The Current State of Play...........

It's Easter. No religious celebrations here, just chocolate and training and family on the agenda. It's also 4 weeks tomorrow til Ironman. This morning was supposed to be a 160km ride. I say supposed to be, in that, yep you guessed it, I'm still in bed. The 4 day weekend was supposed to roll like this:

• Friday
• Sleep-in
• River swim
• Core and stretch
• The kid comes home
• Saturday
• 160km ride
• Go with the kids to mum and dads
• Sunday
• 2:30 walk from mum and dads
• Golf day with dad
• Monday
• 100-120km ride
• River swim

hmmm, so far I got the sleep in sorted and then wanted to sleep all day. Dragged myself down to the river for a 4km to the bridge and back swim. It was high tide at 1.9metres and the water was still flowing in our favour. The top of the tide was timed for the return swim to make life a little easier. A wind had picked up and that too was in our favour for the first leg. I wasn't in the mood. But as a distraction to get me going I took my camera with me. So here I am ready to launch....

My 'I'm just not feeling it today' face

I took the shot then tucked the camera down my top nice and snug and stuck my head in the water. Immediately I spotted loads of little fish and we were off. Big Gazza to my left. We headed North along the straight and all the while I was aware that Gazza wasn't far behind me. Hmmmm is he swimming well or am I having a shocker. For the last few swims I have not been able to use my legs to kick so that I don't irritate my ITB and today my legs were asleep. I gave them a kick and immediately regretted it. Not the ITB but the lower back ouch!

I pulled up a couple of times and rolled into a ball to stretch the back out. Wetsuits make you super buoyant and can make my back curve too much so it's a temporary relief to tuck up and stretch. Not good to do during a race though as it takes time away. Mental note to Sammi, check when your next massage is. We reached the letter box. That's at approximately the 1km mark. Next photo op......

The Letterbox (2km swim turn around point)

The letter box is a communication tower of some sort. And its the turn around point most days giving us a 2km total. My back was really tight and so Gazza stuck his thumbs into the hollows of my lower back through the wetsuit while I pulled my legs up and down to release the muscles. It worked at releasing my back and almost drowning poor Gaz. I decided to continue on and so we made our way round a bend and now heading west and towards the bridges I used legs again to kick without too much pain.

We made it to the bridges and decided at this point to pull out. My back had twinged a little and we both weren't in the mood to be honest to fight the wind and tide all the way home. We stripped the top end of the wetsuits off and walked back along the road to the car. Pretty poor effort but I had in mind the tides would be right for another attempt on Monday.

So already the agenda was starting to fall apart...........

I spent the rest of the day doing a little gardening and chatting with the girls, setting my bike ready for Ironman and lazing about. Stretch and Core???? forgot. Wow we are off to a flying start.

Saturday (this) morning I was woken up by Gazza at 4 AM!!!! geez. I got up and assessed, yeah I feel ok. Got ready, dressed breakfast, I don't feel so good, brush teeth, put hair in pony tail, wow I feel like crap, got the drink bottles ready and went back to bed. Gazza left me to catch up with The Onion Man and probably do the 160kms while I lay in bed trying to get back to sleep with the coffee I had just downed making me buzzy. And so the internal fight starts. Now you're down a ride, get up when you wake up and get 100 done at least swap the 100 for the 160 do the 160 on Monday when you have all day to do it. Wow you are going to be so under cooked for I.M etc etc....

ok, let's blog it out!

My heart just isn't in it folks. Coach, Megzy, Baby Bear have all pulled out. Gazza pulled out but I hit the roof and made him stay in. (but that's another blog) and with all of the ITB issues, I just get the feeling this is not going to be a good race. And I know even having that thought in my head is setting me up for a bad race. This is crazy. I am beating myself up for missing a ride. I feel like I am getting a cold and maybe I should just have a day off and stop giving myself a hard time. But with 4 weeks left....

And then my sensible voice kicks in. Nothing is going to dramatically change in your training now. You wont get any fitter than what you are now. But you can get there stressed, drained, injured and sick if you do not watch your actions now. Take the day off, or take the dog for a walk.....be kind to yourself Sammi.

Maybe having one medal on the shelf is enough.........