The 4 Dams Ride

My Map of the route slightly shorter mileage



Serpentine Dam

I finished my weeks training off with the spur of the moment decision to ride the 5 Dams ride which was on Map My Tri and is a route that Cyclo sporif ( a cycling group) plan to run in March.

The rest of the week was pretty tame in comparison . I was too sore after Tuesdays ride so I skipped training on Wednesday...just too tired and my legs were very tender after the combination Jacob's ladder run on Monday and the Tuesday ride where I clocked 62km with 25 at 35.5kph. On Thursday i rode to work again and did a couple of laps of kings Park a 6-8km loop with a steady gradual climb for 1-2km.

It was a hot day but I enjoy riding to work and it is so much quicker. Friday was the only day I swam and did a nice easy 2km swim .

Well on Friday night I decided I would ride the dams ride slowly to see how long it would take. It turn out to be my longest ride ever and the first time my wife was so concerned she was about to ring friends to see where I was.She even drove to Kalamunda to get me at 4.30 in the afternoon .I had been riding for 10.5 hours .
In the end the grind of climbing hills, the heat (it was 31C but in the hills I suspect it was a lot warmer) and no food or money left ,meant I could not finish the last dam. I suspect I did between 210 and 220 km as my computer even stopped for 4 hours. Most of it was a slow lonely ride.I now know that all the dams surrounding Perth sit at the top of HILLS. The climbing elevation for the ride was 1900m although I believe I did not do that, I came close.


I got up early enough and stuffed around watching the NBC good morning show and having breakfast before leaving the house just after 6am .It was straight into the city approximately 12-14 km and then down the Kwinana Freeway to Mundijong Road , approximately 40km south on the Freeway cyclepath.I then rode along Mundijong road and several road till I got to the base of Kingsbury Drive which was a long winding and huge climb to Serpentime Dam .Dam Number 1 took 4 hours of riding , one drinks break and map reading along the way to reach.I had only done 100km .Help....



At the turn off from the Freeway to Mundijong Road

I then followed kingsbury drive to jarradale road and then onto Albany Hwy before turning down Canning Dam Road to Dam 2 .it was hot and there were no cyclist around.
I had another drink stop and a break at which point my computer stopped working till four and a half hours later it suddenly started recording the speed and distance.



On the way to Serpentine Dam

I was rapidly running out of Bars and food and it was difficult eating in the heat.I had a couple of bottles of coke , a bottle of mocha coffee. lots of water .I estimate I drank about 8 litres. I was getting really tired. I managed to get to Dam 3 Wungong dam without too much difficulty but had to retrace my steps as I could not find the route suggested .I then rode down Albany Hwy ( Albany is a town south of Perth and approximately 350km from perth and Albany Hwy is the main thoroughfare) I rode down till I turned off toward Churchman Dam which was Dam 4. Again there was another hill to climb .It was then downhill till I got to Brookton Hwy where I had a 45 min climb to the turn off to the road to Kalamunda and where I would get my wife to pick me up .I had eventually managed to call her as there was very bad reception for mobile phones in the Hills.



Canning Dam

In the course of the ride I had a chat with a financial planner riding down the freeway for 20 mins as he was doing a short ride, got yelled at by 2 groups of Bogans but at 100kph I couldn't tell what they were yelling about...maybe they were wishing me well. I was really struggling up the hills in under 10kph but the legs were holding up well.I had no cramping issues which was good.

I got to Kalamunda a small town in the hills and about 10km from Mundaring weir Dam the last Dam I had ridden that leg many times and decided with no money or food left it would be too difficult to ride the last Dam and get home. I settled for waiting for my wife at the merchant tea rooms .Much more civilised. I had a glass of lemon lime bitters with ice and just read the travel section till she arrived with my son .

Lessons learnt . Who said there were no hills in Perth and 200 plus kms can take an awfully long time on a hot day.

Australia Day

It is Australia day today .For the past 3 years I have got up early and made my way to point Walter for the Australia Day Race .This year it sold out and I didn't want to have to pay $75 dollars for the privilege. It was going to be crowded and I decided it would be more productive keeping to my training regime.

Hence a ride at Nedlands with the group. Got up at 4.50am and I was out of the house by 5.12am .Rode the 40 minutes to Nedlands slow and easy .I was sore from last nights run . Ross had planned a 30 min hard ride with 10 min cycle and 5 minute cool down.I wasn't running so I just rode for 40 minutes.I got dropped after the first lap as I could not keep up .My legs were pretty spent.But got onto the back of Ross's group and hung in there.

