Recovery, Recovery, Recovery!

So I have hit 40 (ouch ) and my program has intensified some what! double Ouch ...which had me googling for recovery suggestions.

Found quite a technical article with a few gems in there for the 'mature gentlemen' athlete! The list of 'recovery' techniques require about 4 hours a day!!! Although it does realise most of us can only do this after our biggest session once a week! Aaaahhh to be a pro...sigh.

Take a read though it does makes sense...now I just have to find enough hours in the day!

Another possible Kona contender?

Rasmus Henning blasted the field at Ironman China winning by a mile even with some reported walking during the run. He seems to like the heat and along with Tjoborn Sindballe gives Denmark a big chance of 2 in the top 5 for Kona this year.

The mens field is looking very strong this year...with lots of new contenders...a bit like the ladies field last year. Should be interesting to see if any new ladies step up this year...although Mirinda Carfrae springs very much to mind!

Ironman OZ preview

Should be interesting to see who comes out on top this weekend at IM OZ.

1. Patrick Vernay starts favourite but a couple of dark horses could make things interesting.

2. Mathias Hect - Placed 3rd last year & 8th in Hawaii can he win?

3. Mitch Anderson - Has won IM WA and placed 3rd at OZ but a serious bike accident last month resulting in emergency facial surgery might have set him back too much?

4. Simon Thompson - Athens olympian could spring a suprise?

5. Tim Berkel - A Port Mac local and recent IM WA champ at 24. Sky's the limit here and the local's would go crazy! (Now that's a finishing shot!)

6. Pete Jacobs...has raced well at Roth - Can he put it together?

7.Jason Shortis lucky 14th? Can he finally win?

Future Hawaii Iron Man Champions?

So one (Raelert) has won an Ironman and the other is set to deubt at IM in South Africa this weekend as well as IM France in June. Both are being spoken of as potential standouts at Hawaii IM in the future and both have olympic triathlon credentials.

Both are quite easy on the eye as well.

These photos also show that sportsmanship doesn't always get you over the line first!

nb. No word yet on the Frenchman behind them and his plans for IM ...yet!

Ice and Resistance Stretching

So my dodgy back and hips have been helped enormously by using Ice after training if I feel any pain in my dodgy areas for 20mins.

If the pain is acute try icing 3 times a day for 20mins each.

As well as this I uncovered 41 yr old olympic 50m freestyle silver medalist Dara Torres. Apart from being a freak and the oldest person ever to win a swimming medal....She helped popularise 'resistance stretching'.

I have to say it does give my tired old quads/hamstrings a much better stretch than 'static' holds.

To check out the stretches see her video guide here (I know all Americans either write a book or do a DVD!)

Give it a go...since I think a lot of my lower back is due to overtight quads/hammies..