Finally Got One Away

It was HOT last night. Big Gazza and I couldn't stand it anymore sitting in a stuffy house. As it the 1st of December and 1st day of summer we pulled on the cozzies and headed for the beach. 8pm, still 35 degress and storm clouds were threatening action overhead, but nothing eventuated. Just a distant rumble of thunder but eh all talk, no action. I love nights like these. Takes me back to when I was a kid. We lived close to where I am today. Having never really moved far from my childhood stomping ground I feel like I have a memory down every street. My Dood (family name for Dad) and I used to sit on our front veranda watching the clouds gathering hoping like crazy that it would turn into an electrical storm. I wonder now if it was his way of making sure I was never scared of storms. But anyway, us 3 kids would climb all over him laughing and enjoying the show. He in his undies that he claimed were the same as swimmers, us still with our cozzies on after a full day of summer sun at the beach (not a dollop of sunscreen to be seen all day). A crack of thunder would have us applauding and cheering and then counting, hoping for a craized streak of lightening to follow close behind and tell us how close the storm was.

Bundeena in the National Park 1974
- pre Sunscreen being invented I'm sure. 

Usually electrical storms are on the tail of a hot sticky, humid day and yesterday was one of those days. I had been looking forward to the Saturday Crew Ride all week and when I woke up at 4.30am and the air was still and thick and the covers had been kicked off the bed during the night, I knew the weather man had it right and it was going to be Scorch-io.

I rolled up just before 6am got the usual kit together and with time in hand managed to get a few warm up stretches done. The word from Coach on the program was "let's see if we can get you gals round the loop today." I remember back in about July talking to Coach and he said that by November 100-110km rides should be the 'Norm' each weekend and I knew we were a fair bit behind that goal due in part to the itb (grrrr) and due to a few other issues as being sick, recovery after Port, taking new girls out on the ride or life in general getting in the way. Megzy had said at running earlier in the week that she really wanted to get the loop done at least once before Christmas. I was keen too. I was also keen to have every box ticked on my program this week. The last few weeks had been easier and rest weeks. This week felt like getting back into it and it was feeling good.

I decided at the beginning of the week on a strategy for taking notice of my fatigue levels (See previous blog). I need to take more responsibility/notice of my fatigue and communicate to Coach how I am travelling. The strategy I decided on was to change a few columns in my diary. Calories Burnt became Sleep, HR Zone became Fatigue, Times exercising became Attitude/Head and I added a column for Body. So upon waking I have been measuring (rating scale of 0-10) how well I slept, how fatigued I feel, where my head/attitude towards doing the planned set is and how the body is coping with the load. I have been repeating the process after work just prior to the pm sessions. It's an interesting experiment and worthwhile I think so far. So with easing back into full work load and my rating scale all reading positives and a tick in each box of my program I was heading into our long ride with a pumped attitude and a quiet determination to 'get it done!'

The girls rolled out with Megzy and I on the front. Seems to be the standard now as we snake along the coast road in flying formation. Close behind is Macca (a great gal who I will call Macca as she reminds me so much of another friend of mine who has a big laugh and great Aussie girl humour), next to her is Lil Dog (no need for an anonymous nickname to hide the innocent required there), Kel who came out for a short ride as she is doing I.M Busselton in Western Australia next weekend and another girl who has just joined the Crew and so hasn't got a nickname yet!!! but soon I'm sure.

The trip up to Bald Hill was an easy one; uneventful but for a flat tyre which Kel dutifully changed for Lil Dog and I helped by adding pit crew sound effects as Kel worked. Within a couple of minutes (impressive) we were on our way again. At the top of the steep climb, which is actually starting to get easier (hmm could I be getting stronger?) we lost 3 of the team as they turned and headed for home leaving Macca, Megzy and Sammi to carry on North. The ride heads down into the National Park and as the steamy rainforest wrapped its stickiness around us I relaxed into the curves being careful to stay away from the slippery white lines and mossy edges of the road. At the bottom it's a long 7km grind up to Garie. Our usual turn around BUT NOT TODAY! Still feeling keen we punched on and in time-trial formation we rode the undulating course to Audley. I haven't been there since I was about 9 I reckon. A great day with my Grandma who was visiting from Scotland. Not having grandparents in Aus meant I never knew how special it is to have an extended family. I am so jealous of Kez who gets to have Grandood cuddles and time with Grandmoom doing art & craft together.