Averaged 35.5kph for the 40 minutes. We had coffee at a cafe in Nedlands and then rode home by 8.30am .There was hardly any traffic around. A very nice start to Australia Day.

I sent the morning surfing the net for all things Triathlon. Came across on a fellow triathletes blog , extracts of a speech by Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Quindlen at Villanova University on June 23, 2000. It is preaching to the converted but a timely reminder and all that I enjoy about the lifestyle I have .I am able to get out and watch the sunrise , admire the beauty around me and just breathe.

Here is the link:http://pgoh13.free.fr/getalife_annaquindlen.html

Week Two

The week of training has ended quietly .I am slowly getting into the routine but mixing up my training with shorter but harder sessions.

On Saturday I skipped my longish ride and just did a spin session at the gym and rode to the gym in my mountain bike . A 1.5 hr session.

On Sunday I rode to Tony's and then swam at Cottesloe .I was having difficulty sighting and swam in a zig-zag manner making my progress painfully slow.Again I would have rode approximately 30km and that made 160 km of cycling . I plan to do more this week.

I skipped swimming this morning and ran in the evening for 45 mins .I managed to climb Jacobs ladder 5 times .(That is a staircase leading to Kings Park with approximately 100 steps ) .There were lots of boot camp trainees with their personal trainers and at least 15 people using Jacobs so at times the climb slowed to a walk. My legs were sore but it will be a regular feature in my training now.

I am trying to incorporate short but hard and intense sessions to build my strength as I slowly tackle and increase the cycling and running distances.

Focus In Art

The Arnolfini Portrait is an oil painting on oak panel dated 1434 by the Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck.From Wikipedia

It is unusual that this picture would have anything to do with triathlons.

Well it doesn't . When I was studying in the UK over 20 years ago , life as a student wasn't too bad . In the year I spent in London , I did the minimum to get through but spent a number of enjoyable hours absorbing as much "culture" as I could . I especially loved musicals and the theatre but I had a very soft spot for the National Gallery.

http://nationalgallery.org.uk
It was free and the repository of some of the greatest works of art . I didn't know much about art but enjoyed the many hours wandering the galleries . It was just off Trafalgar and Soho and whenever I had a spare moment I would wander in .Not to learn but to admire.

One picture in particular and I don't know why that I would always gravitate to is the Arnolfini portrait (above) (painted in 1434) by Jan Van Eyck died 1444 .

I learnt many years later watching one of the docos on painters that Van Eyck painted this couple probably at the request of Mr Arnolfini in memory of his wife. The painting is full of symbolism . There are lots and I won't give an essay on the painting surfice to say if interested there is a good summary on wikepedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnolfini_Portrait

Here are a few of the items in the painting with significant symbolism and meaning :

* It is also believed that the couple is already married because of the woman’s headdress. A non-married woman would have her hair down, according to Margaret Carroll. [21]

* The cherries on the tree outside the window may symbolize love. The oranges which lie on the window sill and chest may symbolize the purity and innocence that reigned in the Garden of Eden before the Fall of Man.[22] They were uncommon and a sign of wealth in the Netherlands, but in Italy were a symbol of fecundity in marriage.[23] The fruit could more simply be a sign of the couple’s wealth since fruit was very expensive during this time. [24]

* The cast-aside patten clogs are possibly a gesture of respect for the wedding ceremony and also indicate that this event is taking place on holy ground, although these were normally only worn outside. Husbands traditionally presented brides with clogs.[22] It can also be seen as indicative of domestic stability and tranquility.

Everytime I went back there was something new to learn or discover about the painting. Van Eyck was clearly a genius and a very good painter .

It is controversial in so far that there are many interpretations of what the picture means. For me it was and is a source of great memories and just a nice picture.

When I look back now , I see an artist who was great now as he was then and the focus , the dedication , the talent , the patience , the genius to produce such a work of art .

For me , we can all take away a lesson no matter how obscure the subject matter or experience . The Arnolfini Portrait is about many emotions . First and foremost , a memory of a time in my life , a great painting and about a great artist and focus. Evrytime you look you see something new and learn something new as I have.

As it is with triathlons. I learn as I grow in the sport . I talk to lots of people and I try my best to put together what works for me .It is a process of patience and error.

Cheats disqualified

Cheats disqualified

A story about runners in China cheating in a marathon. I would think that the one thing you learn in sports , there are no short cuts.

What A Long Bike Race

Continuing from the initial email from Rod , The duo are now into the race Tour D'Afrique .Rod sent a short email about the first 3 stages .

