Lost and found department

burrrrr-ing
      burrrrr-ing

"Hello"

"Hello, Mr Wood-Rich?"

"Um, Yes...?"

"This is Gladys from the lost and found department, I believe you lost something last week and I'm calling to confirm."

"Awesome, much appreciated, Gladys was it (?) ... um, what did I lose? I wasn't aware of leaving anything behind anywhere, the only thing I've lost recently is my sanity twice and a couple of kilograms last week <chuckle>"

"That's right sir, your lost weight was discovered and has been returned to you, turns out you left it in the biscuit tin"

"shit"


Turns out I also earned interest on it somewhere as well.
I guess it was "Fun Month" after all...

If you've been reading this blog you may have noticed that I have recently added a couple of extra pages to it, Training Stats and Event Calendar. The intention of this blog was to document my progress from a Clydesdale Triathlete in the 2011-12 season to a lean(er) Ironman athlete in March 2013. So, I will be logging my training km as well as my weight and % body fat to be shown graphically here. As the km increase the other stats will (optimistic much?) go the other way. Sunday night will be the official weigh in.

On an unrelated note, I would like to take this moment to decline any invites to large lunches or dinners that fall on a Sunday, no reason...

This week sees the beginning of the winter base training, no more latte rides, and I'm starting a run technique program this week as well so I guess this is where it all starts. I been here 4 times before, and each time I've told myself (and any that would listen) that next year I'll be fighting fit and kicking ass. I may have actually ended up fit and fighting and some minor ass may have felt my boot but they've still never really been the results I was after. This year is different, I swear (* removes glasses and notes your dismissive snort) By the end of this coming season I have the grandaddy of races scheduled and in front of a home crowd AND a team to represent. I can't and won't disappoint these people. I am so privileged to be in this position, a fact that is not lost on me. So, as I leave "Fun Month" behind it is with little trepidation, and great anticipation that I look toward the coming months, the re-introduction with the early morning sessions and arriving tired but invigorated to the office knowing that I've achieved something even before sitting down at my desk.

I also envision I'll be getting many more calls from Gladys over at that mythical Lost and Found department, I do reckon I'll be screening that bitch's calls from now on.

Motivation

You can do some amazing things, you just need the right motivation.

This is a lesson I have learnt time and time again. 

There are times, tough times where you feel like quitting but there is some one there on the sidelines shouting out encouragement and you find that something extra - motivation

Motivation can be found in the most unlikely places as well, I found it this morning and the source of my motivation may not even realise the impact they had.

This morning I looked out at the weather, it was about as cold and miserable as I've seen in a while. There was a decision to make, sure, could catch the train but that would mean I would have trouble getting to Boot Camp tonight, I decided to ride - motivation

There were a number of my friends out early this morning, also on their bikes, learning to corner more effectively. There was a Giant prize pack on the line. Ok, maybe that wasn't their only motivation, but it couldn't hurt - incidental motivation

On my ride I learnt I could corner pretty good too, I just needed to find the right motivation. I discovered that, on a wet road with slick tyres and travelling at 30+ km/hr, 12 metres is enough distance to decelerate and perform a 90 degree turn, with the right motivation.

My motivation this morning came in the form of a metallic tan hatch-back that overtook me on St Kilda road then decided to cut me off in order to get to their parking garage. Turns out we both had to take that corner, although I was unaware of this need until fairly late, and we took it side-by-side. Maybe my exhibition of cornering skill didn't earn me a bike pump and multi-tool, but I do feel pretty lucky regardless.

Motivation; sometimes it comes from crowd support, sometimes it's a personal goal, and occasionally it comes from an asshole in a hurry.

Come back next time as I discuss the benefits of positive spin...

A bullhorn on a mountain bike

I love my bike


My bike is much like Albert Arkwright's broom; he'd had it for 10 years, and in that time he'd only changed the head 7 times and the handle twice.


I decided I needed to buy a bike with the view to maybe ride to work occasionally to get some exercise and to avoid having to join the circus that is the Frankston train line each day. A one way trip to the office equated to roughly 20km when you considered I could take the bike path to the beach, follow it along the beach to St Kilda, up to the Botanical gardens and ride the bike path there all the way to the city. I would hardly ever be on the road and, if I rode to work one day I could ride home another day so it would be totally manageable as well!


So, where does one find a suitable bike to purchase?
At the time I was receiving daily emails from online shops offering cheap deals and had seen a full suspension mountain bike for $89.95 (plus delivery). I decided to enter negotiations with my financial advisor to set aside a budget for the purchase and she agreed that we could well afford that amount. I was chuffed, I'd made a decision to buy something AND the wife had agreed.


As I was browsing the bikes on offer and weighing the options on their merits (is the red one too cliche, should I pay it safe and get the blue one) I came across a new possible recipient of my money. There was a pretty sick looking green dual suspension mountain bike on eBay that had a rear swing arm! I reasoned with the wife that, yeah, it is a bit more expensive at $130 (plus postage) but the componentry would more than make up for that cost. So it was agreed, eBay was the place to buy my new steed, besides, I've actually heard of the Huffy brand before as well.


Whilst awaiting pay day to arrive I found myself in Big W (ps Big W rocks) and discovered Spalding make mountain bikes as well. I was also pretty sure that the in store warranty and "quick release skewers" (?) would be well worth the price tag of $250, besides, we were already going spend $130 and this one didn't require a delivery fee.


