Richard Dawkins refers to the evolution of life as "The Greatest Show on Earth". I would find it hard to argue otherwise. However, for the sake of this blog and in the spirit of Mohammad Ali I am going to refer to the last 15 months, for myself anyway, 'the greatest show on earth'. My personal evolution from a defeated and battered individual who made excuses for way things were and justified hanging around people who liked it that way to the person I am today. I am but 14 sleeps away from the end of this chapter. 'Mumbai to Port Macquarie' is nearing the end with only a few sleeps, some easy training, some mental rehearsal and final race preparations and of course, the Ironman race, are all that remains in this stanza.Pictured: I have gone to all sorts of effort to prevent another flu.
I thought by this stage I would be on edge, rippled with veins, a chiseled jaw and a distance look with eyes firmly on the prize. I would suggest that these things are partly the case but far from what I envisaged. I guess I thought I would be more emotional about it all now the journey is nearing the end. The reality is the emotional experiences came throughout this journey. Training for the Ironman has been the humbling, personally hypertrophying experience I'd wished for and the race is the last paragraph in this chapter.
The last few weeks have tested me physically and probably more so, mentally. After The Huski Long Course I had to attend a conference in Port Douglas for 4 days. I didn't miss a beat of training. The swim on Monday was perhaps, the hardest thing I have physically done yet. I battled up and down the pool in the resort at a rate of speed I think a 8 year old would be annoyed with. I accepted it as just a day post half ironman thing and trained through it. I did my 2 runs on Tuesday and swim on Wednesday. I returned home for the big 3 days - Friday swim 5km, Ride 135km and run 10km. Saturday 140km ride / 20km run (including 10 x 1 mile efforts) and 3km swim. Sunday 160km ride. I was sniffly, coughing and struggling to sleep. My temperature was up and I was as moody as ever and that was on the Friday so why I persisted with the weekend I'll never know exactly but it resulted in me having the next 5 days in bed with the flu and the subsequent week with post viral symptoms. I am so annoyed with myself for getting that way especially as it was not that long ago I promised I would recognise the early symptoms. I spent the last week on a conference in Hamilton Island struggling with a chesty cough and general lack of wellness.
That brings me to the weekend we are in the twilight of. I got back from the second conference on Friday night and eventually fell asleep before starting what would be my last 'decent' training session before the final 2 week taper. My last hitout with the PIS squad was spent on my own all day. I hadn't the energy to go out hard in the 140km ride so I had to drop ego and spin around on my own. We then had a small jog before the 8 x 1 mile runs. Surprisingly they came quite easy and I was able to hold a better pace without the effort than what I have previously been able to do. Maybe the forced rest has been needed and for the good. I have to believe this. Today I limited myself to a 20km run in the national park.
Mumbai feels like it almost never happened. The other crap before it feels even less real. I guess this sojourn of mine has served it's purpose and my evolution has been 'the greatest show on earth', in an egocentric kinda way!
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