Coach Ray

Coach Ray’s Sufferings: Buller Marathon Here I Come

Follow me on my Half Ironman marathon training and #100DaysOfTri journey’s concurrently. Here is how my week unfolded.

Well I’ve finally committed to an event and it’s the Buller Marathon. This event has always been on my to do list, but with it being slap bang in the middle of the triathlon season I’ve often forgone it in favour of focusing on a triathlon. With the various Half Ironman races I was lining up not occurring this season, it is the perfect opportunity to step in and do this event.

This week was reasonably busy but I got a fair bit done and finished off my year well.

MONDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 45

Today was a very long day working with members of the NZ Invictus Games Team at their training camp. I spent most of the morning at the pool working on the swim technique of a few of the members and the rest of the day discussing training with various team members. Unfortunately due to my other commitments I had missed the first few days of the camp and had to play catch up in the last couple of days. The camp finished with a BBQ. As a result I ran out of time to get my own workout in, so finished the day with a  stretching session.

TUESDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 46

After the training camp I drove home, this will probably be the last time I drive up over Lewis Pass for a while, I’ve often wanted to go for a run up to the Lewis Tops but the weather was looking pretty dicey as I approached so made the decision to stop at Boyle river and run up the St James track which I had never done before. As I started off I bumped into a French couple who had just walked up to the swing bridge and back. Figuring that would be a nice destination I set off to there, although the signs indicated it was a 3:30hr walk one way. I typically work on the rule of thirds (my run time will be about a third of the DOC estimated walking time – sometimes a half if it’s really steep). As I ran I explored a little bit, following some tracks off tot he side and found some interesting adventure training areas, but pushed on up the trail. Keeping an eye on the time I figured I probably wont make it up to the swing bridge. So I was surprised when I looked at my watch at the 22 minute mark figuring I’ll have to turn around soon to get an hour run, then looked up and saw the swing bridge 100m away.


WEDNESDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 47

Whilst traveling home from my work in Blenheim, I paused for my weekly run at Pelorus Bridge. Choosing to run K Trig clockwise. Usually I run the entire loop without needing to walk. I struggled up the track today, although I didn’t feel like I was putting any more effort in I struggled along and had to take some walking breaks. Once at the top took a mandatory selfie at the trig and got on my way again. The run down flowed a lot better and I was very surprised to find that I had set the Strava Course Record (CR) for it today, 7 minutes qwiker than previous.

THURSDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 48

Today I lacked serious motivation, I was tired from yesterday but went to the pool to do my session. I started off OK and a rule I utilise when lacking motivation is to do 15 minutes of warm up and then see if I pull the pin. When I do this 9 times out of 10 I find my motivation in that 15 minutes and complete the work out. Not today, so I pushed on to get to the 30 minute mark, even then things didn’t go well as I developed that really annoying cramp in the ball of your foot. But was happy I stuck out the 30 minutes.

FRIDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 49

With the working year over (but not my coaching year) I enjoyed getting home at a reasonable hour, so I suggested to my partner that we head up into Silvan Forest on our Mountain Bikes and then finish off at the Eddyline Pizza and Brewary for a nice Pizza and a refreshing drink. What a great way to finish the week and the year. Even got a few Strava PBs on the ride too.

#100DaysOfTri Day 49 great way to finish the week #MTB #silvan #alpha #sequence #eddylinebrewing

A photo posted by www.CoachRay.nz (@coach_ray_nz) on

SATURDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 50

My partner had a mission this weekend to introduce me to some MtBing tracks that I’ve never ridden before. So when her friend suggested we ride up in Codgers MtB Park and include Top Dog, I was keen. I’d ridden up there a couple of Christmas’ ago, but hadn’t been back in that time some good tracks such as Top Dog and Hot Box have been created. I’ve heard a lot about these tracks, and never had a chance to ride them, so we got up early and hit the trial. Climbing up we rode down Turners (which I had ridden and crashed on previously), up Take Me To Your Leader then went and rode down Top Dog before climbing back up and across to ride down Hulk’n Hogan. Having smoothly made it down Turners with out any issues I was disappointed to find that I had bumped my Garmin off and not even recorded it!!! But a great day out riding with great company.

#100DaysOfTri Day 50 #mtb #codgers #nelson #coachray #qwikkiwi #tritraining #tricoaching #tritrainingnz #tricoachingnz

A photo posted by www.CoachRay.nz (@coach_ray_nz) on

SUNDAY

#100DaysOfTri Day 51

Continuing on with my partners theme of taking me for MtB rides on trials I’ve never ridden, we got up early and headed over to Sharland’s Forest with the same riding crew as yesterday. After a long slog up some forestry roads we finally got to the top.

 

#100DaysOfTri Day 51 #coachray #qwikkiwi #mtb

A photo posted by www.CoachRay.nz (@coach_ray_nz) on

From there we went down the top section of Matai, then onto SuppleJack which was appropriately named, and had some tight, technical switchbacks to contend with then it was out onto the flowing Just What the DOC Ordered and Willow Lane, for a big weekend on MtBing in three different MtBing parks in Nelson.

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