Work mostly done

Training is done for the day and the week, and really since next week is a taper week, the hard work is now mostly done for Geelong 70.3.

Training today started off with a long run which went okay. I am slowly getting my head around these longer runs, so heading off this morning, 25km didn't seem quite so daunting as it once might have. It was still a tough run, but mentally it wasn't such a big hurdle as it has been in the past. It was another mixed surface run with some grass and trail thrown in to keep it interesting. As I have mentioned before I don't mind this approach on the longer runs, it helps me relax and shift my focus away from simply chasing pace. As a result the run was comfortablish, well as comfortable as that sort of run can be. The only negative I would say for the run was that my cough still caused me some issues, with coughing fits everytime I stopped for a drink. Hopefully that continues to clear though.

Leading in Melbourne Ironman I will certainly have spent a lot longer getting my legs around more long runs that I had leading into Busselton. Hopefully that extra time will pay off once I hit the marathon. I am hoping it helps next weekend as well. 21km doesn't seem quite as big a deal as it used to.

I felt pretty okay after the run, but I think it took more out of me than I realised because I have been shattered all day. I think I could easily have gone for a nap around lunch time.

This afternoon I had a bit of a swim on the program which I went and did down the river. it has been a warm afternoon and so the river was absolutely packed. I had plenty of sighting practice dodging skis and other paddle craft.

I was meant to have a wetsuit swim on Friday, but to be completely honest I kind of forgot about the wetsuit bit, so I made today's swim a wetsuit one instead. It was good to get out in it again and just make sure there hasn't been any unnoticed nicks or tears since the Albany Half. Pretty cruisy swim in the end, just logging miles, bit of drill work, some paddle work etc. After I had knocked out a few kms I spent a very relaxing 500m just chilling. A bit of backstroke, some walking etc, just a bit of recovery time. It was nice to take the time to do it, there never seems to be time in training to just relax.

Finally, as I mentioned yesterday Challenge Melbourne was on today and a few folk from Daryl's squad were racing. Big congrats to Jo Ellis with her 13th in the 30-34 women, Stef Puszka with her 10th overall female (3rd in the 25-29) and a huge congrats to Tim Green with his 10th pro result, and a scorching time of 4:04:57. He was truely up there mixing it with some very big names. I think this is technically only Tim's second Half Ironman (he has done a few long course) so it is a pretty awesome effort.

It is kind of a humbling seeing somebody you know pump out a time like that. Puts some of your own efforts into perspective. But that aside, wow, what a result.