This is something that I was asked to write about a long time ago for a friend. I thought that I had lost it so I was thinking I need a better place to keep it than on my NAS. So whats a better place than here plus people do ask why and how did I get into this..
One year from Wollongong Enticer to Husky long course.
I don’t really remember how it started. I know that a
good friend Adam had an idea of doing a triathlon. I was always up for a
challenge so I agreed. We were both out of shape and needed something to get us
motivated. We had tried to run at work before but as we had no goal to aim for
a few weeks in you make excuses as to why you can’t train. Both our wives had
been competing for some time and since this was a sport we had been around it
made sense to have a go. The decision was made to start off with the Wollongong
enticer. It didn’t sound all that hard apart from the swim.
We were four weeks out and the training began. Well let’s
say that it did. I probably completed two runs of about 4km each. That was
about as far as I could go if I pushed it hard. I took the trusty mountain bike
for a couple of 10km rides as well. Both hurt but I knew that if I had to I
could cruise or walk both of those legs. So now for the hard part the dreaded
swim. I remember I probably went to the pool four times in that month. I knew I
could swim as I had been a pretty good swimmer at school but the years away
from sport really took its toll. I struggled to breath. I kicked around and by
the fourth visit I thought to myself I might just make the 300m required.
Probably not the best preparation for the event but as always work and life
seemed to get in the road. Apart from that we had been given some direction as
to how to lay out our gear in transition and told many times that transition is
not a time to take a break.
So race day came and we all felt unprepared. Adam and I
were joined by our friend Fil who was fit. He could ride and run but was not a
swimmer. With our bikes and gear setup I
remember we stood on the beach talking about how long the 300m swim looked. We
joked about how far we thought that we could walk into the water before we
actually had to do any swimming. Before we knew it we were off. Slowly to let
the crowd get away and we walked as far as we could without looking like that’s
what we were doing.
The swim started ok for the first 50m when I hit the turn
and had caught up with the pack. A few bumps in and I had given up on
freestyle. Breaststroke was my saviour. Not fast but I knew I could make it to
the end like that. Not being used to the bumping that happens I freaked out and
just wanted to keep my head above water so breaststroke was it for me.
I came out of the water one of the last in the group and
breathing like I had just swam from New Zealand. I waved at my wife taking
photos and moved on. The bike leg I felt ok. I had time to get my breath back
on all the downhills and felt more confident that I could complete this silly
race. Off the bike and into the short 2km run. Leaving transition and heading
downhill I got a cramp in one of my calves and had to walk for a while. As I
walked and ran my way to the finish I questioned why anyone would do this to
themselves.
Finally it came to the end and I was relieved it was
over. The enticer smashed me.
A few days later I was looking through the photos that my
wife had taken on the day and was shocked at how bad I looked. I guess when you
live with it every day you don’t see the change. I had left high school about
20 years before where I played some kind of sport most days and since then I
have been sitting at a desk. After having to hide some of the bad photos from
people, I knew I needed to do something. Adam and I talked and found the
Kathmandu adventure challenge. No swimming which was good but the distances
were bigger. Being a two person team event you had to do your best not to let
the team down. So this is what really helped with the training. We had a goal
and a friend to push us so it worked. After a few weeks of training we stopped
eating so much junk food and large portions. Helped by the support of our wives
we could actually feel a change in our fitness levels. Not that a lot seemed to
change and we still found excuses to eat unhealthy but we pushed each other to
get out and go for a run or ride.
The Kathmandu adventure challenge was the hardest thing I
had ever done. We were on the go for 4hrs. Trail running, mountain biking,
kayaking and rowing. All of it was hard but we completed it and I will say were
excited that we had done it. Reading the event details it wasn’t supposed to be
that long but we had fun all the same.
Chatting the next week about what our next challenge
should be we decided that we needed to do another triathlon and this time step
it up to the next level. To complete a sprint we need a more rigid training
plan so we thought that would motivate us to continue to train. For me I turned
to a friend Mike who my wife was working with. He is a triathlete who has
completed an Ironman so I knew he had been through all the training in the
past. He talked to me about how much available time I had to train, what my
goals are and looked at where my fitness and skill levels were. From that he
created a plan for me to follow. Knowing that I would fail if I did not follow
the plan was a big motivator but also having Adam to keep training with helped
as well. It came down to feeling bad if I didn’t get out and train and he did,
even if we were sometimes training on different elements. Mike also setup my
bike and showed me some of the basics around riding, running and swimming so I
would be more efficient. Around this time I joined the Hills Triathlon club as
part of the Triathlon Australia membership. I selected that club as my wife as
well as Mike and his family were part of it. I later found out what a friendly
and supportive club it is but then again it seems most people watching or doing
triathlons are supportive. I was also luck enough to be able to chat to Adam’s
wife Simone who runs Summit Fitness Studio. She was also completed an ironman
and would often give me advice or small technique changes that would later help
me as I raced more.
