Training 24/7 The Life of a Triathlete

I love this video. I have watched it over and over.

Veg day

What to do, what to do, what to do!!! These two days before the race are my rest days and I am feeling very fidgety and its not even 0800hrs. I am used to having some activity planned for the day, whether that be swimming, cycling, running or walking. And now there is nothing, nada, zippo. I used to enjoy doing nothing and sitting down watching a good movie. But so far since starting this posting I think I have gotten up atleast three times out of my chair - it is now 0845hrs. It's amazing how things change and how good it feels to actually do some physical activity. But rest is as important as exercise. It is giving my muscles the chance to repair and heal. It is giving my mind a chance to be able to visualise the race and run through what I shall do on the day.

As I sit here writing this post I am also hoping that the swim leg will go ahead. We shall recieve confirmation of the race today and I hope it reads "Algae bloom has settled, swim leg shall forge ahead". The thought of running two legs is not my idea of fun no matter how small but I will give it a go if that is what is required. The bike leg will still stay as a 10km but the run may be divided into a 1.5km and 1km to accomodate for the loss of the swim. Not sure, will find out soon enough.

I know it doesn't sound like much but after all I was only competing in the Enticer which is a 250m swim, 10km cycle and 2.5km run. Should the swim be postponed then I will definately be looking for another Enticer before the season is up. I want so badly to do it all - every last leg. I will keep you updated as soon as I get the email from TriNSW. Fingers crossed.

Oh the nerves.

When I first signed up for this Triathlon it seemed like a distant dream. I thought I had ages to train for it and prepare myself mentally for the challenge of doing three disciplines consecutively. The truth is that I when I decided that this is what I wanted to do I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time to prepare but I do think I have used what time I had effectively.

But this still has not stopped me from getting exceptionally nervous everytime I think about it. It hits my stomach like a wave. I can feel my heart skip a beat and I then get this intense feeling of "Oh my lord, can I do this?". Then the side of my brain that rationalises kicks in and I realise I can do this . The only one holding me back is me and my thoughts.

What have I got to lose? Nothing. What have I got to gain? Everything. Am I proud of me and everything I have accomplished? Hell yeah. I am going to tackle this obstacle the way I have tackled all the other obstacles in this past year. With my head held high and a smile on my face, even when I felt like crying and running away. I am a strong human being both physically and now most of all mentally.

Predicted weather for the day.

Showers early. Morning clouds. Mild.
Winds: 16km/hr
Rain: 37%
Min: 18 Max:25

MyTri Gear

Running BUG.

I have the running bug. As far as I have heard it is very contagious. Anybody who comes into contact with a pair of runners, a singlet, shorts and a stretch of road becomes deliriously infected. Those infected are seen running with a glazed look in their eyes and a digital device plugged into their ears - known as an IPod. Do I want to be cured of this disease? NO WAY.

I have been doing the bridge to bridge with my best friend for a while now and initially could only do it as a walk. It is about 7km in length and incorporates straight stretches of road mixed with uneven bush paths and hills. However, this week I am pleased to say that I have walked/run it in 44mins.

I have gone from walking 3mins mixed with 1min running, to now running 10mins and walking anywhere between 3-5mins minutes, depending on how I feel. This is good for me as I had not run for a while due to my shin splints. I feel great. When I am walking now, my legs and mind become fidgety and want to keep running. I have to pull back on the reigns and remind myself that all good things come with time and patience.

Self analysis of this last run has made me realise that having my shoulders down in a relaxed-neutral position promotes better running form. Also, keeping my arms relaxed as well as my hands makes me relaxed. I was running like "Rocky Balboa", arms all pumped up like I was ready to go to battle with Apollo Creed. This totally expends more energy than I had, hence the reason I was getting tired at a faster rate. Having my torso and shoulders relaxed allows my legs to do the bulk of the work. I am also able to breathe alot better as my diaphragm is able to expand appropriately. Thankyou Susan, this is Stage 1 in my transformation as an effective runner.

ANNOYED

I just recieved an email from the organisers of the Triathlon that it could possibly be turned into a Duathlon. ARGH. They recieved advanced warning from the Royal Algal Coordinating Committee that they have had their first blue/green algae alert in the lakes due to all the rain and runoff and then intense days of heat. I know I should be happy, swimming in blue/green algae can make you really sick, however I really want to do the swim leg, thats my strong leg.

Running for two legs is going to feel very hard. Physically my legs will fatigue extremely rapidly. I thought by doing a Tri that my legs can atleast rest a little in the swim, but now the whole race will be based on the strength of my legs. Oh boy, am I in trouble. I told my best friend who is also doing this with me and she is a runner, although she was disappointed because she too wanted to swim but I could see the look of "Oh yeah", glistening in her eyes.

The decision wont be finalised till the 5th March, two days before the event. I still need to get my TriSuit but now question whether I need one at all. I just have to get it and then hope that all turns out for the best. It will be okay, not my desired dream but an offshoot.