Audley is just beautiful, a forest laddened valley with an easy lazy river at the base with a road that cuts across at water level to create the weir and if you're really keen you can hire a boat and punt for hours. But not today. The girls had warned me about a steep climb out of Audley and in typical Sammi style I built it up in my head til it was Everest I was about to ascend. We set our gears to easy and our legs to churn and hit the climb. I soon felt I had to overtake Megzy and Macca. I'm not keen on sitting behind people on a hill, I need wobble room. So I rounded them when it was safe and set my own pace. Too easy! It was long and yeah the grade was dialled up but not undoable and as we hit the top and headed along the busy highway heading for home I was quietly doing the leaping high-5s in my head.


Dood, Bro, Sis and Me (Standing) Audley 1973

The highway was awesome. Long clean straights with room for two abreast. Megzy and I held the front while Macca ducked in behind us and we set a cracking pace of 30-35km with the wind at our backs. We stopped at a garage station and took quick respite in the airconditioning. A Coke now in the biddon for extra fuel (so glad I don't drink Coke usually cause I could feel the pick-me-up straight away) and we were now descending back into the forest leaving the bustle and noise of the highway behind us and replacing it with bell birds song and our laughter.

All ride I had been worrying about this particular section. One more long climb out of the National Park to go. I had it in my head that this section of the ride was going to be hard and I would struggle physically here. I knew it would be about the 85km mark and the legs would be growing weary. True to form I started to over worry the issue and suddenly the legs died again. The conversation had been lively and had distracted me from any tiredness in the legs. But now I had fallen silent and being still at first wheel I started to listen to the legs telling me they were suffering. I started to sing again. Wasn't really working. When I finally said "geez I think my legs are dead." The other girls declared their hands and said they were suffering too. Wow that made me feel better. I thought it was just me, but nope they were with me. ok I'm normal, this is normal and This Too Shall Pass! I started singing and chatting again and sure enough it passed. Also helped that I downed a full caffeine Dextro Gel.

Home straight and still in front wheel I guided the girls over the seven hills to home. The girls thought it was funny that I knew how many hills there were but I have this ride mentally broken down into bite size chewable chunks. We stopped where we had begun six hours earlier tired but content in our achievement. I looked down to discover that my Garmin had let me down and had only recorded 6.4kms! WTF! Ha that was the toughest 6.4kms I have ever ridden.

The Loop! Conquered finally. With one away, the cherry has been popped. And I am left wanting more!

Coach's comment on the program this week "Why stop at the loop once?!"

EXACTLY!

The Gathering

Finally snotty is packed and feeling like crapolla crawled into the passenger seat and promptly went back to sleep. Woke up, yawned, read a little, then slept some more. Got woken up by Gazza saying we had arrived at what feels now like our second home. Port Macquarie.



On the otherside of that hill the fear has stilled.

We headed for our accommodation. Smack bang in the middle of the action. Great at the time, walking to transition, restaurants etc not so good at 4am when the volunteers were setting up road barriers and the race director was warming up the P.A. I woke up, opened one eye and guaged how I was feeling. No excuses, I'm well enough to play.

Bike check done I headed for the rendezvous point and there is Coach with the Crew. All chatting excitedly, doing last minute checks and admiring the latest matching earrings and nail decorations in team racing stripes. Yep, we are a deadly serious team! not. I love the relaxed air and camaraderie of the Crew. There are no over inflated egos here. And if there were I think their balloon would be popped pretty quickly. A few last wise words from the big guy (not racing this time due to illness) and we headed for the start. A short walk and then we found ourselves standing on the edge of the water ready to enter. Very little time for a warm up swim today. We are funnelled in and I lose sight of the girls.

