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Kia ora guys, We often believe that a few recovery days when putting together a training buildup is enough to allow our body to rebuild and reap the benefits of hard training days, but even if our muscles feel OK, periods of rest are sometimes not enough on their own. Because we are usually used to a full on training week covering focusing on all three disciplines and on top of this fitting massages, stretching and strengthening into our week around work and personal life, we struggle to back off the load because we are used to having a high work load otherwise we feel like there is no benefit. This part of your training doesn’t require complete rest. Instead, use these recovery sessions to slightly decrease training volume and focus on more aerobic race-specific workouts that make you a smarter but also allow your body to rebuild. The end result means not only are you allowing your muscles and mind to recover from the high volume phase in your training but also help focus on building race confidence with short sharp race specific sessions. We are now three weeks on from Ironman NZL and we have done light sessions over the last two and half weeks allowing not only the muscles but my mental and respiratory system to bounce back. To get the body to bounce back I have done 16km in the pool this week with the main focus on endurance which means I am reaping the rewards without the load on my body  Above is a graph showing my build over the last 90 days, you can see how my Training stress after Ironman as eased off into the positives but over the last week after a good rest I have reeled this back in to +10 as we start a new training phase for next season.
I hope the above helps you understand the importance of a rest week and its purpose, until next time, happy training 😊 Robo
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Kia ora guys, in the weekend I had a blast experiencing the color run for my first time, and it was incredible to be around people of all ages who are just out there having fun with the goal to get as colorful as possible.
This was a great opportunity for Penny and a few good friends of ours to do something different and achieve a goal of completing the 5km and one thing that stood out to me when I look back at the weekend is how we and everyone around us was living in the moment or as I like to say, living in the present. It was amazing to see kids as young as three running the course enjoying themselves with the fathers following close behind with a proud grin from ear to ear. One thing that stands out to me now more than ever is that too often we are caught up in making ourselves available to others by having or checking our phones throughout the day or we are focused on what we want or what we don't have rather than appreciating what we have or what is in front of us in the.... present. I read a book by Spencer Johnson a few years ago when I was doing some soal searching and his book "The present" highlighted a few key points to me. Spencer has a way to simplify a story to deliver his message through insightful stories of work and life that speak directly to you so, I recommend having a read of his book if you are interested Although I'm far from always living in the present everyday, the key thing is that I'm aware of it and when I feel like I am missing something or losing something I remember to live in the present and appreciate what I have and what's in front of me. This is what makes me such a positive person and optimistic when times are tough. Until next time, if you get a chance to do The Colour Run, signup for it because rain, hail or shine the event will be on and no matter what you will love it, especially if you focus on living in the moment ;) Robo  Kia ora guys, this week I want to touch on a serious topic and I believe it is timely to highlight for a handful who have already shown me signs of what I experienced it 2015. The Ironman Blues or something to highlight the impact it can make “post IRONMAN depression” is something that is real and believe me, it can affect you more than you know. Some begin to experience it 3-4 days after, saying they feel lost or they don’t know what they should do next, others will embrace the success and choose to take a break and say to themselves “I will get back into it” the depressing thing is that when you have taken this break which for most ends up being 3 months later and right away you end up comparing yourself to who you were on Ironman day and all you can feel is an uphill battle to try get back to that “old you” that fuels your own self judgment and without kicking that feeling back… it wins. You need to remember, for the last 3+ months you have been training for that IRONMAN day, you have now crossed the finish line and achieved something you most probably never thought was possible. You’ve been in the spot light and Mike Riley has called your name across the line, you’ve had complete strangers lap after lap cheer you along and they share something special with you as for some you feel like you know them but now it’s been a week, you