34 Not Out!

In cricket terms, not a bad start, I should have my eye in by now and able to cope with what ever comes my way (to an extent), and I think I mostly can! Certainly from a training perspective I have been able to cope quite well with the programs I have had. I have been extremely lucky with injurys, illness and basically time to train. I guess though, I make the time to train, work certainly doesnt make that time for me (although I have not asked for any time or favors). Thats the reason I get up at 4am pretty much everyday. To get the set done and be in the office before 8am. I have been able to for the most part not train at night which is the miniscual time I get with my family during the week, and even then at times it has been hard to get out of the office! 56days to go.....

Friday was my birthday. T hanks to everyone who sent me best wishes on Facebook, very much appreciated. I had the day off (although still took many work related phone calls, and had to respond at various points during the day to about 20 emails...even after I notified staff I was not in the office!!). It was also if you remember the last day of beer drinking for me until after the race. I bought....wait for it...a whole 6 pack! Well, I was tatty after 4.....4 beers and I was on my ear!! Jesus! I remember doing the 'survivor series' at Rick Hunts place with the boys in Zim, we would have well over a case of beer each, plus, if you were Rick, Demon or Riggers probably a bottle of something to top yourself up! Where did we stick all that beer? How did we not get liver poisoning? One wanders at the volume of grog we drank when we were at Kariba, or Vic Falls or Nynanga! Those were some good days! My all time favourite photo from those days is of all the lads (compliments of Dave Clarke). Its below!

How sensational is that?? How dodgey do we all look?? Those Vic Falls trips were some of the best days of my youth, complete mahem for 4 days! Allow me to jog some memories from a certain 'Botts' : "I paid for this land so shut it!" Class! (You had to be there!). The trip Dave and I drove a VW Combi up and then a bunch of lads came back in it with us was pure class to....the nonesense we got up to...one wanders!!

Whats the point of the above....nothing really apart from I was remembering these times during a long run this week. And....there was plenty of long training sets on this week...boy, it was challenging, Challenging from a time perspective really to be honest. As I am sure you realise, the sets can be hard, but because i am so keen on doing well in the race, finishing strongly and having a crack, I dont struggle with motivation to get each set done. Highlights this week was the interval run set on Thursday (15 x 400m efforts and it was bloody humid), long brick session yesterday and an 8hr ride scheduled for today.

I got all the sets done except for today, I left home just after 4am to do laps around Brisbane Waters here in the Central Coast (40km undulating loop), was on the bike for 5hrs when somehow a monsoon from Asia had found its way to the coast here and proceeded to dump a fairly substantial amount of rain on us riding! It was actually rather fun, apart from the fact you could not see and or slow the bike down! So with that, I proceeded home to finish with 1hr on the Turbo Trainer....I was pretty poked this afternoon! So other notable news, Jase's riding has really come along noticeably this week, he was very strong on Wednesday during our long afternoon ride with hill repeats, and again today he looked comfortable out there. Andrew M returned from the UK, ran with us on Thursday, ocean swim with Jase and I yesterday and much of the ride today, he is looking strong and as of today has entered Iron Man! Tim (skinny wiggle) also rode well today, and he has entered, and Matt was in the 'Hell of the West' Triathlon today, and came 4th in the age group...he smashed it!! Told you a 9.15 is on the cards for him!! So, with under 8 weeks to go, here are the lads all doing the race this year (its the 25th anniversary as well so is kond of extra special). Having the guys below will make it really good fun, and maybe I will put some predictions against each bloke nearer the time so we can see how they go (hopefully they wont mind me doing that)

Me
Jase
Matty
Andrew M
Tim (Skinny Wiggle)
Jeff



In summery :

Swim : 11.5kms (4hrs (ish))
Run : 46kms (5hrs)
Ride : 260kms + 1hr TT = 11hrs
Total : 20hrs

Thats a record for me since getting a program...and I have survived it, although I must say, my legs are a little fatigued today, but 2 solid days of training will do that to you I guess! Onto this week, its going to be good, hard and solid again, but we really are approaching the end fast.....loving it and looking forward to the day with more and more excitement and of course nervousness!!