A new Adventure ....2020 the year that wasn't meant to be

 “Without courage, Life is a path Without progress.” -Sri Chinmoy

 

 

 

Sunset in January doing a 12 hour walk overnight .

Cottesloe Beach with Jonatham Smith

    Margaret River Break and run weekend

with Molly

Margaret River Cape walk start 50km

All animals remain in the moment.Their focus is in the now.

Night Run in October at Kalamunda 25km

Start of feral .No Preparation .just learning the importance of both physical and mental and nutritional preparation for a 100 miler

Sun Rising over Mt Cooke highest point on the Bilbulman trail

The training blog and my training regime ,like 2020 has been tumultuous. There are lessons to learn but many twist and turns both in the world and in my life.But as we turn the corner and the end of this year, like everything  in life there is a future and light at the end of a dark tunnel of a year.

 

I started the year full of hope and expectation. Signed up for Ironman 2020 at Busselton and carrying my Feral 100miler over to 2020 after the 2019 race was called off because of the 40C temp. Started to put a plan of training together.Started running whilst in Sydney for the New Years and enjoyed several runs across the beautiful iconic Harbour Bridge. Swims at the pool at the base of the bridge at Milson's Point and even a cycle with my childhood friend Marc at Centennial Park. 

Those early days of 2020 seem a lifetime away, as was those beautiful Sydney summer days running along the harbour and the quiet paths dotting the  salubrious suburbs seeping with modern apartments ,beautiful houses seeping with the history of the harbor and Australia's oldest  colonial settlement . There was that luxurious cruise liner parked along the port next to the bridge unloading its human cargo and hundreds of  trucks carrying provisions for the nest cruise to nowhere .Little did anyone know in 2 short months they were the incubators for the Corona Virus hitting Sydney and the wider Country .

Back in Perth the world was closing down .It seemed at times like the end of the world.The market and the economy were all heading south.Training seemed like the last thing on anyone's mind. I recall  having a chat with Ross my previous coach re my plans.I was coming back to swim training .He had a shocking time regarding the loss of his dad earlier in the year . Within a few weeks my plans were all put on hold .I had a regular ride round the river with the CRT group and rode home for a 90km ride. Nothing strenuous.My brother had been in hospital with a suspected heart attack and had a stent in one artery but had been released that morning. I sat down to a sandwich for lunch and within a few minutes had an uncomfortable pain in the chest which would not go away. I decided to drive to the doctors. At the first surgery  they were not able to see me.The second surgery were alarmed and suggested I go straight to a hospital .In the end they got me hooked up to an EKG machine and called an ambulance. I got taken to Royal Perth Hospital where bloods were taken and confirmed there was a likely mild heart attack . Incredulous. I was fit and had no issues. More uncanny my brother had one 3 days earlier. No family issues to confound the case. Ended up having a angioplasty and 4 days in hospital. Then 2 weeks of avoiding any strenuous activity .Perth was in a lock down with everyone encouraged to stay at home and work from home .I chose to work in the office as there was no one and it was quieter .I rode in everyday and the street were eerily quiet . There was the unease of the uncertainty for the world and the country and the state. It is in these times that there fortitude of calm and resilience become so critical. We managed to dodge much that hit the world. Yet there was the panic buying .

The next few months were a blur of riding to work , short runs and no consistent training plan. I thought there would be time to knuckle down to some hard training in the back half of the year .There were many excuses including no regular cross fit and I was not training with anyone and had no plan or coaching program to follow and I was recovering from a serious enough health issue. I did stop eating all meat .My Blood test a month later were great and continued to be good. I was on medication  which was not good and for the first time ever. A trip to Margaret River in September for some training wasn't that good as we managed a 50km walk with 2.5l of water (very dehydrated)so the next day just did a 20km walk /run .After that ,training really was scattered and before I knew it I was at the start of the Feral100.

That was on 7 November at Midnight. I Started and pulled out at the 42km mark just after watching the spectacular sunrise on Mt Cooke. Failure was not doubted but I realized that I had to start to be consistent .Get my weight back to race weight and start a training plan. Both physically, nutritionally and mentally. 

So starts another adventure. This one will be at least 12 to 18 months in the making.Nothing hard comes easy ? Next year will be hopefully the year of redemption after the winter of failure in 2020 .But in everything lessons are learnt.The year was full of twist  and my mental frame was not helped losing my Dad in May.He was  91 and the comfort was he had a long good life but the end is never easy or planned or expected. But we have to as others do ,live our lives moving forward. 

As I lay in Hospital I had to cancel a meditation course I was suppose to attend at Sri Chimoy . I am going again . I am also attending a movie Grahak Cunningham is showing on Friday 27 November 2020 on the 3100 transcendental foot race. I have a coach and start a training program towards a 100km race next year with the 100 miler after that.

The mantra moving forward is PRAEPARAT ANIMOS meaning Preparation with courage in Latin .