Breaking the cardinal rule – trying something new in race week…

So in truth I am still trying to get my eating on point…it is proving to be more of a mission that I had originally planned. I suppose it helps that I have been eating like a training Ironman since I completed my first one A YEAR AGO! Seriously, this coming Monday has some pretty big expectations placed upon it.

Monday December 5^th.

·         11 Months until IMFL (Ironman Florida – now you know).

·         Official start of the Bike Base Build (BBB….just made that one up…took ages)

·         Starting to reform my good/better eating habits…out with the bad and in with the good (silent sobbing)

·         Motivation and focus return to point…

Why December 5^th…well this weekend (December 4^th) I am in the inaugural Ironman Western Australia 70.3 in Busselton.

At the time of signing up for this there were much more grand aspirations of brilliance and training sessions and all the amazing stuff that meant I would be kicking arse and taking names…my running has been pretty poor and it has become a looming deadline that I have been approaching with much trepidation. That said, I am going into this to have fun and am using it as the closing chapter on the poor habits and the reigniting of the fires for Florida.

Whilst the run training has been patchy there has been some training along the way and even a race (as mentioned last week)!

In the interests of closure from last week, my bike was serviced and it turned out that the bottom bracket had come a little loose and had “absorbed” a considerable amount of grit causing the grease to turn to sludge and the bearings to grind. A quick $200 later (ouch) and I was back in action…none too late as I planned on riding the roadie in the sprint that weekend. Point to note – it is REALLY difficult to get your bike in for an impromptu service at the start of summer when every other cyclist has the same thoughts! Massive props to my local for being so accommodating and coming to the rescue!

So the race. It was Interclubs. A club specific event run in which you race for club points not personal glory run by a local tri club in Mandurah (a city 96kms south of Perth). It was the 24^th running of the event and is great fun. A load of clubs go down there, everyone is in club gear and it is generally a fun filled day! It’s a sprint race (750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run). As much as I am FAR FAR FAR from a sprint triathlete (built for comfort not speed see) as this is a club based event I was in!

Was pleased with a swim time of a little over 12mins I was out of the water and onto the bike course with the bulk of the age group…a windy, twisty little course that consisted of two laps. On the second lap, about 2kms from the end disaster struck….I had a front flat. On inspection of the tyre there was a nail sticking out of it…the nail that had not only punctured the tyre but had torn the side all of the tyre…I was done! Bugger!

The offending nail...

As I walked my way back to transition I had many a competitor call out with offers of assistance (one over enthusiastic young lady even turned back towards me nearly causing a smash with one of my team mates flying along at a little over 40kph) – nice that even in the heat of battle people still look out for each other (if not others on the road).

A touch grumpy (before I saw the camera)

Ahhh...seen the camera - smile now....

I will admit that I had made my mind up that my race was done…I mean I was literally the last person off the bike course by the time I strolled into transition…I had my water bottle in hand and was pretty chilled. It was at that point that I thought twice and decided that I may as well do the run…I mean then I could have the whole finish chute to myself….woo hoo….

Changed into my runners and off I went, to the cheers of my club mates. Well I had quite possibly the most fun 5km I have ever had. As I ran along I cheered people heading back, high fived runners, walkers and volunteers alike. I even managed a photo bomb…

Not the most flattering of photos...due to the fact I have just landed and gravity hates me...

I caught up to a number of people that were having a bit more of a tougher day of it than I was and I was happy to give out some encouragement and get them moving again…I must say it was a great run. Personally I needed it. After the disappointment of the Sufferfest that I DNF’d I needed to face a little adversity and climb out of it…yes it was small but I feel like it was a distinct step in the right direction mentally.

And whilst I didn’t have the finish chute to myself I was really happy with a 25min 5 k and the fun that I had on the course!

Back to this nice cheap sport we play…turns out I had a rear flat too (explained why the ride was getting tougher) and so I had to get two new tyres and tubes for the bike (another gentle $200….my poor little credit card).

So that marked the start of taper week…people ask me if I am happy to be in taper mode…my response is that if I had a reason to taper then I sure would be…

The breaking of the cardinal sin of trying something new in race week……..I went to swim training on Tuesday J…no one more shocked than my coach and my shoulders….

As always, thanks for reading…