Why would you possibly want to do this?


Visit TTMAD Home Page


Call it crazy, call it a 'mid-life crises', call it boys being boys... I don't mind. I am 45 years old, been physically active most of my life (interspersed with brief periods of sheer laziness) and have decided to complete the South African Ironman in April 2008. (3.8k Swim, 180k Cycle, 42.2k Run)

Someone told me that when you are 45, rich and bored you buy a Harley or a sports car. When you are 45, poor and suffer from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) you do the Ironman.

In 1987 I completed a canoe Ironman triathlon and suddenly realised that if I completed the Ironman in 2008, it would be almost 21 Years to the day since my last big physical challenge.

I have been training for a few months now but took 4 weeks off all training before the 'big push' that starts TODAY (2 July 2007). This BLOG will be a daily Web Log of the life and times of a Ironman Wannabe. I trust you will enjoy the experience with me and please feel free to comment on any of the blogs.

PS. I am doing this for charity and the details of that will soon be posted here, as well as on my own site at www.brandstrategy.co.za and at the TTMAD site (Tri-ing To Make A Difference)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

274 Days And Counting


So I thought I would begin with a little history. In February 1987 I completed the then Sunday Times/Leppin Iron Man competition. It was a canoe triathlon that started with a 21k paddle around Harties, a 100k Cycle through the Magaliesburg Mountains to Pretoria and finally a real up and down run to Mega Watt Park in Johannesburg.

It all started as a bet in the October of the previous year. I bet my cousin Brian and his mate Ami that I could complete the Iron Man. At that stage I had never been in a canoe in my life and never run more than 5k. A misunderstanding around the cut off times for the race meant I needed to finish sub 11:00 to win the bet but the cut off time was 13:00

Never mind, i borrowed a canoe and started training. This was not easy if you have never canoed, never run and are trying to do a job. But I got it done somehow and finished in 11:41:24

I never won the bet but it was a life changing event for me and the feeling of crossing the line will stay with me forever. The canoe went much better than expected and I came out of the water feeling great. The cycle took its toll... 100k of hills, no slip streaming and some lousy winds, really knocked me. There were moments where I felt if I never get on a bike again it would be OK.

My cycle time was slow and I still had to run 42.2k having only done one 21k during training and no distance beyond that. By the end of the day, I had missed the 11:00 but was ecstatic to have finished well inside the cut off time.

Anyway that was then and this is now... Did my mini triathlon at gym, 20 min on rowing machine, 20 min on spin bike and then my 8.5k run. I am very happy with my run! Time came down by 2 min and my average heart rate dropped from 183 last week to 173 this week! Long may that continue.

Today
Weight 71,5 Kg
Height 171 cm (not expecting that to change anytime soon)

Run
Distance: 8.57 (Last Sat 8:57)
Time: 47:28 (Last Sat 49:53)
Heart Rate: Ave 173 (Last Sat Ave 183)

So that is an increase in speed and a decrease in average heart rate... At last!

Cycle
Distance:
Time: 20 Min Session
Heart Rate: Around 140

Swim
Distance:
Time: 20 min Rowing Machine
Heart Rate: Around 135
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

I Share My Road...

(This article I wrote, recently appeared in the SA Mens Health Magazine in July 2008 as the letter of the month)

I Share MY Road…

MY road? Well it’s not really MY road, I don’t really own it, in fact I don’t even live on it, but I do run it almost everyday and in my head that makes it MY road. I set out at about 5:15am most mornings and I share MY road with so many others.

There are the sprinters, the joggers and the walkers. What strikes me most about these people is that they are not wearing the latest in high tech running shoes or specially designed shirts to wick sweat from the body as they cover the kilometers. No GPS heart rate monitors strapped on these chest. In fact most are in ordinary clothes, overalls, construction boots, reflective security jackets, in fact, just about anything.

They are not running to get fit or to complete some race they have circled on a calendar, they are running to get to work, to catch a taxi, to make a change of shift or even to get home after pulling an all nighter. They are running to bring home the money they need to live, they are truly professional athletes.

We nod to each other as we pass and sometimes even share a greeting over the music blaring from my iPod. And each day I am reminded just how fortunate I am to have the opportunity and the means to choose when I run, to choose why I run and to choose where I run.

So to all those who share MY road with me, thank you for the lessons you teach me everyday and Gods speed and safety on your journey.

Mike Said
Somewhere on MY Road
Senderwood