Let's start again.......

12 months since my last update and it seems many people have misssed the ramblings of the Big Bearded Bloke. Amazing.

So let me bring you up to date-

'The Improbable Dream' is my personal journey to achieve a seemingly impossible dream;  According to doctors  I have poor lungs from too many years of smoking, I suffer from blocked airways due to a constant sinus affliction, and I naturally manufacture a low level of haemoglobin.This means I have a low level of oxygenation in my blood, a condition known as Mild Chronic Anaemia. Basically I run out of oxygen sooner and more often than most people.

According to the doctors this means I will always have low energy, I will become very tired completing simple daily tasks like housework and gardening, and I certainly wont be able to finish any endurance sporting events.

Hmmmm I have a different view. While obviously the thing about housework and gardening is true I refuse to let the condition stop me from completing endurance events. I know I wont be fast; in fact I will be very slow but I am determined to give it a go.My dream is simply to compete, and complete - regardless of how improbable it seems.

It’s a hard ask. Along with the oxygen issues, there's some other issues; I am not naturally strong nor am I naturally fast. And worse, I am not by nature overly competitve.

So I am never going to be up the front. Instead, I will live by the dictum 'compete and complete'.

This means  -

I will put the work in, I will work hard, I will train my body and my mind with determination and consistently, and I will thoroughly enjoy the whole thing by having a very positive mental approach and an upbeat attitude overall. Always.

It will be a challenging, difficult, fun, amazing and interesting journey. I can't wait. Bring on 2012.

The story of last year was not good. Although I had lots of goals I eventually achieved hardly any of them. I did manage to finish two half-marathons in slow times (bringing the total completed to 5) and I finished the100km Brisbane to the Gold Coast Bike Ride.

But many of the other goals went by the wayside for one reason or another.  At the last minute I pulled out of both the Bridge to Brisbane Fun Run and the Mt Cootha Fun Run after months of focused training, both times due to chest infections. It was frustrating. What a wooz I felt I was!

I also pulled out of the Bali Triathlon at the last minute because my swim wasn't strong enough and I pulled out of the Around the Bay bike ride to concentrate on my running (which then didn't work because of chest infections.) What a wooz!

Things had to change.

And they have. I've hired a personal trainer to help with my strength and my aerobic endurance ('Devil Woman'- I'll tell you about her later), joined a swimming club and  joined a local triathon club (Shark'sTri Club, Victoria Point; Go theSharks!!) I have set a number of goals for this year (see side bar) and I am really excited about the 2012 challenges. Training is underway.

Yep, The Improbably Dream is once again alive and well.

So is this blog. The journal is about what I have learnt and will learn along the way. I promise to write with as much honesty and insight as I can. I will talk about what I do but mainly speak about what I've learnt.  I hope its interesting.

There's a lot to do. In terms of ability the unfortunate truth us ;  I swim like a brick, ride like a clown and run like a girl. So I'd better stop typing and go train - the pool, the bike and my runners await.  Oh yeah! LET'S GO!

More later, journey on.....

James

The next page in the travel journal

I turned 53 last week. Its always the same - For me, birthdays trigger a period of self reflection and assessment.... you know, all the usual stuff - who am I? is this the life I want? am I 'living' or merely existing? Am I living a valuable life? Am I really enjoying my life?

I would probably prefer to avoid such deep introspection but after so many birthdays I know it is instinctive and there is no hope of stopping it.

This year I realised The Improbable Dream was adding a wonderful and fulfilling dimension to my life. It is rewarding and satisfying on a daily, weekly and an annual basis.

Yes, there are many days when I am dissappointed with my effort and my progress but overall, the realisation of the Dream provides me with a strong base of fulfilment and self respect. On a regular basis I am able to pat myself on the back, and say 'Well Done' - be it completing a stronger training session than previously or just overcoming my internal laziness and going out to train or pushing myself hard into the really uncomfortable anaerobic zone. Sometimes its just taking the time to reflect on a training session and looking for the lessons to learn. Whatever, there are many many times when I can, and do congratulate myself.

To continue my non-stop use of cliches from last year life is a journey. Its a series of little steps; a collection of individual harmonic notes in the 'opus' of our lives. Each step, each major note should be celebrated and enjoyed. Each one should be recognised as another beautiful step in the 'rich tapestry called life'

It took me a while to realise this. In the two months since my last post I have had some serious doubts as to whether or not I can achieve the Improbable Dream - am I too old? will I ever be fit enough? When am I going to be able to call myself 'fit'? Is it all worth it?