Hey gang sorry we did not email you before we left but the email at the hotel was down the night before we left. Here is the email I was going to send on January 15:

"This is our last night in Cairo. WE have been living off of local street food for the last week and are loving it. Fresh pita bread, felafels, koshery (lentils, rice, pasta with sauce), fuuel (refried beans), bottled water. The main reason is because the street food is so tasty but also it is 1/10 the price of the food in the hotel.
We leave in the morning a 6am and our race #'s are 101 and 102. As I am sure you can imagine the air is electric with excitement, anxiety and trepidation. Surprisingly, we are both quite calm; definitely calmer then some.
We are both healthly and ready to start. Our next rest day is Luxor in a week, will try to email you then."

Today is January 19, we are camping at a hotel on the beach, some have gotten rooms for the night; all got showers. I have showered for the first time since Cairo and washed a few clothes. We now recap the last few days since we left Cairo.

Jan 16 - Got up fricking early like 4:30am, convoy to the pryamids, presentations, photos, convoy out of Cairo - so slow. It took about 4.5 hours to cover 43Km. Once the convoy was over the race was one and the fast boys flew down the road, we did a moderate pace holding about 30km/h and they left us. We had a small group 5-7 people working well together and in the end Juliana won the stage for the women in a sprint. The day was 128k and we rode for 5:57. That night was a desert camp.

Jan 17 - This was the long distance day 165km - 6:37. We were again in a decent group to lunch doing just over 30km/h. We did have to stop once for a pinch flat, the result of hitting a pot hole. After lunch we hit a strong head wind with 60km to go and were reduced to 15km/h and working fairly hard as a group of 4. Gizzy won the stage for the women by about a bike length again in a sprint. This was also a desert camp. The heavens opened throwing wind, rain, hail, lightening and hunder at us. Apperently, quite rare - I feel lucky to have witnessed it. About 20 people lost EFI status today. We did not sleep well. Again he front group of males was no were to be seen - I think about an hour ahead of us.

Jan 18 - 145k - 4:38. The winds changed and pushed us to the next desert camp. Because of the rain the police stopped us at a check point and would not let us continue. The staff did some negiotiations and 30 minutes later we were off. The interesting thing in Egypt is that tourisms is 40% of their GNP so they really want tourists (us) to be safe, so we have been escorted the entire time by police (at least 3 cars), who also arrange for night security to watch over us - everone of them is armed. This camp ended up to be 10km further down the road then planned due to some flooding concerns so the day ended with a 10km neutral zone - no racing. Juliana won the stage for the women by a bike length, uncontested. This night the wind was crazy strong. We could not put the fly on or close the doors as the force of the wind would collapse the tent. We curled up in our bags but the wind whipping over us was freezing. To solve this we wrapped the tent fly anround the outside of our bags - nice and toasty.

Jan 18 - 83k, 3:03. The winds were not as strong as yesterday but still at our backs. We rolled into Safaga at about 10:30. The group we roded with today was defintely resting, just what we needed. Did alittle bike maintenance but bikes and us are in good shape.

We will try to email again from Luxor - Friday.

Rod and Juliana

The second email:

Hey gang

Some of you have figured out that their are twitter updates. For those of you who haven't there are directions on the Tour Blog. Please note that the results on the tour site are wrong. I am guessing that I am about 5th or 6th; Juliana and Gizzy are tied for 1st female, with the same time and 3 wins a piece.

Today is January 21 and we rode 95km from a desert camp into Luxor in just under 3hrs. The group we were riding with was 9 people strong with a few other hangers-on that did not last. So we got to camp at 10am, set-up camp, showered, ate, then ate some more and now email. Today, Gizzy won but it was uncontested with everyone in the group (Gizzy and Juliana) getting the same time. The lead group was about 15 minutes ahead.

Yesterday, we left Safaga and rode 138km at 22.5km/h - it was a hard day. The first 40km was uphill, I mean all uphill not a single flat or downhill section. Granted it was a gradual climb of 2% but still it just went on and on. Also, I woke up feeling pretty bad - stomach trouble but by lunch (65km) it had sorted itself out. After lunch it was down hill at 2% but with a crazy headwind that more then nullified any descending benefit. Juliana won this staged, uncontested. Once again we were the second group on the rode. The fast group had some dramas today with Marcel breaking a spoke. I think he realises that his wheel choice is not a good one - his front wheel has 18 spokes and the back has 24 - compared to everyone else running 32 or 36 spokes. (larger number = stronger).