are sitting at home and potentially wondering… what now? Well firstly…. I say rest up, don’t put on those runners just yet but, at the same time don’t do nothing and make up for lost time with your best friend Ronald McDonald. When I say rest up I think you should take a read of Rob Dallimore’s post on Foot Traffic Click Here which highlights the importance of taking a break and listening to your body as it will tell you when you should go for an easy swim or a ride to tick the body over and most importantly when the time is right. Secondly take this time to reflect on your race, you are an ironman, it’s time to be proud of what you have accomplished no matter the result. Right now you are potentially the fittest you have ever been, so I say from experience why not utalise it? Enter a few fun events with your family or friends to remind yourself you can still do this without dedicating your life to it around work that you may have been doing for the last 6 weeks. When I look back to 2015 when I finished my first IRONMAN, I decided to take a break and I always said I was going to get back into training in September for Taupo in December however, when September rolled around I found it really difficult to get back into training remembering I was the fittest I had ever been 6 months ago and now I feel as if I am nothing and through self-judgment I never got myself back into a routine, every time I would start it would last 3 days and I would stop again. So this time around I have my race plan and budget sorted for the 2017/18 season, my body has recovered really well and I am ready to get back into training next week with a session a day adding up to a 10 hour training week but more importantly this weekend I have a fun event planned with Penny at the colour run/walk/dance in Auckland with her friend Alex and my good mate Christina which I look forward to having a bit of fun and showing Penny my appreciation for her being there for the last 3 ½ months when I've been really putting a lot of effort into training. Until next time, I hope this is of some use to you and you realise the IRONMAN blues is something that is real, don't underestimate the impact that it can have on you but most importantly be proud!… you are now an IRONMAN! Enjoy yourself, take it easy, have fun and when you do… train hard! Robo Kia ora guys, wow what can I say, after racing in 2015 and coming out of IRONMAN feeling like I had let myself and my supporters down this weekend was the complete opposite and to come in under 10 hours on what has been classed as one of the toughest IRONMAN NZL days has left me in a positive mind set wanting more.
Since my finish I have had moments of reflection from when I first got into this sport thinking how amazing it would be to be among the top age group finishers and in the weekend although slightly off the pace of the top end of age group athletes coming in 9-9.30 I feel like I am in the position to rub shoulders with these guys in the coming year as I was the 15th age grouper across the line and 32nd overall (The 7th kiwi age grouper). To highlight how tough of a day it was there were 1,173 athletes who lined up on race morning however, 162 of those athletes were a DNF, 66 of those who DNF’d were pulled out of the swim due to the sea like rough conditions. The whole lead up to the race I was really relaxed, to be honest the most relaxed I have ever been before a race and a key part to it was due to the physical and mental prep my coach Simon Cochrane (Who also placed 8th overall) has put me through over the last 6-8 months. I was so thankful to see my parents, Penny and her parents who also came and it was a major surprise to see my sister and her kids to pop up at the Reporoa turn around on the second lap of the ride to cheer me on, (A massive thanks to Penny for keeping track of me for my sis!) I made sure I took the chance to wave to my nieces and nephews as I made the turn to show them you can still enjoy yourself even when pushing hard as I want to set an example for them that anything is possible when you set your mind to it and put in the hard work. Below is a quick review of the race legs with race data from IMNZL but first; my piece of advice this week is to believe in the hard work you have done, and don’t second guess a thing, believing in yourself is your single most powerful tool when it comes to race day. Thanks once again to everyone who keeps me on my toes and supports me with what I love doing. Robo Ironman NZL race info below; Swim
On race morning I avoided looking out onto the water as I knew it was going to be a tough one due to the windy conditions which turned the usual pancake flat lake the morning before turn into one of the roughest swims I have done. I got off to a good start and found myself swimming the first 1800m next to Abby Armstrong (One of our strong squad swimmers) before her open water skills kicked in and I dropped off her feet. At the half way mark I was surprised that I had swam the first half in 27 minutes and I was feeling pumped but then, at the turn around boey it was as if the conditions intensified leaving me and many others disorientated taking 35 minutes to swim the second half. Bike
