Sunday 26 October 2008

Inspiration...aspiration and some perspiration...


When I started the Ironman journey I wondered if I was going to survive the training.  Then I wondered if I would survive the actual race.  Right now I'm wondering if I'm going to survive this rest month without exploding.


5 more days of resting and eating anything (and everything) I like and then the training is going to start and I feel more focused than I ever have before.  I'm ready to train hard and  'train smart' as the Yelling's knowingly advise and my focus will not waiver.  I suppose completely letting go in this rest month is what is going to enable me to work harder, become stronger and be the best I can come May 23rd 2009.  

This weekend Tom and I went to stay with the O'Neill family (see above pic.)  We met Jevon (a fellow Ironman athlete) last year in Austria and we've stayed in touch ever since.  One of the fantastic things about trying new things is that you meet new people, all creating their very own personal Ironman journey's and some of them you know you'll be friends with for a long time. Jevon came to stay with us for a couple of days this year in the run up to our respective Ironman events.  It was a whirlind of heavy training, cramming food in and then sleeping for what felt like a nano second before the new day started and we were training hard again.  This weekend was the complete opposite.  We were waited on hand and foot with superb food bouncing out of the oven courtesy of Jevon's wife Fiona (who I'm sure I've met before in a previous life.) We went for a 7 mile run and watched the sun set from a beacon high on the hills close to Jevon's house and finished the night off with chocolate, coffee and two films.  Going to bed at silly o'clock, fully content, chilled out and relaxed.  We even managed to fit a swim in today, in between reading the Sunday papers, playing on the Wii, being entertained by Jevon's two girls Erin and Alice and generally eating Fiona out of house and home.  A truly inspirational and aspirational weekend with a tiny drop of perspiration thrown in for good measure.  Thanks guys. x

So we've got 5 days of resting hell to do before unleashing ourselves into 6mths of solid training.  In Lanza I know I can swim under the hour, but I need to concentrate on the bike so I can run solidly off it.  I'm aiming for about a 6hr 20 bike (roughly equates to a 5hr 30 on a faster course)  and a 3.50-4hr run.  Bringing me over the finish line in a sub 11hr 30min (with transistions.)  Ambitious? Yes.  Unrealistic? No.  Live like a monk, train like a demon for 6mths? Yes.  Get to Kona? I think so :)

Time for bed?  Definitely.

Before I go though, I must say a huge, huge good luck to my good mate Clare Roberts who is running her first marathon tomorrow in Dublin.  I can't wait to hear all about it. xxx

And to Tom... I can't wait to marry you in 6 weeks time :) xxx

H. x

If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.  
Thomas Edison.


3 comments:

Jevon said...

Pleasure to have you here, H... I think you're gonna blast Lanza this year. Soon... J x

Khara Mills said...

Hi H
In my very much smaller tri world, I can't wait for the rest to be over either...bring on 1/11 asap please. Perhaps if we both wish for it very hard it'll come along so much quicker. Worth a try I reckon! My place has been confirmed for Bala Middle and I'm soooo excited. Wishing you lots of luck with the training and I believe you are officially a positive thinker now, so go for it. See you soon
Khara x

Ben G said...

Hey Helen, you are gonna spend the rest of your life with Tom, can you not wait 1 more week? I make it 7 to go!!