Day #92, Week #14 (Race Week): More Swimming

EASY SWIMMING sessions every morning this week as prep for Sunday to get really comfortable in the open water.

Day #91, Week #14 (Race Week): Time to Taper

TAPERING TIME for race day on Sunday. I will taper with an easy swim every morning this week, some bike, plus an easy run with the new Asics.

Day #90, Week #14 (Race Week): Swim Time Trial

ANOTHER PB this morning on the swim. My times have improved on all three disciplines, now I just have to string them together for a sub 1hr 30 min sprint tri on Sunday. Time to taper and prepare.

Day #89, Week #13: Time for Ice Cream

A MUSH ride with coffee and ice cream along the Torrevieja passeo on a beautiful Sunday morning on the Costa Blanca. Time for a well deserved treat after a PB following this mornings 20k bike time trial.  I achieved my goal of a 30+ km/hr average speed for 20k @ 30.1 km/hr along the canal. Average HR 147 bpm.

Day #88, Week #13: Swim + New Running Shoes

I PURCHASED a pair of Asics Gel-Noosa Tri 10 running shoes from my local Forum sports store today. 

I have never been a fan of the lairy Asics designs, which has prevented me from owning a pair before now. I much prefer the slick styles of Nike and Adidas, but looking slick ain't no good when you feel that blister coming on half way into your run. 

These Asics running shoes caught my eye as I was trying on the usual suspects, and I was immediately impressed with how comfortable they felt compared to the Nike and Adidas shoes I was initially drawn to. A quick surf of the reviews and it seemed that I had stumbled on to a good choice for triathlon because they are ideally suited to be worn without socks. They come complete with elastic laces too for fast transitions.

Day #87, Week #13: Rest Day

REST DAY

Day #86, Week #13: Rest Day

REST DAY

Day #85, Week #13: Recovery

REST DAY

Day #84, Week #13: Time Trial 5k Run

PB FOR 5k @ 28:18.

Day #83, Week #13: Rest Day

REST DAY

Day #82, Week #12: WTS Chicago

Ladies Elite, 1st Gwen Jorgenson USA (centre), 2nd Non Stanford GBR (left),
3rd Vicky Holland GBR (right).  Non & Vicky both qualified for Rio

I ENJOYED watching the worlds elite triathletes in this seasons climax to the WTS World Championships in Chicago over the last two nights.  The incredible achievement by Spaniard Javier Gomez, achieving a record breaking fifth ITU World Championship title was slightly dampened by team mate Mario Mola who pipped Gomez to the finishing line. Mola always looked the most comfortable of the two, and I wasn't surprised when he stepped up in the final stage of the run to win the grand final just in front of Gomez. Turns out it was the fastest 10k in ITU hishory at 28:59.

I was particularly impressed with back-to-back champ Gwen Jorgenson (and who wouldn't be) considering the dark place she was in just prior to the start of her phenomenal winning streak, and BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin on her Team GB selection after only taking up triathlon two years ago,

Who is Garefis Christos? He hails from Greece and races in the 60-64 age group, the best of the best in my age group. He won both the sprint (01:08:05) and standard Olympic distance (02:09:47), racing the sprint on Thursday followed by the standard on Saturday, just two days apart. He did the same thing at the 2015 Geneva ETU European Championships in July. How cool is that! 

The one thing I get from watching the elites is how key the run is. This is where Jorgenson and the Brownlees (when fit) strike fear into the rest of the field. How do I get my sub 29 minutes 5k down to sub 22 like Christos? As they say, if you wanna play Carnegie Hall, you gotta practice!

Roll on Rio!

Day #81, Week #12: Swim

Day #80, Week #12: A Long Run

Day #79, Week #12: Noon Swim + Afternoon Ride

Day #78, Week #12: Swim + Casual Evening Ride

Day #77, Week #12: Run

5K PROGRESSION run this morning finishing the last kilometer on 5:29

Day #76, Week #12: Ride to the Vocal Booth Party @ Thai Beach

Thai Beach on the sea front behind San Javier airport

www,vocalboothweekender.com

Afternoon soul session @ the Thai Beach Club

Day #75, Week #11: Recovery

REST DAY

Day #74, Week #11: BRICK swim-run

Day #73, Week #11: Recovery

A BIT sore today after yesterdays bike crash, best to let the cuts and grazes dry out and scab over. Repairs to bike OK.

Day #72, Week #11: PB then Crash

@URB. SAN Luis, Calle Lena (Lakeside). Hit tree debris in the road from the storm two days ago and crashed into the kerb. Suffered a few cuts and grazes and ripped jersey. Bike handle bars and levers knocked out of alignment but repairable. PR on CV-905 Bike lane part1 (South-North)

Day #71, Week #11: My Birthday Sprint // swim 1000m-bike 20k-run 5k

FOLLOWING THREE days of rest I felt refreshed for a birthday sprint triathlon. PB on the swim and run.

Day #68, #69, #70: Storms, toe injury and a few days off

Photo by Cezar Castejon

CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE an opportunity for a few days rest to recharge. A severe storm known as "the cold drop" (Spanish: gota fría) is a weather phenomenon often occurring in the Spanish autumn, More photo of la gota fria in Torrevija today.

Day #67, Week #10: Swim

Day #66, Week #10: Fasting Friday

FAST DAY with a morning run. I don't normally exercise on a fast day (except just before breaking) but I had to forgo the run on yesterdays BRICK workout.

Day #65, Week #10: Bike

Day #65, Week #10: Swim-Bike Day

GOOD 1K (est.) swim this morning in the marina. Getting stronger with every swim session. Swimming is the discipline that I have improved the most since taking up triathlon. As soon as funds allow I will purchase a Garmin Forerunner 920XT for accurate time and distance stats.

Afternoon bike training with a hill session at Rebate Climbs (San Miguel de Salinas to Rebate).

Day #64, Week #10: Breaking the Fast

FOR MAXIMUM fat loss, prior to breaking my 24 hour intermittent fast I perform a HIIT workout with 100 metre sprints, an abs circuit, then 30 minutes of steady state cardio. After which I head for the shower then have healthy breakfast.

Day #63, Week #10: Rest Day

REST DAY with intermittent fasting