What It Takes

The week has been a relaxing week of just getting back to the root of the sport.What make me get up and get out into the cold or hot day . I have just enjoyed the freedom of riding and swimming without a plan. I did 2 spin classes which was great fun although I pushed myself for the hour .I decided not to do a longish Saturday ride and just swam on Wednesday with the group although we did just over 2.4 km and I so enjoyed the wonderful swim on Sunday at the Cott. it was a hot morning and the water was wonderful . I swam 7 laps in front of the tea house and for the last 2 ran down the beach and swam in a sort of mini aquathon.There were lots of stingers in the water and they hurt and did make me go faster every time I got stung .It was then coffee and muffins at the John Street cafe. Very civilised and my life is alot more social without the long hours . but that is what it takes .There is no escaping the simple fact ,to improve in endurance requires patience and dedication.I believe mistake will be made but over the year I have learnt so much more than in the previous year and I feel I have made some advances in understanding "what it takes".

Most of all it is not time but quality in everything I do from now. I will continue to swim and run and bike although I have no race goal for the short term other than competing Ironman WA next year and Ironman NZ for 2011 . But 4 hard races this year with 2 IM distances and no break for a year has taken its toll and my lack of sleeping properly and training non-stop has not helped me improve.

I will acknowledge that in this journey mistakes must be made but not repeated.
Its not about the bike , the run or the swim...its about the collective whole and the person who goes on that journey.I have to be self indulgent , it is that sort of a sport but not at the expense of life outside the sport.Balance is critical and I have so enjoyed the journey , the characters I have met and the wonderful sunrises I have seen .I look back at the year with disappointments in respects to time goals but these are small in comparison to the wonderful friendships and enjoyment the sport brings me and ultimately my own sense of well being .That is what it takes ... perspective