, but that is at a high level and they always go overseas for it. There is plenty of winter time mtbing and mountain running for me to do, I will just have to focus on that. Hopefully I can find some motivation from somewhere! It is a strange feeling for me, getting motivated is one things I've always been good at, but I've struggled with it for the last while. I blame my job!

I have been on a doc led experiment for the last week or so with beta blockers. fahrk. They are for essential tremor, which I have always had, but which has become incredibly annoying/disturbing/whatever in the last year or more (I blame the job again ). Well, the good news is, man, they are excellent for that, and I just generally feel better. The bad news is, as everyone says, training while taking them regularly is hopeless!! I am taking a low dosage and experiment with when I take them, and how much, and doing it intermittently to see if something will work. I am not optimistic though.

between wanting an easy week, starting the beta blockers and work going through the roof, not much happened training wise.

Thursday 63min hill run: started with a 300 metre climb from the gun. maybe not a good idea to combine the first serious hill run with the first beta blocker run! phoooooo, it wasn't pretty.

Saturday am 90 min mtb: no beta blockers in 12+ hours before riding and I felt fine. I enjoyed the ride - single track and hills and most importantly: NO RAVENS!!!! I also rode with tubes for the first time in about 2 years, and also got my first puncture in that same amount of time.

good-bye and good riddence you slippery things!!

[fredrikw]

Hey, did you really thought they would have good traction considering how shallow thread pattern they had? What tire pressure did you use? For me, weighing in at sub 65kg, I rarely go above 1,5bar/22psi.

[Mr. Cleetus]

Hey, did you really thought they would have good traction considering how shallow thread pattern they had? What tire pressure did you use? For me, weighing in at sub 65kg, I rarely go above 1,5bar/22psi.

hah! nope. For what I got them for, the Brevet, they were probably a reasonable choice. Having said that, I am not sure I would use them again. For that I had them at 25-30psi, it's hard to know exactly with a little hand pump. For the single track around here, I have had them at 23psi, since I am a fatty at 70kg

Are you liking yours? What sort of trails are you riding on with them?

[Alistar]

Hope you get to find the right dosage that works for you. Must be quite frustrating!

NZ seems pretty active at the moment from one end to the other(not that I'd know. Probably completely normal). Barring disaster, does that kind of stuff effect your workload?

So you don't rate the ravens much then?

[fredrikw]

Haven't got any yet, remember we've had winter here, with snow and sub zero temperatures. I'm just starting assembling my XC bike now (have been using an old Kona Kula rigid MTB during the winter), and so far I've got a pair of Maxxis Ikons. When I have built my new lightweight wheels (Podium MMX rims and some noname lightweight hubs from eBay), I'll probably try the NoTubes tires, but as a dry race tire and nothing else

[Mr. Cleetus]

Hope you get to find the right dosage that works for you. Must be quite frustrating!

NZ seems pretty active at the moment from one end to the other(not that I'd know. Probably completely normal). Barring disaster, does that kind of stuff effect your workload?

So you don't rate the ravens much then?

The Ravens are probably ok, it's my skills which I don't rate!!

It is still all about ChCh for me - all other work is just piling up and piling up (except when I can manage to squeeze something in before getting sidelined again) - those stacks are getting pretty high after 18 months.

[Mr. Cleetus]

I'll probably try the NoTubes tires, but as a dry race tire and nothing else

I'll be curious what you think of them. I think I would be ok on smooth, dry single track without any gravelly bits. Here we only have short stretches of that, there always seem to be some slippery stuff, even in the complete dry. It's not too common to see people racing on them around. Some are also scared of their potential lack of robustness (I don't really have an opinion on that - they lasted the Brevet for me w/o a puncture even). It'd be nice to see a decent comparison of rolling resistance between something like them and the Akas.

[fredrikw]

Well, let's wait and see if I get them. Usually I'm less sensitive towards possible light weight penalties, I weigh less than your average MTBer and probably ride a bit smoother through technical parts. Many riders are scared for almost made up reasons, internet forums is a good place if you want to believe that light weight stuff ALWAYS breaks down