The shuffle

I dropped the new bike off to Ashfield cycles Saturday arvo after the ride for its 2nd free service. The headset has been seriously jamming up , plus I wanted to get a full service a few weeks before ironman.

I probably didn't mention before, but i finally summoned up the courage to enter. Saw the $700 price tag, screwed up my eyelids tight and stabbed at the "submit payment" button. Then I immediately emailed Dan, Andrew and Mark to get them on board too and to their credit they all fired up and entered as well. So it's on!

The plan today was about a 2 hour 50km bike ride staying on the bars, then getting off and running for 2:15. It was a struggle getting out of bed, but a beautiful morning so I set off happily enough. The Felt was feeling heavy and like a beast up the hills, but I took it up the beaches to the closed-down cafe at the bottom of McCarrs Creek Road and then back to Narrabeen and home along the whole Wakehurst Parkway. Ended up about 65km and closer to 3 hours.

I was dissatisfied with all the stopping for red lights, getting out of the aero position for hills and to avoid traffic light and just the time it took. Next week I'm going to face my hated turbo trainer and just do an hour indoors, sit on the bars the whole time and spin over 90rpm in the aerobic HR zone. Much more efficient.

Anyway the point of today was a long run off the bike, so even though it was hot and hell and I felt knackered, i saddled up and off I went. It was a serious struggle. I actually was unable to raise my HR over 120 for most of the run. I checked at the end, my max was 139 and my average was 121.

I basically shuffled along in survival mode for 2:15 and couldn't go any faster or harder, even though I tried many times. Ah well, I'm sure that's good ironman training in itself!

Then after another massive smoothie (2 mangos, 2 kiwi fruit, 1 banana, a handful of strawberries, blueberries, cashews and almonds, and half a litre of rice milk) I jumped on the single-speed and rode into Hyde Park to meet Sarah and some friend at the Sydney Wine festival. It has been a tiring day!