Winter training

When the temperature drops and the chilly winds start blowing, long training runs can be challenging. Wind chill in particular can get into your bones on a long session so you need to cover up. Your hands will really feel the cold so gloves are a great idea. Long tights are also advisable and there are plenty of good products available. I like the Skins compression tights. They feel great on a cold day and work really well over long distances. I also use a compression top for the close fit and warmth. I wear this underneath a long sleeved cotton top which I can take off and wrap around my waist if I get too warm. A cap and sunglasses, good socks and Gel Kayanos complete the picture.

If you have the clothing sorted out then you should be set for a comfortable long run session. One good thing about running on a cold windy day is that the air is usually very clean and fresh, invigorating and energising.

Triathlon training in the gym

I work out in the gym a few times a week to increase core strength and flexibility which improves my performance in triathlon. I alternate my workouts with legs, shoulders and biceps one day and chest, back and triceps the other. I do abs and stretching every workout. Gym sessions are a great way to recover after races as the muscles really like to be targeted and stretched so toxins can be released.

I always superset my workouts, meaning I do alternate sets of opposing muscle groups. For example, bench press followed by seated rows, incline bench press followed by lat pull-downs. As I am training specifically for triathlon, I work continuously in the gym with no break between sets for the added aerobic benefits.

For legs I do squats/calf raises, leg curls/leg extensions. Squats are excellent for building core strength. Shoulder and arm workouts I triple superset with military press/upright rows/bicep curls.

Sydney Duathlon Race 2

Up at 5.45am this morning for race #2 in the Sydney Duathlon Series at Parramatta, a 3.2km run, 20km bike, 3.2km run event. I always have something to eat before I race and for early races I usually have a couple of slices of gluten-free toast with peanut butter and a cup of tea. The energy from this light breakfast usually kicks in around 8am which is perfect as this is the start time of the race.

A rather chilly morning of 8 degrees at Parramatta so you have to keep nice and warm and make sure to warm up properly. This is a sprint distance race so getting the heart rate up prior to the start is a really good idea. In the colder weather I leave a t-shirt on for the first 3.2km run leg after which I have warmed up for the bike. Arm warmers are a good idea in these conditions and today I kept them on for the entire race. Clocked a good time today of around 1h 8m which should give me a top 3 finish.

I get home around 10am and have a nice brunch, usually eggs for the protein with GF toast and coffee. Looking forward to training this week with some longer sessions.

Musical equipment

I'm enjoying my new Roland Cube 80XL guitar amp. I have long been a user of valve amps but the lugging around got a bit tiresome due to the extreme weight. This new solid-state amp is lovely. It's about half the weight of the valve combos and packs a real punch. I love the on-board effects and amp modelling. It's an extremely versatile unit with plenty of tone control and sound options. Recorded a new YouTube clip on Friday using the amp and my '85 Fender Stratocaster with EMG pickups. I took the Beatle song "I'm Down" and gave it a bluesy shuffle feel. Check it out on my YouTube channel.

Guitar lesson specifics

One of the questions I always ask my students is "What music do you listen to?" This helps me to establish a good connection with the student. I then will ask "What is it that has attracted you to the guitar?" The conversations that follow really give me an insight into the musical awareness of the student and help me to formulate the best teaching program. I believe it is very important to not have too many preconceived plans about how you want to teach the guitar. It has to be a creative process. Of course, you must have a very firm method for imparting the basics of technique but it is very important that the student sees the reasons behind these disciplines and the benefits therefore attained. The student may love to listen to songs in the acoustic/singer songwriter folk style genre and so will respond well to any techniques directed to that particular style. If the student has never really heard music with long extended guitar solos then there is little point in commencing a program of detailed scale study. What works for one student may not work for another. As an extreme example, there is no point in setting about teaching someone a whole set of altered jazz-based chords if they have never listened to that style of music. Of course that is not to say that you never introduce your students to new styles of music. Some students who are very receptive and talented will really enjoy delving into different styles and more challenging concepts. Again, what works for one may not work for another.

For an in-depth look at my guitar technique method go to the link below.

http://knol.google.com/k/rory-o-donoghue/playing-guitar-with-a-pick/222g3fw3z5e9o/2

Winter schedule

It's the triathlon off-season so my focus is on keeping up the core strength work with gym sessions and racing in the various duathlons and running races that come up at this time of year. I wrapped up last season with the Australian Ironman Triathlon in Port Macquarie followed by the NSW Club Championships in Forster where my club, Warringah, were looking to make it 5 State titles in a row. We took out 2nd place to Cronulla this year in a very close finish.

I have my race program pretty well sorted out for winter. There was the Balmoral Burn in May followed by the 10km Mosman Minimosmarathon road run in June. I came 5th in age group in the Burn and 2nd in Minimos with a PB. On June 5 I took out 2nd place in Race 1 of the Sydney duathlon series at Parramatta Park, an excellent event run by the Hills Triathlon Club. Race 2 is this Sunday then race 3 on July 31 which is the NSW State championship event. I'm doing City2Surf again in August and looking to improve on my PB from last year and clock around 65 minutes.

My first triathlon of the new season will be the Forster Ultimate event in October, a 2km swim,120km bike and 20km run. Looking forward to that. Then in November the Nepean Triathlon comes up and that's always a great race on a fast track.

I have been enjoying my new Cervelo P2C triathlon bike and the Easton Tempest 2 carbon tubulars are a joy to race on.

Teaching news

Once again it's a busy time working with the Year 12's at Abbotsleigh as they prepare for their HSC Music performances. As usual we have a variety of singers and instrumentalists and it's my role to accompany them either on guitar or on bass as part of an ensemble consisting of my tutor colleagues in the Music department. The standard is invariably high and it's enjoyable working with the girls in rehearsal and passing on various tips of the trade to help them achieve their utmost potential. With plenty of rehearsal dates, workshops, assessments, assembly and concert performances, trial exams and the final HSC, it is a busy time indeed but extremely rewarding.