week 20 in review

153

The more I train the tougher the race looks to me.

It was a long week with plenty of things to take care of, training things and regular chores such as going to Barcelona to visit some flats to live next school year.

After a week with no pickups, sprints or anything I rejoined them. The sessions get tough, it is not just running at z2, picking up to train 3 minutes at z4 is hard but when you do several of them it gets very tough.

I have also raised my swimming mileage from 3km per session to 3.5km per session. Although I was not able to swim on Tuesday because my flat mates and I went to Barcelona I did swim Thursday and Friday. According to the schedule it should take me 1h, just as long as it used to take me the previous mileage, how am I supposed to swim half a km faster in one week? It ain’t happening.

On Saturday I had the same workout as the previous week, 4h bike plus 45mins run. This week I took some air cartridges, thanks god because I did not like going without them, I had spare tubes but I did not have air to pump them up; I also took some energetic gels from decathlon, I liked the flavor and the system was pretty good, the downside was that the package is too big for such small gel quantity and it is hard to get everything into your mouth. I started to ride at seven in the morning so I would not suffer as much as last week and I did not suffer that much indeed. It was quite windy and I believe I was maybe 3km slower than last week, instead I was able to run much faster, 4mins 15secs for 45mins. I was extremely happy with the pace. And because I had more water, I started earlier, I had the gels and I trained for another week I felt much better after it, although I think the main reason was because of the early start.

On Sunday I ran 2h, I started early so I would not feel the heat as much. It was very windy and I did not feel much of nose wind or tail wind rather than cross wind. I have also run most of the time close to a fountain just in case I would run out of water but I did not have that need. At some point I started to have some stomach discomfort but it was not as strong as it had been while I was in Munich and it did not stop me at all, although at some point I thought I would need to stop. In the end I ran 2h at slow pace, expected because my legs were tired from yesterday.

Even though everyone tells me how fit I look and how thin, I don’t see it. I have checked all pictures of me, from 1year ago, and I don’t see that much of a difference, I believe I have a bigger back and shoulders, other than that I don’t see much more differences. Where I do see a difference is in my performance, I can run faster and longer, I can ride for hours and I swim faster, better and longer. So overall I am in a much better shape but I don’t see it on the outside, I see it according to my performance.

Sometimes it is very boring that people look at me like I am weird. Some people have the will to do some stuff, right now I can train for long but it hasn’t come yesterday, I have put a lot of time and effort. It is not impressive that I can ride for 4hours when I have been increasing my riding time for the last 4 months, it would be impressive if I could ride for 4h if I had been sitting on a chair for the last 4 months.

I don’t know what is wrong with me, I’ve been seeing this girl for the last 3 weeks I believe and I can’t make a move. Is it her problem or is it my problem? I mean don’t I make a move because of her or because of me? If I do make a move where does it take us? I am not sure I can start something with her, well I am sure there are only a few girls that I would be able to start something with them, but it could only happen with them because life would be easy, some of them live close to me or far away, and it would leave me plenty of time for myself, but what could happen with someone who lives half way? Would I get distracted as always? I don’t want to hurt her and I am afraid I will. And I don’t know if I admire her as much as I should do. The girls that I would consider having something with them are people that I don’t only like them physically, I also admire them, and I am not sure I admire her. I have a huge dilemma before me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gac6EarRLUM

week 19 in review

153

This week I had a training partner for a couple of days, Tuesday and Friday, she biked while I was running. It was very good and helpful. I did not have any sprints or any shit like that and it was plain running, I guess it was a little boring for her but it was fun for me. I felt very comfortable running with her, and since I could not speed too much because I had to stay in Z2 it was very nice to have her next to me, we talked and talked and talked.

She also did not let me follow my schedule as planned but I forgive her for stalling me 3h at the beach, it was fun.

Saturday’s brick workout was the longest workout so far and probably the hottest. I had 5 bottles of water with me, although I lost one early in the ride. I rode for 4h and then I run for almost 45mins, I felt very slow during the run, extremely hot, and out of energy. I wanted to go to Castell d’Aro’s station but it was, mentally, too far so I went to get some water at the tennis club. I started the run too fast and knowing that I would run out of water, the heat and the lack of energy made me go very slow. In the end it was a good workout.

