The Next Elephant 2.0

I would have liked to start this post some a nugget of wisdom about rolling with the punches, or playing the hand you're dealt, but I won't bore you. I'm still on the way back from the stress fracture I posted about a few months ago. It's a slower recovery than I would have liked but I'm confident of a full return to run training soon.

In the meantime I have been busy training my butt off (not literally - it's still there) on the bike and in the pool. Using the PowerTap I got my hands in Autumn, I got busy restructuring my bike training and making inroads into what I perceived to be my weakness - top end and sustainable power on the bike. I can report that I've gained quite a few watts in the last few months which is really pleasing. Also, for those of you who put up with my whinging about not being at 'race weight' and dragging my fat ass around in the off-season, I'd like to share that I've shed ~4kgs since returning from Ottawa. So, upping my power and dropping a bit of weight  makes my Power:Weight (w/kg) ratio a bit less embarrassing! 

I feel I've made good technical progress on my swim stroke, too, over the last couple of months. I'm doing some more CSS training as we head towards race season here in Aus in the next few months, and things are looking good.

I've also made a few amendments to the initial season plan I posted about in May. Here's the new list below! As usual, there might be some tweaks, but the big dances will remain steady. 

• Run Wollongong - October 20th 2013. This is going to be a really fun way to kick off the summer. The Cotton On Foundation is bringing a number of events around Australia to support local communities to improve the health of young people. 

• Nepean Triathlon - October 27th 2013. The OLDEST triathlon in Australia and a true classic on the NSW Triathlon Calender. This is a hallmark event and this year they've upped the pro prize-purse which I think is fantastic - the pro races should be great to watch. Should be an awesome first triathlon of the season in a snappy 1km-30km-10km format. I thought about racing Port 70.3 given it's the Aussie AG Champs, but I reckon it will be a better for the overall season to hold off until Shepp. Still a little indecision here, we'll see!

• Ironman 70.3 Shepparton - November 17th 2013. I'm really looking forward to this one! It's supposed to be one of those big races with a small-race-feel. It will be the weekend after finishing uni so Audrey and I are hoping to spend some time checking out the Snowies afterwards!

• Elite Energy Callala Classic Triathlon - December 8th 2013.On minutes from where I grew up! A new Classic Distance this year from the guys at Elite Energy should be a lot of fun. 2km swim in Jervis Bay, 60km bike on Forest Rd (I rode that road a lot in training for Ironman Melbourne!) and a 15km run in around Callala and Myola - should be a cracker! 

• Ironman 70.3 Auckland - January 2014. This is a big one for us - Audrey's first 70.3 and a big crack for a Half-Ironman World Championship qualification slot. Should be brilliant! Also, Aotearoa is calling us for a visit!

• Pearl Izumi Long Course Triathlon - February 23rd, 2014. We're staying put the entire summer (mostly) so I feel I can commit to some 2014 events! I felt I left a lot on the table here in 2013 (mainly on the bike) and want another crack on this stellar course! (Just chuck m25-59 in an earlier wave Emo! PLEASE!) Here's a video I made of last year's race:

Husky Triathlon 2013 from Steve Crossman on Vimeo.

• Elite Energy Wollongong Triathlon Festival - March 9th 2014. I wanted to race this badly in 2013 given it was close and it was an Australian AG World Championship qualifier where there would be a few studs. But, it was only 14 days out from Ironman Melbourne and things got too crazy at uni so I couldn't even go to watch, in the end. Now we've moved to the area, should be fun to hammer on this fast course with end-of-season fitness!

Time in the fast lane

Not a swimming analogy, unfortunately (although I have been swimming a bit lately). We've been flat-out the last few weeks. I arrived from Ottawa after a 40-odd hour trip absolutely smashed on a Sunday morning with the worst jet lag I've ever had. After a couple of hours of sleep, I began my second uni semester of the year. That first week was full-on with teaching prac days to make up (becuase I had to jet out early) and uni on the go.

The following weekend, I picked up Audrey on the Saturday morning and we got straight into moving. Fast forward a few hectic weeks and we're still moving, more or less. Living room still a disaster and many things to organise.

Good news is, we're getting there.

Other good news is, the Illawarra is stellar place to train. I've been loving getting out and exploring some new routes. I'm looking forward to getting into a really good routine with training, and getting out more with the AP10 gang, which I really enjoyed on Saturday.

Here's the Royal National Park loop we did (Garmin battery died with 20km to go):
Here are a couple of shots from the last couple of weeks...

Belated Update: A different kind off season

TT'ing my fat-ass around the Meech Lake Triathlon in a relay. Ouch.

Been a little while. Few things to catch up on.

