Monday, May 18, 2009

Tough going made better by you

Reading the Twitter updates from pro athletes at the 2009 Giro and also from friends busting their guts out while others are still lying in bed digesting the Big Mac super sized meal gobbled down with a case of locally made lager. Reading blogs posted by other athletes and friends sharing their chosen 'road to travel' in the finest of detail. Not training alone every single day, but having someone right there beside you sacrificing their time so that your road can be made less strenuous. This is how life should be, this is what relationship is. What a great week it was! I know we must pursue our dreams because that is what makes the best moments in life the BEST!

Seeing my son at 11 years of age committing to giving his all because average just isn't good enough any more, has me in awe! Getting up at 4:30 three times a week to swim in cold water because that is what it takes to be the best. Running five days a week because that is what it takes to be the best. Cycling three times a week because that is what it takes to be the best. Bust your guts. Eat right. Sleep well. Sacrifice a lot...all in the name of a dream. Maybe somewhere someone would see the effort and commit? Maybe have lady luck smile upon him one day just like she did on a little Lewis Hamilton a few years back? Who knows? Those days don't come for free and it takes hours and years of commitment and sacrifice to change fate or to force a dream into reality...keep going my son. I look up to that and he motivates me...being so small, yet every gram of his 29kg stature grinds it out daily. Don't live on favours, but deserve what you get from your hard work.

Back to me. Last week went great. My weight is dropping fast now. I have lost almost 20cm and 6kg since the 6th of April. I have two 'eat what I want' days, on one I may not eat a lot and on the other I can go wild! The gym work is starting to pay off. I am slowly gaining strength and I can feel my core improving weekly.

Swimming = cold! But, I don't care any more....just shut up, dive in and swim. My distances are still very short and I really try to focus on a swimming video posted by Raoul de Jongh on his website http://www.urban-ninja.co.za/. The footage is very clear and it opened my eyes to the many weaknesses of my own stroke. Since we don't have coaches here in Witbank I have to use all aids available to me. I am really focusing on the catch and high elbow stroke. There is a lot of water resistance doing it like this and I tire quickly because of a lot less 'slip'.

I had a little niggle in my right heel and I skipped two days of running and one days cycling. The rest helped and it feels 100%. I think it may be the new running shoes, but I will experiment this week just to be sure. I felt great with both the hills session and the long run. Very very positive!!

The cycling was good and I didn't jippo on the long ride!! Ha!! The time trial was nice, my legs were a bit dead and I did the first 5km with my front break dragging! My time for the 20k's was 29'46 and a full 5 seconds slower than last week.

Thanks to Warren www.pastorwarrengraham.blogspot.com for sticking it out with me on Tuesdays taking the loneliness out of the session. Good luck to Johan Stemmet www.tri-stemmet.blogspot.com with his Kona prep. I know his motivation is running low, but stick it out my friend! In 6 months it's all over and then that medal is yours!!

And lastly, Wessel, keep it going young lad...your future is a big one!

Be inspired and thanks for reading.

TriJackal

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