So for the next few months Adam and I trained and
completed a few other events like the warrior dash, Sydney to gong ride and
another Kathmandu adventure challenge just to split the training up. Around
this time I was finding that my clothes were getting too big for me and people
started commenting that I was looking a lot better. It was hard to see for
myself until the belt went to the next notch down or my shorts started falling
down as I walked. I had also changed how much I was eating. I didn’t go crazy
as I still had some big meals and junk food but I was trying to do that less
often. With the training that I was doing it got to the point where I didn’t
want to ruin the training by eating incorrectly. Another benefit was I felt
better than I had felt in a long time. I was no longer having random stomach
pains, I stopped snoring, could exercise longer and generally felt better about
myself.
Around this time Adam and I also had another friend join
us in our training. Dave had done triathlons twenty odd years ago but since
then had slowly gain weight and stopped doing anything but working. He was our
manager in Sydney for many years before moving to the US for three years to
work as our director. Well he was finally back and excited about the training.
Somehow he had been convinced to sign up for the Elite energy Huskisson long
course triathlon. We had a great time training and joking around as we all had
different strengths. Dave kept trying to convince me to join him and sign up
for the long course but I really wanted to get some sprints under my belt
before committing to something like that. So I kept saying I would think about
it. I thought that since I still had 6 months till it was on so I would do
something about it later.
It is strange but once you get going with training you
kind of want to keep going. I remember going to a conference in Queensland with
Adam and as usual we fly in on registration day so nothing much usually
happens. We check straight into our room and head off for a 10km run. Usually
it was straight to the pub for lunch but not this year. We joked that there was
something wrong with us.
Unfortunately the next morning we had tragic news that
Dave had passed away from a massive heart attack. He was not much older than I am, a
funny man, great motivator, always has something nice to say, wonderful husband
and father. He will be greatly missed by many. The news made it hard to get
motivated and train but deep down I knew he would want me to continue and above
that sign up for the Husky long course that he was trying to convince me to do.
So with that I signed up and started to train again.
Before I knew it the Hills club triathlon series had
started and I was doing the sprint distance. Like before I was worried about
the swim. I had to tell myself that I had trained enough so I will be ok. I was
ok but as with every event it hurt. The best part is the feeling you get when
you have done it. I am not a happy competitor. I hurt all the time no matter
the distance but I feel great knowing that I have done it. One day that might
change and I might be one of the smiling triathletes.
Over the summer I completed four hills club sprints, two
elite energy sprints, one 2km open water swim and an elite energy Olympic
distance tri. Plus my training had increased to help with the longer distances
and before I knew it the day had come to do the Husky long course. I didn’t get
a lot of sleep the night before but I felt I had done enough. I remember
standing on the beach nervous as always but this time not for the swim. It
looked a long way but I had a feeling that I could do it. I now just worried how
I would go putting it all together for so long.
The swim was a bit rough. Lots of bodies all seemed to
want to be where I was. But I was getting used to it. Out of the water and onto
the bike I felt pretty good. I took a bit longer in transition and made sure I
had everything. I probably went way to fast in the bike. As usual you see
someone not far ahead and you want to pass them. Not catch them slowly as you
should but pass them right now. One day I will learn just to ride at my own
pace. Off the bike I felt ok. I didn’t have any major issues and expected to
feel tired. So into the run I go. Things were going ok for the first 1.5kms and
then the cramping started in both legs. I pushed for as long as I could
thinking the pain will go away just slow down a little. Well that didn’t work
and before too long I found an aid station as an excuse to walk for a while.
From that point on until the last 4km run to the finish I ran and walked my way
towards my goal. The crowd and the competitors were great as they are at most
events. They cheered you on and encouraged you to keep going. With 4km to go I
decided that I had to put in a final effort and only having a short walk in the
middle I finally found myself running up the red carpet to the finish. I had
done it not only for myself but for Dave. I was in pain but it was done. I got
to sit down and get some food a number of times saying that this is silly and I
will never do something that long again.
Well as most people do a few days later I signed up for
an ironman 70.3. I don’t know what it is but I felt I needed another shot at it.
I guess it’s the rush you get from completing something that hard that makes
you come back for more. So more training and fun times ahead.
The next few weeks were light sessions and rest knowing
that Tri the Gong where this all started was only around the corner. Adam and I
laughed about all the changes that have happened over the last year as we stood
on the same beach at Wollongong harbour as we did a year ago waiting for the
start of our race but this time it was a sprint.
The only thing is I wish I had done it many years ago. I
feel so much better now and have much more energy. I would have had more energy
to chase my son around outside and maybe even made him more of an outside child
than he has grown up to be. That is a regret that I will always have.
I know I could not have done it without a lot of help
even if they don’t think they did. Adam for making me sign up and sticking with
it as well. Mike for his training plan, advice, tips and his special negative
encouragement that makes me chuckle. Dee for her encouragement and letting me
spend money on gear. Simone for your tips, advice and the massive cheering she
does whenever you are near her and the hills club for being a friendly bunch of
people.
