Barcelona the Good Cause!!

The Barcelona Triathlon 2009 18 October
Je récolte des fonds pour aider la construction des garderies pour les moins de 5 ans en Afrique.
Raising funds for the construction of nurseries for under 5s in Africa.
Click here, read through and leave your donation!!
Clique ici, lis et laisse ton don!!
http://www.migranodearena.org/martinbriars1

If i can do it better than Paris i'll be happy - si je le fais plus rapide que Paris, je serai content!!

Good Week!!!

This week was quite good training-wise.
I feel stronger than before, although i don'tknow if i'm actually getting any faster.
Knowing that age vastly reduces speed capacity (and at my age!!!!!) i suppose i should be content with the feeling!!
I love swimming longer distances and find a kind of cruise speed (like running and cycling) - and i may even buy an iSwim (this was on sale at the Paris Triathlon) - a waterproof iPod; designed for use by swimmers!!!  Esther!!!! my birthday sooon!!
Bonne semaine au niveau d'entrainement. Je me sens plus fort même si ma vitesse n'augmente pas - mais sachant que la vitesse diminue avec l'âge je dois me contenter quand même avec cette sensation de bien-être. J'adore nager pendant longtemps et arrive à trouver une bonne vitesse de croisière, comme à pied et au vélo. - je m'acheterai peut-être un iSwim - en vente au Tri de Paris - un iPod, résistant à l'eau, et pour les nageurs!!
Esther!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! C'est mon annive bientôôôôôôôô^^ôôô^ôôô^t

Quote of the Day - "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional" (la douleur est inévitable, la souffrance est une option)

Those who run or cycle or swim, or do all together, will understand this quote - the hurt is the unavoidable reality of the exercise, but being able to take it and continue is something which we either have or we don't.
These thoughts come from Haruki Murakami's novel - so sorry to disappoint you if you think i've just awoken with some deep philosophical insight into the world of sport!!

Going for a one-hour jog this morning, before work - i need something to motivate me to start the day.

Ceux qui courent, font du vélo, ou nagent, ou tous les trois,  comprendront cette citation - la douleur est la réalité inévitable de l'exercice, mais la capacité de l'accepter et de continuer est quelque chose en nous - soit on l'a, soit on ne l'a pas. Les idées de Haruki Murakami - je ne me suis pas réveillé avec une compréhension profonde du monde du sportif, désolé!!

je fait un footing d'une heure ce matin avant d'aller travailler, il me faut une motivation afin de commencer la journée!!

;:0))

Back from the One Hour Run in the wood near to home - great sensations again! This is looking good!!!
Au retour de la sortie d'une heure dans les bois à côté de chez moi - très bonnes sensations encore!! Ca promet!!!

Barcelona Training Day 1

Woke up at 8h - quite a cold morning, but sunny. Went out at 10h40 with the intention of just having a slow jog for about an hour - to get the legs going after last Sunday! I felt good, legs light, and most importantly, no nagging achilles tendon problem - that's been following me around since May. My calf muscle also felt fine (this is the one that stopped me starting the Barcelona Marathon in March but which  then made me decide to start training for Triathlons. I was told by Dr Polin at CHU Rouen that triathletes don't suffer as many muscle injuries because of the variety of training. Running is just pounding away at the same muscles, and recovery is more difficult...... On the plane back from Barcelona in March i saw an ad in one of the magazines given in the Marathon pack, for the Barcelona triathlon - not even  knowing when it was, i think i decided i was going to  do it anyway... and so here i am.......).
The injuries are less frequent, but as we probably all know (those who have had tendon problems) this just flares up and then goes away for no apparent reason.... it seems to have disappeared for now.

So.... i combined uphill accelerations, short burst sprints and nice steady periods at around 12k/h.
1H15 mins - i felt really good, and told esther that it was the first time in a long time that i really enjoyed running (i've had lmixed feelings since March and the Barcelona disappointment)....

"What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" Haruki Murakami

I just ordered this on Amazon... sounds like a good read. The Guardian says "His description of the physical and mental agonies as he struggled to complete a 62-mile course, followed by the near-religious experience of the last few miles, when he knew he was going to finish, is one of the highlights of what he calls "a kind of memoir". Non-running readers of his novels will probably ask: "Why on earth did he run 62 miles when he knew it would hurt so much?" Runners ask a different question: "Why have I never done that?"


je viens de commander ceci sur Amazon - il me semble bien!! Le journal anglais, The Guardian dit " en décrivant la torture physique et mentale pendant une course de 90KM, et puis l'euphorie quasi-religieux des derniers kilomètres sachant qu'il allait terminer, font partie de ce  "journal". Ceux qui ne courent pas diraient, "pourquoi courir 90km s'il savait que ca fait mal?". Ceux qui courent pose une autre question, "pourquoi je ne le fais pas?"


Having completed a the 100km de Millau twice, I know that more than half the battle is mental; believing you can do it...and Millau really is the most difficult 100km race in France  with it's repeated hill climbs after 50km.
Ayant fait deux fois les 100km de Millau, je sais bien que plus que la moitié de la préparation reste le mental; à s'y croire qu'on va réussir... et Millau est la référence en France, avec les côtes entre Millau et Saint Afrique après 50km de course!!!


;:0)

Triathlon de Barcelona 2009

I'm resting this week after the Paris Triathlon before beginning a more specific training programme for Barcelona - Oct 18 now i know my weaknesses after Paris!!!!!! (swimming, cycling and running aaaaaarff)
I also have to think about the Templiers on October 24!!!! a different type of race altogether - i have my doubts as to whether a short distance triathlon and a 72km trail are compatible training-wise.... we'll see. Any thoughts????
So i'll just have one more cream cake before snack time before thinking about dinner!!!!


ha ha


http://www.garminbarcelonatriathlon.com/home.php

La Grande Course des Templiers October 2008

La Grande Course des Templiers October 2008
Pehaps the most difficult race i have ever done - 72 km and 3100m+ uphill - and pehaps the most impressive.

5am start in the dark, 2000 frontal lights winding through the streets of Nant and then off road up into the hills of the Cevennes, south east of Millau.

Triathlon de Paris 2009

i took this from you tube... it shows the washing machine effect quite well when you follow individual swimmers.... even swimming straight int o the canoes. i moved to the far bank (left screen) to try and avoid drowning, so i'm not in shot (i'm the one in the hat and black swimsuit!! gnarf gnarf) until you see the last yellow canoe at the top left after about 33 secs :0)...

27 mins for 1500m was quite satisfying for a first ever river swim!!! One minute behind Laurent Jalabert!!!! but i had an extra 100m to do in re-crossing the river!!!

Swimming in the Seine was a hoot!!!!