Diary of an Ironman 25 weeks to Kona

The race is still six months away. It would be very tempting to start serious training towards the goal. I am holding back, waiting to when I can “turn on” my training head and really lay some good foundations for my 32nd Ironman.

I’m often suprised by people asking me “how have you managed to stay motivated for so long?” It’s been easy really. I surround myself with passionate people and it’s contagious. I’m sure that’s why our club, Cycos is so strong. It’s the joining together of so many passionate people.

Our training sessions leave every member on a “high”. I’ve seen so many sleepy looking people arrive and once they’ve trained, had a coffee, chatted with all their friends, they leave with a smile on their face, ready to face the world.

Sometimes when someone is sick or injured, I encourage them to came along and just sit at the end of the pool while the session is going. Then have a chat to their mates after training. Maybe have one of Goran’s great breakfasts. I believe it actually speeds up recovery. If the spirit can be lifted, the body and mind follow the lead.

In my training, all I’ve done this week is 2 x 45min runs, 3 x 1hr swims, 1 x 40min windtrainer interval session and four days of landscaping work. My landscaping work is a labour of love. I’ve smashed myself. Last night I slept for 11hrs, waking up 10min before I was due to be at the pool for the Saturday stretching session. I’m putting money in the bank for when I start my serious Hawaii training. I’ll be the full time athlete. I’ll pack away my barrows and tools for sixteen weeks.

My wife trains at the local gym a couple of days a week in the off season, she loves it. My gym work is on the barrow or trowel, my core strength session is on the crow bar and shovel, my heat tolerance work is Brisbane’s summer. It’s all good, it makes me tougher and I get paid for it.

I am starting to realise that at sixty, I don’t bounce back as quickly as I did at thirty-five. But fortunately when I race, I only have to race the other sixty year olds. I’m sure that the knowledge of nutrition I’ve picked up over the years helps me do a greater volume of work than most guys my age.

I’ve found as I work harder I need more protein, I often have a four egg omelette before a hard day of manual labour. I make sure my meals are high in protein and I drink lots of water. I always drink bottled water, it’s filtered and the volume I consume is easliy measured. When you’re busy it’s easy to not drink enough.

In hot weather, I increase my vitamin C intake and have an Endura with added sea salt half way through the work day. I take gin-seng every day, it makes it a bit easier to get out of bed.

I may not be “training for Hawaii” yet, but Hawaii is just a big days work. I might just be laying the foundations.