Eventually I realised the answers don't matter.

What matters is I enjoy 'being' an emerging distance athlete.  I enjoy how it feels, I enjoy the challenge it presents to my mind and my body, and I enjoy thinking about my various achievements.

So I am back on track and ready to get into this year's journeys. Soon I will write about my challenges for this year. One thing is for sure - They are challenging and 'improbable'.

But over-riding everything this year will be my attitude. This year I will REALLY celebrate my efforts, my successes and my failures. I will remember to really LIVE LIFE, to love the journey, to enjoy the various parts of my personal symphony.

So its a new year. Happy Birthday to my self and my dream. This year I will live large, train hard, achieve much...oh, and only drink GOOD coffee.

It's time to write the next page of the journey. As the cliche's say 'Bring it ooonnnnn!

More later, journey on....

James




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Sunday is my fun day

            
           "Sunday is my fun day, my 'I dont have to run' day..."

For me, the lyrics from the Bangles 1980 pop hit are only partially right-  Sunday is my fun day but that's because it is my run day. I look forward to Sunday every week - It's my day for either completing events or for doing a 'long' run or ride. Its my fun day.

I love the 'long' sessions. Yes, the weekday training sessions are good for improving my fitness and are tiring and satisfying, but its the Sunday long sessions that are fun. It's the day I find out how my endurance fitness is progressing and it's the day I'm reminded of how much I love going long.

2010 will be remembered as the year I also discovered I actually like doing 'events' on Sundays. I used to think the fun was in the training, and the events were just there to establish a fitness level. But not so. I like 'doing' events  - the anticipation, the preperation, the early morning starts in the dark, the social aspects of waiting at the start and during the event itself, the great feeling of finishing, and the after-glow of the following week and sometimes months. I've done quite a few events this year, and I've enjoyed all of them. Each one is a strong memory in my mind.

True, I've been dissappointed after each one - happy to have completed the challenge, dissappointed I wasn't competitive. Its now time to build a training plan that will make me competitive in 2011. This seems like a natural progression for the 'Improbable Dream' journey and its getting me excited. I'll tell you more later (when I work it out!!)

The last two Sundays have been 'event' days - the last for the year. A fortnight ago I rode the 'Brisbane to the Gold Coast' challenge. Despite a headwind, I rode strongly. I was happy with my riding technique- I used a high cadence, was strong up the hills, and needed only a few 'rests'. I wanted to be faster but was happy I felt strong the whole way.  Did the 100kms non stop in under four hours, an average of over 25kph which was good considering the headwind. I also haven't done much riding since Melbourne so I was happy with the results. I'm sure I will do better in my riding events next year.

Last Sunday I ran the 'Movember Mousdash' 10.5km Mt Coot-tha Challenge. I still can't run strongly up hills so I fast hiked up the hill and ran most of the rest. Finished in 1hr 16minutes which isn't too bad considering I did the 10km Bridge to Brisbane in 1hr 4min earlier in the year. Lots of people did it much faster - including people in my own age - but again  I learnt a lot, and I'm sure I will do better next year. Funny thing - I hiked past a lot of people who were supposedly 'running'. Bet they weren't happy! The other pleasing thing is the photos of the event show me running with good form - a lot different from the early  2010 photos.

For both events my average heart rate was in the 120-130 range, indicating my 'long' fitness is getting better.

These last two events have reinforced what I started to learn earlier in the year. They taught me how to compete, and they will help me to do better next time. I learnt there's a right mental attitude to approaching an event, to selecting the right pace during the event, to understanding how to address motivation, and in how to deal with the dissappointment of not doing as strong as expected. I haven't learnt how to do this, just what I need to do.

Soon, I will work out my events for next year, then train specifically for them. I will look forward to each event, and make sure I am prepared. I will look forward to my 'fun' event days in 2011.

And in the meantime, over the summer, I will enjoy my Sunday training days, my long days, my weekly 'fun days'. Yep, my 'I want to run day'.

