Race and Training this week

Hey How are ya!?!

Subaru West Coast Triathlon Series Sooke Sprint

So what a fun race. Rainy, foggy, technical and hilly. What a race, what a race.
Click Here for results But here is how it happened:

Got up nice and early(4:30) and drove for an hour to the race course. 8:30 the Race began and I quickly move to the front and held a steady fast pace concentrating on high cadence, working hard to spread the pack out. T1 was quite slow. But since it was TT it was not as crutial. I will have to do some transition practice in the upcoming week.

The first 10km or so I just stayed 10m behind Dano and Scotty waiting for the hills after the flats. We started the climb and I geared up and pinned it. I worked the hill very very hard trying to get out of sight. At the end of the climbs I settled into a great aero position and worked it. An odd sign saying bikes go right when we were suppose to go forward made me take a wrong turn. When I was called back I rode into the ditch. I did not crash but I had to get off my bike cutting my foot open. So in T2 I had difficulty getting my shoes on and lost valuable time.

Out onto the run I noticed the pain in the middle of the foot but ran well in spite of it. It was a slow hilly course. I had high cadence and ran tough. I felt stronger as I went along. The run build is paying off. Overall I am happy with my result. And it was a good motivator for Nationals.

So since then I have had some solid training. Including some solid sets in the pool and a tough set on Durrance hill. The classic 3xfull climb, 3xhalf climb and 3xflat road which I am feeling now. I really worked it. Trying to dig myself a bit of a hole and challenge myself to back it up. I dug myself a little deeper yesterday with a solid set on the Lochside trail. Good old fashioned 6xkm repeats. Solid set but definately am feeling the past few weeks of training, time for a taper.

Well I am off Take care and Ciao for now,

Andrew

I think I know who rubbed me off the road last...Iain!

This is an article in the Times Colonist this morning that really disappoints me in so many ways. I gues we ride along Dallas Road for the condition of the road and the wind. But don't take my word, have a read...
Click On the Title to read the Article.
Keep the rubber side down.
Ciao for now,
Andrew

Overcoming Theme

Tim Christensen - Whispering at the top of my lungs

(Click on the Photograph)

-theme song for Overcoming

Every so often you come across a song that absolutely takes your breath away and makes you wish you wrote that song.

Enjoy

As for Process:

-Key word Process, why?

*Lately I have become a

bit too outcome oriented

so the key word that I am

drilling into my head is

Process! Thanks Simon.

So I beleive the run build is Working! I have that feeling again. The feeling I had earlier this year, the feeling of natural running. The joy of using only your legs to get you around and it is amazing! I had a wonderful set on the Treadmill this morning, though it was tough, I had a smile on my face the entire time. What a joy it is to see my running legs back. I have been watching many Running videos such as Haile Gebrselassie setting the World Record in the 10,000m. With this in my mind as I run, I see what I need to focus on. Cadence, less 1500m style more 10,000m style. Again, thanks simon for the idea.

But that is all for now,

Take care,

Andrew McCartney

CSC joins wristband-wagon

Team CSC has joined the wristband bandwagon this year, but it sports an interesting slogan that isn't raising money for a charity or some do-good organization. Instead, the letters across the black plastic wristband underscore the team's philosophy in this year's Tour: "Harden the Fuck Up." "Stuart (O'Grady) brought them for the team in London and asked everyone to wear them," said Team CSC rider Frank Schleck. "If it's tough, we look at the wristband and we do what it says. When it gets hard, you harden up. So far it's worked pretty good."

Spot On Team CSC!

Team CSC must have seen Chopper Read because we here in Victoria have been using this philosophy in training and racing over the summer.

Great Minds think a-like?

Chopper Read - Harden the F*** up

Me Trying to Harden the F*** up

At the Edmonton World Cup

Catching up on some Process

With the Tour de France in full force there is no lac of inspiration. Wake up and begin each day with one of the greatest races in the world. But my focus lately has been to stretch out my running endurance and turn my 1500m speed into 10km speed. So I have been logging the miles both on the road and on the treadmill with such sets as(within the past two weeks):

15 mins WU
5 x 3 mins w/ 3 mins @ 2%
5 x 2 mins w/ 2 mins @ 3%
5 x 1 mins w/ 1 mins @ 4%


Pretty happy with a set on Wed, despite record setting temperatures. The group would begin this workout pretty depleted from the sun. The set was:

10min -10.8 m/h @ 2%
8min -10.9 m/h @ 2% -Strugled at the 6min mark but got back into it
6min -11 m/h @ 2% -quite the challenge after sort of hitting the wall on the 8
4min -11.1 m/h @ 2%
2min -11.2 m/h @ 2%
- 4 and 2 were quite manageable due to all the speed work I have done early in the season

20 min in the ocean was just what the doctor ordered with 38 degree Celsius temperatures

Thursday was Motor pacing with Steve Lund. I set a challenge for myself by staying on the second wheel which proved to be difficult to soak up a draft. I was feeling strong and having a good time until my cleat came loose so it became a left leg workout. I managed, just pushing down with my right foot and focusing on my left. My weak leg just caught up with my good leg. A winter of rollers came in handy and I reminded myself of the time Craig Walton had to ride with his running shoes through the 40km ride.

I had been looking forward to saturday's ride for some time as it was hill repeats! And to wake up to see an amazing performance in the tour by 24 year old Linus Gardemann (T-Mobile)(see Below) excited me even more. Solid set on Durance Hill and back home for a run off the bike quite happy with the set.



Today we were down at Beacon Hill for a tough workout. The set was Twice through, 1 "Harder than Hamish Loop" and 1 "Figure 8 loop." I was really feeling yesterdays hill repeats but suprisingly I felt best on the hill of the "Harder than Hanish Loop." Gutsy workout considering yesterdays workout. We need to work on a name for the Figure 8 loop.

But that has been the "Process" for the past two weeks. The process to get me to the Outcome. I would like to share with you a very funny group from New Zealand, called "Flight of the Conchords":


Flight of the Conchords - "Inner City Pressure"

See also: Flight of the Conchords - "She's So Hot -Boom"
or Flight of the Conchords - "Rain Ballad"

Ciao for now,
Andrew

Todays Top 5

Five more totally obscure songs in no order:

1. Flight of the Conchords - She's so hot -boom (From New Zealand)
2. Kinky - Sister Twisted (From Mexico)
3. CSS - Let's Make love and listen to Death from above (From Brazil)
4. Roisin Murphy - Night of the Dancing Flame (as seen in "so you think you can dance)
5. Flight of the Conchords - Hiphopoptamus vs. Rhymenoceros

Breaking Away

Three of my favourite scenes from my favourite movie:

- best coming of age movie ever made.

Intro

M'appari

Motor Pacing the way it should be done!

I share this with you not only just for movies sake but today in my ride OYO a friendly driver must have seen this movie and put his 4 fingers out the window, then 5 as seen in the clip above.

Thanks,

Ciao for now,

Andrew