yesterday, race day...

Yesterday was race 6 of the Qld Gatorade Tri Series, so it was up at 4:30 out the door at 5 and off to Raby Bay. The rain of the previous days went away meaning that the 3 hour wait between setting up and race start was not as bad as it could have been. I was not feeling overly confident about this one as my training leading in had fallen away and become a little sporadic. A tight muscle in my back meant I had not done a swim 3 weeks.  The muscle was feeling good and loose as I was standing on the pontoon waiting to get in and I was thinking that it would not be a problem, and I was right. Muscle no problem, 90 of my best mates, big problem. The swim was 400m, 200 down 200 back in a narrow area between moored boats. There was 91, 30-34 year old males crammed into this area and when the hooter went it was on for young (30) and old (34). Because of the short distance there was no clear water just chop, wash, arms and feet. I am no threat to the leaders, I do my best then I try to do better, and I am certainly no fish. My goal at this distance it to get out of the water without an 8 in my time.  It was not to be this time, 8:04, but considering that it was a very crowded and violent swim I am happy with the result.

Into transition and onto the bike.

I have been having trouble with my bike shoes, they have come of during transition 2 times this season which I had put down to bad luck, after yesterday I am putting it down to gear failure that needs to be addressed. Heading out onto the bike my shoe came off at the mount line as I went to put my foot on top of it. I had to stop, run back grab my shoe put it on get on my bike and get going, the fact my other shoe was still on the bike made that little bit more difficult. So I am in and peddling and feeling really good on the approach to the hill for the first time. Up I went, attack the hill work to the out maker, take in water, work to the hill rest down the hill fast steady pace to the turn and back out to the hill, repeat 2 more times that was the plan. Plan was going great till i got just about to the bottom of the hill and was nearly blown off my bike by the wind. I HATE THE WIND. I can never tell when it is behind me and can not stand peddling into it. Peddle into it I did though. Again I am no Cadel.  Your probably thinking now "he can't swim, can't ride, why does he do Triathlon?" Well I will leave that for another Blog Post. But back to the bike, 3 laps, 15k done. Back into transition and all i could think was, "gee I hope my shoe does not come off". Guess what, shoe came off. It has to be gear failure and I will need to sort it out has it is very frustrating and even though I am not at the pointy end I still want to do my best each and every time I toe the line. 33:18 for the bike, I like to believe that this time includes most of both t1 and t2 but i have not had that confirmed.

I did not put the stop watch on this race, I decided to note the time of the start and work the times of legs of the time of day and use mental calculations to gauge how I was going. Looking at the time I calculated that if i did the run in under 18 min i would finish in under 1 hour, pretty much bang on on reflection. 4 1/2 min k's I was not to confident as pushing into the wind had taken a bit out of my legs. I took off and started at what felt like a good pace,  but about 400 in a felt myself slowing. Then I started to fidget, I played with my hat, played with my zip, decided I did not want my hat, yes i did want my hat. This went on for the first 2k, rounding the turn at the 2k mark a guy I meet at the Noosa Tri was heading out to start his run. He is older than me and is at the pointy end of his age group. I thought I would run with him for a bit to refocus. It did the trick, after a little bit (I am talking 10-20 metres) I thought bugger this just go 2k's left run it hard. I took off, I felt like I was running fast and I felt good.

I crossed the line and checked the time, going by my start time I thought I had done a 58:something.

I was happy with that, I felt my swim was solid considering I am a middle to back of the back swimmer. I thought I may have given to much of my legs to the bike but I stuck to my plan and rode as strong and consistent as I could. I was a little disappointed with my run as I felt I should have been running the way was in the end for the entire 4k. One of my goals has at this distance has been to run under 16min. Not knowing what time I had run I felt that if I had of started the way I finished I would be able to do so. So when I got home it was time to jump on the net and check the times.

57:19 on the back of a 15:56 run. In the wash up it was a good day out for me, a 20sec BP at Raby Bay for the distance and sub 16 run. The funny thing is I can not stop wondering what time I would have run if I had started how I finished, or if i did not cross paths with the guy I know at the half way point of the run. I also wonder how much time I lost chasing after stray shoes.

Oh yeah I came 51st out of 91 starters

There is a bit of a break until race 7 at the Gold Coast, so I have a bit of time to sort my shoes out, get in some quality training and then my favorate tapering. If there is one thing I am good at it is tapering.

where did it go?

"If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

I had a bit of a meltdown today, Uni starts next week and suddenly it has become very daunting. It has been a while since I have done any form of study or research that has not involved prices. Having a very quick look at one of my subjects that voice in my head that says you "can't do this" got very very loud. That was my day shot, I felt terrible and confidence was gone. As HG would say "where did it go"? You know what where did it go? Why did it go? And when is it coming back? Confidence, people say you either have it or you don't. But you know what today I did, then didn't, and right about now I feel it coming back. How come confidence can just come and go as it pleases? Why do we allow our confidence to take flight on occasion and how is it, like a pigeon it returns in its own good time.
Confidence, self belief call it what you will to me it is such a mystery as to why it comes and goes so often. When it is gone it can be crippling, why it is gone can dominate my mind. Question after question about what has been done differently, what variable was there this time compared to last. The most annoying thing is that ultimately even when the pigeon is only hitting the out maker ability has not gone anywhere.

Motivation/Inspiration

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily. - Zig Zigler

I often find myself thinking of motivation and inspiration.  The first post of this blog was some days ago, has my motivation for it diminished, is it gone? I don't think so. The motivation to do it is there, the inspiration is there, the sitting down and getting it done... well it is a little slow arriving. Things in my world are changing fairly significantly at the moment, things are starting to find there time slots. I am feeling motivated to become a better me. A big thing for me is to train, and training requires motivation and inspiration. I have been watching a lot Ironman lately and if you are ever lacking motivation or looking for inspiration take a look at them. while the pros are amazing athletes, it is the weekend warriors and the special stories that i like the best. to think that people with no legs can finish within the cut off, there was one guy who had als and was dead within 18 months of completing his first Ironman. If these people can get so much out of there body mainly through the  power of their mind surely i can, surely i can. The problem with watching Ironman is it makes me want to do one, one day. I know i am not up to it just yet and need to do a lot more training but one day, one day. For now it is Olympic distance and then a step up to the Half distance at some point in the next 12 months. I am motivated to do it, I want to do it, so all i need to do is sort out the sitting down and getting it done. If your ever wanting some motivation or inspiration this is the guy Dick Hoyt.

and in the beginning

Well this is my umpteenth time at attempting to start a blog. I continually have the intention of blogging once a week, often think about but never do it. This time will be different this time the Blog is on. As the title suggest the blogs may be brief, yet they may not as well.