More later, journey on

James

Back in the Saddle

The  'Brisbane to the Gold Coast' Bike Ride is on tomorrow morning. Originally scheduled for the weekend before Around the Bay, it was postponed due to terrible weather. (see my blog http://improbabledream.blogspot.com/2010/10/countdown-to-melbournes-210km-bike-ride.html )

Now re-scheduled for tomorrow, it will be only the second time I've been on a bike since The Bay. Hmmm could be a problem! When I got back from Melbourne I rested for a couple of days then started run training in preperation for the Mousdash 10km Fun Run up Mt Coot-tha next Sunday. I've been training reasonably hard with quite a few interval sessions, a few long runs (including one run up Mt Coot-tha last Sunday and a run up Anzac Hill in Alice Springs yesterday) so my overall fitness should be OK but I must be seriously short of cycle fitness.

Only one thing to do. No point in worrying or regretting , I'll  just go for a cruisy cycle down the south Queensland coast and enjoy the experience of a beautiful Sunday morning with lots of like-minded fellow madmen and women. If I feel strong, I'll have a crack and if not, I'll take it easy.

I've done this ride before and I know the ride is well organised and the scenery sensational. The vibe from the other riders is good, there's always a nice feeling of fellowship and community in the air and it seems everyone is determined to get into what is a very special ride.

I'm going to do the same.

 At the moment, the weather is 'brilliant queensland spring sunshine' and everything points to a great day- good weather, scenery, organisation, company and most of all, a good attitude from me.

Actually, I think I'll go the whole hog - I will make the ride a 'smile every mile' day..... I'll 'Live Life, Laugh, Be Happy', I'll connect with others and  most of all, I'll enjoy the journey. Another day, another great experience in my journey to achieve The Improbable Dream.

Gonna be a heap of fun! Cant wait...

More late, journey on

James




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A review of my 'Around the Bay' adventure

Two weeks since Around the Bay In A Day (ATBIAD) so I'd better get the day documented. I need to move on to the next part of the journey but its important to record this milestone.

So here the bottom line- ATBIAD was interesting and challenging, part scary, part embarrassing, lots of fun, and full of lessons to learn. The weather for most if it was 'poor' at best, with rain, cold and headwinds; sometimes all three at once. There was also a lot of riders involved, with large pelotons often going past at quite surprising speeds.

So the event was a lot different from what I've been used to - It was uncomfortable, challenging and at times scary but I enjoyed it, and learnt from it.

Here's what happened (Its long! sorry.) -

I met Dr BiL before 0500 at Port Melbourne and we took off at a fast pace in the cold and the dark to our starting point. Already my heart rate was up from the speed and the excitement, and I was concerned I would blow myself out too early. I knew I could easily handle the 100ks or so of the first half so I wasn't overly concerned, just anxious about the long day ahead.

The fast, fun pace continuued as we joined up with other riders, and we rode through the dark, around Brighton, Beaumaris and the other beach suburbs. Not much talking, just a good fast ride as sun came up on a cold Sunday in Melbourne.

Just after Beaumaris the first big peloton of about 30 riders went past. Dressed as they were in smart BMW uniforms it was like being passed by a very British cavalry regiment from the 1800s. Impressive, structured, uniformed, intimidating, I was just glad they didn't have lances.

Through Frankston at sunrise and all going well, our group of 4 riding strongly. We stopped at a red light just near the Frankston Pub and the change in leg position gave me a strangling cramp in my left quad. Bugger - end of the group of 4.

A little while later I caught up and passed the other three enjoying a short break halfway up a hill. I didn't want to stop halfway up a hill so I yelled out 'see you at the top' and kept going, only to find the top was the first in a series of rolling hills.

Through Mornington I continued on my own, at my normal pace confident the others would catch me in no time. It actually took them a while to catch up and it was good to be back riding on my own, at my usual pace without the  distraction of others. I realised as I rode that I can't change my nature- I actually love being on my own, and facing my own challenges. I had enjoy the fast ride over the last couple of hours however, and I realised I needed to learn to ride with others- if for no other reason than it will make me faster. OK, so one lesson well learnt- join a cycling club near my home and learn to ride in a group. Will do.

From Mornington to the scheduled ferry crossing at Sorrento I faced a series of challenges, and frankly, I stuffed up. Dr BiL let the others go on ahead and he stayed with me to provide assistance, support and company. I was embarrassed at first to have him with me as I stumbled and fumbled but eventually I realised he was genuine when he said he was happy to ride with me. I also realised my previous cycling experience with others had coloured my view, and made me think I was a burden. Dr BiL didn't see it that way, and I benefited from his fellowship and company - in many ways.

The challenges weren't too hard, just annoying - A flat tyre (which BiL fixed) and some ongoing trouble with my shoe clips casused by mud I'd picked  up when changing the tyre. I also fell over at very slow speed in a rest stop when I was distracted, which was naturally very embarrassing! Poor Dr BiL.

