Im gonna hit you with some truth. I have been really shaken up since Western Sydney 70.3. I don't know why, but it scared me. I never thought I could feel that way again because I felt just as hopeless and out of my depth as I did at my first ever triathlon all those years ago. Maybe it brought back feelings or memories of being overweight and unfit? As I have said in previous posts, I do not believe it is possible to go through the kind of massive physical change that I went through and not have some issues as a result. Regardless, something happened to me after that race, I haven't been myself and I don't like it.
So in an attempt to remedy the situation I decided to race a small local sprint triathlon yesterday. I have done next to no training in the last 2 weeks after the race and have spent way too much time eating and drinking. So I went there yesterday and thought Im just gonna have a hard hit out and make sure I can still do a decent swim-bike-run. I had no expectations, I just wanted to feel good. I admitted to my wife after the race that I was actually really scared before the race. What would it mean if I failed once again? A big part of who I am is a triathlete. Not for the reasons non-triathletes may think, but instead because of the healthy lifestyle that it promotes. The part of triathlon that I enjoy the most is the training. The structure it gives my life and the motivation to bury myself on a regular basis and know that as bad as it hurts while I am doing it there is a purpose. Anyway I will spare you all the details of the race but the main thing is I felt really good. I had a few little issues throughout the race with my goggles filling with water constantly and having to adjust my shoes on the run but I walked away with a 1:04:09 a new PB and I won my Age Group. All that stuff is great but the thing that makes me the most happy is that I enjoyed the race. I smiled on the run, crushed the bike and had fun. I remembered why I do this sport and why I love it. I got my confidence back. It's amazing the impact that the race has had on my attitude and mood. It really demonstrated to me how down I have been since Western Sydney. So now I am ready to rip in and get ready for Challenge Melbourne in February. I did this race last year and it is brilliant. The roads are amazing and it is a super-quick bike course so I am looking forward to the race. I also think I have sorted out my 70.3 race schedule for next year: February - Challenge Melbourne August - Cebu 70.3 September - Sunny Coast 70.3 November - Challenge Phuket December - Taupo 70.3 Next year is when I really start my work towards the 2016 World Championships. Cebu is one of the first qualifying races and it looks like there a number of very strong Australians heading there to do the same as me. I also have the Taupo race to try as well. I have done a lot of really solid ground work in 2014 to get myself to a fairly competitive level and I am looking forward to taking it to the next level in 2015. I know there is plenty of room for improvement especially on my swim and run and I am looking forward to working with my coach to get there. I also have a number of my friends who are looking to complete their first triathlons in 2015 so I can't wait to work with them towards their goals. So like my friends, good luck training, have fun and remember to TRI!
2 Comments
Jose Villadiego
9/11/2015 11:48:33 am
Sick pic. Talking
Reply
Jose Villadiego
9/11/2015 11:49:29 am
I was gonna say talking about perfect timing lol
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
TimI lost 50kgs though triathlon and completed the 2016 70.3 World Championships. Aiming to hit 4:05 for a 70.3, the same time it took me to complete my first Olympic Distance Triathlon. I want to bring as many new people to the sport as possible. Whether you are fit and active or want to make positive changes to your life. Archives
July 2020
Categories |