Firstly, its been almost 6 weeks since I got the stress fracture and things are plodding along. My foot still feels a little tender and, at the moment, I would be hesitant to run. I will try and get a scan ahead of running. Hopefully I will able to get running soon - it's 5 weeks out to the City2Surf and whilst I have pretty well given up on 'racing' it, it would be nice to be able to make it a solid tempo hit-out.

Running aside, training has been good. I'm back in Ottawa at the moment to receive my Canadian Citizenship so I'm loving the warmer temps and long days. I've rocked some solid hours on the bike with lots of hard riding - I've gained at least 5 watts in my CP since getting back on the bike. Problem is, I've put on a few kilos too! Since the injury, my weight has blown out to 73kgs (I was 69kgs for IM Melbourne), despite doing 10+ hrs on the bike and just under 15-20kms in the water weekly. Given the racing I'll be doing in the next 12 months is quite a bit shorter than Ironman, I'll be looking to trim down to a good sustainable weight by October.

Some good open water swim sessions too with the boys, practicing drafting, swim starts and what-not. Fun times. Love Meech Lake. Folks in Ottawa are super lucky to have that at their disposal!

In other news, I've begun doing some work for Australian triathlon site Trizone.com.au. Head-honcho Karl Hayes has been kind enough to offer me the opportunity to try it out, writing some race previews, reports and interviews. I'm still learning the ropes, particularly being time-efficient with my writing, but loving it so far and looking forward to digging the heels in a little more as the Australian summer approaches. You can check out some my work so far here: http://www.trizone.com.au/author/steve-crossman/

Upon returning to Australia in a couple of weeks, Audrey and I will be relocating to Wollongong (Port Kembla, specifically) which is exciting. I'm really looking forward to another new training environment and the opportunity to train with a lot of quality athletes in the region. Bring it on!

Tidbits

Few little bits of news to report:

- I'm off to Canada (again). Will fly over on short-notice for a few weeks to receive Canadian citizenship (finally!). Should be good - long days and nothing but swim, bike, run, relax and socialise. Not bad, eh.

- The low-grade stress fracture is going OK. I've been in the pool daily and starting to get back into regular swimming instead of 100% band and pull work. I think it's been a pretty good swim block. This week I've been back on the back on the pushy. I'm on prac at the moment so have been pretty limited  on saddle time due to the short days. So, plenty of tempo riding has been the remedy.

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Dealing with a Stress Fracture

Unfortunately, I've picked up a stress fracture in my ?3rd metatarsal of my left foot. Yeah, I know, it sucks.Training was going really consistently and I was hitting some good intensity and doing some great strength workouts. I had a little bit of soreness in my left foot for a week or so. Not the kind of soreness you really take notice of, though. Then, on a downhill return doing hill repeats BAM - something really hurt. I had to pull up and walk back to my car. I knew there and then that something was up and I had a nasty feeling it was a stress fracture in my foot which is a common overuse injury among runners. I made it back home later that evening (I was in Wollongong at the time) and got busy Googling. I didn't find a whole lot of related info for triathletes, so I thought I would put something together as a little resource for later on.

'What's a stress fracture, and how'd I get it?'

A SF is an overuse injury occurring when muscles become too tired to absorb shock. The result is energy from running (or other stress loads) is then transferred more by the bone which causes a tiny crack called a stress fracture. More than 50% of stress fractures occur in the lower leg (i.e. ankle and foot) and, for runners, that usually means metatarsals 2-5, or, in the tibia (shin). Keep in mind, though, there are 26 bones in the foot and they're also suseptable.

Commonly, SF's are cause by a rapid increase in training stress (in either volume or intensity). Dodgy old running shoes can be a factor, also, so make sure you're changing them every 500-600kms no matter what. A new pair of shoes will cost you less than physio. Besides, the colours of running shoes seem to turn over quicker than Apple products so you ought to stay in the loop! 

For the ladies, you're at an increased risk. Medical reviews show a phenomenon called the 'female athlete triad' of disordered eating, amenorrhea (dodgy menstrual happenings) and osteoporosis increases your chances of picking up a stress fracture due to decrease in bone mass - so keep an eye on the symptoms of the 'triad' and stay on top!

Symptoms of a stress fracture

It hurts, basically. Not like this guy, though. He 'Shit the F*cking bed'.
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Usually, pain will occur during exercise before subsiding during rest. You can have bruising or swelling around the middle of your foot (for metatarsals 2-4) or on the side if it's a Jones Fracture (5th metatarsal). 

Diagnosis:
If you suspect you've picked up a stress fracture, get to a GP or a Podiatrist ASAP. If you're Doc isn't a POD, or is a newb (as was my case) they might think 'Hmm no visible trauma, get an Xray'. Xrays might not show the fracture so the Doc may just tell you to HTFU, so make sure you get a bone scan in order to get a proper diagnosis to begin with. Early diagnosis is essential for good management.