The rest of the day was mainly smooth sailing. BiL and I rode together for some of the way and in  procession for most of the day- me behind, naturally. We faced the challenges of wind, rain, cold and rolling hills together. In the afternoon we got a tail wind and enjoyed a flat fast ride from Geelong back to Melboune, although we also had to find our way back on course after I got us lost for a short while. Poor Dr Bil.

We also stopped for a much needed hot coffee in Geelong that pepped us both up, me in particular; a good memory that will stay with me.

Riding over the Westgate Bridge into Melbourne was a blast, and an experience I will treasure. The view was awesome going up, and the downhill was super fast. What a hoot.

The ride through Melbourne was slow and annoying, stopping at a dozen or so traffic lights. Lots of riders, not much talking but plenty of camaradarie.

Coming down the finishing shute was exciting as everyone clapped and yelled. We looked, but didn't see our wives but when they found us in the finishing yard, they were more excited than us. Nice.

And as you can imagine, the dinner that night was very satisfying, and well deserved.I think we all felt quite close.

Another good day on my journey to become an endurance athlete. A long way to go, but a start.

And a great wayto get to know my Brother in Law. Thanks Dr BiL.

More later, journey on
James





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The BEST way to start the day

Have you ever noticed it's hard to have a bad day when you start with a damn good exercise session? For me there is nothing quite as good as an early morning bike ride, or an early run. Its an amazing way to start the day, its a spectacular way to see the world. and its fantastic for the soul.

No matter where I am I love the idea of seeing the sun come up while giving the body a bit of a flogging. Last week I ran around the small country town of Tara in Central Queensland on a foggy morning after rain, along the McIntrye river on the border town of Goondiwindi and through the outback town of Longreach. Good for the soul, good for getting the day under way.

After a week of travel, it was also nice to get in a really nice early run around my home town on Moreton Bay on a gorgeous spring Saturday morning. It was great. Good for the soul. Good way to start the day.

As my old mate used to say 'Wouldn't be dead for quids'. A funny saying that comes to mind whenever I get in a good, hard early exercise. It ALWAYS makes me feel great.

So my suggestion to anyone reading this....., I reckon  it really is worth it,  get out of bed and give it a go!

Enough lecturing......

More later, journey on
James




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Around the Bay in A Day - Success or Failure?

The mind is a strange thing. Its taken me over a week to figure out how I feel about completing 'The Bay' and I'm still not sure I know.

On one hand I feel very disapppointed with myself. I had vision of setting a cracking pace over the whole course, and triumphantly crossing the finish line feeling like a true endurance athlete. Instead I completed the course at a slow 22kph with a couple of rest stops along the way.

I also wanted to show my family how strong I am now. This didn't happen - it seems I'm not strong yet and there is still a lot to do before I can claim to be either strong, or an endurance athlete.

On the other hand, I feel quite pleased to have finished the 210kms - my longest ride to date. I'm also pleased I did it with an endurance mindset of being persistant, patient and within my plan. I finished the day with a lot of energy, and I was nowhere near exhausted which I guess means I could have gone harder and finished with a faster average. My average heart rate for the day was 122bpm so I rode it well within my target aerobic zone.

I'm pleased about the great memories of the day, and of the pleasure of riding with Dr BiL. I found out he is patient, helpful, genuine and good company. I also disovered he is one hell of a cyclist, with the aerobic ability to maintain a high cadence for hours on end.

I learnt to ride in cold, wet and windy conditions. The wind gusts from the side were hairy, the head winds were tough, and the cold stinging rain was uncomfortable and a little scary at times. But I survived and I now have the pleasure of knowing the ride was not easy.

I enjoyed the experience of hundreds of riders getting on and off a ferry, and the joy of a chicken and salad sandwich after a few hours of hard exercise. I enjoyed the views of historic Queenscliff, the quick ride from Geelong to Little River, the awesome views and fast descent of the Westgate Bridge and the frustrating stop/start of the ride into Melbourne through endless red traffic lights.

Lastly, I enjoyed the congratulations and the fun of sharing the result with all my friends.

So the mind is a funny thing. Should I feel dissappointed I didn't live up to a vague dream, or just enjoy the pleasure of reality?

Obviously the later, especially when #10 of my Training Philosophy (see Sidebar of this blog) is to always focus on my own efforts, and not compete with what others think or do.

