Top Barn II

Today I went to Top Barn. The weather was miserable. They were supposed to host a beach party, with BBQ with the organic meat from the local farm, tennis, runs, you were supposed to try kayaks and possibly attempt a quadrathlon. Nothing of all that. The weather was freeeezing, and it was raining. The air temperature was 16C (60.8F) and the water around 14-15C (around 57F). It was also was very windy, and there were waves in the lake. No beach party. No BBQ. No quadrathlon. Just a quick difficult swim, followed by a long hot shower and a hot coffee. I've taken a shoot of the lake, from the shop window. Maybe it is possible to spot Mark doing his 5th lap. Everybody else (including me...) did 2 laps (1300m).....

Bittell reservoir and graduation cap

Today swim at the Bittell reservoir. the water was 15C, the weather gray and cloudy. Everything went smoothly. I like the Bittell reservoir, as it is deep, the water is clear and brownish, and you can't see plants, or algae or anything else. I was confident to attempt one full lap, 750m. After the worm up, Robin caught me, and we did together the lap. It was fine, but I did it a little bit too quick. The swim pace was a little bit over my pace, but everything was fine. I have to practice sight seeing. At the end of the lap, Robin was really pleased with my swim that decided to "graduate" me and allowed me to exchange my yellow cap with a orange one. Now I can swim alone, as I proved to be confident in open water. I'm not completely and fully confident, but it is quickly improving. And I like to swim at the Bittell. Tauny encouraged me to do a second lap, and I swam with him and Steve. It was more slow than the fist lap, and I've enjoyed it more. At the IM 70.3 I have to remember to start really slow and hopefully I'll find my pace!

Panic

Early Saturday morning open water swim… in Worcester, in the middle of the countryside…. Alarm clock at 6.00am, 5miles bike ride till Harborne, car lift till the place and swim…. The place is called Top Barn, and it consists a farm with a square lake and another building alongside the lake. This second two floors building has a shop at the first floor and changing room facilities on the ground floor. The lake is square, each cross-lap is 650m. The first lap was horrible. I started panicked in the water, something I’ve experimented only once in life years ago. My relationship with open water swim (lake or sea) has been always complicated and with conflict. The problem today was that the water was 1.5 meter deep, so the lake was not deep enough. I was able to see all the trees growing underwater, and while swimming I was touching some of the floating stuff. Horrible. The heart rate went up quickly and I was left without breath. I did most of the first lap in breaststroke, with my head outside the water, trying not to touch anything, and to safely finish as soon as possible. The group I was with asked me how it was going (they are always helpful) but it was not going well at all. I also thought to exit the water eventually, but I carried on. I pushed myself and I finished the lap. Than Steve decided to do a second lap, and I’ve taken the chance. He was swimming just ahead of me, and I was following as close as possible, in order not to loose him. I focused all my attention in following his feet, and his feet were the only things I was looking for and seeing. The second lap was really nice. 650m in 15 minutes, no panic attach, no breathless. I actually enjoyed it. The waster was 19 degrees, so not too chilly. After the shower, the place offered us (and all the Worcester triathletes that were there) some hot tea coffee and a small but free breakfast. The conclusion is that I’ve enjoyed it, I’ve enjoyed the morning, and I hope to go again. BRATs are really friendly, and overall it was good. Good company, good swim, good place, good experience despite the panic attack. Last time it did not happened because the Bittell Reservoir is deep and you can’t see anything down! I’m still learning and making experience…. It is strange how now I’m feeling in peace with myself and in equilibrium…

middle of the week!

Sunday 81K with Scott with the BRATs… again a C ride (the easiest), and the “coach” said I’m now ready to upgrade to a B ride, longer and with a faster pace than the C ride. Probably next Sunday it will be a B ride, if the coach is leading the B ride…. The plan is to use him as a “parachute” (his words…), so he can drive me safely at home in case of necessity… which is a nice thing to think, as we might be several kilometres from Bham, but it is a thing I’ve never thought about… Should I be scared? Nope….  Always on Sunday, meeting in Harborne, to de-brief the morning ride, the races and generally the week. A lot of BRATs raced on Sunday, and one BRAT guy won the Straford on Avon Sprint (59minutes) and that was amazing. I’m learning they don’t race just for fun, they race to win. There are people who race every single week, they just live for race, they are racing machines, and they win. Life and work is something is between training and races. The typical BRAT member is male, 30-35 years old, single and not married; with a nice job with which he can afford a nice bike and a nice kit, the races, the car and the travels to the races. Now I understand why the typical BRAT member is not married. There are exceptions. Younger people (I’m in this category…), girls (or better, super-girls), and some older people (than the typical BRAT member)…  and last (but not least) there are families. That is pretty amazing. There are at least 2 families where everybody is racing and involved in the club. Mum, Dad, son and daughter, cousins…  they are soo competitive, and they win!!! And they slot their life between training and races…

