The Fifth Discipline

I have slowly but surely started to get back into a routine.The emphasis is on slowly but the honey moon ends this week .

I sound much like the spoof clip on Shit Triathletes say doing the rounds on Facebook. Seriously it is very hard to be motivated when the race is 4 months away and it is hot. I have started my swimming and did 2 runs in the hot weather... but no cycling this week despite the best intentions. Laying in bed at 5.30 am was a much more attractive proposition.Not for long though.

I have put in 7.5km of swimming and 17km of running.I also did my Yoga session today and sweated a bucket. I have had to slow down a little with a strained back from my monday evening run.

There is lots going on this month and next.There is the City of Perth Olympic Triathlon tomorrow , Rottnest swim 10km trial , ATTA time trial and WAMC run race and a run trail race as well.All tomorrow.I am just trying to get out of the naturally lazy unmotivated phase which I will get out of as I start  my programme for Busselton Half in February.

The main focus is getting fit and losing the weight I have gained.I am beginning to feel better in the water and so that is a good start.

Today at Helen's Yoga , one of the newbies to Yoga mentioned that she had heard my short talk at North Coast New members evening last year and she felt very inspired and motivated. Felt good as I had at least reached out to one individual.. You cannot fake genuine interest and desire.

Triathlon can be infectious and fun and all encompassing.At times a little too saccharine in taste when you are in a room full of enthusiasm . Its not bad just too much is not a good thing. So I have tempered my joy of the sport so that I don't bore to death the next unsuspecting individual.

The other singularly frustrating part of any activity is the sayings that go . It is inspiring but sometimes just again too much.

In preparation and in keeping with all good Triathletes around, I have managed to prepare not only for the 4 disciplines of racing but the fifth all important one. The excuse.

In no order of importance after the Busselton Half Ironman 2012:

1. I was sick
2. I over trained
3. I under trained
4. I did not taper enough
5. I tapered too much
6. Everyone was drafting
7. I got my nutrition all wrong
8. I did not have enough Nutrition
9. I had too much nutrition
10. It was too hot
11. It was too cold
12. The injury flared up
13. I had a mechanical problem/punctures etc
14. I did not do enough course specific workouts
15. I didn't have the right coach
16. I trained alone
17. I trained in the wrong group
18. I was too heavy going into the race
19. I was too light going into the race
20. I did not take enough salt
21. I took too much electrolytes
22. I could not keep anything down
23. I don't know what happened
24. I just had an off Day
25. I had a new programme
26. I didn't have a programme
27. I can't swim , bike and run
28. I just blew up on the run

But all this is irrelevant if  I win my age group , restore some respect to my performance , and don't get chicked by every female age grouper. ( and pigs will fly)

But if  I don't  I will definitely be using one of these lines .It is in the psyche of a triathlete. Like the off the Internet specific tailored training programme for the triathlete , these great lines will be available at the end of each race . I know I will be hearing them lots of times before the season is over.