The Timmins Heart of Gold Triathlon. It was my first full triathlon and it was 3 years ago today. I was doing my workouts on my own time and coming up with them myself. I'd just bought a road bike and a race suit and was hardly in shape to do well, but I did it. I finished the hardest race I'd ever done and as awful as it felt, I was addicted.
I've done a few tris since then and although some might begin to consider me as experienced, I beg to differ. Today was just as hot as it was 3 years ago and no easier. Because of my injury I've been training so little that I just wasn't ready. To put it into perspective, this week was the first week in about a month that I've done the full required distance (20k bike and 5k run). I should mention that these distances were in workouts earlier in the week. Unfortunately, this reflected largely in the results. My swim seemed to have gone well. I think I came out of the water 2nd or 3rd (as an individual) in a time around 11 or 12 minutes. Pretty good for someone who has been swimming easy once a week for a month and a half. Now the bike. The bike felt decent and although I knew I wasn't going to have the strength for the hills and the wind I still did alright. My lead on the swim was enough to stay near the front on the bike, only being passed by 3 or 4 people the entire bike. I finished the bike in just over 40mins (course is about 21km) so I was happy with that as my goal was to sub 40mins for 20km. Now the run.... No ifs, ands, or buts about it, I was completely out of shape and not ready in any way for the run. The sun definitely made me feel like I was in hell, but I don't think it affected my horrible performance. I ran somewhere around 27mins for the run, putting me at a total time of 1 hour and 22mins which is the slowest race I've done to date. Slower even than my first ever triathlon which was 1 hour and 20mins. As disappointed and discourage as I am, I'm still hanging on by a thread and that thread is the knowledge that there was nothing I could have done to have a better race.
I'm supposed to be racing in Toronto next weekend for the Toronto Triathlon Festival and things aren't looking so good as far as my chances for qualifying for worlds. That being said, I've got to remember that my focus at the time of signing up for that race wasn't only to qualify, but to act as motivation for what's to come. I have a long, hard road ahead of me and it isn't going to be easy. Even as I sit here defeated, my focus hasn't changed since the past few months. It won't be about getting faster for Toronto next week, for Lakeside in September or even for any races within the next year, it's about coming back 100% healthy, and be fitter and stronger than ever. Sometimes life gets you down and no matter how hard you try, failure seems to be the only result, but in life, in all walks of life, there is only one group of people who succeed, and those are the ones who never give up.
Until next time,
Matt Mahaffy
No comments:
Post a Comment