All That Ails

Not sure what I’ll do about triathlons this season. My knees and calves don’t want to come to the party and be soreness free. I’ve been lazy and haven’t been doing my stretches which I suppose I really need to do every day. We’ll see what happens – anyway the yoga, weights and swimming keep me active so I shouldn’t just immediately turn into a lump of lard.



A not entirely serious self-portrait. I called it Flashdance.

Triathlon Sunday, February 24

David got to play with the new telephoto extension that screws onto
the camera.

I did very poorly in this one. I had had knee problems from the bike
so I had done precious little training. And as I had no motivation I
stayed up late the night before. Oh well, at least I finished.



Out from the swim



On the bike



On the run

Triathlon - Australia Day 2008

I competed in the 'Australia Day' triathlon on Monday, January 28 at
West Lakes. It consisted of a 1000m swim, a 34km bike ride and an
8km run. I completed it in one hour and 28 seconds. Last year I did
the same triathlon in one hour 55minutes but last year the run leg
was only 7km. So in effect I did it in exactly the same time as last
year.



Nice and calm for the swim, not that you know that from this photo.
The group before I started.



The only one without a wet suit. You go faster in one but they cost
$$.



Grabbin' the bike for the next leg.



Me doing my best approximation of running.

Triathlon - Sunday, January 13

This triathlon was the same distance as the past two, however the first two were run under perfect conditions. On Sunday it rained as we waited to start, thyankfully it stopped and the wind dried out the roads before the bike ride. The lake was really choppy, so it was interesting swimming up waves and down the otrher side! Riding into the wind was pretty interesting too. The run was the least effected but even then you still have extra resistance going into the wind. I completed this one in 1 hour 12, about 30 seconds faster than Graham who is quickly improving. Everyone recorded a slower time than the previous triathlons.



You can see it was windy as the red flag is waving in the breeze.



Terry fighting with his wetsuit.



Me finishing the swim.



On the run into the wind.



Grahm on the run leg.



Across the line at last (but not last).

Triathlon - December 16

The triathlon I took part in at West Lakes on December 16 consisted of a 600m swim, a 19.5km bike ride and a 4km run. I completed it in 1:10:11, which was 35 seconds faster than last time over the same distance. I came 21st out of 26 for my age group, 203rd out of the 254 competitors who did the Challenge, I was 148th in the swim, 201st in the run and 208th in the ride. If I only did as well in the run and ride as in the swim, I’d move up a few places. I’m working on it , but then again, so is everyone else!



All the stuff I need to do a triathlon. I set it out the night before just to make sure I had everything.



First triathlon in my new Tri-suit. No more hassles getting a tank top over a wet body to set out on the ride. The suit was a bargain too - it was 50% off - they were getting rid of the last of the range to bring in a new brand.



Exiting the swim.



Starting the ride.



Graham on the run. More likely to be a grimace than a smile.



Terry finishing.



The ‘competition’.

Triathlon November 25

I competed in the first triathlon of the season on Sunday, November 25. I competed (well . . . I was there) in the Challenge race which consisted of a 600m swim, a 19.5km ride and a 4km run. The swim was good as they've bought new buoys, they're big, tringular, red and easy to see - so that really helped. I did the triathlon in 1 hour and 10 minutes and 46 seconds. I came 191 out of the 231 competitiors who took part in the challenge race and I was 19th out of the 22 40-44 year old age category. Not a spectacular result as the conditions were absolutely perfect and I had done the same distance in 1 hour 7 previoulsy. But I suppose it was an okay outcome for the first one of the season,

Also taking part were some members of the swimming squad who I train with Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at Norwood. They included Graham, Terry, Kay and Penny. Another of the swimming squad, Andrew, did his first triathon ever and completed it in 1 hour 3 minutes! Hmmm . . .

David took the photos below.

(There are more triathlon photos on my Flickr page. Clicking on any of these pictures will take you there. You can see photos in larger sizes there as well.)


Number 953. Set to go.


