I didn’t think I was superstitious but I kinda might be. A one blade all over in the Works Barbers has been the routine for a while. My Mother gasps every time I walk in the door of the jewellers after it is done. She will spend the day asking why I did that and then inform me I’m not allowed to serve customers. Suits me fine! Less work and more training. Pat also has got a tight number all over. Someone commented we’re like the Mitchell brothers!
The photograph gives an insight into my last session before Abu Dhabi triathlon next Saturday where I will swim 3k, bike 200k and run 20k. I’ll be joined by fellow Setanta members Owen Martin & Liam Dolan, two of the best long distance triathletes in the country. Owen boasts a sub 9 hour Ironman and Liam only gave his Ironman record up to Martin Muldoon.
On another note myself, Martin and 9 athletes are racing for ‘Emerald racing’. We’re part of a new team set up by David Vaughan, Irelands top Duathlete. Exciting season ahead were we plan to give people an inside scoop into how we as age group and professional athletes train and conduct ourselves. It will make for entertaining reading. You can follow us at www.emeraldracing.net or twitter @emeraldracing and find out who’s on the team.
My session was a 1.5 hour build pace bike around the Ardee circuit with a 15 minute time trial effort towards the end, then an immediate 20 min time trial effort run around Blackrock village. It hurt like hell but felt great. When I finished I fell to my knees like I was in a proper race. “Should I call someone son” a lady kindly asked me as she walked past with her dog. ” You really shouldn’t do that to yourself”. I hope she didn’t think I was ignorant when I didn’t answer her. I was too busy looking for my lungs on the floor. Maybe she’s right but you have to hurt if you want results. When you’re going well you don’t feel the hurt, I felt a little like that this week so hopefully I can carry that through to next Saturday. I train short and hard up to 5 days before a race. Tapering doesn’t suit me. I’ve done the text book taper and I don’t respond well. Hard efforts suit me. They’ve worked in the past.
Since South Africa I upped the bike & run miles. I have had a few 5/6 hour rides and 22 mile runs. I hear some of you say ” what about the swim”???… Yeah.. the swim!!! 😉 I had one bad bike ride where I didn’t fuel right but the others went well. The Carlingford road is long but it is even longer when there is no fuel in the tank to get home. As I past the homeland of Jenkinstown I wished that that was where i lived now. Instead it was another 30 minutes to the Rock!!. I’ll put that one in the memory bank for Abu Dhabi and hope that it doesn’t repeat itself.
My plan for Abu Dhabi is to race smart. Its a long day in the saddle. It is so important to fuel right, thats why my excess baggage was due to the fact I had half of the continents of our kitchen in it. It nearly cost me 160 euro but the lovely girl at checkin waived it! No – I wasn’t flying with Ryanair! This race will have the second best field of the season in it. The top field is obviously the World Championships. Why is this the case? Money! There’s a big purse on offer and the best have shown up to get it. Me on the other hand, I just want to see how I fair out against the best. I’m not in it for the money. If that were the case I be broke a long time ago. This sport is a drug, a drug I cannot stop.
With new tyres on I’m raring to go. Hopefully next week I will be hurt but happy!