Illness and new opportunities

Bit of an update on a few fronts, some good, some not unfortunately.

 

The first is that I have decided to bring a coach on board. The Stadium Tri Club High Performance Squad that I set up in September last year has grown quicker than I’d anticipated and as a result I haven’t had the time to plan my training as effectively as I would have liked. I met up with Andrew Budge from Trysport earlier this week to put together a program for me. For the non West Australians, Andrew has decades of experience coaching triathlon and also been my bike fitter since I got into the sport in 2005.

I’m generally excited about the future. The training will be slightly different and I’m looking forward to evolving as an athlete and learning more.

 

The return to training itself forms the second part of this update.

The gastro I had which forced me out of Cairns 70.3 has lead to continued illness. I have had two lots of antibiotics so far and although the virus is no longer present, I still am being affected. Blood tests have revealed a low white blood cell count. My GP has said I could be out for up to two months, but as it has been 4 weeks already, I'm hopeful of returning to training in the next week or two.

 

This is frustrating! I hate that I feel like I’m continually making excuses lately. I realise that being hit by a car and illness are out of my control, but that doesn't seem to matter when updating sponsors and supporters that a backing me. Missing a year between Busselton 70.3 2012 and 2013 was the motivation for a winter season – to give back to my sponsors and my supporters. But the reality is that my winter season is over.

The advice I’ve been given is to start from scratch once I’m healthy again. There is little point travelling up to the Philippines if I’m not at my best. So the plan now will be to focus on the Busselton Ironman in December.

Here's hoping for 6 months of uninterrupted training!

Mike

Out of Cairns 70.3

Made a tough decision to pull the pin on my race at Cairns 70.3 this weekend coming.

After Busso I got some good training in, working on my bike and swim. I saw some good improvements in the bike and predicted my FTP was between 350-375watts. I was going to do a FTP test 12 days out to confirm (my 1st FPT test since resuming using a power meter). I could only expect for small improvements with Cairns four weeks after Busso, so I was happy with what I was seeing.

Sunday the 26th I raced the HBF Run for a Reason, coming home in 31st place and 42.21 for the 12km. I wasn't expecting much after a solid week of training, it was a average day, but still good to get the hit out in me.

I pulled up very achy just hours afterward, which then turn into gastro that night. I spent the next week in bed. Not ideal, but the antibiotics finally got me healthy again.

I've had a couple of days back into training and the body is struggling with it. My quads felt like they did a 70.3 yesterday, sadly the reality was a 13km jog and a 30k bike ride. I was not going to be in shape by Sunday, it would be a very average day at best. So you ask yourself what will you get out of it?

Struggling around for a 4.20-4.40 isn't good for me or my sponsors.


I'll head over and support Ange through her race, get healthy and moving again and then be ready to train for 8 weeks into Philippines 70.3. Its frustrating, but this is a reminder to me. It won't come easy, even if you've been there before. I've got to work bloody hard for it!

Train safe and seeya soon.
Mike