Setting off in the swim. I don't have a wetsuit so I have to 'brave' the West Lake's sometimes cool waters. Most people seem to think that a wetsuit gives you a minute or two advantage in the water.


Swim over, off to find the bike.


On the bike. I'd like to say I rode really fast . . .


On the run . . . well jog . . .


Crossing the finishing line.


Terry, Penny, Kay, Graham, Harvey

Swim, Ride, Run . . . & Eat

Over the past three weeks I have cycled about 300km (half of them seriously uphill on the ride to work from home to Crafers, elevation 700 metres), run over 60km and swum about 25km. All of this activity has been to ensure a fitness level commensurate with the completion of a full Olympic triathlon, which comprises a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride and a 10km run.

To cut a long story short, I did enough training and I did it with more verve than I thought possible. And I did it in a shorter time than I thought I would – just under 3 hours (I think, I’m still awaiting the official results). (Results in. I completed the triathlon in 2 hours and 47 minutes. I came 147th over all out of 205 participants who completed the event and 18th in my category. As usual I did best in the swim, middling in the run and worst in the ride. There were 24 in my age category.)

The triathlon was at Victor Harbor and we stayed in a rental at Middleton (which is nearby) for three nights. ‘We’ were Graham and Kenneth, Terry and Kay and David and me. Graham, Terry and me all did triathlons on the Sunday and Terry and Kay also did the fun run. David and Kenneth were secconded as support crew.

The 1.5km swim was straight forward, apart from being smacked in the nose and hitting random arms and legs as I swam along. After the first 500 metres though, I had a puddle of water to myself.

Then off on the bike. We rode a course that took us out of Victor and into the nearby hills. The hills suited me. I caught up to people on the hills . . . but then they whizzed past me on the flat. It was really windy on the ride. There were huge gusts in one particularly unprotected place. It also rained while we were on the ride - just drizzle really but several people fell off due to the wet conditions. We did two laps of a 20km loop.

The run was in the area around the canal estate we swam in. Two 5km loops. I did the first at a moderate pace and then when I found that not too difficult I upped the pace and hooned the last 5km.

Graham attempted the Olympic triathlon. He did well in the swim (as expected) and came out of the water about 5 minutes or more before I did. He did the whole ride and one loop of the run before calling it quits. He did no training for the run! Nothing. So he did really well!

Terry completed the short course triathlon. The swim (as usual) posing the biggest challenge for him. He also did the 5km fun run with his wife Kay later in the day.

On Sunday night David cooked for us all. He used the barbecue at the house and chargrilled marinated prawns, chicken and lamb. Each was a separate course with its own small salad or accompaniment. Dessert was chargrilled peaches.

Kenneth did some cooking too. Tea on Saturday night was a sensational smoked salmon salad and on Monday morning we had scrambled eggs and more smoked salmon. Terry did a yummy traditional eggs and bacon breakfast on Saturday morning.

On the holiday Monday we had lunch at a newly renovated pub at Port Elliot with Graham. While we were there the steam train went past twice - the pub is right next to the tracks. Then we visited two wineries in the Yanaklilla area and drove along the coast to McLaren Vale. We had dinner at Awganix in McLaren Vale (the former Limeburners). Great food. Then home.

Below: Enlargification occurs if you clickificate the photos.



Terry tackles the short course triathlon.



Graham almost completes the Olympic distance triathlon. As he did no training other than swimming - to complete the swim, the ride and 5km of the 10km run - represents quite a feat.



In the swim someone hit me in the nose and I kept banging into random arms and legs for the first 500 metres. The water was cold but okay.



Here I am on the course riding and running. I was so happy with the run - I sped up as I went along. I did the second 5km much faster than the first 5km. Last photo, leg cooling.



Finishing the first 5km lap



Running to the finish.



The competition.



Terry and Kay on the 5km fun run.



The after-race team portrait - Harvey, Graham and Terry.



On the Monday we took the long way home. David posing at Carickalinga.



