The week has flown by . On Friday sitting in the Fremantle office at 5pm drinking a glass of wine when my boss asked me what am I doing on the weekend . I told him I was doing a 120km bike ride. He asked me "So you must enjoy it"
I hesitated. I didn't say anything . I didn't know what to say . I don't think the correct term is enjoy. It would be strange if I enjoyed the pain I feel and the stress I feel everytime I subject myself to a hard session. I think a more accurate term is Cathartic.
Word Origin & History
cathartic
1612, of medicines, from L. catharticus , from Gk. kathartikos "fit for cleansing, purgative," from katharsis "purging, cleansing" (see catharsis). General sense is from 1672.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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I certainly have more time than brains in moments of lapsed judgment in repeating the painful process of swim ,bike and run with minute improvement and many moments of backsliding embarrasingly for all to see.
So I drink my wine and I am not convincing in the Ï really love this triathlon biz""stakes. I am a wannabe.
In moments of reflection , I still ask myself why am I doing this .Especially at the end of the week as I head towards the long ride and run on Saturday . Its lonely , long and unrepenting. But like a moth to the flame I go .
My week is incomplete without that one counterbalance to the normality of work and of family , it is the little adrenaline rush and escapism from my other normal world.Here Iam alone , in my thoughts and doubts and strengths and stresses. It doesn't have to be enjoyable just cathartic.
My boss would not comprehend the punishment I subject myself and many other triathletes subject themselves to . It is nearly the road to calvary /salvation you must walk to justify the high you attain in fulfilling and crossing that finish line. It wouldn't be the same if I had skipped all my training and just rolled up to the start line and did the race . Probably would hurt more but I would not have gone through the experience of every moment of preparation.
It moulds and makes me who I am .
Week 2 was very much the continuation of one and I had my 3 serves of swimming , only to remind me how weak a swimmer I am .we had bigger numbers in the squad and lots of fast swimmers. I am relegated to the back of lane 3 . The slowest. Monday evening I ran for an hour and then did my swim session . Did about 2.2km .
On Tuesday we had a change of location and did our ride at Shelley off Mt Henry Bridge. It was an earlier start to get there before 6 am and we started off in groups of 3 . I rode with Joe and Rod and it was 3 laps and a bit at a hard pace.I clocked over 40kph and averaged 35kph. my legs were sore from Saturday and so after the ride I could feel the soreness. I ran on Tueday evening for 40 minutes to make up for my shorter run on Monday .
I spoke to Ross and I am switching my interval runs to Tuesday so that I can run in a group as I need to be pushed. He was ok with that change.
On Wednesday I had a meeting in the evening so I had my swim in the morning and again did a hard session of 2.5km with a long set of 800m, 600, 300, and 2 x 100 after a warm up of 400m and a cooldown of 200
I was tired and dizzy .I did my run at lunchtime and it was hot about 32C and ran round Kings Park and then to the running Centre on Hay street to get my welcome pack and free $20 voucher. which will go towards some compression gear.
Thursday , It was an early start to get to Nedlands for a bike run session. I got to do the long run and shorter bike leg which was a 10km bike circuit. There were at least 12 plus 4 just doing the ride. I had a hard time getting my bike legs to work and lots of problem getting my feet into my bike shoes . The usual inattentive drivers coming into a roundabout oblivious to the fact that I had right off way. I ended up last in the exercise.
I rode home in the evening and did about 65km in total. Nothing like the 150km Rod Marton did on Tuesday .He estimated that he would do over 400km this week.
Friday , I did my swim session in the morning .Ross was off to Canberra to race so Cara took the session. Again I did at least 2.5km with a 800m warm up and then 3 x 200,100,100 set and then a cool down .
I had a run on Friday but decided to do a longer Saturday run off the bike. Hence the wine at 5pm
Rob P had rung me on Friday and suggested riding up Redhill and doing Death Valley.I was already going to do that ride and so I readily agreed.Met him at Reid /Alexander drive at 6.45am .It was rather late but Rob suggested a late start. I rode down Reid Hwy and then back to meet up with him .We rode comfortably to Toodyay Road and then up Redhill where we regrouped.by then Rob wasn't feeling too well and decided to head home.I soldiered on into O'Brien Road and the 35km loop of hills . Came out at reserve Road and headed to the town of Gidgeegannup and had a coke and then rode down and back.there wasn't anyone about accept for a few bikers and the odd car. No roos or other wildlife about.It was pretty hot and as I puffed my way through each hill I had time to think and meditate.Mostly I was trying to work out how many hills did I have to climb. It was endless in the morning heat and there was absolutely noone about .I saw 2 cars and 2 bikes in 2 hours.....which is a good thing.
I got home at about 10.45am pretty tired .I ran off the bike for 40 min and it was really hot .The bike leg was just over 4.15 and pretty slow going with the hills.
So what is enjoyable about training .At the moment not a lot .Its slow and painful but cathartic.
Log:
Bike: 9.25 / 230km
run: 3 hours
swim 7km/3hrs approx 30km
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