Monday, March 30, 2009

So, What do you aim for?


This last few days almost everybody I spoke to ask me this question. What do you aim for this weekend? It's is then either followed by, In what time do you want to finish or Do you aim for a position?

Well my answer to all of them is neither. My goal for the weekend is to finish. I am not that experienced when it comes to IM's as this will be only my third, but one thing I've learned is that you need to have respect for an Ironman race. It is when you start blabbering it out that you aim for this time or that position that you can bump your head so quickly. With the past IM's and with the half dozen Half Iron's I've done I've learned that you need to take it discipline by discipline.

My first goal would be to get to the start line healthy and without any hick ups that will distract me. My second goal will be to finish the swim. Only if I finish the swim then will I start thinking about the bike and after the bike then my mind will be focused on the run.

The whole day depends on so many things. There is nutrition, bike reliability, injuries and of course the weather. Last year the water was as flat as a pancake, but looking at the weather forecast they forecast some rough sea conditions. They also forecast a 30 degree midday temperature for the day, so it is going to be HOT. Looking at wind speeds the forecast is also 30+ km/h wind speeds. Taking all this into consideration I think I can safely say it is going to be a rough day(feel really sorry for Team Stemmet that will be next to the road for the whole day).

I must be honest that in my mind I do have some expectations otherwise there is not really something that drives you on the day. I will aim to beat my time of last year, and do have a time and a "top something" in mind but that will all be decided on race day.

I am getting my tri pants back tomorrow, I've done some printing on them and I think Team Stemmet would like it. That surprise I will reveal on Saturday night. Have also made some new stickers for my bike which I will also get tomorrow. Will post some photos of the bike once I've rigged it out. Last year it was the "Skilpad" theme( Skilpad meaning Tortoise). It all started as a joke between me and Jakkals as I said I am slower than a tortoise after a disappointing race, and from there on I was called tortoise. So I rigged my bike with stickers of a tortoise, well the tortoise was faster than expected on race day.

Having all this fun and build up towards IM, I think is important. One spend so many hours training and money on the day that if you don't enjoy it 100% you're missing out big time.

Today's training
Run: 40min, 8.4 km, 4:46 min/km, 132 bpm ave, 551 kcal.

1 comment:

  1. Johan, good luck on the race. I'll be tracking you.

    B

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