Gun time and it's time to rock 'n roll. Hit out hard, found a set of feet to jump on to and rode the wave. Tried to jump across to the next set of feet when I could. Came out of the water feeling good. Could I have gone harder. Yep, but the run is always the unknown and so somewhere I always hold back. 4th in my age group. Let's hit the bike.

Out on the road ready to mount. And here he is larger than life screaming my name. No megaphone required. Roaring for the crowd to hear my name. I mounted and Coach's energy propelled me into the 1st lap with gusto.

Not far down the road and Kel passed me. I started to go with her and caught myself. 'Ride your own race' I thought and put my head down so that I could let her go. Over the hills and out on to the straights, I dug in hard. Our T.T sessions over the last weeks really paid off as it felt familiar and the legs remembered what to do and got to work.

And there it was! Matthew Flinders Drive hill. My nemesis. My dread, my pain, my fear, looming ahead of me as I rounded the corner. So many times I have dismounted and pushed my bike up this hill. I kept reminding myself that this was a chance to give it a go so that by Ironman I would not have the fear in my head. Visualising before the race for me came down to, 'will I make it up the hill or not?' Will I fall off in front of the crowds that always line the hill encouraging those who take on the hill and roaring approval as they crest it and for others, like me who opt for the safer and less humiliating push version, the crowd matches equally with words of encouragement and enthusiasm.

But for me, fear comes from several dark places.... Fear of failure, fear of being singled out in a crowd, fear of letting my team and Coach down, fear of embarrassing myself. Combine all those fears to one spill on a hill and you have the sum of all my fears. It must be put to rest! I hit the bottom of the hill and didn't focus on a run up, but rather, moving smoothly into the 'granny gear' and finding the 'dig deep' button. I started to work, a pinch, a moment of doubt, a reassuring 'you can do it' from the crowd. 'Ease your grip on the bars' from a single knowing deep voice from the crowd and obeying the voice I focused on legs rather than my hands.

I spun up the hill. Twice! Yep the second lap was a ground hog moment.

Out on the run and ok, here we go! This time I spotted Roberto just ahead of me. Part of me wanted to keep him in my sights and I wanted to run with my training buddy (the easier option). But again the little voice in my head said whoa! I knew I couldn't match Kel's speed and the same applied here. I had to run my own race and besides, my itb was giving off warning shots. Damn it! there it was again. ok, now I'm worried. 2kms in and it is telling me it's not happy through a painful nagging. Pop a panadol and focus on the form.

And round the next corner is Coach on his bike. GO SAMMI! watch the form, run tall, don't get caught up in the mental games, dig deep! GO SAMMI!!!!!!! Yep Coach, I got it. BUT, in a moment of lost focus I made a fatal rookie mistake. Yep, I poured water over myself and wet shoes plus orthodics = blister. A blister as big as a 50c piece on the arch of my left foot. Nice! Now it's 12kms to run. I stop and grab some Vaseline and try to run without limping. It's smarting bad. I pass Coach and I think he saw the look. 'Keep tall Sammi' he yells and I focus on form and watching the dolphins in the cool river we are running alongside to distract me from the pain at each step.

ok, ouch! Time to pick a box. I start visualising. ok, the box is small enough to hold a blister in. Tight, red, small, now put the pain in it and put a lid on it. Clamp it down tight. Pick something to clamp it down with. ok, found it. That big guy up in front of me running smoothly. He looks like he could be heavy enough to keep the lid down until the end. I watch his legs striding and I fall into a hypnotic rhythm behind him and we run to the finish line.

I lose sight of the big guy and the lid flies off. But it's ok, the race is done and ice cream heals everything including blisters......for now anyway.

High 5s from Coach. Catch up with the Crew and all are home safe and sound and still smiling. What an amazing day. Sadly though Gazza and Baby Bear had to pull out. But The Onion Man and Roberto are home and happy.

