Where's Donald

Since I started at my new job last year July, which is in another city, 110km away I've been traveling the same route everyday, 6 days a week. The biggest part of the route(90km) is on the freeway and there is a small pond next to the freeway about halfway on the route. The pond is only visible when I return home in the evenings as it is very small and is in a ditch. After a few days I noticed this little duck all on his own in the pond, but didn't think much of it. As I became a seasoned traveller on this route, the duck became part of my trip home and I would look at this duck every afternoon as he keeps himself busy in the water. You guessed right I named him Donald, although I have no clue if it is a male or female. Lately I would even slow down and see what Donald is doing. For me Donald is part of my trip home but surely Donald sees thousands of cars everyday so I am just another car passing by. Without exception for the past eight months Donald was always in the pond until last week Monday. There was no sign of Donald but I didn't think much of it, but it has been now a whole week and Donald is still missing.

It is funny how something this stupid can upset you as you think of it every evening and hope to see the duck. As they say you only realize how you miss something until you don't have it anymore. Donald was never mine but he became part of my everyday journey. I hope nothing bad has happened to Donald but instead maybe he found a new bigger pond or even a mate and moved away.

The last two days was big training days and tomorrow is also big with a 3 hour run. Today was another killer with a brick session consisting of a 6 hour ride and a 30 min run and that after a gym session this morning. Luckily next week is a taper week for my half Ironman on Sunday. Last year I did a PB at the same event but was on a whole different training program. I don't expect to do that well as I just finished my power gym phase and my legs still need to recover with the Chisel phase starting now. But that is all part of my plan to be in the best shape ever for Ironman South Africa on the 5th of April.


Yesterday's workouts

Swim: 1h24, 3.5km, 121 bpm ave, 1013 kcal
Run: 40min, 7.8km, 124 bpm ave, 5:08min/km, 497 kcal
Bike: Intervals 40min, 25km, 37.5 km/h, 126 bpm ave, 513 kcal

Today's workouts

Gym: 1h07, 529 kcal
Brick--Bike: 6h03, 175 km, 28.9 km/h, 3950 kcal
Run: 27 min, 5.5 km, 4:54 min/km, 132 bpm ave, 367 kcal.

Sometimes we need to be deaf

Training for an Ironman can be tough and one makes a lot of sacrifices to fulfill your dream. Someone told me this story and it is so true when your dream is to become an Ironman.

"The story of the Tiny Frogs
There once was a bunch of tiny frogs, who arranged a running competition
The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower
A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants
The race began Honestly--
No one in the crowd believed that, the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower
You heard statements such as "oh way too difficult, they will never make it to the top"
or " Not a chance that they will succeed, the tower is too high"
The tiny frogs began collapsing one by one
Except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher
The crowd continued to yell " It is too difficult , no one will make it"
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up
But one continued higher and higher and higher
This one wouldn't give up, at the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower
Except for the one tiny frog that after a big effort was the only one who reached the top
Then all the other tiny frogs wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?
A contestant asked another tiny frog how the one who succeed had found the strength to reach the goal.
It turned out that the winner was DEAF

The wisdom of the story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic, because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you.
The ones you have in your heart
Always think of the power which words have because everything you hear and read will affect your actions.
Therefore ALWAYS be positive and above all
Be DEAF when people tell you that you can't fulfill your dreams

Always think: I CAN DO THIS"!

There are so many comments when people hear you are training for an Ironman such as " Are you mad", "If i want to go 226km I use my car", "How can you start your training at 4am in the morning are you crazy". These are just a few of the negative comments you hear. Therefore one needs to be like the tiny frog and be sometimes deaf when people are negative about your dream
TO BECOME AN IRONMAN

Today's workout
Swim: 1h44, 4.5km, 114bpm ave, 960kcal

Panorama Nite Race

Tonight was the annual Panorama Primary School Nite Race which is sponsored by McCarthy Volkswagen, the company I used to work for, for the past 17 years. This was the first year in the 6 years the event is being sponsored by McCarthy VW that I wasn't involved in the organizing. It started as a small nite race to generate funds for the school and has now grown into one of the biggest nite races in our town. The school is less than two kilomters from our house and Dejone is also a learner at Panorama, so the school is special to us.

Must say it felt weird just going their run the race and get back home, no presenting of medals, removing of all banners and cleaning up afterwards. Had a nice chat will all my ex-fellow workers and glad to see that they are all doing well. I don't get to spend that much time with them anymore as I still stay in town but now work in another city which is more than 100km away.

Dejone did the 5km run and I must say she finished in a well respected time, faster than what I though. I did the 10km run and it went well, considering it is a very hilly route and I did a 20km run yesterday. I am also struggling with stomach cramps the whole day. Don't know what it is but I woke up this morning with this stomach cramps and I just could not do my Long swim session. Later in the day it became better but I still have this little cramps.

Guess I jinxed myself by saying yesterday that I am healthy and the training is spot on, one never knows what will happen the next day.

Have send an email to markallenonline to help me with my training tomorrow, don't know if I must do the gym session tomorrow morning or the swim session I missed today. Like I said before, miss a session and that workout is gone, you just can't catch up.


