Winter Blues

Winter Blues...

I arrived back in France at the end of July, having had an amazing experience at Worlds in France. On the spur of the moment I told Blue Seventy wetsuits about my success and I secured a Pro deal sponsorship discount for the upcoming season, so hopefully I can get my hands on the Helix! I tried this wetsuit out in France as Gina Ferguson had a spare one (mine was lost with my bike…) and I loved it.

August was set down for some R n R and getting away from triathlon. I started training again- just one session a day, sometimes two of whatever took my fancy, some gym sessions and whatever the weather had in store. I got back out biking as my main focus for the next base period will be to up my bike mileage somewhat, and I scheduled in a few long runs in the hills.

But, I started to feel lacking in motivation, coming off the high from my trip abroad. Training with no short term goals and no programme sorting out what you have to do each day was difficult to getting used to. And to top it all I got sick.

One weekend I went for a 2hr15 min run and the next day a 5.5hr ride. On the ride I felt really lousy. I didn't take enough water or food and I got really cold. I was on my own on the Gorges ride in Canterbury and I hit the wall big style. I even cried, I was really distraught. To add insult to injury I got attacked by a magpie in the Waimak Gorge. But on no account was I calling Bede, my husband, for an S.O.S pick up. Besides, he was at home building a fence. It wasn't until when I got back to the outskirts of Christchurch I got my hands on some coke and a liquorice log to perk me up for the rest of the hour's ride home. Afterwards I had a bath to get warm, but I didn't eat enough in my recovery time to compensate for my dehydration and lack of food.

I learned the hard way and ended up with a temperature, on antibiotics and off work for a week and a half. Following doctor's orders I was off training as well. A lesson learned in listening to your body. I tried to push through the on set of my sinus infection and it just got worse. It has been the most frustrating time, but some days I had such a bad migraine I was in so much pain and couldn't get out of bed. I'm rarely sick and have difficulty with my rest days as it is, so you can imagine I was crawling up the walls at times, and getting obsessed about all the weight I was putting on not training.

So come 3 September I'll be back into it. My body (and mind) needed the break, the sleep ins, the weekends with more time with Bede and my family. I'll be starting more structured training, more bike miles for sure and keeping the running and swimming ticking over. I'm going to see a nutritionist as I need a proper plan for IM, which will give me bags of energy. I eat a very healthy diet, but I’m sure it could be tweaked to provide me with more energy and get me off the coffee addiction! I love coffee, but I need to stick to two decent ones a day, not the four it’s been creeping up to lately. I rely on it for a pick up, but I need to tackle the tiredness first through a better balanced diet, and not rely so much on caffeine.

I need some short term goals, so the Auckland half marathon will be my next event, then Taupo Half IM. Indeed, we are in the process of selling our house and moving to Auckland as Bede has got a promotion and relocation up there. Which means I need to find a new job, and a new place to live. This, added to the stress of being sick has meant any training I have been doing hasn't been that effective and I've really been at an all time low in terms of training, motivation, happiness and enthusiasm for triathlon. We shall have a very busy few months ahead of us. I'm half contemplating working part time so I can really devote as much time as I'd love to my Ironman dream. I would love to pursue a career in triathlon. I’ve had enough of being stuck behind a desk in a windowless office 5 days a week.

One thing my coach said to me once was the happier you are, the happier, and consequently the better you train, and more importantly, race. I want to give IM my all and be happy doing it. The last two weeks have been acknowledging I've been sick, perhaps even on the verge of burnout and sorting my head out, to train happier. I have really felt the Winter Blues this month then, but Spring has sprung, the lambs are out, and when you see the blossoms appearing and leaves on the trees you've got to smile - it was even 19 degrees in Christchurch today!

My Alpe d’Huez kit arrived in the last week of August. I tried out the leg warmers, boot covers, cycle shorts and top on a 3.5hr ride. The leg warmers, although a bit long (I have very short legs!) are toasty warm and the shorts are very comfortable

I'm also contemplating purchasing a time trial bike. I've been looking at the Giant Trinity Elite- good bang for your buck, the trusty Cervelo and the Scott Contessa Plasma. It all depends on getting a good price for the house ;o) Then I can spend some money on a run around car and more money on a bike!

The move to Auckland is exciting, all those new places to train, new running trails, new bike shops ;o) I'll also be able to catch up with the other Alpe D’Huez sponsored athletes and the other Kiwi Age-Groupers I met in France.

I’m looking forward to getting stuck into training, and getting my miles up. The thought of Ironman at the moment seems daunting, but then I look at what I have achieved in the last year and how far I’ve come I know I can do it. I love a challenge, having goals and doing my best. The next few months will be a test of time management, prioritizing and not getting obsessed with training, and letting it take over my life. Looking after myself and family is just, if not more important.

I’m having to remind myself that completing Ironman is my goal, despite being as competitive as I am, my goal is not to win, not even to place, just enjoy it and see how it goes. I put a lot of pressure on myself to always finish top ten, and beat certain girls. I must learn more self control, softly, softly, catchy monkey in Ironman and not to go off guns blazing in all my workouts and stuff myself.

My mantra for the next 6 months will be harder , better, faster, stronger…….