33 days to go. 7th March 2015 is Ironman day. The day that has been looming since I decided after being completely overwhelmed by the emotion at the finishing line in Taupo last year.
So wonderful to have so much support from Mangawhai-ians asking me how it’s going. So wonderful to know that I’m nearly there. So wonderful to reflect to on how much I’ve learnt since commencing training in June 2014.
I always wondered why I was so attracted to endurance events. I read the books by the Ultra athletes. I’ve run 75km on the Hilary Trail in a day and swam 11.6 miles the length of Lake Windermere. Many have done 10 x that amount in the same time. I must be the most curious of the age-groupers (this the term for the non-Professionals in the Ironman) in my quest for knowledge of technique and training tips because I keep coming back.
Actually, it was a patient years ago who explained to me that it enables you to think of your life as bigger than it is. Bigger than the metaphorical box surrounding my life – determining the limits of my ability. Giving you the tools to go beyond the 40% of our body’s capacity to move (in theory that’s the amount we get to when we feel like giving up!). It crosses over to living, loving, working. It extends my ability to feel angry and sad. There are definitely tears, lots of them. It’s lovely to have a goal and know that it’s my drive for the next five weeks. Clear, barriers, one thing to do only. No catching up for coffee. No TV. Maybe one page of my book before I fall asleep from fatigue.
Sleep, eat, help people heal, swim, bike, run. That is my life until 7th March.
Then, maybe Hawaii Ironman….. all dependent on a lottery place.