A little setback!

Breaking with tradition and posting a slightly larger image this time! Yes, that is my ankle... set out yesterday morning for a 12k run, past Bruma and up the back of Sylvia's Pass, was about 3,5k from home when I ran over a rock that gave way and WOW all I could think was 'Ironmen don't cry!' well at least not until race day.

Spent the day icing it, taking a few anti inflammatory tabs and rubbing on the gels. Tomorrow is physio at 8:30 and I can only hope that Jane the magician can come up with something. Maybe this is Gods way of making sure I do more pool time. So watch this spot for details and I will keep you all updated. I would still like to do the 21k planned for Sept 9th but all depends on how quickly I am back on the road.

Hope you have all had a good weekend and I am back to my couch to watch Man City take on Man U (City leading 1-0) at the moment and then, hopefully, to watch Liverpool beat Chelsea. That would be a great end to a pretty sore weekend.

Time is fleeting, madness takes its toll

Those immortal words are from the Rocky Horror Picture Show [Circa 1975] and both parts are ringing in my ears. Time is flying and as far as 239 or so days seems it is just around the corner. Luckily their are 20 Million 690 Thousand 325 make that 324, 323, 322 ... Seconds to Ironman 2008.

I reckon if I spent every second of that in the pool I will be ready! Swimming is not my strong point. The weekend is upon us and the weather is warming up, so I suppose the excuses are starting to sound a little silly. Had a few good sessions, long spins, short fast runs and some strange gym work. Amazing how different it is when you are forced to do the exercises properly. Doesn't help posing with big weights if you are not lifting them properly.

Out for dinner, up early for along run and then watch a bit of sport. Liverpool vs Chelsea this weekend and I hope for a change it is a great start to the season for Liverpool. If they win I am sure you will hear about it here, if not... we shall see.

As you may notice I just discovered the 'justify' button to neaten up my blogs, maybe I'll even remember it next time... maybe not, I am turning 46 in a few weeks time.

Bedford Cycles Rules

For some reason Shayne at Bedfordview Cycles doesn't have a website (I have been trying to convince him) so I can only give you a number you can call. South Africa 083 559 6446

Shayne and his team are cycle mad, clued up and always willing to go the extra mile. Once you have stumbled upon this little shop with a few bikes, some great Orca kit and a few spares you might never go anywhere again. No, it is not he selection that does it, it is the service and the interest. Shayne makes me feel like I am his most important customer and there is nothing he wouldn't do to see my crossing the line safely next April. So pay them a visit and tell them Mike sent you from his blog.

Got the stickers today and placed them on the bike. Needs to be sprayed and polished and then rebuilt. Got some new Rotor Cranks from Ivan (he will have to be the subject of a whole other posting!) and can't wait to see the bike. I will be pimping my site with pictures of it soon.

Had a great gym session this morning and got in a spin later on. Running 7 or 8 with a few guys at 5:30am tomorrow so a good nights sleep will certainly be in order.

242 Days And Counting

I was a little stiff after the 10k on Sunday, serves me right for not training for the week! In my 20s I could take off 6 months and not notice it, in my 30s I could take off 6 weeks and only notice it a bit BUT in my 40s if I take off 6 days I am in trouble! Hey, it's not easy growing old. By the way my 46th birthday is on September the 3rd, so if you wanna make my day go to the TTMAD WEBSITE and pledge some money for The Smile Foundation.

Mondays are, I am relieved to say, traditional rest days. Well not quite a rest day there is still the swimming to do. I am quietly optimistic that the swimming will come right and I just keep practicing my drills and increasing the distance in the pool. 3,8k still seems like a looooooooooooooooooooong way, and that is probably because it is!

Met yesterday with the 'two crazy chicks', the ones who have done about 10 000k on their bikes over the last three years. That's right, just the two of them, their Jack Russells in baskets in the front and a sense of wanting to do something. Amazing story, we are helping them put together some presentations and a website, in the mean time HERE is a link to one of their blogs, you can follow the rest from HERE. So next time you are feeling a little tired or lethargic, get hold of Maria or Liani and be inspired. When they ask me how the training is going and I have been a little slack, waves of guilt flow over me! Next time I reckon I will just bull shit them and hope they haven't been reading the blog.

Great End to a Lousy Week

With 244 days 18 hours and about 44 minutes to go, I needed a little boost, something to get me out of the lethargy of the past few days. A 10k race at Old Eds was just the trick.

Joined a few mates for a leisurely 10k through Melrose and Houghton. Nice route a few long slow ups and downs and we did it together in 63min. Kept my heart rate around 150 with the occasional peak to 180 on the hills but quite satisfied.

This was exactly what I needed to get out of my 'slump'. Remember Jane leaves in a few weeks time and if you haven't visited www.ttmad.com please do and make a pledge. And while you are at it, send it to anyone who might be able to help us. Just a rand or two a km can make a really big difference.

Looking forward to a great weeks training...

Call off the search! I am back.

What a week, and I can't even talk about it... YET! One of these days I will spill the beans. This has been one of those trying times, one of those weeks that they were speaking about when they came up with the Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times"... this was them!

Oh enough moaning already, are you an Ironman or what? Training, blogging, writing, eating, sleeping took a bit of a back seat this week but tomorrow is the weekend and I plan to enter it with renewed vigor and determination. I suppose I never really understood the challenges of balancing a life, a job, a family and training for Ironman.

I have new respect for amateur athletes, that is not to say I don't respect the professionals it is just the ability to balance everything that is such a challenge. So to all of you out there struggling to balance all the aspects of your life, you are not alone. Don't lose faith just keep plugging away. With about 246 days to go I think I am still going to learn a LOT of lessons.

Look out for the daily blog and the daily training log, they are officially back.

PS Don't forget to visit TTMAD.COM we have secured about R7000 in pledges so far and Jane is leaving for the Alps in a few weeks time.

254 Days And Counting

Ever been to a biokineticist? Great for the body... really crap for the ego! I mean there I was thinking I was in good shape, strong, an Ironman in training, and in a few minutes I am this self conscious, nervous, sniveling wreck. I mean all she did was ask me to sit up straight, hold onto a couple of lightweight plastic balls and breath correctly!

"Your quads are a little week, your calves are under developed, you don't use your core muscles very well do you? Your upper back has been neglected, you don't stretch enough, wow you need work!"

You know who you are, you destroyer of egos! But you are probably right, 254 days from now I will be thanking you. Doesn't mean I can't curse you in the mean time. So if you wanna find out where you really stand or more importantly HOW you really stand visit the Marque De Sade at Xtreme Fitness in Village Walk and let them take you through the paces.

Stickers are being made for the bike and hopefully the rebuild will be done soon and I can get on the road. It is warming up nicely at the moment. Pool sessions are still a grind for me, still my big worry, but I will keep doing them and trust the process. Gotta try and put in some serious distance this weekend! Or at least some Loooooooooooong spinning sessions while I wait for the bike.

A Very Sad Day Indeed

This is the one posting I never wanted to make! Yesterday at about midday, My Kuzz passed away. He was shot senselessly in a high-jacking just over three weeks ago and after fighting and fighting he suffered a setback on Saturday when he picked up an infection and passed away yesterday.

He was my cousin and my friend and we shared a very close bond. He was a close friend of Heidi's and a very special uncle to my girls. We will all miss him terribly. Mike was larger than life, had a very strange sense of logic and an extremely dry sense of humour. You simply could not forget him if you met him and everyone has a 'story' about Big Mike.

My thoughts today are with his mom. We have all heard that children are supposed to bury their parents but parents are not supposed to bury their children. I wish I had some words of comfort, wisdom or understanding but nothing seems appropriate. To his brothers I can only say that there is no logic or reasoning and my thoughts and prayers are with them and their families. And what about prayer, well I certainly pray they all find the peace and understanding or maybe just some semblance of acceptance but most of all I pray for this country.

Now I have been directly touched by the senseless violent crimes we all live with everyday and I have seen the devastating effect it has on those around me. I have no immediate solutions to offer and I do not wish to even try and turn this blog into a one man crusade but to all those in power and all those in control... STOP THE KILLINGS!

So when I cross the line in two hundred and fifty something days, Big Mike you will be in my thoughts and in my heart and I am sure the words that you would have spoken will be in my mind... "Kuzz, what the hell are you doing?"