Call to action

The Triangle challenge to the OTI Team cannot go unchallenged. Ok so we haven't posted on the blog for a while but with team members as cool as this how can we fail.

Despite the lashing rain and wind I will be back in training. I'm sure the rest of the team will be too!

A post from my sick bed ( if only I'm at work)

"I am ironman, " I screamed, Oh just go back to bed said Claire ( my partner) and have some honey and lemon and stop being such a silly boy.

What a come down. One Day I do two hours on the bike plus a gruelling 75 minutes in the pool. The next I am like a limp rag, lying in bed, feeling sorry for myself.

This Ironman thing is a long game.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY - ITS DRIVING ME MAD!!!

Obviously the usual daily routine of life is busy - thats fine, but when you really want to get on with the monaco ironman training and can never seem to get into the online diary to fill in past training and look for the next weeks training................ Its reallly FRUSTRATING!! - Anyone having the same problems?? And i still havn't lost weight!! The optician artical made me chuckle tho chris - thanks.

Fiona becomes a media star

In a special effort to cheer Fiona up as the weight of her training starts to take its toll Optician has announced her participation in the Monaco ironman .

The DVD of Miku's photos is truly impressive so I'll try an air a few on the blog in the coming days.

Have any of the other team memers been featured in their local magazines yet?

Is this the weirdest sports injury ever

One for the men this. I had a long session in the pool last night, an hour and a quarter in total. I began to notice that as I moved my head to one side to breathe I brushed the front of my shoulder with my chin. Over time this friction took its toll and by the time I got out of the pool I had a red raw patch on my shoulder. How strange is that. I'll remember to have a shave before I go to the pool next time.

Kees -- is he injured too?

Irondog

I am Irondog

This might give you a little insight into when I do my training; at night, in the dark and in the rain. I don't think Henry (dog) is too impressed with the training. Every time I run he has to come too! Can someone tell Mario about English weather.

Fiona -- I was impressed by your half marathon until you mentioned the treadmill, wimp. I did a 1 hour run last night, it was supposed to be at 106 but, despite trying to go slow, was at 130. How are you measuring your heart rate during the swim?
I understand the feeling about jelly legs, continual training is hard but it does make you feel stronger and healthier. I have cut down out my 25 miles a day cycling to try and stick to the run and swim days.
Andrea -- I had intended to do early mornings but it is still dark and rainy here until 08.00. I was also woken at 04.00am on Tuesday by my 10 year old being sick. I agree family comes first! I am going to try to combine my cycle to work with the cycle/run and brick sessions and then do swims in the evening and mornings. I prefer to run during the day or at night.

I don't like to exercise in the morning but as the event in Monaco starts at 07.00 I had better change my habits.

SORE LEGS!!!!

Well this week is supposed to be a recovery week for me, post a half marathon on Sunday! I actually couldn’t walk until today! (tues). I had to do an hour in the pool yesterday recovery in zones 1-3 but I found that most of the time it was zone 3! I had to skipped the leg exercises or I’m sure cramp would have set in!

Today I was asked to do a recovery run in zone 1……….for 1hr!!! I understand exactly what you mean chris, I had to start walking to keep the heart rate down however…………. as I found even walking difficult this was a blessing. Also I was really quite chuffed as it mean’t I could play with my new PINK heart rate monitor whilst on the treadmill. (lost my balance a couple of times though!)


Fiona Molloy

TRAINING IS SO HARD!!!

11/02/2007 Sunday, 5:30 am, wacth allarm call me, in the sleep I measure heart rate,It's ok, this morning I have to do bike and run tougether, an apple, a piece of bread and go........ It's very hard!............ ,but IRONMAN ask this....
This has been my sunday morning, at 9:00 o'clock I was ready for GIORGIA and naturally for SIMONA, my joys.
To train me as Mario wants, many days are like this because I don't want remove time to my family , however the week has been fantastic and I feel me very good in body and mind.
I want to know how is your training,like me in the morning or in the evening after the job?

Andrea Italy

Why is slow so hard?

Had a good weekend of training. Running is always tricky for me in the week and what with last week's snow I ended up doing two runs at the weekend.
My weekly schedule asked for two runs in Zone 1. for me that means 106 - 116. I found keeping my heart rate down to this level really tough. I was hardy moving most of the time and didn't break much of a sweat.
I'm not sure if this is good or bad.
My youngest son came out with me for the first 3Km and he certainly thought it was great fun whipping his Dad's ass back home.
It also confused the hell out of Henry ( dog) who spent the whole of the run stopping and waiting for me.
Anyone else had the same problems?

How not to do it

Cycled home across country in the snow last night. I usually stick to the roads so have a bit to learn about off road cycling on a bike with no mudgards.

How you should do it

How not to do it

Sight for sore eyes

Here's a little thread that has an optical angle and will also be of interest to blog watchers of the Optician blog Like most people in the UK down here is Surrey we woke up to a good covering of snow. realising that the roads and rail would be a nightmare I decided that an off road cycle to work would be the best way to get in.

On these dull mornings I have been wearing some Oakley Activated by Transitions with Persimmon to black Iridium lenses. these are great for flat light but also protect you eye while on the bike.

a problem with training page

Hi everybody how are you?I am well and I hope you too.In the next messages I'll tell you my training days or other things of my "NEW" life, but now I have a problem; I can't see my training page from Mario Huys.First time it's ok and i have changed the password,but after for me it is impossible to enter again.Can somebody help me please?
However I'm training myself in this days.
all the best
Andrea


ps. thank for an answer

Training partners

Well the weather isn't as good here as it was in Monaco. I Had a freezing cold 12 mile cycle home in the rain tonight.
I thought I would cheer everyone up with a picture of my training partner Henry (dog). He's stood next to a snowman I built the day before the Monaco fist camp.

The snowman is so cool I think I should have called him Hugo.

back with a bump

After the warm sunshine of Monaco coming back to work and training was always going to be a shock.

In the first two days I wrote something in the region of 5,000 words on the training camps, coaches and team members and still have to write the Optician feature . I also had to complete the Optician blog and do the rest of my job so it's been a bit manic.

Back in the UK we were greeted by sub-zero temperatures. Had a swim Thurday night and cycled to work and back ( 25 miles) on the Friday.

At the weekend I took Henry, the dog, and my middle son Max( 12 years old), on his bike, out for training run on Sunday. Glorious sunshine. In the evening I tried out one of the upper body work outs --not so glorious, I have a long way to go.