It is fair to say that everyone is glad to have a rest day. Time to recovery alittle, bike maintenance, wash, eat sweets and recharge batteries.

We are feeling good.

Rod and Juliana

Definitely wish I was there and it possibly is a ride worth considering. I may not be able to do the whole ride but some of the stages look amazing.

I want to Understand ....

My Training has started slowly. The way I like it .I have no specific priority race in the horizon and I have decided not to do the Australia day Tri ...Its a great work out but at $60 I have decided to ride with the boys and have a good coffee at the end of the ride .

On Monday , I slept in , great start but it was hot .I did do my thread mill run for 1 hour with 10 x 30sec ( go as hard as you can ) which for me was 15kph and the warm up and warm down was at 10kph for an overall 8.5km .Even though it was in the gym it was quite warm .

Tuesday was my first ride back in the group .We were riding out of Shelley and as I wasn't sure how to access the shower in my building I parked at Beatty Park pool and rode to Shelly which was a 15 km trip and a nice warm up .Met up with Jamie and T and a new guy joining the group .We rode out on the freeway cycle path to Mt Henry and I led the way and got there a good ten minutes early. Ross grouped us up and as it was pretty warm the last few days , it was decided we would do 45 min hard ride. My group of 3 started off with the girls but we moved ahead averaging 35-40kph .The Shelley loop is flat and fast . We had a near collision with a corgi type dog walking on the road but managed to avoid hitting the dog .Eventually we were passed by the fast group and merged with the girls .I took my turn at the front and we were rotating smoothly for the first lap . Jamie in the fast group clipped the front rider and went down but was unhurt and the bike was OK but for a bent rear wheel.

The ride was hard but I was happy I hung in there taking my turn at the front without missing a turn for the whole duration. I had averaged with the ride out to Shelley and the 2 and half loops in Shelley approximately 32kph and I had done over 43km .All up I did 60km and had averaged 30kph for the 2 hours of riding. It was a good start but my legs were sore.

In the evening I did a 45 min gym work out with the emphasis on the arms and core strength. I slept well that night. Wednesday was a light day with a swim in the evening .As Ross is still off at least from the swim , Luke ran the session. I did about 2.5km . A 300 m warm up and 400 drill and then 10 x 100 free plus 50 breast /backstroke.I had a cramp doing the backstroke so I just did the breaststroke and free.

Finished with a cool down and swam with the PB and avoided the kicking.

I have sorted out the showering facilities in the building and so I will start to ride to work at least once a week as it is so much quicker despite the firm providing parking at some expense.

These last few days I had an interesting discussion of sorts on facebook about Triahlons and why do we race and train. It must surely be for the love . I found Chuckie V comments on his blog a great delight and inpiration:

The athlete who knows "how" will always compete. The athlete who knows "why" will always perform. The athlete who doesn't worry "how" or "why" but does what's needed will always win. Winning is NOT a science. It is an art that uses science. And there are very few artists who understand that. And those who do generally ...kick ass. CHUCKIE V

Well I do the sport firstly because I love it but the training is hard and I wished I had a little more talent .Ultimately , I do persevere because I enjoy it , I get an adrenaline rush testing myself and I do want to get better and beat a few people .
It is part getting to that perfect race , part ego ...and I want "to beat the guy next door" attitude and finally achieving those goals , chasing the clock.

Most of all I do want to understand.

Starting Slow

The weekend started with a slow ride to South Perth to meet up with some North Coasters riding the Freeway.My first ride since Boxing day and the weather was going to be hot.

There were about 10 of us and after approximately 8km ,past mt Henry bridge , the group broke up a bit and Lee was pushing the pace .I managed to hang on and it wasn't too bad .We cycled approximately 40km down the freeway before turning back.Quite a few cyclist jumped on our train and there was a group from Freo Tri Club cycling down to Mandurah some 90km from S Perth (the narrows bridge). I only had 1 bottle of electrolyte and one nut bar. Big mistake as on the the return leg I was really feeling tired and my quads were hurting especially after the gym session on Thursday night . I was still sore from the gym work. I managed to hang on till the end and drifted in a few minutes behind the main group. My legs were completely shot .

On the way back we passed a few North coasters training for IM China . I posted a quote from Commander Collins , the founder of Ironman racing which I think is apt :

“Ironman has always been about finishing what you have started. About being able to do what you have set out to do. Maybe not as fast as the person in front of you but certainly faster than the person that never started” - John Collins, Founder of The Ironman Triathlon.

