Visited Mike at the hospital today, he was heavily sedated and is still on a number of breathing and draining machines. He is strong and I know he will pull through this, I also know he will be in my thoughts when things get a little tough on THE day. I mean this will take me between 14 and 17 hours, he will be fighting his own battle for weeks and months.
It is a miracle that he survived six bullets fired at point blank range and is in the hands of some amazing doctors and nurses at Millpark Hospital.
Unfortunately the day was not spent training but after yesterdays effort, a rest would not hurt. I have found a potential swim coach and am going for an initial assessment on Tuesday afternoon. I told him my swimming was CRAP but he insisted most people who think their swimming is crap are just mediocre... HA, he hasn't met me yet!
Tomorrow 5am it is back on the road, this evening I will just watch Hawaii Ironman 2006 for inspiration. If you haven't seen it, get it!
Today
Weight 71,8 Kg
Height 171 cm (not expecting that to change anytime soon)
Run
Distance:
Time:
Heart Rate:
Cycle
Distance:
Time:
Heart Rate:
Swim
Distance:
Time:
Heart Rate:
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)
Sunday, July 8, 2007
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
2 comments:
i truly hope your friend pulls through. sometimes i really despair for south africa.
Hey Bongi
We live in a wonderful country full of wonderful well meaning people of all races. I have no doubt we can all get through this together. Every now and again it touches someone close to you and you are shaken. Despair not, there is more good than evil around!
If you are based in Nelspruit, pop into the Mugg & Bean at the mall and tell Pedro that Mike Said says hi.
Regards and keep up the great work... doctors and surgeons we certainly need!
Post a Comment