Treatment:

• Rest. Rest. Rest. Take the weight off and avoid walking as much as possible. Depending on the case, healing will usually take 4-6 weeks but may take much longer, particularly if you push it during the acute stage and induce more stress. Crutches may help.
• Immobilise that sucker. Get a CAM shoe or similar. 
• Ice can reduce inflammation and pain during the acute stage.
• Stay drug free. Evidence suggests avoiding NSAID's as they can inhibit bone healing.
• Hit up your Vitamins - 1200mg of Calcium and of Vitamin D2 (400-800 IU) can help, particularly early on.
• Encourage blood flow. Gentle massage can help.

'Can I exercise?'

Based on anecdotal evidence, you can, but at the risk of prolonging the healing. Basically, you should be resting as much as possible, staying off the foot in weight-bearing activities, and exercising patience. 

• Cycling: It seems the medical community is kind of divided on this. Some have given guys the go-ahead to cycle, some have put up red flags. Early on, probably a no-no. Wait a few weeks. Doctors may clear you, but baby it, please! Start small. 20-30 minutes on the wind trainer. Any sign of pain STOP and R.I.E! Don't rush it. Folks who do more seem to take a longer time to heal and run into chronic problems down the road.
• Swimming: This is recommend as a 'cross-training' method for runners who've picked up a stress fracture. Actually, the aerobic cross-over is pretty good from swimming to running. There's lots of anecdotal evidence out there that suggests runners who spend a good deal of time in the pool don't lose a lot, if any, of their running fitness (this is coming from triathletes who are from a pure running background and then jump into huge swimming blocks). Again, baby it. Avoid pushing off the wall and stay away from kick sets or flippers. This is a good time to do LOTS of pull and band work. Make Coach Paulo, Darren Smith and Joel Filliol proud. This is also a good time to smash a swim block, work on technique, etc - see below in Goal Settiing!

• Running: Ideally, get in for a second scan. An xray should pick it up after a couple of weeks and by 4-6 weeks your Doc should be able to give you an idea on how it's healing. Once you get an all-clear (anywhere from 4-12 weeks out) start small. Like, really small. Try 5 minutes first. Baby it. Nothing more than 20 minutes first week back. Focus on frequent, small runs. Build slowly. Get some conditioning back before trying anything remotely intense. Make use of a treadmill, if you can, as it will take away from of that energy from impact. Soft surfaces like grass are also good. And for goodness sake, don't go barefoot.

Bottom line is to baby it. Take your time and do it right. This can be pretty tough, which is a segway into this next section.

Psychological Implications:

Firstly, if you're an athlete who's never had to really deal with injury before, it's really hard not to feel a bit like this guy and dwell on the negatives:

Frustration and anger are normal enough reactions. After-all, an injury is a setback from our initial plans and objectives. It's important to understand that most athletes are going to experience injury or illness at one point, or another. There are a few strategies sports psychologists recommend in order to deal with the injury and move-on.

• Goal Setting: Necessary tool in any athlete's mindset. Get some direction. Set short-term, manageable goals and get to it. Having some goals which can be quantified is great to track your progress and get some assurance you're moving in the right direction. Stuff like spending a bit more time in the gym doing your rehab exercises each week or doing a bit more aqua-running. As triathletes, we're lucky in the sense that if we, as in this case, bust our foot, we can still work in the pool. So, having some swim related goals is a realistic and measurable goal - perfect!
• Visualisation: Yep. Sounds a bit like Power Bracelets but there are a number of peer reviewed studies that show visualisation of positive athletic situations - past and future - can help you maintain a positive outlook to even rehearse skills. Try visualising a key race or practicing transitions, for example. 

Future prevention: staying smart!

• Eat well, nothing as good as a balanced diet. Keep up the Calcium and vitamin D if you have the risk factors stacked against you. Crap little carbonated bevvies, booze and tobacco reduce bone mineral density - avoid that sh*t, although I hope no athletes really need to be told to lay off the smokes.
• Good footwear - remember, 600kms max in your shoes (200-300kms in race kicks). 
• Avoid big changes in training stress - don't increase the volume or intensity too quickly. 5-10% a week!
• Stay on top of niggles - if you feel a little tenderness in your feet, rest immediately. Don't let it turn into a stress fracture.

The Next Elephant

Another decent elephant

I was reminded of a saying this morning in giving a few pointers to a friend of mine attempting her first Half Ironman next month (By the way - GO JULIE!), and it goes a little like this: ''When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.'' The next elephant on my metaphorical plate will be qualifying for the WTC Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2014. In my books, that's a pretty good elephant.

