Busso Camp

With Busso IM only a few weeks away I should let you all know how the prep is going. Generally its going well, the run is the only thing with a question mark over it. After recovering from my calf strain I got back to running for 10 days and then it tightened up again, although in a slightly different spot. October was to be my biggest month of running in this build up, but is not to be. I am confident that I haven’t lost my running form, not so much confidence in my running endurance though. The end of an ironman is meant to be tough, so it doesn’t change much. It will still be battle between the ears to keep on going when the body screams stop! Looking forward to it, should be fun J

The good news is my biking is going very well! Partly due to not running and I sure the weights have also helped. I have been trying to get to the gym twice a week during the last 2months in an attempt to stay injury free and I think it has worked. The latest calf injury was due to me messy around with a bike saddle and getting my seat height wrong.... You’d think I would have learnt by now (yes I was pissed at myself, but can’t do much about it now). The weights I’ve been doing are very simple on machines, Leg press, lying leg curls, Lat pulldown and seated calf raises. Squats and straight leg deadlifts would be better exercises, but I try to get in, get these done and get to the pool. On machines I don’t need to worry about form and technique, just get the exercises done. Post Busso, I’ll continue weights to maintain strength while giving my body a rest from the hours on the bike for a few weeks, but will look at progressing onto the free weights and more specific exercises.

Swimming is going well, frequency is up and volume isn’t too far of pre Busso 70.3 levels. A few more ocean swims would be good, but summer hasn’t shown up yet and overcast conditions are a little too sharky to brave solo ocean swims.

I have been in Busselton since Friday the 4^th and if you never been it’s the type of place that as soon as you enter, you just relax... I set up base camp at sea shells cottage with Pete Hillman, Darrin Stobba, Clint Doak and he’s wife Michelle. We had a good weekend of training with a couple of bricks, ocean swims and a run. My training partners bought enough food to feed a small nation and then left back to Perth, no need to go to the shops, cheers lads.

The weather turned nasty on Sunday night, through Monday and Tuesday, so have spent a bit of time at the Busselton Aquatic centre, yep I feel like a local. Already know the only shower that works well and which life guard will let me hop in the spa for free. Also headed out for my first long run for a while, in an attempt to look after my legs I headed for the soft surfaces of a dirt track east of Sues road. For all you “born to run” fans I couldn’t catch any of the kangaroos and didn’t get anywhere near an emu. Still it was a good run in the bush, it got me out of the wind and I escaped the rain too somehow.

As with all my training camps, something seems to break. Last time it was my wheels (brought spare set this time) and this time it’s my Subaru. So it’s into Auto Masters tomorrow, hopefully it takes a while and I can be stuck here for a few extra days (it’s nice getting so much rest and recovery). I am here until the weekend, which should be enough. For the last three days I’ve relocated to a farm 10k north of Busselton, not far from the bike course and Sues road so I’m happy to be back on the bike tomorrow. The rest of the sessions this week will be nice and long, 180k ride with a short run tomorrow and a lap of the course with a long run off the bike on Thursday. Throw in a couple of swims and it should be a good week.

First tri for the season will be Bunbury on the 20^th of November. Olympic distance and seriously ready to race!

Banger