As you may quite possibly know, I generally don’t like doing the same training session over and over again, and like keeping it fresh by doing something different on a regular basis. This weekend’s training session saw me try something new as a multisport training session which was most enjoyable and gave me the chance to combine three different disciplines.
I started off at Toowoon Bay, where I ran a mere 400m up the beach before wading into the water at the north end and swimming the 500m back to the south. After doing a little 150m transition run back to where I started, I chucked on a PFD, dragged my Mirage 580 into the water and jumped in. This was a 30m paddle southwards to Bateau Beach, where I landed up the north end, chucked on my Vibrams and went for a run.
Now, the weekend previous I had made the mistake of ignoring sand in my Five Finger Shoes and wound up with quite a bit of skin being abraded away along the seam lines of both feet. Having learnt my lesson, I had a Camelback water bottle that I used to squirt water and rinse the sand off my feet before putting my shoes on, and seeing as I also had a hydration backpack that I got from a Central Coast bike shop I still had heaps of water for the run.
Although it was only a quick 3.5km dash up to the top of Crackneck Lookout (about 100m vertical) and I could have done it without the water backpack, I still chucked it on before starting the run. I figure sometimes you need to train like you’re racing, and if that means taking along your own water or wearing a PFD when you might otherwise not, so be it.
Once up the top of Crackneck I could look down on the north end of Bateau Beach. Luckily, my kayak was still there! I ran back down, back onto the beach, back into the kayak, and started heading north again. The skin on my hands felt a tad tender, so I reached back into my day hatch and grabbed my sailing gloves for the return trip.
I was rounding the point at Toowoon Bay when I saw Neville from my local surf club – Shelly Beach - who was also out for a paddle but on his trusty Stealth surf ski. He’s out there quite a bit in the open ocean and can balance quite well but I’m still having troubles staying on my second-hand surf ski. Maybe I should save up and get a new ski that’s a bit more stable?
Anyhoo, seeing as the Mirage poses no balance problems I hooned back into shore, ran up to the north end of the beach again and finished with another 500m swim and quick 150m jog into transition.
An awesome little 2 hour workout, and one that I will be doing again in the leadup to the Sir Chimney Jindabyne Multisport.
480m Beach Run – 2:58
520m Swim – 9:52
3.9km Kayak – 29.30
3.6km Trail Run – 25:32
3.9km Kayak – 31:56
480m Beach Run – 3:00
510m Swim – 10:04
13.56km in 2:02:18 (including little transition runs)
Full workout at Garmin Connect