Did you know that Lance Armstrong rode a "Trek" bike?


I found a shop just 3 suburbs away from home that sold these "Trek" thingees and, since the approval had already come through on the $350 for the Big W bike (shut-up, she won't remember that wasn't right!) why not spend a teensy bit more? The salesman asked me what sort of bike I was after, I thought it would have been obvious, I'm a big guy, I need a sturdy bike, therefore I need a mountain bike. I did make the concession to switch the knobbly tyres for some with a lower profile, and added into my shopping basket a set of lights and helmet. The salesman asked me if I was after some riding attire, I thought it would have been obvious, I'm a big guy, hell no do I need lycra!
So, with that complete I picked out my $800 Trek mountain bike (plus accessories)


What's all that got to do with a broom?
I told you I love my bike, and you've just learnt what a sweet deal I got on it but the bike I own today is a fair bit different to the one that I left the shop with some 7 years ago. In the time I've owned it my Trek has had the cable disks brakes changed to hyrdrolic (then back to  upgraded cable), the wheels were switched out for low spoke count fast wheels (then to upgraded regular count due to impact with Taxi door). I bought a triple Dura Ace crank set with a 52 tooth chain ring for my Trek (then had to switch it for an Alivio triple with 44 as the chain stays didn't have clearance for the 52). New gears meant new gear levers, and a new rear cassette (why not!) and that rear derailleur will need to match the actuation ratio of the SRAM levers, and, since hitting that car door on Brighton road the saddle's seat rail is bent...


So, in that 7 years since deciding to become a pedalstrian, I have not only re-invented my humble pusshie, but also myself to some degree. My commute is now most days rather than the odd one-way trip, I have graduated from the bike paths to tackling the Nepean Highway, and it's not right without my proper cycling kit (although I do apologise to y'all for that one!) You may see me out on the road on the way to work, off to training, climbing some ridiculous mountain pass, or maybe at the beach doing a windtrainer session, you'll know it's me because I'm the one on the silver Trek, the one with the bullhorn handle bars.

Where to start?

It's almost 10:30 at night (Saturday), 4 of my friends said "I do" today, beside me, asleep is the woman I said the same words to 12 years ago (and who will correct me swiftly if my math was wrong just now...) and I'm trying to work out how to start this thing. I'm not sure what is more daunting, the realisation that I am about to launch into the most intensive training period of my life, or that I am intending to document the journey and attempt to remain interesting for that amount of time...

I guess I should give a little background at this point. I am a triathlete although I don't fit the mental image you probably just conjured up. At a little over 100kg and standing only 5'10'' I'm an age grouper who has generally completed rather than competed. In the 2010/11 Gatorade Series I discovered there was a Clydesdales division for us, um, less svelte athletes so I switched from my highly competitive age group (35-39) and decided to give it a crack. At the end of the season I found myself in the same general category position I was used to, half way up the rankings, but, with a much smaller field I was eighth overall!

After the season wrapped I decided I was done with Clydesdales, I would train hard over the off season, drop the weight and come back next time to the age group competition and see what I could do. Several months later, time to sign up for the 2011/12 series and I still, comfortably, qualify for the big man's show.

Season 2 of Clydesdales and something has changed, my usaul 8th placing at each race is being filled by some one else, some one finishing several places behind me! Of the 6 races I competed in, I got 4th 4 times and found myself claiming third place for the series.

I decided some time ago that I wanted to take this thing to the ultimate distance, and over my time racing have come to the realisation that I'm more built for endurance than speed. My resume currently boasts 1 half Ironman (disastrous run leg!), 1 long course triathlon (disastrous dismount!), and 2 full marathons (disaster...no wait, they both went OK) so I figured it was time. Initially we (the wife and I) considered the Bussleton event as the goal race, then Melbourne was announced as the host venue for the latest edition to the M-Dot brand. Home town race trumps 6 hour travel time and 3 hour time zone shift!!

This year's event was too soon for me so, instead, I set my sights on the 2013 event. I still wanted to be a part of the race so, when my training club (Tri-Alliance) put out a call for aid station volunteers I jumped at the chance. Come race day I took my position at the 38 km mark and handed out water and encouragement to the athletes all day, from Crowie to Barney. It was an awesome atmosphere and the whole time I kept thinking how cool it would be to have been out on that course challenging myself to reach the finish line in St Kilda.
A week later, with a little over $900 earmarked in my bank account, 4 meeting requests cancelled and strict instructions to all that I needed to be at my desk for the 11am registration time I was on my way to the office, ready to do cyber battle with the thousands of other would be entrants. At exactly 9:04 as I was about to enter the building I got an awesome phone call, my name had been drawn out of a hat, I had scored one of two free entries to the 2013 Melbourne Ironman!!

So begins the story of this Clydesdale athlete on the road to a start line in the water off Frankston Pier and a finish line at the St Kilda sea baths. It is my intention to post some anecdotes, some interesting thoughts and experiences as well as track my stats and figures here to document my training and weight loss along the way. I hope you find it interesting, I hope I can continue finding the words to fill the horrible empty window that greets each new post and most importantly, I hope there will be some weight loss, because, 140.6 miles is along way to chafe...