For those who were out on the freeway including that very nice Freo tri club girl .

And one of the comments on facebook following the quote :

Thanks John. I think you were inspired to put it up for me too - REALLY doubting myself today and my decision. Honestly, thanks. I am going to steal it :) Keep smiling, it was great to see it today :)
Yesterday at 17:31 ·

Which made it it all worthwhile , the ride , the pain and seeing everyone on the ride.

Once we got back to mends Street Jetty in S. Perth , everyone did a short run off the bike while I had a nice cappuccino at the Dome cafe . It wasn't too hot and with the slow ride to the start point approximately 15km , I had averaged 31 kph for the 95km . I managed to get a lift from Lee to Wanneroo Road which was approximately 7-8 km from home and cycled the rest of the way back . My legs were quite sore and it was pretty hot by the time I got back (over 30C ).

Sunday was even hotter 42C but i got my hour run in early at about 8am .It was over 30C and there was no one on the streets .I did several hill repeats on a slight gradient about 6 degrees .I tried my best to keep my cadence at 96 per minute but found that incredibly hard even with smaller strides.I will just have to keep at it.It was easier on a thread mill.

I spent the rest of the day resting and in the arvo working on the Clubs survey.

I have finalised the races I will be doing :

THE 2010 Triathlon Racing Calender

1) Jan 26 Australia Day Triathlon ( I have decided not to race Aust Day )
2) Feb 14 Hillarys Triathlon
3) March 14 Champion Lakes Tri
4) April Point Walter OD Tri
5) May 1 Busselton HIM 2010
6) August Painathon (if it is on )
7) Aug/Sep City to Surf marathon
8) October Bunbury OD Tri
9) December IMWA 2010

The core races will be the Half and IMWA.

I may also do some running races along the way .

The training has begun.

The Painathon

Painathlon 2009 from Michael V on Vimeo.

A video clip of the Painathon which I had a go at last august and will be one of the races I will attempt this year .

As a friend said these races are there to test the competitor and I have unfinished business .

I received a short email from Rod and Julianna who are about to start their epic bike race from Cairo to Cape Town :

Hello

We have made it to Cairo and nothing was missing or broken. This is a crazy town. We have been out riding twice, once for 30 minutes and today for an hour. The police have "escorted" both times for the entire ride. Cairo is unlike anything we have seen before, imagine London (England) but built by Mexicans.

We do not have our race numbers yet and are hoping to send out another email before we leave Cairo.

Ross - thanks for the email, we like your style.

Rod and Juliana


Best of luck to them as they make final preparations before the start. I will be following them on the website through their journey.Somewhere each day someone else is racing or doing the hard yards necessary so I feel a little guilty for sleeping in today and missing the bike ride .

The beginning

It was a hard and slow start to the week.I overslept so did not make swim training but did do 45 mins in the evening of a slow easy warm up and running on the thread mill for 10 x 30sec hard sprints at 14kph with 1 min rest in between and then a warm down. It was a slow and easy introduction back to training .

It is approximately 18 weeks to the Half Ironman and I have sufficient time to get in shape for the first race.

I attended Wednesday evenings swim and did 2.5 km with 7 x 200 m made up of 50 m drill and 150 free. Do feel a little rusty . Saw a few of the guys back at training and will start my cycling this weekend .

Been pretty busy at work and sorting out the quickest way to work.If the building had shower facilities I would commute in once or twice a week.I am planning on checking that out as I think it would be faster than driving in.

I skipped my morning ride and did a core workout at the gym instead .It was a relaxing change .I feel sluggish but I am slowly getting back into the routine .the emphasis will be slow and steady .

Good Luck

As the year begins , the adventure starts for a few of my friends. Rod and Julianna who have been riding on Tuesday Mornings since December 2008 and training with Ross start their African Adventure ...riding from Cairo to Cape Town . Good luck to them and may they have a safe and fulfilling adventure of discovery .

The Tour Organiser's link :

The Tour features 96 cycling days or stages, averaging 123 km (77 miles) each, broken up by 22 rest days and 2 days of ferry boat travel for a total of 120 days in traversing Africa from north to south. Stages range from 80 km on rough terrain to more than 180 km on the best paved roads.

Traveling through 10 countries in all, you will cycle along the Nile past ancient temples, through the Sudanese desert, and up and down the biblical landscapes of Ethiopia's rugged Simian Mountains. After crossing the Equator in Kenya, you will pedal past legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, to Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, and along the edges of the magnificent Kalahari and Namib deserts, en route to the finish of your epic journey in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.

http://www.tourdafrique.com/epictours/tourdafrique/in-depth

And Amanda heads to Challenge Wanaka .... Good Luck .

