Countdown: 5 months (gulp)

It will get better :)

It was pointed out today the milestone of five months until the big 70.3 Cairns Ironman, Ironman race.  Isn't that nooice.  So how is training going?  Hmmm, that would be a good question.  The after effects of Christmas has slowly crept to my girth, fitness level disappeared just like the bubbles of celebration.   So how is training going?  That my friends, in a word, slow. 

BUT you have to hitch that wagon up again and get back on it.  The mojo has slightly returned after festive spirit reigned supreme.  At training tonight, the tears were slightly welling up at the thought of the mammoth task ahead.  Once again Coach M shared the love, as well as teamies, don't focus on the distances, just cross off each day, it will build up. 

Right, so that is what I'm going tell my head.  It's a bit thick so might take a while but will give it a shot.  The tears and headache may also be, because I just figured out, with the reality bat slapping me big time.  I'm going to have no life except for training for the next five months.  Bloomin' good thing I'm surrounded by pretty awesome people doing the same crazy, crazy stuff.  So here goes.... :)

Crazy kids, I train with, that keep me going.  Colour Run 2013 Cairns.  xo :)

Change

I don't know about you but as much as I try to go with the flow; change always leaves my stomach with little butterflies flying around with hiccups.

Until I tell myself to  "embrace the change" I go through the :  "really",  "no",  "who",  "that sucks",  "I really don't want things to change";  need I go on.

Change can be a good and bad depending on your view point.  Being positive about change even if it is bad, can take a lot of "willing this is going to be good".

Our swim coach today announced he and his beautiful fiancé are moving to WA.  It is wonderful for them both but leaves me sad and those butterflies are starting to go in circles.

You trust your coaches with giving you the best advice and get you over the finishing line.  Yep, you have to put effort in, but coach is one that helps you get there.  I would never have completed or achieved what I have in swimming without Coach La Frog.  The 1.5km Coral Coast, 70.3 ironman 1.9km.  Just would not have made it without him or my preschool squad mates support.

It's not going to be the same without you Coach La Frog  :(  But good luck on your awesome adventure :)

So while it is sad to say "see ya"  (don't do goodbyes until the final curtain call).  Awesome opportunities are coming your way Coach La Frog.  Our preschool squad will not be the same and we will miss you.  You are going to be a hard man to replace and did I say really, really missed.    Now to get "willing" over the butterflies, get can of harden up as 70.3 Cairns Ironman is only 5 months away today...  Arrrrrhhh, I guess running for the hills is still an option. 

Completed thus far.

In 2010, I did my first enticer, 400m swim, 10km bike and 2.5km run.  It was on a mountain bike, apparently you ride further with those tyres.  Again nerves got the better of me.  Whether it was swimming in crocs waters who knows but I finished and then the bug died for a bit through back injury and well being a slack arse after the back got better, until last year.  When swimming helped me get my mojo back.   

2013 was a big year.  The team swim legs of Coral Coast Olympic distance, and 70.3 Ironman, another Enticer, and Tri Port Sprint distance all on my own.  (Unfortunately, the swim leg was cancelled in Tri port which was cool the water was a wee bit rough.  But go figure, we will swim with crocs and stingers just not waves; safety first hee hee).

Love these girls; team mates, Sue and Rob xo :)  Coral Coast Olympic tri

Like I said before, I'm not an elite athlete, and it is one of the things I love about tri's.  It doesn't matter what shape or size you are, there are people who support you and encourage you.  Let's face it nobody looks good in an all lycra suit unless you're a stick, or at elite level.  :)  That's not what the sport is about.

It is a sport on a wonderful community level that everyone regardless shape or form can have a go.  Viewed upon for what is inside, and the courage that gets you across the line after being out there for a couple of hours in the sun, wind, rain, or whatever the elements throw at you. 

Finishing, or putting in the effort to try is what counts.  Yep, you will always have your competitive people and why not alot of training goes into their times, and effort some are naturals.  Others like me, well, we give it a crack.  That's all you can do and dare I say it have fun along the way?

Background to White Eyes

So the whites of my eyes started showing, in 2013 when it was thought to be a good idea to do a team event for Coral Coast tri Olympic distance, and then team up again a week later for 70.3 Cairns Ironman.  Both swim legs 1.5km, and 1.9km respectively.  "It's only an extra 400m, only." I was told.

So swimming over 68km in training, blood, sweat and alot of tears later, got myself so worked up on the start line of Coral Coast almost threw up and came out of the water saying never going to do this crap again.  I thought I'd totally blown it.  Second last to get out of the water and thought I'd swam the worst time for my team mates.  Only to look at the results later, swam fastest 1500m I'd ever done.  So I apologise openly to the lifeguard who kindly encouraged me on the surf ski.  When he said are you having fun yet, my reply was does it look like it.  Yep those nerves, and mental head certainly got the best of me there.

 

A week after Coral Coast and Ironman fever had hit town.  I had to do something about nerves and own mental state of yep you can do it.  I went to the woozier  lady (if you have see the movie Bad Boys, you'll know what I mean)  to calm those nerves, and get mental state on track.  Low and behold a completely different person was on the 70.3 Cairns Ironman start line. 

At the start.

I was determined to enjoy myself, complete the swim in 1.05 time limit and get my team mate off on bike leg as best I could.  I just wanted to finish and enjoy.  Enjoy that I did by skipping down transition lane with fellow team mate just bloody happy it was done and dusted woot woo we did it.  Really didn't care what we looked like, we did it and people laughed, clapped sharing our joy at the two nuts skipping, laughing, hugging swim coach as we went.  When the three of us crossed that finish line it was one of the best "natural" highs I've ever had.  

Couldn't have done this without fellow Empower Rangers xo

I was gone, it was in my blood and that little devil and angel of Coach M that always sits on my shoulders had hooked another candidate for this sport, that you apparently can't make up your mind which sport to go for; swimming, bike, run.  So you get addicted to triathlon, and midlife peeps get addicted to Ironman/Challenge cause evidently we haven't done enough crazy crap in our life's and want to use up the extra heartbeats to get the rush of a natural high.  :)