This is a set a little while ago, some time before racing Ironman Melbourne. It was part of a long-term plan Jean-Phillip and I had to race 70.3 Worlds in 2014 and Ironman Hawaii in 2015 together, before we get the boot from m25-29.

So, we've got a goal and next step is getting together a plan and get busy with the process of training. More about that later.

For now, I'll share with you the racing menu for the forthcoming 12 months.

• City2Surf - August 2013. There's just something about experiencing 'heartbreak hill' and racing alongside 80,000 other nutters. Every August when my mate Jeremy used to race it, I was pretty jelly! Now it's my turn!

• Elite Energy Husky Half-Marathon - September 2013. This ought to be cracking little race. Doesn't get more beautiful than Husky!

• Nepean Triathlon - October 2013. The OLDEST triathlon in Australia and a true classic on the NSW Triathlon Calender. This is a hallmark event and this year they've upped the pro prize-purse which I think is fantastic - the pro races should be great to watch. Should be an awesome first triathlon of the season in a snappy 1km-30km-10km format. I thought about racing Port 70.3 given it's the Aussie AG Champs, but I reckon it will be a better for the overall season to hold off until Shepp. Still a little indecision here, we'll see!

• Ironman 70.3 Shepparton - November 2013. I'm really looking forward to this one! It's supposed to be one of those big races with a small-race-feel. It will be the weekend after finishing uni so Audrey and I are hoping to spend some time checking out the Snowies afterwards!

• Ironman 70.3 Canberra - December 2013. This should be a good fun race a few weeks out from Christmas. A few hours from home and a good opportunity to punch that ticket! I also reckon it's pretty cool we get to play on the doorstep of Australian democracy. Maybe Abbott will be out for this one? 

• Ironman 70.3 Auckland - January 2014. This is a big one for us. Audrey is planning on going around, too! M-P is planning to meet us there and dabble in a little racing with us. Should be brilliant! Also, Aotearoa is calling us for a visit!

After Auckland, there's nothing planned in stone. Maybe do Husky sprint in February if we're around here on the Coast. Likewise, there are a few races I would consider in March such as Challenge Bateman's Bay, but again, not sure what our plans are, just yet. We'll see! Watch this space.

Continuing the Relentless Pursuit

Simon Whitfield, an athlete and a person for whom I have the utmost respect, talks a lot about 'the relentless pursuit' [of athletic excellence]. It's a philosophy based on great preparation  great performances, and having pride in your craft. I'm pretty passionate about my hobby and really want to perform well. Going forward, if I want to take it to the next level, I'll have to change things up a touch.

I worked hard in training for Ironman Melbourne. I put in a lot of miles and a lot of hours. I trained in the cold, in the heat, in the dark, in the snow, in the rain, in airports, open roads, crappy pools, dodgy surf, and even in my bedroom. And, I did most of it solo, flying-blind as it were. I didn't know a huge deal about periodisation or the optimum blend of intensities for an Ironman. I learned a lot in that race. I learned something key to endurance training, something that many others have experienced also, and I'll share with you 140-odd characters from Matt Dixon which really sums it up (it kind of has to, it's only 140 characters!):

If you are judging training success by 'counting your weekly hours/miles' you are doing something seriously wrong.
— Matt Dixon (@purplepatch) April 4, 2013

Simply, it's not just about clocking the hours - there's much more to it. It begins months and months ahead, involves skills, technique, strength, speed, endurance not only physically but mentally. I didn't tick all those boxes, no sir.

So. Now I find myself in the "off-season" for the next 6 months. There will be the chance to dabble in a few events such as the City2Surf in August, but I am going to totally revamp my training and commit to a smarter training philosophy using the experience I gained in the last couple of races, and knowledge I gained from Pete Clifford and Triathlon NSW's Coaching program.

In the pool I have been doing a lot of drill work. I have a number of technical things I really need to work on. I'm also going to try and learn a number of new skills like dolphin kicking, and new strokes. It's going well so far!

The new hoops!

On the bike I've got myself a power meter, in the form of a Powertap, and I'm really looking forward to training with it and using it to really make bounds in my cycling capacity. I did a VO2 max lab test back in November for a mate's lab work and it basically showed that my peak power is OK, but my FTP could use work. I tested today, showing a 3.44w/kg FTP which isn't great. It's not pathetic, but it means there is a lot of room for improvement. I reckon I could write a post on that alone.. stay tuned!


My running could use some work, too. Once my legs begin to feel sharp (still a little sluggish after IM), I want to start hitting the track. Might even get another Half-Mara PB in September if I don't slack off.


So with my refreshed desire to improve and train efficiently and with purpose, I'll be looking forward to [hopefully] making my way up the placings a bit and being competitive with the studs on race day.



Enjoy a little Simon...