A Holiday Postcard

The Kecak Dance at Uluwatu on the Island of Bali , January 2010



At Ibah hotel in Ubud with Jonathan


It has been a while since I posted . Unfortunately not being internet savvy did not help but it has been an enjoyable holiday away from training.I have done absolutely nothing other than walk alot .

Having said that it was great to just relax and do nothing physical. The holiday in Singapore and Bali was refreshing and puts alot about how we live our lives in perspective.Whilst on holiday I did set out my training objectives for 2010 and the races which I will be competing all of which I will put up shortly more as a record of where I end up this year and one of my resolutions is to be more systematic in my recording of my training .One factor that I believe has reduced the effectiveness of my training.

I have the opportunity to reflect on 2009 particularly in respects to my races and whilst it is so trite it is the journey rather than the end that becomes the valuable lesson.

I have to admit I have become increasingly frustrated at the results from the past year but and it is a big but , 3 years ago I would not have dreamed of ever doing a triathlon let alone an Ironman .I now do not feel that anything is impossible for anyone who is prepared to put in the time and effort to conquer any challenge .

It is all about breaking down the task and preparation.Having moved on , the issue now is realising my potential. I have had the pleasure of meeting many individuals who are my source of inspiration and generally I feel I hang around a great bunch of people .It is a very myopic view as in all societies there will be the "partypoopers" as my son describes them. I just see the nicer side of triathlons.At dinner last night I met two such such inspiring individuals . But despite their experience , the one lesson learnt is that there is no one cookie cutter plan or strategy for success , it is the journey of trial and error but it helps to persevere.

So the year starts with a plan and trying bits of everything . The first major race would be the Busselton Half in May 2010 .It sold out in 3 weeks a first for the Triathlon community in WA and really just reflects how fast this sport is growing.

I have enjoyed the journey of self discovery so far and clearly endurance races have hit a nerve with many .It is amazing even in the club to see those who are just buzzing after their first IM race. It again sounds so cliche but it has become more a lifestyle / religious experience .

But putting everything in perspective , the time away from the sport has been cathartic and life does not revolve around one activity.It is getting that balance that is part of the journey . I continue to strive to want to improve and doing it efficiently in a life of hectic schedules and work , family and other commitments is the Holy Grail for me.Beating a couple of guys I know is just the icing on the cake .

But there is a whole different dimension to our sport . It is selfish and absorbing but many use it for good . Enrico Varella is doing Ironman New Zealand and raising money for Cystic Fibrosis in New Zealand .If you wish to help go to his website:

http://lead2tri.blogspot.com/2010/01/leadership-by-charity.html .

or directly at his fundraising webpage:

http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/EnricoVarella/


A small but important step. I plan to do the same in future. There are many in the sport who are putting in the effort to help others less fortunate. The journey begins with the first step ... let the journey begin today.

Happy New Year ...here I come 2010

Happy New Year and today is a good time ,in planning for the future year with some optimism ,I look back at 2009 with its mixed bag of results.

From a professional perspective it was a reasonable year .I leave my employment to commence a new start in a firm optimistic and preparing for a year of consolidation and more responsibility.

The triathlon year was more varied.After a PB in 2008 at IMWA 08 I continued to improve with a 5.15 at the half in Busso but with Austria and Busselton in 2009 I again was not able to get past putting together a solid ride and run .A lot came down to the training regime and the lack of analysing my rides closely ,working on building strength in the early part of the season.Having said that , I am a stronger rider compared to a year earlier.

Despite the results a 13.43 at IM Austria and a 12.31 at IMWA , it has been a fun year of training with a great bunch of cyclist on Tuesdays and lots of lone long rides. I have blogged my training for approximately a year and will plan my 2010 racing year better.I will now endeavour to apply what I have learnt from myself and my fellow triathletes to other aspects of my life.

Uppermost is continuing to strive to be the best I can in 2010 , set realistic goals and applying what I have learnt in 2009 . I feel that setting goals not only in my triathlon life but in other aspects of life will be very worthwhile.

I plan to draw up my training programme and my race schedule this week as I relax on my holidays .I have already entered the Busselton Half Ironman in May and probably will do a few marathons this year with the Busselton IMWA in 2010 a definite race.

Best Wishes for a great 2010 to all fellow triathletes and friends.Stay tune for another enjoyable ride in this craziness we call a sport .