But the mind is a strange thing, and my mind seems to be able to find creative ways to dissappoint myself.

That, in itself, is an important lesson from the day.

More later, journey on
James


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Brothers-In-Arms...er....Legs

(Written Sunday 10th October 10- I'm still catching up on my blogging.....)


Doctor B.i.L - my Brother in Law - rang the other night with the final arrangements for ‘Around the Bay in a Day’.

It’s unusual for BiL to ring. We’ve been related by marriage for over 25 years yet a phone call to each other is rare. And to spend a whole day together is unheard of. We’ve lived in different parts of the country, had busy careers, he’s had a family to raise, and I’ve had beer to drink/ bad habits to develop. Different lives, different interests.

With his family he has visited my wife and I many times yet we’ve never really done anything together, just the two of us.

This journey, The Improbable Dream, is changing so much in my life. Months ago BiL heard of my long term dream to ride ‘The Bay’ and when he realised I’d been doing some serious training he signed us up. He then set about organising everything involved in the day, including the odd phone calls and email to keep me informed. He also occasionally checked to make sure I was on track with my training.

His efforts were both a very pleasant surprise and a delightful thing to do. I am staggered by his generous spirit. And I am so very pleased the journey is bringing us together. I’m looking forward to our day cycling together.

I think of it as ‘Brothers in Arms…er..Legs’.

I’ve got a problem though. He has organised for us to ride ‘The Bay’ with some friends of his in a standard cycling group formation. I've never ridden like this – all of my riding is solo, with no attempt EVER to slice though the wind/ share the load, peloton style. To now start riding in a group of experienced riders sounds daunting.

Bil also says they are planning on riding at a faster average than I’ve trained.

It seems I will have to learn fast group riding on the actual ride. If I had been thinking better, I would have joined the local cycling club and learnt how to group ride over the last few months. Too late now. I don’t want to let BiL down so I will just have to accept the challenge and do what has to be done.

That’s the thing with this journey. It has a constant stream of surprising twists and turns. It’s challenging but fun.

It also brings me into to contact with great people who are prepared to help me achieve my dream. And it constantly takes me out of my comfort zone.

It seems that once you set a goal and start working determinedly towards it, things happen, people join the journey, and the challenge takes on a much greater dynamic than originally expected. It becomes more fun, and more personally satisfying than originally imagined.

What a great lesson – It’s an Improbable Dream, but it is also a fascinating journey. Having the Dream, and making it come to life, makes for a better life.

More later, journey on
James




Word Count - 508

2nd Goal for the year achieved

Finished Around the Bay in A Day.
Will update the blog in the next few days - Sleep and rest first :-)

More later, journey on

James



Word count - 20

Countdown to Melbourne's 210km Bike Ride

Spent the day alternating between the lounge and TV, and short sessions on the spin bike. Late this afternoon, ran an easy 2.5ks over hills.

Between now and next Sunday, my plan is to exhaust my legs and lungs early in the week, then rest easy from mid week until the ride on Sunday. I'll have an easy ride on Friday to check the bike but apart from that, the legs 'get a few days off'

I know I haven't done enough, but its time to accept what's happened and get ready for this long-dreamed-about adventure.

The bike gets packed-up tomorrow ready for Wednesday's flight so its spin bike, weights and running from tomorrow until Friday.

More later, journey on
James




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So much for 'The Plan'....

'The gods laugh when you make plans'. This ancient saying seems very real this morning as I sit here inside my comfortably warm and dry lounge room with a freshly brewed coffee.

Far more comfortable than the planned event of a 100km bike ride. The annual 'Brisbane to the Gold Coast Bike Challenge' scheduled for today was cancelled late yesterday due to 'severe weather conditions' forecast for the Queensland coast.

This is good in one sense (in addition obviously to the unplanned hot coffee opportunity). The weather conditions this morning are terrible- its been raining for days so the roads are flooded, everything is soaking wet making it very slippery underfoot and the wind gusts are strong and inconsistent. It's uncomfortable and dangerous weather for riding a road bike. I wasn't keen on taking any chances with either my health or the bike with only one week to go to Melbourne so I was secretly pleased when it was called off.

But its one more hiccup in the plan for preparing for my longest ride to date. The Gold Coast ride was supposed to be the last big hit out before Melbourne giving me a chance to ride in a large group, over a longish distance, at a fast pace. No joy!

