Swim
Distance 875m
Continuous distance 150m
Near drownings 2
Bike
Zermatt – a bit past the dam.
Distance 9K, Ascent 425m
Time 47:30
Run
6K trail run 6K trail run
Time 40:36 Time 41:07
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Ankle sprains 2 Ankle sprains many
I took the train down to the grown-up pool again for this weeks swim. Grown-up, only in size, for there were a few too many kids in it for my liking. I’ve become one of those grumpy adults that tuts at the kids as they dive bomb into the water. To be fair, there is a section of the pool with diving boards etc which is specifically for jumping, then the pool is roped in half, so the shallow end is available for kids, so I don’t think it would be too much to ask to keep one section of the pool for proper swimming (not that I can be classed as a proper swimmer by any means). Still, it should be good preparation for triathlon, where from what I’ve read, you get swum over, kicked and pushed under. Can’t wait!!
I managed to keep track of my distances this week, with a total distance of 875m and managing 150m with no rest. The 150m was an exercise in survival rather than good swimming. I can swim a couple of lengths with reasonable breathing technique (I’m sure experts would disagree) but push the distance further and it starts to fall apart. I start rushing my stroke so I can breath sooner, start panicking and take on water. Now, rather than choking at the side of the pool I can generally manage to continue by throwing in a couple of strokes of breast stroke to get my breath back.
At one point I had a bit of a head on collision incident with another swimmer, how neither of us saw each other I don’t know. I think I need to practice looking where I’m going whilst swimming, it’s probably quite important in a triathlon when you have to swim around buoys.
Post swim treat was a magnum ice cream this week, far too hot for chicken nuggets. I also purchased some new goggles on my way back to the station, as I have been suffering with steaming up issues. Also because my goggles are pool goggles, I’ve been getting blinded whilst wearing them outside. I was opening my eyes under the water, but closing them whilst breathing because the sun was too bright… might explain the head on collision. So now I have some with UV protection, tinting and 180º vision.
| A little helicopter spotting at the Air Zermatt heliport |
I went for a bike in the evening this week. It was a little cooler, but that did not seem to make the climb feel easier. The advantage was though, that there were no tour groups blocking the entire road at that time of day.
I really should learn a little about bike maintenance. I actually struggled just to use the tyre pump before I headed out! I attached it to the valve, but it showed zero pressure and wouldn’t pump. I figured out eventually that I had not opened the valve on the tyre before attaching the pump!! God help me if I ever need to fix a puncture at the side of the road, it would probably be quicker to walk home.
I made it to Furi in 33 minutes, a little faster than last time, and then continued on, with the aim of getting to Stafelalp (a restaurant which is on a remote ski piste in winter). I had been assured by my other half that the road from Furi to Stafel is pretty flat in comparison with the climb to Furi. Thinking I could do with some flat land cycling too I decided to give it a go. Well, if vertical is the new flat then he was spot on.
Second problem was that Stafelalp is a lot further away, than it seems when you are on skis. I made it about half way between Furi and Stafelalp before I gave up and decided to turn back. I also really had no idea where I was, I thought the road would link up with the winter ski piste and it didn’t. I arrived at a dam (which I knew existed but had never been to) and the road went into a creepy tunnel. I was a little spooked (shaking in my boots) as I had no idea where the tunnel went and how long it was. It turned out to only be about 25m long and brought me out next to the reservoir.
| Creepy tunnel. |
The road then turned into a gravel road and my skinny road tyres were no longer ideal. I continued for a while until I reached the weirdest little wooden cable car, at which point feeling I’d strayed into another world and having no idea how much further I had to go, I decided that I’d head home.
It took me 47 minutes to get to the weird cable car and it took me 15 minutes to get home. The return journey would have been faster, but the road has some very nasty metal drainage channels running across it and I didn’t fancy hitting one of those at speed, especially when cycling next to a sheer drop leading into a reservoir (it doesn’t look remotely like somewhere I’d want to do an open water swim). As it was evening and getting a little dusky I did not have sun glasses on, not an issue on the way up, going down at speed resulted in insects in my eyes, just like they get stuck to your car windscreen….. beautiful!
| Random Cable Car |
I have changed my run training philosophy (I’m not sure I really had a philosophy in the first place, but hey). I find nothing more boring than road running, and when you are bored it seems to take longer and hurt more. Also in Zermatt there is very little flat ground and roads to run on. So I have decided that as I live in the mountains I am going to train in the mountains and do trail running.
Now that all sounds very well and good, but trail running involves going up hills, down hills and running over rocks and boulders, and in Zermatt, through Mountain Goat poop! So it is obviously hard work. So my second change to running is that I’m not going to be as strict on myself as before. If I want or need to stop for a minute or two’s rest, then I will. Previously I’ve always felt if I stop or walk during a run then I’ve let myself down, but I’d rather do that if it enables me to run a bit further. I’m going to enjoy it and hopefully it will get easier and the need for rests will get less.
So I ran a trail from my place towards Tasch and back. I did 6K in 40 mins, not including rest breaks. I stopped for a little helicopter spotting as I passed Air Zermatt’s heliport and a had rest at 3K, before I turned back. I went over on my left ankle twice resulting in a few profanities, which seemed to shock the Japanese hikers. I found I barely noticed the normal pain of running as I was far too busy concentrating on not breaking my ankles or falling flat on my face (there were a few close calls).
| Trail running |
I read a book this week called “Can’t swim, Can’t ride, Can’t run” by Andy Holgate. He was challenged to take part in a local triathlon by a friend and he couldn’t swim and didn’t really cycle. A year after that first triathlon he did his first Ironman race. Amazing. Very inspirational and worth a read. He also has a blog http://ironholgs.wordpress.com.
I have set up a twitter account to accompany this blog, for short regular updates follow @letstriblog…. I only have 4 followers so far (and one is me), so #pleasefollow.