The beach at Carickalinga

Ailsa triumphs

1) The JT Cycles triathlon series finished on the weekend. It was the fifth race - this one being the usual ‘Challenge’ length comprising a 600m swim, a 19.5km bike ride and a 4km run. The weather conditions were not wonderful to say the least. Overcast and warmish it may have been but it was also windy. Quite windy. In fact, it was windy enough to cause West Lakes to become West Seas complete with its own set of 40cm waves. Above is the start of the swim leg and me about to pass the marker buoy about half way through the swim. The rough water was yet to come, when we rounded a corner and headed straight into the southerly. The swim turned from being pretty straight forward to “stroke, stroke, bash into wave, stop, stroke, stroke, bash, breaststroke, regain equilibrium, repeat sequence”.
Fashion news: I now own a pair of real triathlon dacks – you can swim, ride and run in them in comfort. They worked well.

2) Here I am emerging from the pure (filth) waters of West Lakes. Anyone reminded of Daniel Craig? Hmmm . . . Perhaps not. Anywho, after regaining terra firma I wandered over to the bike area, grabbed my trusty steed and rode off as fast as I could – as slow as 24kph into the southerly and at one moment an almost respectable 44kph with the rapidly moving air. The photo on the right is me returning to the transition area. It also proves you can do the ‘hokey pokey’ dance with a bike.

3) I then ran off. Unfortunately I discovered I had run off too fast toward the end of the third kilometre. The dreaded stitch had struck. I reduced speed, completely stopped at one point and watched Ailsa ahead rejoin the main route to the finish line having nearly completed the last kilometre loop of the race.

4) Being the trooper that Ailsa is she saw how slow I was running at the end of the 3km lap and ran with me for most of the last kilometre, pushing me on. As I crossed the finishing line I felt like throwing up. The feeling passed and I had two large plastic cups of Gatorade (or the like) instead. Much more pleasurable.

5) The last photo shows Ailsa very pleased that there was plenty of watermelon at the triathlon this time and me pulling a funny face. I felt I had put in a fairly poor effort and that Ailsa had beaten me by minutes.

6) However, I was quite surprised to see the results. I completed the course only eight seconds slower than Ailsa. Thanks to her ‘encouragement’ over the last kilometre of the run I actually did the triathlon in a pretty good time (for me) considering the wind.
I came 120th in a field of 165; 16th out of a field of 20 for my age group and as usual I did comparatively best in the swim, worst in the ride and middling in the run.

Garahm and Terry from the swimming group also competed in this triathlon.



Click on the photos for enlargification.

Harvey versus Ailsa: The Rematch

On Australia Day (January 26) I competed in the longest triathlon I have attempted so far. It comprised a 1km swim, a 34km bike ride and a 7km run. That's getting close to the Olympic distance.

Ailsa was back to do battle again this time and Terry from the swimming group was there too. (Ailsa used to swim with us too before she moved to Mildura to single handedly resolve Australia's water crisis.)

The conditions were perfect. The vaguely 'off sardiney' West Lakes was calm and flat like a swimming pool and there was a light breeze but it wasn't a problem in either the ride or the run.

And the results? I completed the triathlon in 1:55:10, one minute ahead of Ailsa. (Woo-hoo, quietly.) I did better times in the swim and ride but she wound that back in the run. It was a close run thing. I can now conclusively claim the World Series Triathlon Harvey versus Ailsa This Time Around crown.

Below are the published results. Click on the results picture or any other picture for further enlargification.




Swimmers head for shore


Terry finishes the swim


Ailsa emerges from the water . . .


. . . like Boticelli's Venus from the clam


That's me. In the larger size you can see my number - 921 - same one I've had all season


West Lakes doesn't taste real good


Just out for a ride. Be back after 34km


At the start line


Ailsa whizzing along


Ride finished. Now where do I put my bike?


Ailsa heads out on the run


Run, run, run . . .


Ailsa finishes


Trying to look like the real deal at the finishing line