sometimes, it seems, life has a way of gently pointing us in the right direction and teaching us a lesson… that’s how I am choosing to interpret my recent flu/cold, and subsequent lack of training…
why do I say that? well, mostly because of the doubts I have about being able to successfully complete the 70.3 distance in December, due to an ambitious goal being made even hairier with this setback.
realistically, those doubts are more accurately described as inner knowing that I am not really ready for the half ironman distance, though all things being equal, I would have given it a good crack in December..
the original plan was to race the 70.3 distance in May, and I allowed myself to listen to the encouragement of others, and to believe December was achievable.
the thing is, it’s a massive step up from a couple of short distance triathlons in the first half of this year, and at the same time, I am not in the condition I was in 2014 – which really is where I need to be for the 70.3 to be anything more than an utter slog-fest.
and when you look back at other achievements, yes, sure, I’ve achieved some big goals. however, none of them was achieved in a step or two. they were built up to, smaller goals were achieved along the way, and experience and confidence was built in doing that.
this is how I should be approaching the half ironman, instead of aiming high and then getting frustrated and stressing.
this is how I was planning to do things in the first place…
so with that said, there will be no Half Ironman in December this year, what there WILL be is participation in some of the local shorter distance triathlons, eliminating perhaps in the Olympic distance at Mullaloo in April, and then the 70.3 in Buselton in May!
This actually sits within a larger project, with the ultimate goal of a full Ironman in December 2019, and the Australia Day Ultra 100km in January 2019. Between now and then, May 2018 and a couple more 70.3s might be good, and I also want to be at the Gold Coast Marathon in July for the 40th anniversary of that great event, and this time I want sub-5 to be realistic…
it took me a while to finally accept the reality that had been starting me in the face for a while – that I have made a lot of progress in the last couple of years, but I am still climbing back up from the post-event slump that occurred after arriving in Brisbane 2 years ago (all but a few days)…
time to finally accept that even after you achieve some big goals, other big goals need just as much effort and preparation; they don’t just all in your lap.
and I am very comfortable with that 🙂
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #roadtobusso #project50