This is just one more roadblock, which feels like the story of the last few months. It's been the wettest few weeks for years so there has been a lot of weekends when road rides have been called off. It's been hard to get long hours on the road.

The plan has been off almost from the start. My overall strategy was to get aerobically fit by training and competing in half -marathons. No problems, done. I then expected to get 'bike-fit' by participating in the 10 day Queensland 'Big Bike Ride' but I had to call this off due to my wife's foot operation. There was also a long period when I lost my motivation and didn't train for ages.

So the preperation has not been as good as I'd have liked. I've put plenty of hours in on the spin bike and the weight gym since getting my mojo back, and I've ridden whenever I can, including some great rides in the country. I'm reasonably confident I'll be OK. Not as fit as I'd expected, but still should be OK.

So much for the great 'plan' though. This journey seems to be as much about adapting to what's presented, staying motivated and being mentally strong, as it is about planning and logistics.

Planning? Who's that laughing?

Oh well, might have another coffee.

More later, journey on.....

James




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Love my food - and my fuel.

There's only two weeks to the big bike ride.

I obviously dont want to carrying any unnecessary kilos with me so becoming 'leaner' has been a focus for the last few weeks. And the ride will present me with an anticipated 9 hours of hard aerobics so I'm going to use a lot of energy. I'm going to need food- and a fair bit of it.

It's complicated - I need to lose weight before the ride and then eat lots during the ride. Hmmmm.

The organisers will provide some food on the day and obviously I can take some with me. But there's a limit to how much I can carry and there's a limit to how much I can eat quickly at any one time without making myself sick.

So what to do? The answer is to prepare my body to efficiently process good carbohydrates. I need to eat healthy to lose weight, I need to make sure my body is fully 'fueled' before the race (some people call this carbo-loading), and I need to make sure its able to handle sufficient 'fuel replacement' on the day.

So I'm working hard at my pre-ride daily 'fuel'. I like my food, and lots of it, so in the past this has been an issue for me. But now I've found the secret to great tasting food that's also good 'fuel'. - It loses weight, I can eat as much as I want, its very filling and very tasty, and it provides energy that's like a great big kick in the pants....

Eat raw and small, eat often. I now choose small servings of raw or unprocessed food (i.e. no more than two steps from its natural state) and eat every two hours. This includes staying away from (as much as possible) ALL things processed, including breads, snacks, soft drinks...and alcohol! I haven't given them up completely, just staying away as much as I can.

Here's what I've been eating. I've lost inches around my waist, look better and feel fantastic. And I'm not hungry. Its also incredibly delicous - really!!

Breakfast - Small bowl of bircher muesli with additional serving of mixed seeds and a handful of cranberries , mixed wtih natural yoghurt. (Absolute awesome energy and taste!!)

Morning Tea - VitaWheats with vegemite (I'm an Aussie Kid)

Lunch - 2 wholegrain wraps with fresh salads and occassionally some protein eg can of tuna. (Another HUGE kick, and lots of sensational tastes)

Afternoon Tea - Large bowl of prunes with yoghurt or more vitawheats
(get me..er....'going')

Dinner - piece of protein (eg chicken, fish, meat - grilled) plus either a large salad or veges (boiled or roaasted).

Throughout the day (every 60-90 minutes) I have a piece of fruit (most likely a Pink Lady apple - love 'em!!!) and whenever I feel like it I have my own personal piece of naughtiness- plunger coffee with milk and sugar, or a cappaccino. I also drink water constantly throughout the day.

Its an amazing eating plan - The weight drops off, the energy levels are unbelievable, and I know I am preparing my body for the ride. I can feel it getting used to using good carbs for daily energy, and I can feel it getting rid of any crap that might still be there.

The good news is its easy to do when I'm travelling, it's eco-friendly (I choose what's in season), and its adaptable - I choose ingredients I feel like eating.

Soon I will start planning my fuel for the actual ride. In the meantime, via this smart food plan, I'll continue to prepare my body for the adventure ahead.

Gee it feels good!

More later, journey on....

James



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Getting there.....

Only three weekends to 'Around the Bay in a Day' so my training and thinking is lazer-focused on the requirements of bike riding- getting fitter and faster, going longer and getting leaner.

After a good week of mainly twice-a-day exercise sessions - including a massive weight session on Friday morning that left me a shattered mess! - this weekend has been all bike riding.

It rained yesterday so I did two very hard 60 minute spin sessions on the indoor bike. Cranked out a pleasing and challenging 60kms over the two hours with a lowish average heart rate of 126.

