The Gift of the Magi

The year is almost at an end and for many 2015 is best forgotten .It is a time to be reflective but to start planning for 2016.

From a personal perspective , my Parents celebrated their 60th wedding Anniversary and it puts in perspective the life we lead in context of all around us and what is truly important. whilst my Blog is about training and Triathlons it is also about my lifestyle and what it means .

The year from a training perspective can be seen in many ways. I finished my first ultra-marathon , the North face 100 in Katomba and got a buckle. I learnt a lotin that race and whilst finishing the race realized that  I had to put in a bigger effort in terms of mileage and possibly diet to really achieve an optimum result and that equally was the same for the Ironman . I finished 2 minutes ahead of last years result and an hour behind 2013 result and nearly 2 hours behind my 2010 result. but there is the balance between work , training and family . There was the mental motivation as well.

At Christmas it is always great to reflect, Ironman and training can be very selfish pursuits and lonely ones as well and my Ironman time possibly reflects a maturing of the mind and the balancing of all that is important or just the lack of the mental strength to chase a better time. Hence the title of the Blog,  the Gift of the Magi written by O Henry otherwise known as Sydney Poitier and is one of his many short stories that reminds us of the importance of what is truly important. This was recounted at the Thanksgiving service of my parents 60th Wedding Anniversary . (The_Gift_of_the_Magi )  

Whilst pursuing a dream and being the best I can is important it has a finite limit to and connection to everything else in my life .In the end I look back at a year filled with lots of personal milestones and great memories but in the end I am thankful for each day and my health and family and friends. They more than anything make the year . Facebook like Ironman are really commercial vehicles to make money and entice us but if we choose to use them and not be consumed by them then they are great tools for life. I started the journey 10 years ago just wanting to finish a Triathlon and then a sprint event , an olympic  tri and a half and then a full Ironman . Then chasing a better time but the magic now is in in the joy of training and not missing out on everything else life has to offer. No longer chasing the consuming target of a PB .The sport has brought with it a family of triathletes around the world who share the passion , a whole world of friends who have a common interest and with the technology today it has been easy to share that love and joy.

The year has had its share of calamities , and in this age of the internet , news spreads instantaneously so it may all seem overwhelming but it possibly should makes us appreciate everything we have now as life can change in a second.