On Sunday my legs were tired, I haven’t found any recovery drink and someone did not want to give me a massage, hehe. I went from Platja d’Aro to Llagostera, it was very very hot this time as well, probably hotter than Saturday, and according to my mom’s car I was running on 34ºC. The course is mainly uphill and I had to stop two times for water, I also felt very slow. I believe I had tailwind, one could think that it is a good think, well it is not, so I could not feel that bit of breeze that would have helped me to cool down a little bit.

On Thursday I had used my wetsuit for the first time, I had put it on before but I had never swum with it. It made me a rush on the back of my neck, but I felt very good with it and the swimming is quite easy. It was a great experience.

I have also thought this week about what I’ll do after the race. I am thinking about spending e days at a rural house, alone or may be with someone else but there will be no cell phones, no computers, no internet, no TV around me. The only thing I want to do is go for a walk, lay down on the fall’s sun, enjoy the nature and cook my food on the bonfire.

I met this girl that I had run with her, I had no expectations but she is nice and is pretty good looking. Although I lack of confidence and the fact that I don’t have much time for her makes it very difficult for me to try something. I am very happy I have met her and going to the beach with her, meeting her in the arvo and finishing it up with dinner was very nice I am not sure there is that special thing between us.

After hiding for about three weeks I have met you, and it was nice to see you, although you ran away very fast, why is that? Are you scared of something? Sorry if you felt like I was trying a move on you. Don’t worry I will not do that.

I am also getting tired of everyone telling me how I look. It is none of your business and it is boring when everyone always tells you the same. I do don’t have much other topics to talk about but it is not fun when they tell me that I just keep looking stronger and stronger. I don’t see it and that is the result of hard work. I like when the kids get impressed and ask me questions but I don’t like when grownups talk like they are jealous. It is very easy, start working out! I used to be a lazy ass, but now I go out to train and I train hard and I enjoy it.

And finally for the last 2 weeks I have been thinking that even though my confidence on finding a life partner is low, I’ll want some time a kid. I will raise him on my own without a mother. The kid will be mine and the baby will become my family. I am far away from reaching this goal but it is something that I think about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OalQIJtx_o

week 18 in review

153

First of all I would like to thank you for coming along in my journey and helping me to do my first Olympic distance triathlon simulation. I can't emphasize enough how much I liked your work. Thank you very much you were a great support, I have planed a half iron distance in a month, wanna come along again?hehe

I have tapered this week. So it means that I raced yesterday. Well I did not race, I simulated it. I raced on my own, alone, no one else on the course, just me and my helper who took pics and handed me drinks, hehe. The simulation consisted of an Olympic distance race, 1,5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run. I was quite happy with the swim, 28mins, which is quite good for me. Then came along my disappointment, 1h16mins on the bike (31.5km/h), I expected at least 6mins faster. Finally I ran in 37.30mins. 30seconds slower than I expected(3.45mins/km). I have to say that racing with no one else was a bit difficult because I was competing against the clock and it was hard to stay focus all the time. I also have to say that the bike course had 400m of accumulate ascend according to my watch. Yesterday, I did my first T1, disappointing worse moment of the entire race, very slow, but I learned a lot from it and I have to practice a lot more.

The feelings during the week were pretty good, I started to feel faster and ready. I can't blame the results to the taper, I have to blame the bad results on previous weeks. I need to work harder, a lot harder, specially during z4 moments.

I have also swum in open waters last Thursday, it was only for 30mins but it felt good, and short. I need to do it more often from now on.

It looks like you are hiding from me. I don't know why, are you scared of me? I am not dangerous, I believe, you talked very clear and I don't know why you want to stay away from me.

It looked like I couldn't get any more disappointed but it was possible, although I have to say that something unexpected has come along. I might see you tomorrow if I don't have to go. I did not expect what you did after the first time, I thought you were like all the rest but it looks like there is a mutual interest. Will see how it goes, no big expectations at this moment.

week 17 in review

153

First week back at home, I've been working very hard and I am not sure whether the I am very slow or my foot POD is not well calibrated with the Zoot shoes. It is true I don't feel very sharp but I am holding it very well. I am not as tired as I had expected I would be by now. I have been training for about 14h.