Today I did an easy 100km early morning ride over the usual rolling hill course for an OK average of 23.3kph. Didn't kill myself, just enjoyed a long-ish ride. Finished it off by acting like a 'real' bike rider, and had a 'life saving' coffee at a coffee shop on the coast. (see photo- my favorite 'local'... Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island in the background )

As I write this, my legs are sore but I feel fine. I think I'll should be right for the big ride, although I am nervous.

More later, journey on....

James



Word count - 192

Staying focused with three weeks to go

With my motivation back in place and with only three weeks to go until we leave for Melbourne and the 'Around the Bay in Day' bike ride, my training is back on in earnest.

Last week I had some great rides around Goondiwindi and Tara during the week (flat, fast, long country roads) and backed it up with some really nice afternoon runs. This is a nice photo I took whilst running along the McIntyre River at Goondiwindi at sunset. Scenes such as this one make it easy to get outside and exercise.

I finished the week with a very pleasing 120km bike ride on Sunday morning- I finished strongly and pulled up well, so I was happy. Finished the rolling hill course without stopping at an average of 24kph. A good 4.5 hour workout.

I'm certainly getting fitter but I'm still finding it hard to self-coach. I'm sure I've wasted some time due to some bad decisions. Still, a key part of this journey is learning and self discovery, so its a fair trade off.

Speaking of self-coaching, I recently read that its important to make sure every training session has a clearly defined outcome. I agree, but actually think I need more than this - I need every day to be specifically targeted to a defined outcome.

With that in mind, I have developed four broad outcomes for what I'm currently trying to achieve and I keep them in mind throughout the day, and during exercise. Each outcomes has a specific goals attached to it. But rather than go through each specific goal consistently, I just constantly remember and repeat -

Fitter
Faster
Longer
Leaner

Each word has a specific outcome and specific goals. Each word means something to me, and what I am trying to achieve. Its a great way for me to stay focused - both during the day, and during exercise.

More later, journey on

James



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Motivation, Inspiration and Perspiration

I haven’t written a post for a while. A disappointing result in both my 3rd Half Marathon and the 10km Bridge to Brisbane left me de-motivated and thinking the whole thing was a waste of time. I ran 62:10 in the Bridge to Brissie which was actually quite an improvement on last year (74minutes) but it was less than my target and I was very unhappy with my effort. I felt like I failed and when I then had to cancel The Big Ride due to my wife’s foot operation, I lost interest in trying to be a distance athlete. So I spent a few weeks exercising only occasionally, eating way too much and drinking bucket loads of alcohol-which reminds me, thanks to everyone who helped me with a most enjoyable ‘lager frenzy’....... Deb’s effort in Charleville stands out.

The problem was that although the diversion was fun, I knew I was committed to riding the 210km Around the Bay in a Day cycle challenge in October with my Brother-in-Law (Doctor Bil) and the day of truth was fast approaching. This long ride was always going to be a huge stretch for me, and I knew I was facing severe embarrassment.

So I sat down and worked out where I was at with The Improbable Dream. I realised I really wanted to be an endurance athlete, I wanted to complete the ride in a reasonable time, I liked the feeling of being fitter than before, and I enjoyed the hours spent training. I realised I was prepared to do what was necessary.

Yep, I re-discovered my motivation.

And I realised, once again, that motivation comes from within. Other don’t motivate us, we motivate ourselves. Motivation speakers etc help us articulate our inner, perhaps undiscovered, reasons for wanting to achieve goals but at the end, they are still our own thoughts and desires. Others can’t motivate us, we do it ourselves.

Other people can inspire us though. And since finding my motivation, I’ve been inspired too. I had a great chat with David, a fabulous bloke who recently rode from the Coast to the Outback and was then generous enough to tell me about his preparation and the actual ride. And it was inspiring to hear firsthand from some-one who had already faced the challenge of a long distance ride. I’m looking forward to going for a training ride with him when I’m next back his way.

I was also inspired during a great coffee with ‘The Savage One’- a sweet-looking but no doubt sadistic personal trainer who would surely take great delight in watching me sweat in pain if I gave her a chance. Instead we had a coffee. Her interest in what I am trying to do and her many insightful questions made me remember how many aspects there are to this journey. And it inspired me to go deeper into my understanding of what’s possible.