Today 10K races in the morning in the gym. It was really nice; I’m feeling well now, ready to start a new day. The only problem is waking up. Once I’m up it is ok, but waking up is a big problem. I have to set up at least 2 alarm clocks, one away from the bed, so I have to walk up to stop it. Olso on Sunday it is a pain in the ass waking up at 7.00am. I’m not a morning person, but it is nice to wake up early and slot some training in the morning. It is productive, and I feel good for the rest of the day. I just don’t want to go outside the bed! I’m not a morning person.

Tonight BRAT 10K run at the Vale, as every Wednesday. Tomorrow open water swim at the Bittell Reservoir in Barnt Green. And I really look forward to it!! I’ll attempt the whole lake swim, if I can, and I’m sure I’ll find somebody who is willing to swim with me. 

First open water swim

Today, with the BRATS,I've finally tried the open water swim, at Bittel Reservoir, in Barnt Green. I've got a yellow hat, and hopefully I'll eventually exchange it with an orange one after some weeks. The color of the hat represent your ability level. The water was 15C, so we were allowed to swim. It was strange, and I've got an induction lecture to open water swim (what to expect... and what don't expect....) from Debby. She was really supportive, and she watched me and my movements around the buoys from the deck. As I was new to all the stuff, I swam between the first two buoys, number 9 and 4, but next time I'll try at least one full lap, 720m. I did pretty well (I think...), and I was impressed. 15 minutes to put the wetsuit on, listening the others telling me how was going to be horrible and unpleseant... so I was prepared for the worst. The entrance in the water was from a concrete slipway, without any algae, and it was ok. The water was chilly, but the wetsuit was working fine, and I did not feel cold at all. I was really surprised about it! The water was clean, but everything looked brownish, so it was fine. I just got a small cramp after 40 minutes, but that happened also the fist time I went spinning, so I'm not worried now! At the end of the day it was not too bad, it just it took a little bit of courage, self control and will of overtaking some small personal fears.... Next time I'll try at least one full lap!  

Almost there

Almost there.... almost... 22K missing, and I've done it!! today I've tried to "cover the half ironman distance" and I went pretty close, I guess. 68K cycling with BRAT (2h and 40 minutes, including, stops, traffic lights ecc ecc), 21k running on the treadmill (it was raining outside.... time 2h and 18min) and 1.9k swim (almost 45 minutes, really slow....).... But I've almost done it! Considering the times, the stops I had (long T1 transition to go to the gym) and other factors, I'm aiming for 7-7.5h for the IM 70.3, as it is going to be really hilly (really....), while today bike ride was flat and fast.... the IM 70.3  bike leg will take more time. People win the IM 70.3 in 4.5h!!! I'm far far away from it! Any way, I was happy about my long long day. It is true, I haven't followed the swim-bike-run order, as my swim was last, but I had no other choice, as the BRATS meet at 8.30am at the other side of the city and the gym on Sunday opens at 8.00am....But I tried my best! Cycling was fun, a flat road, pretty quick. I went out with the C group (the easiest as length and speed) and next time I'll ride with the B group (longer and faster group that the C group). Running I've seen almost the entire season 6 of Family Guy, and it was really funny. Sometimes I had to stop running because they made me laugh so much it was impossible to run and to laugh at the same time! I guess people in the gym thought I was mad! The swim was really slow, as I was tired, but despite that, I managed to do it under the hour, the maximum allowed time... When I finished it, I relaxed myself in the Jacuzzi for at least 20 minutes, and that was really nice!

I was surprised by several things: to finish it without cramps (maybe I was lucky...), not to have drunken a lot (1 liter of water and 1 liter of glucoside during it, a lot after that) (maybe it was not hot...), to have eaten only a banana and two gels during it.... I still have to learn to manage both  the food while racing, and peeing... I've learned I have to start really slowly, and I have to keep my hart rate slower that in my training. In training I always aim for 150-160, which is around my 80% of maximum. It is fine for training, that is usually short, no more that 2h, but it is too much for such a long race. Racing I have aim for the 140-150 zone. 

When finished I went to the city centre for the usual treat: a Subway sandwich!! I'm considering bringing a Subway sandwich also at the IM 70.3 race!!! Maybe a foot long for that occasion! 

I'm looking forward to thursday, for my first open water swim....