The last while has been pretty solid for me. I've not been doing any long distance stuff, but that's not terribly important at the moment. I've gotten a lot of work done on shorter, higher intensity things from my commute :) There's a really nice run of flat road out from the city that's normally pretty empty of cyclists, so I can really give it a bit of a go. I've started building up my speed to top out around the 38-40 mark just before I hit my final set of lights just outside Garching. I've also managed to time this right on a few occasions to roll through these, which was very nice. Normally not, though, it's just a bit too much effort.
Unfortunately, my nice long commute is finished as of today :( So no more enforced 38 km per day any more. It was fun, if a lot frustrating at times! This has, however, opened up more doors for training :)
A knock on effect of my prolonged efforts on the fixie seems to be that my running and heart rate recovery has improved greatly over the last while. Which is odd, seeing as how I only went for a run last weekend and then another one this weekend. I have no idea how long it's been other than that. A few months, I think... Anyway, not to dwell on the past, those runs went quite well, I have to say. I've managed to run the full circuit, looping around to the forest and then back in the long way. It's only 8 km or so, but the longest I've ever actually run, I would think, certainly for a continuous time. I've mapped out a 10 km course as well which I'm going to give a go at this weekend, as well as another mid week session. Now, I know, TWO whole running sessions in a week is a lot, but I'll try to go easy :P
Finally, although my commute has fallen (by a staggering 33 km/day) a new opportunity rises from the ashes; I now have the time to think about rifle training again. My German has also improved to the point that if people speak slowly and clearly that I can understand most of what they're saying, which is good! I've contacted a club not that far from here that have excellent facilities for air and smallbore (3p included). They're home to some national and world champion shooters, so I'm going to take my chances with them for the time being. Most of Germany seems to be on holidays at the moment, but they're back in September. So, I'll either get in a session before I head back to Ireland for a week, or start fresh after that :)
We're finally ready to roll. Fortunately, this will all not be wasted by my heading back to Ireland. I suspect that most of you reading this already know that I'm here full time from now on. Basically, the foundations that I've laid should stand me in good stead. Where are those EOIs again....
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Cycling update
I know I should have running in there, but I haven't had the time or motivation for any over the last while. My cycling week has increased a fair bit, not leaving me with much energy for high intensity stuff over the weekend.
As I was saying a while back, I'm doing a German course in Munich at the moment, which I'm cycling in and out to, giving me a daily total of around 35 km on the fixie, 4 days a week for roughly 150 or so there. The average speed is quite low, on account of having to travel through the city itself and being hampered by other cyclists/traffic lights. On the way back out though, I've been starting to push a bit harder. I know that once I clear the city, going at around 33 km/hr or so should get me back to Garching without having to stop at any lights. I've not quite gotten the full ~8km run, but hopefully soon :)
On a related note, it's getting dark in the evenings. Very dark. My front torch just isn't cutting it, so I'm gonna need to start looking at something a bit beefier. Given the nature of my commute and that it takes in open road, something to see with, rather than just be seen, will be required, which will probably mean spending money :( If I move into Munich at any point though, this will be money well spent and used!
I also got out for a niceish spin on Sunday. 75 km, with a nice bit of speed built up at the end. Mostly kept the last 15 km or so in the mid to high 30s, which is pretty good going (for me), especially after a substantial, eh, warm up :P I think this regular fixie thing is starting to pay off, especially in terms of my pedalling technique and working well at higher cadences.
I've been reading a bit on ultra-light touring and coming up with some ideas for using as a light touring bag. My in-sy should be (finally) on the way, so that'll serve well as a starting bag. Packing light and keeping the weight down will be top of my list. It shouldn't be too hard given that I won't be carrying a tent or medical supplies for my shorter trips to Austria and the like. I am planning ahead to next Summer, though, and thinking of some fast touring through different parts of Europe and possibly some camping, if I can work something out that will allow me to use the road bike. It's not certain, but given my light weight, anything up to 15 kg of extra bulk should be well tolerable, if I can attach it correctly. We shall see. That's a nice bit into the future :)
As I was saying a while back, I'm doing a German course in Munich at the moment, which I'm cycling in and out to, giving me a daily total of around 35 km on the fixie, 4 days a week for roughly 150 or so there. The average speed is quite low, on account of having to travel through the city itself and being hampered by other cyclists/traffic lights. On the way back out though, I've been starting to push a bit harder. I know that once I clear the city, going at around 33 km/hr or so should get me back to Garching without having to stop at any lights. I've not quite gotten the full ~8km run, but hopefully soon :)
On a related note, it's getting dark in the evenings. Very dark. My front torch just isn't cutting it, so I'm gonna need to start looking at something a bit beefier. Given the nature of my commute and that it takes in open road, something to see with, rather than just be seen, will be required, which will probably mean spending money :( If I move into Munich at any point though, this will be money well spent and used!
I also got out for a niceish spin on Sunday. 75 km, with a nice bit of speed built up at the end. Mostly kept the last 15 km or so in the mid to high 30s, which is pretty good going (for me), especially after a substantial, eh, warm up :P I think this regular fixie thing is starting to pay off, especially in terms of my pedalling technique and working well at higher cadences.
