Last Sunday i played support crew / child-wrangler, as my wife, and several hundred other women swam, rode and ran around MSAC and the picturesque Albert Park Lake, in the annual Pink Triathlon.
This race was my wife's first triathlon. Like a lot of people she never considered doing a triathlon because of the open water swim. But this tri was different - it had a pool swim!!
I think it's no secret, that she was still slightly terrified of the swim, but she got through it! And once she got on the bike she even began smiling and ended up thoroughly enjoying the ride and run!!
She did an awesome job, and i couldn't have been prouder :)
Best part is, she's talking about her next triathlon, upgrading her garmin and bike...
After a couple of days of serious internal deliberation, i've decided that i'm going to pull the pin on IM Melbourne this year.
At the end of the day, it really wasn't a hard decision...
My ongoing injuries have meant that the first 10 weeks of my 20 week plan have seen me complete about 25% of what i should have completed, and i have no intention of turning up to the start line knowing i'm physically underdone. All that will do is smash me mentally before i start.
The plan for the rest of the season is going to involve some shorter (Sprint and Olympic) races, and maybe have another crack at Xterra Great Ocean Road.
The target is now to build my running legs slowly again from scratch. I'm going to get my running gait properly assessed and run in the shoes which will allow me to run long. Hopefully the right shoes, a slow build and running strength training will allow to return as a stronger runner.
I'm also hoping IM Melbourne will return in 2015 (it always sells out pretty quick, so i can't see why it wouldn't) and i'll have another crack at entering.
Next season will, hopefully, look like:
Noosa Olympic
Shepparton half IM
Challenge Melbourne half IM
Melbourne IM!
Fingers crossed!!
Thanks everybody for your support thus far, and good luck to those of you who are now less than 10 weeks (or less for those doing IMNZ) away from IM glory!!
Keep chasing your dreams peoples!!
Cheers.
In 10 weeks time, if all has gone to plan and that's my plan - not some alternate crappy plan which appears to be hijacking my plan!! - i'll be lying in bed ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED, trying to get sleep as the gun will be going off in less than 9 hours!!!!
As i write this, i've got some strange lower leg issue (appears to be more than a niggle) that is causing a bit of pain. The most frustrating part is that it isn't stopping me from training but i don't want to push things in case it's doing damage. I haven't had it looked at yet, as we were on holiday and i hoped that rest would heal all ... um, not really.
So first thing Monday morning it's a call to the physio to make an appointment and get his opinion. As far as I'm concerned there are 3 possible answers:
1) Don't train - you'll do irreparable damage ... which probably means, no IM :(
2) You can train - but it won't get better until you rest it ... Cool, that's why they invented post IM months ... GO!!! :)
3) It's nothing ... you're making it up ... GO NUTS YOUNG FELLA!!!
Once i know the answer, you guys will be the first to know :)
I'm feeling quite confident that given the next ten weeks to train i'll be good to go on the day. I haven't done as many long sessions as I'd have liked to by now - so I have already re-assessed my goal and changed it from a time to finishing sub 17 hours!
...
And in other exciting news - i'll be racing as part of the Heart Kids QLD team at the Noosa Triathlon later this year. Once i get all the details sorted i'll do a separate blog post (or 2) on this subject, and why i'm proud to be part of this team.
Cheers Tim