Some of the sessions are getting hard, getting to Z4 for 10mins ain't easy, it takes a lot of strength, energy and concentration it is very easy to slow down for a little bit specially when tired.

It has been very hot and I am not doing the schedule that i would like to. I wanted to swim early in the morning and then head out to run or ride but I can't swim until 1pm so I run or ride at around 10 am the latest and then I head to the pool.

It is not my favorite pool but it gets the job done. The water is salty and sometimes it is a little chilly, and since I got used to the 50m pool in Munich now this pool feels small and that I am turning too much, I've been using the flip turn but I am not good at it at all. I need a lot more practice but I am determined to it.

I need another armrest for my bike, I want to ride in the aero position again, it is fucking hard to ride a straight hour at 100+ rpm in one seating position, hehe. I also enjoyed the long ride going to santa pellaia and coming back, I wish I had my speedometer working and my armrest, I would've enjoyed it a lot more.

My long runs are exhausting and I need to take a bottle of water with me and keep pouring water on my head so I can keep going, I've been running to late in the day and it is too hot and humid.

I need to be a little more disciplined with my sleep, it is not good to to sleep only 4h before a long brick and it is not good either to sleep only 10hours when I have a long brick one day and a long run on a hot day the other.

I am tired of being upset by you. It is not fair. Some times it looked like we could go one step farther and then everything just blows away. I don't know how it happens but it has always happened.

I am getting fed up of the situation I don't want what I wanted 2 months ago and it makes me feel sad. Nothing is like before and I guess there is a lot to understand that I can't. I feel like I lost my chance.

Once you said to me that you would never be mine, it looks like it is going to be true forever.

I have also met some new people but I don't feel like with you. I try but I am not sure we have the connection and I am not sure I physically like them like you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuRgQlfpD0U

week 16 in review

153

Last week was a very long one. Although it rained many days, I had a lot of things to do. I finally got my bike case, it is huge and it has completed the job very well. It carried the bike safe.

I swapped the schedule for my brick so I would have time to do everything this week.

While in Germany I trained well, it did not feel too hard and I enjoyed it when it wasn't raining. I had to wait a lot because of the rain, plus I think I was a little lazy.

On Sat I started to train at 7 in the morning so I would have time to pack and get to the airport. i pushed it pretty hard and I had a very good ride and I achieved my running goal, to go to the bridge and back in under 15mins each way, I did it in 14.45 each way, I was very happy because when I tried to run only 30mins back in the past I was not able to reach the bridge and on Sat I did it on a 13h training week and after the bike.

For Sun's run I was already in Platja d'Aro; I did not sleep too much and I started to run late, at 11. It was insane, I took a bottle of Recuperation Sport with me and it only lasted 30mins, I was dying luckily I reached Sta Cristina's Carrilet station and I put water in the bottle and poured some of it over me, it helped a lot and it made the run very easy. I felt very slow and according to the numbers I was running at 31ºC and at a pace of 4.20mins/km so I ran half a marathon, but I was too slow, the heat was too much to handle. Before I poured water on my head I wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to make it. In the evening I went for my recovery ride. I felt ridiculous it was my 1st time doing such session on the road, I was riding at a very high cadence but I was barely moving, funny. Everything was going OK until I was almost home, I stupid lady tried to pass me when I was about to turn to head my street, I was riding uphill, I was standing up and when I tried to tell her that I was going left, because she accelerated and made me thing she was going to pass me, I fell and I hit a street light. I broke my left shoulder support and I have cracked my helmet. I did not suffer anything else. She did not even ask me if I was OK. Now I need to find a new support.

People here are so different I think only one of all the people that I found did not greet me back. It is so much nicer when people are nice. I also was not honked for riding on the road even though I had the bike lane next to me.

I hate when people say they would do something and they don't. I also hate when people don't acknowledge anything.

On Saturday I was told some information about you that I did not like.

I also did not like that u did not want to see me but it is OK, I have never been part of your life and you have never understood me.

It is nice to be in Platja d'Aro and meet old friends. It is always good to meet old friends when you miss them and they care about you and they show it to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZJzsMyyDpQ