Tri-ing To Make a Difference: 242 Days And Counting

Why would you possibly want to do this?

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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)

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

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.