The buck stops here….tomorrow ;)

So it has been nearly a month since my last entry. Life has just gotten in the way in its usual indisputable manner, plus in a blog about my Ironman journey, there has been very little actual journey time going on…more like I’ve been treading water.

However, the good news is that the buck stops here.

Before I get to the actual buck stopping event I have actually been doing little pockets of activity to keep myself ticking over…honest I have.

It makes me smile (in a wry retrospective kind of way) at how in my own mind the great mishap of ’14 wasn’t really going to stand in my way. There were plenty of activities I could do besides the swim and ride. Yup…here I am nearly 4 months after and I have not really even touched on those activities in the slightest. Sure I have done a little running here and there and I have done a couple of sessions in the gym but nowhere near the overoptimistic intentions that I had at the beginning. I would be lying if I didn’t think (and say on more than one occasion) that winter appears to have been the best time to have been injured as it has meant an easy excuse not to get out of the nice warm bed into the freezing climes at 5 am. It also appears that the depths of winter (Western Australian Style) has meant that there has been very little on the race calendar for me to pine after, allowing/feeding the lazy slob inside me to remain in a sedately mode for the interim. Please know that this is not a pity party nor are they excuses, just a reality! It is a reality that I know I have a fat lazy bloke trapped inside of me. Given the slightest excuse/reason he will emerge and lie on the couch and pig out of comfort foods rather than tackle anything that might be the slightest bit taxing. That is the beast that I need to keep at bay and the beast that I train and race to prove I am better than and can conquer.



LOVE The Oatmeal - sometimes I think he has a direct insight into my mind!
Credit: http://theoatmeal.com/blog/justdoitlater



So over the past 4 weeks I have done several Park Runs. They are great fun and I am grateful for being pointed in their direction. I have even managed over 4 runs to record a Park Run PB each time…first run was 27:36 and week before last was my all-time 5k PB of 24:50. So there has been some work going in there – told you!

There have been a few trips to the gym…not that many but a couple, and enough just to keep the edge (ish).

This weekend just passed was my most active one in over 4 months…I ran the Park Run on the Saturday (5^th run - 25:25…honestly I went with the intention of a gentle run but it is impossible not to try a little bit!) and then on the Sunday I took part in the City 2 Swan 14k run. That was fun, it was the inaugural event here in Perth and they still managed to get nearly 4,000 people to attend! I personally think the course needs a couple of tweaks due to some pinch points but overall I will be back for more next year. I got to meet a friend and his wife at the start line (same friend that recommended Park Runs). We had a good chat while we shivered until the start time (4.9 degrees C at 7:30!!). He had a good run crossing the line in 71mins!! I was happy with a respectable 1:20:14 given the extra weight I am carrying (in my shoulder!). Both of us agreed that the hills added an “interesting” dimension to the race. Need to get back into my stretching routine as I am walking a little gingerly today!

Ahhh…the buck stopping moment…

Tomorrow July 15^th I am scheduled for surgery to have my plate removed from my shoulder!! Woo Hoo….I admit that I am a little nervous to know that all has healed as it should have. I am keen to feel the freedom in my shoulder that the plate has robbed me of over the last few months. I am really hopeful that it will feel as good as everyone keeps telling me that it will….

With the removal of the plate and after the appropriate recovery time from surgery all of my excuses are fleeing the scene. I intend on running at least the 12k in the City to Surf at the end of August, if not the 21k depending on how quickly I get the all clear to run/exercise again. I will then be training partner for my wife as she is bravely stepping up and wanting to potentially run a 21k of her own in October!! I look forward to becoming an active member of the Tri Club and to the first tri I plan on partaking in, which is on the cards for December 14^th…just waiting for entries to open! I am also excited about getting on my bike for the third time and seeing what she is really like (not sure if my wife is sharing my enthusiasm for the bike though!)

On a final point - I heard a quote the other day that I absolutely loved. The context was what you should do to be healthy and happy...the person said he had two actions for this...(1) eat healthy and........(2) give your heart a reason to keep beating!

I think that (2) is fantastic!! It is not often that I hear something like that and it makes me take real note but that is one that I can completely get on board with!!

So, until next time…thanks for reading and happy training.