With the swim being as tough as it was I was not sure where the packs would be on the bike, but I kept a level head averaging 221 watts with the wind behind us averaging 40 km/hr out which only meant it was going to be a head wind coming back… which it was, grinding away at 29km/hr at 225 watts. My target was to push 235 watts however; I focused on my heart rate and kept a positive mind set as I had failed from this in training and when all I was doing was catching other athletes and pulling away from those who are usually stronger cyclists I knew I was doing the right thing. I spent majority of the first lap solo and rode the second lap solo which was not my plan but I played the cards I was dealt the best way I knew how. In the last 20km on the bike I started to suffer as my right knee started to get painful and my lower back tightened up but I gritted my teeth and dug deep knowing 10km away Penny was sitting on the side of the rode to cheer me on which helped me break down this tough section. Over the bike leg I drunk three bottles of Pure Sports Nutrition as well as two bottles of water and for food I ate seven OSM cranberry and almond bites as well as three Horley gels and a can of red bull and snickers bar which was in my special needs bag. I made sure as I was coming into T2 that I would make my parents proud by dismounting like a pro unlike 2015 when I had to stop and struggled to get off my bike Run
As I went out on the run I was well above pace at 200m so I stopped and walked, watching my heart and average pace come down before continuing, this was me making a statement to myself that I am in control and will not let my emotions get the better of me. It is difficult, the first two km off the bike, the crowd cheers make you light on your feet as if you have just started the race and you have not been swimming/ biking for the last 6 hours. As I completed the first lap I averaged 4:37, this was below my target of 4:30’s but I knew I had to listen to everything, no longer will I let the numbers came control my race but be more of a guide as I listen and feel my heart beat as I know what I can hold and what feels comfortable. As I ran by 2 mile bay Penny and her parents were there cheering me on which was awesome to have the race broken down in my head to different supporters which included my family, the foot traffic team with all the others, Penny, the Sweat 7 aid station and Wharewaka point which is my favorite section of the run. As expected my pace dropped off over the second and third lap but the intensity picked up as fatigue kicked in, at this stage we have been out there for 7+ hours which takes its toll. On the last lap as I passed two guys in my age group I started to experience an upset stomach which was causing me to stiffen up and once I had taken a quick comfort stop I felt relaxed and finished the last half of the run strong to be greeted down the finish chute by family and friends who welcomed me home :) On the run I had three almond OSM bites and three Horleys lime gels, instead of coke as my “pick me up” I went with red bull which I had thee cans over the distance as well as a snickers bar from my special needs bag and my shoe of choice was the Asics Hyper Speed which was light yet comfortable over the marathon distance. Total
If you are looking for a coach for the season I would recommend having a chat to my coach Simon Cochrane you can do so by commenting below or by contacting Foot Traffic  As I am writing this, in 24 hours I will be in transition, setting up my fuel and clipping in my pedals on my bike to head down to the swim start. And for the first time I have a sense of calm about me that I’m not doubting a thing, yes I have a few phantom niggles that’s popped up none of them are going to hold me back from what I have come here to do.
When I think about tomorrow’s race I am excited and not once do I ask myself “Can I do it?” it’s more of a how much am I willing to hurt myself to achieve what I want to achieve. Over the last 8 months my coach at Simon Cochrane has given me the most consistent training plan and has not smashed me to pieces so that I can train week after week without injury which I believe is the key to where I am. It's been an incredible journey and I never thought I would be at the fitness level I am at today and now the start line is within my grasp. There is a lot I could write about right now but, I wanted to thank a few who have been there for me over the last eight months;
All the hard work has been done and despite my ambitions all I can aim to do is give the ironman distance the respect it deserves, stick to my race plan and at the end of the day, finishing is an amazing accomplishment on its own despite the result. Thanks again to everyone, you are amazing and I’ll see you out there Robo #135 IRONMAN NZL 2017 |
Robo118kg couch potato turned multisport fitness junky aspiring to be the best athlete that I can be and inspire others along the way. Archives
September 2018
A Massive Thanks To
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