I've been reading a bit on ultra-light touring and coming up with some ideas for using as a light touring bag. My in-sy should be (finally) on the way, so that'll serve well as a starting bag. Packing light and keeping the weight down will be top of my list. It shouldn't be too hard given that I won't be carrying a tent or medical supplies for my shorter trips to Austria and the like. I am planning ahead to next Summer, though, and thinking of some fast touring through different parts of Europe and possibly some camping, if I can work something out that will allow me to use the road bike. It's not certain, but given my light weight, anything up to 15 kg of extra bulk should be well tolerable, if I can attach it correctly. We shall see. That's a nice bit into the future :)
Monday, August 9, 2010
World Cup, Munich
I've a few different topics to post up over the next while, relating to various things, but this deserves to be first I think!
Over the past while, shooting has very much taken a backseat. However, after the weekend at the WC, this has all changed. I've remembered my original purpose behind cycling, and how much I love shooting. To this end, an email has been sent to the office of the director of sport of the BSSB (in possibly my best German yet!), so hopefully that'll yield some nice dividends.
Anyway, onto the weekend itself. I don't think anything I can write here will do justice to what you see at this match. There is everyone and everything you have read, watched and wanted there. All the manufacturers, all the names we are so familiar with from Warren Potent, to Rajmond Debevech, to any other Olympic and World champion you care to mention who can still see down the sights, turning up. Seeing it all there gives a grand sense of occasion to the whole thing.
One thing I will say right now is that I am damn glad that I went to this before I even entertained the possibility of going as a competitor. There is nothing in Ireland or England to compare to this, and I've been to a few rather large matches in England. There's just a totally different scale of event here. Add to that Dave having a very casual chat with Potent about the state of his dislocated shoulder and you have a somewhat bizzare experience.
Before I go any further, I want to say well done to the Irish team that went over; Gary in prone, Ray in air rifle, and Peter in free pistol and air pistol. You were landed with a huge task and acquitted yourselves very well. Next year is the medal year :) Fair dues also to the team leader Liam, and coach Robb Stubbs for also going. Fair play especially to Dave who came over off his own back to support the team. Both him and myself will be hoping to go back sooner rather than later as competitors.
I won't talk about the shooting, there are reports online from the lads themselves about how they did. The only pics I managed to get are from the smallbore match on the Sunday. My camera decided to start beeping quite loudly when I tried to take some photos in the airgun range on Saturday :(
This pic was taken during Gary's match, not that you can tell. I have neither the camera nor the knowldge (OK, mostly the latter) to take a good shooting pic with the huge contrast required. Look at the range, though; beautifully lit, regulation flags, netting, mown lawns. Baffles for 3p, and to keep the light out of shooters' faces as much as possible. It's a range designed for high scores, which were, I must say, astonishing. Normally in Munich, one could expect a 597 with maybe some inner ten countback to make the final. Not so this time. 598 and 599 only. Even the threshold for the qualifier was 591, which is well up there. Unfortunately, this means it'll be slightly harder to get through to the match next year for us Irische, but I'm sure at least some of us will manage it.
So yeah, fantastic weekend all around. Great shooting, great fun. Also, getting to talk to Heinrich Bleiker about his oh so nice barrelled actions was pretty cool. They are so tempting, but just outside what can be tolerated, investment-wise. For the moment. Since everything was there, I could get a good comparison of each brand, what they felt like, what the action was like, the balance, etc. I'll stick up another post on my thoughts about each, I think :)
Over the past while, shooting has very much taken a backseat. However, after the weekend at the WC, this has all changed. I've remembered my original purpose behind cycling, and how much I love shooting. To this end, an email has been sent to the office of the director of sport of the BSSB (in possibly my best German yet!), so hopefully that'll yield some nice dividends.
Anyway, onto the weekend itself. I don't think anything I can write here will do justice to what you see at this match. There is everyone and everything you have read, watched and wanted there. All the manufacturers, all the names we are so familiar with from Warren Potent, to Rajmond Debevech, to any other Olympic and World champion you care to mention who can still see down the sights, turning up. Seeing it all there gives a grand sense of occasion to the whole thing.
One thing I will say right now is that I am damn glad that I went to this before I even entertained the possibility of going as a competitor. There is nothing in Ireland or England to compare to this, and I've been to a few rather large matches in England. There's just a totally different scale of event here. Add to that Dave having a very casual chat with Potent about the state of his dislocated shoulder and you have a somewhat bizzare experience.
Before I go any further, I want to say well done to the Irish team that went over; Gary in prone, Ray in air rifle, and Peter in free pistol and air pistol. You were landed with a huge task and acquitted yourselves very well. Next year is the medal year :) Fair dues also to the team leader Liam, and coach Robb Stubbs for also going. Fair play especially to Dave who came over off his own back to support the team. Both him and myself will be hoping to go back sooner rather than later as competitors.
I won't talk about the shooting, there are reports online from the lads themselves about how they did. The only pics I managed to get are from the smallbore match on the Sunday. My camera decided to start beeping quite loudly when I tried to take some photos in the airgun range on Saturday :(
So yeah, fantastic weekend all around. Great shooting, great fun. Also, getting to talk to Heinrich Bleiker about his oh so nice barrelled actions was pretty cool. They are so tempting, but just outside what can be tolerated, investment-wise. For the moment. Since everything was there, I could get a good comparison of each brand, what they felt like, what the action was like, the balance, etc. I'll stick up another post on my thoughts about each, I think :)
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