Today's workout

Run: 10km race, 43:04 157bpm ave, 796kcal, 4:17min/km

40 Days

40 days to Ironman South Africa. When I looked at my watch this morning after my run I couldn't believe it was just the other day that it said "50 IMSA 2009". I remember when I was at high school it was a big party if your were in Matric(final year) and it was 40 days until the final exam started. Today was no party but I felt good as I managed to get all my training done.

Life is good when you see that your training program( markallenonline.com) is working and you just have that feeling that everything is falling into place.

I haven't been sick since my 20 week program started after my Half Ironman in December. Hope it can stay this way as I don't want a repeat of December where I got flu two weeks before the event. There is some fellow workers that have flu at this moment and I just hope I don't get sick at this stage as this can give my training a set back.

I have lost some more weight the last week although I am following my nutrition plan 100%, don't think I am eating less. Am eating actually more as I suddenly have this craving for chocolates, hope it is just a temporarily thing and not something my body tells me I need.

The pain in my upper back is still there but not as sore as yesterday. Will see what happens tomorrow morning as I am doing my endurance swim(4.5km).

Today's workouts

Run: 1h43, 20.2km, 5:06min/km, 132bpm ave, 1358kcal

Bike: 1h51, 62km, 123bpm ave, 1300kcal

Ouch!

Over the weekend I felt this strain in my upper back, but this morning it really hurt when I was busy with my swim workout. I think it is some spasm I have. I decided today that I need more massages in the last 6 weeks towards Ironman as my muscles are really beginning to take strain of all the workouts.

I had a real hectic day at work and decided before I make the same mistake as last week and start missing workouts I will swop my easy bike workout that I am suppose to do tomorrow night with my moderate bike workout that was suppose to be tonight. Jumped on the Computrainer as it is too late to ride outside by the time I get home during the week. Don't know what it is but I just don't have the energy on Monday evenings for my workout. I'm fine and can still manage my morning swim session but there is no energy in the evening. It seems that the long hours over the weekend takes it toll and it only kicks in on Monday nights.

Today's workouts

Swim: 1h26, 3.5km, 1040kcal, 126bpm ave

Bike: 1h00, 27.7km ,118bpm ave

Happy Birthday

It was my Mother and younger sister's birthday yesterday and we took my mother out for dinner.
My sister's friends had a party planned for her so she could not joined us but me, Kim, my mother and my eldest sister with the two girls had a nice evening out. We had a power failure yesterday at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and it lasted until today just after 6 in the evening. One only realize how you need electricity when you're without it for more than 24 hours. Luckily the restaurant had power as it is in a different neighbourhood.
I was a bit tired at the restaurant as i only finished my brick session at 7pm and then had to get ready in the dark and we were at the restaurant at 7:45, but that did not put a damper on the evening.

Yesterday morning started early with my Gym workout but as the Gym only open at 6am on Saturdays and I had to be at work early I decided to only do the leg part of the power workouts, instead of missing the whole workout. While I was at work Jacques or Jakkals(meaning Jackal in our language) called me and said he could not make the long ride with me anymore as he ran over 50km on Friday night for a Cancer charity event. Well done Jakkals. So I was on my own for the 5 hour plus ride. Just before I started I had a look at the weather bureau's website and they said that there was a 0% change for rain and the wind was coming for the west. This would mean that I would ride half the time into a head wind but coming back I would have a tail wind. But guess what, after I made my turnaround it was plain sailing for half an hour and then the wind was ride into my face, an easterly wind. But there was a bigger surprise coming. Into the fourth hour of my ride I saw some heavy clouds above me and then it started raining. Don't mind running in the rain but cycling is not that nice.

While I was struggling back home the last hour and a bit I wondered if I ask the weather bureau what's my changes of finishing in the top 10 in my age group at IMSA. I would be happy if they say 0%.

Today was a boring day as we were without electricity the whole day. Took an afternoon nap before my long run, felt rested after it as I don't get much more than 6 hours a night sleep these days with all the training. I was still tired in the pool and on my long run but that is because of my power gym workouts. Just one more week then the chisel phase start and I shouldn't be as tired anymore. I am a good 15sec/km plus slower on my long runs than my normal pace.


Yesterday's workouts

Gym 33 min
Brick- Bike 5h15, 156km, 128bpm ave, 3989kcal.
Run 27min, 5.4km, 138bpm ave, 5:03min/km, 387kcal

Today's workouts

Swim 1h15, 3km, 124bpm ave, 941kcal.
Run 2h30, 29km, 131bpm ave, 5:11min/km, 1960kcal

Summary of week's workout's
Swim 14km
Bike 191km
Run 63km
Total 19h14, 268km, 13792kcal.

Happy Days

My sister came to visit us for the weekend, and I haven't seen my Mom so happy in a while. Today is also my sister in law's birthday, Happy birthday Marle. Have a killer of a day and enjoy the barbecue tomorrow. Tomorrow is also the birthdays of my mother and my sister, going to be a busy day with all the training, work and birthday party. The day was right on schedule with the training. Did my swim session this morning and a nice easy run tonight. Tomorrow it is gym and long bike. As I'm working tomorrow I need to do my long bike in the afternoon, Jakkals will join me at 1pm and we will hit the road for 5h30. After that it will be a 30 minutes run before I can join the birthday celebrations.

Today's workouts
Swim: 1h14, 3km,
Easy Run: 40 minutes, 7.7km, 129bpm ave 5:14min/km