Drama at the Boy

With only 27 days to go before the big Noosa Tri up in the Sunshine Coast coming up and after seeing how i went last Saturday it was time to refocus and get the head down training wise for the next 3 weeks or so.
To kick start the week it was into the park and decided on the 2 x 6k Woollarha Hill loops that i do, Had the ipod all set and was looking forward to a bit of Bowie and Co when the battery died before i had even started.
Had no GPS watch either so i just run on feel today and completed the first lap in 26.44 (about 4.27 pace) then held the 2nd pace to slightly under to do a 26.20(4.23s) - Pretty happy with that, it didn't seem much slower then i raced on Saturday :)
12ks all up in 53.05

It was then down for the lunchtime swim at the Boy Charlton Pool where i met up with Pete Walker, Toddie, and Champ for a tough old session ahead. Was just tipping along nicely at my own pace when we are then joined by non other then the man himself .........Enda Stankard, and his mate Irish Kev. We do a couple more 200s before Pete calls for one fast 300 rep so we could assess our times ahead of Thursday's Biathlon. It was about this time the drama was about to unfold, Enda made me go ahead of him so he could sit on my feet ( easier) I worked the first 100 well and was surprised to see him already dropped, kept up a solid pace for the 2nd and despite falling off the guy ahead of me i held the 3rd 100 in a rather decent time for me. After a short recovery i then proceed to look back down the pool to see Enda flailing his arms all over the shop and looking in a world of pain. It wasn't just me who was concerned, the two Lifesavers on duty for the day had to put down there Ham & Cheese Sarnies to check out that he wasn't about to cark it before retreading in fits of laughter.
Luckily for us he was OK, as we then knocked out 8 x 100s, and with every swimming aid going - pool buoy, paddles, flippers ( i drew the line though when he tried to bring his lie low out) he was all set to go again,
Pretty happy to get through this one , and this pool is certainly faster then the one i have been swimming in over the past 6 weeks. With the salt water making it more buoyant i reckon it adds about 4-5 seconds per 100 meters.
Poor Enda was a broken man come the end of the set, and when he said he hadn't swum in 6 months, the normally quiet Pete Walker pipes up "looks more like 6 years" it was more then he could take.The Ambos were called to fish Enda out the water to take him up to St Vincents to recover.
For me.........Well, looking back i had a half decent footy career over in England, played abit of cricket in my day, class myself as a average club runner who has taken a few scalps in races over the years. But when it comes to swimming the list of achievements is very bare with only Chairman Tommy Highnam that i can have claimed to beat, that was DOUBLED today as i can now add one , Enda Patrick Stankard on the honours board.  Yes all those boring and laborious hours swimming up that little black line have paid off :)

After witnessing that Enda's odds have fallen big time with bookie Paddy Power and is now rated at 81/1 to take out Thursday's event with those closer suggesting that he wont even front. The only money coming for him is that he is now odds on 4/6 that he will have a cold come the big night.
The big winner who will be looking on is Tommy H who must also fancy his chances of turning Enda over in the pool as well it would appear?
Pete Walker firms in the market, and with Richie High's old calf's playing up and Champaign Charlie in Kona the only worry for Mr Walker is whether his mate Smolley will show up?

Will be back out there tomorrow for the dreaded 45 minute run tempo session

Enda at the end of today's swim session - poor lad, struggles on Saturday and then again in the pool :)

Cheers