Shower, lunch and climb aboard, it's a 5 hour ride home. Gazza at the wheel, medal swinging from the rear view mirror and I am one very happy Sammi.

Top 10~! P.R in all 3 disciplines. Goal achieved.  

  

Crew Talk with Coach

Tuesday afternoon found me racing out the door from work and heading to the harbour for the first open water swim of the season. We are usually in the water on the first weekend in October but it has been freezing in the water. So with the weather warming up slowly, when I got the call from Coach to meet the gang and don the wetsuits I was keen to get it done.

I pulled on the wettie and dived in. It was, shall we say, refreshing! I immediately felt comfortable and found that all the swim training over the winter had paid off. M biggest indicator was being able to match another girl in the water that had previously been able to beat me. Also, later that night I got a text message from Coach saying that my swim had improved HEAPS! woohooo

For the next two days I was in Sydney for work sitting in an air conditioned room with a bunch of strangers. Combined with an ear that filled with water and wouldn't drain... it was inevitable but yep I woke on Thursday morning with a dry sore throat and a snotty nose. By the end of the day I had the body shakes and by the time I got home I was given my dinner and put to bed by Gazza.

Saturday morning saw me up at 4.30am!!!! and eating down codrals in a hope that I would make it through the days training session. Coach had called a team meeting to start at 5.45am and I arrived a little late and a lot of fluster. I knocked on the door and entered the house. The crew were all gathered already perched on arms of chairs and floor. I settled in between two of the girls and waited for the Oracle to speak. As Coach had been in New Zealand the past couple of weeks I (and the crew) were keen for him to share some of the insights he had gained while working as the physio for the elite ultra triathletes. He had rubbed shoulders with the best Coaches in the sport. Bob Mcgee to name just one.

Coach spoke about digging deep. How even the best athletes have to dig deep and have dark moments in their race. But he also said that even the athletes who aren't as gifted perhaps genetically can still work hard and dig deeper in order to win (or in my case finish ;) It's about hearing the negative thoughts, recognising that things can and do go wrong out there, but not owning the negativity, just acknowledge it and let it pass.

I felt I could relate to what he was saying. There have certainly been times in my life where I have felt so terribly trampled and beaten and just wanted to lay down and let the blackness engulf me. But from somewhere, somewhere from within comes the belief in myself that I can 'bloody well walk out of here!' and I do!

So we mounted up and headed out. It was going to be a shorter session than the last few weeks. Just one TT. So with the wind behind us we headed North and upwards. I did a PR on Bald Hill. Even feeling like crap I managed a PR. Very happy. We reached the beginning of the TT session and regrouped. When we started the session one of the girls jumped to the front and maintained a lead with me in second, Elyse third and Megzy in 4th. The elastic between Katrina and I stretched and closed, but never really snapped. As we reached the turn around point I realised that the boys had not been anywhere along the road. But anyway, I turned and opened up. Downhill and wind assisted it was going to be a fast return. And it was! As I went over the bridge with the flattened cat (Peeweww!) I spotted Coach. The boys must have ridden further and come up behind us. I was head down and cranking 47kms per hour. Sweet!

By the time I finished I had left 3 and 4 way behind and had pulled up behind 1. I was very happy with the legs. But, the snotty nose and sore throat were giving me such a hard time. I was feeling a bit wobbly. For the rest of the ride I sat in the group quietly wishing I was home. Digging deep just to make it home.

8 sleeps to Port...... 8 sleeps to get better and get ready.

Later Coach sent this.......

You are better than you believe you are.

You can achieve more than you think you can.

Believe --> Achieve

May 2012 to May 2013 - The 12 Months of Ironman



I'm In !!!!!

Ironman 2013

 

Me aka (Sammi, Mumma Bear)

Big Gazza

Baby Bear

The Onion Man

Roberto

Pete the Physio

Coach

Megzy

Ed

Jamie

Bobby

Hammells

 

It is going to be huge so strap yourselves in peeps!