With my motivation in place, and feeling inspired by these recent conversations I bought an indoor trainer to help me get my bike fitness to the required level. Who needs The Savage One when I have my own torture rack. End result- Perspiration. Lots of it!

So there it is; Motivation, Inspiration and Perspiration. I love it all but especially, I love being inspired. Thanks to all who inspire me!

More later, journey on
James




Word Count - 564

Affirmations for August - My FAST Month

'You create your own life'.
'create' is a verb.You have to actively do something in order to get the life you want.'

This comes from Brett, the author of the blog 'Zen and the Art of Triathlon' and I think its a great quote' . So with this powerful thought in mind, here is what I will do in August to 'create' my life.

Firstly the goals -

1. Next weekend, I will participate in my 3rd Half Marathon in 4 weeks. My goal is to achieve 2hrs 15mins again- and beat it if possible.

2. 4 weeks after that, I will attempt to run the 10km Bridge to Brisbane in 55 minutes (this time is a HUGE stretch but I will see what I can do)

3. The following two weeks will see me ride the Queensland Big Bike Ride from Yeppoon to Bundaberg (a 9 day ride- should be fun!)

4. In October (5 weeks after that) it is the 210km Around the Bay in a Day in Melbourne.

It's a very challenging program (Improbable?) and I need to get a LOT fitter, and in a hurry.

Its actually quite scary and I am not sure I can do it. I've always been slow and these goals are all about being fast.

I am going to work really hard to achieve them, to bring me closer to achieving my Improbable Dream.

I am creating my own life - but only if I get off my bum and do something.

So here's my Affirmations for August....

'August is my FAST month. Its the month I will get a lot faster in my running and my riding. I will do this by hard aerobic training, and by improving my technique.

I will focus on two things only -

1. Complete the Bridge to Brisbane in 50 minutes
2. Be riding at an average of +28kph by the time I start the Big Bike Ride.

This month I am improving my speed fitness and my technique. I push myself hard at each training session.

I commit to completing the interval training sessions without whimping out.

I am improving my running and pedalling technique, my riding position and my gearing selection.

Each workout is focused on getting faster for longer by getting both fitter and smarter.

Every day I push myself harder for longer, and I improve my running and riding technique.

I will CREATE my own outcomes.

And when I get this right, in September I will develop my long rides in preperation for the next stage of my dream.

I will celebrate my result in the Bridge To Brisbane.'

If you want to leave me a comment you can do so below....

More later, journey on.....
James




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A Head Full of Snot

I feel terrible today and it's making me anxious. Actually its p#issing me off! I want to go hard but my body is insisting I rest. Dont you hate that!!!

I spent a large part of this week in Goondiwindi and Toowoomba, and as usual when I visit my the old stomping ground of the Darling Downs - especially during ploughing and sowing time - I end up with a head full of sinus. And it makes me feel like crap. Worse - I get anxious because I cant exercise. I dont have time to be sick. Coming soon I've got the Bridge to Brisbane 10km fast run and the Around the Bay in a Day 210km Bike Ride. There's no time to waste.

Since arriving home I've tried to clear my head by exercising hard. I figured the best thing to do was to try to blast it out of my head with some hard aerobics. Over two days I ran a fast-ish 5ks, did a hard 30min spin on a stationary bike, and then fast-hiked up Mt Coot-tha to the lookout.

Instead of fixing it I seem to have made it worse. It feels strange- my body is fresh and ready to go but my head is cloggy, achey and I'm quite dopey. I hate having sinus... and I should know 'cause I've had it regularly throughout my whole life.

There's no choice - take the day off, take some anti-histamines and stop whinging. And get ready to go hard from tomorrow. It's time to be positive - I will regard today as a rest day in my personal 'Improbable' journey. And try to enjoy it.

So where are the tissues. And the TV Remote! :-)

More later, journey on.....
James



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Jetty to Jetty 1/2 Fun Run - my second ever 1/2 marathon

I didn’t have a lot of expectations for my 2nd go at a ½ Marathon. After I pulled up quite well from the Gold Coast event two weeks ago, I made the late decision to enter the Jetty to Jetty 25th Anniversary ½ Marathon. But as I say, without any great expectations – just go along, build on the confidence I took from the Gold Coast, have fun and see what happened.

In the back of my mind I did hope to beat my previous time but it wasn’t critical- more of a training run than an attempt to prove anything to myself.

I finished the run in almost the exact time – 2 hours 15 minutes 9 seconds (6 seconds faster) but two good things – I stopped for a pi%s stop that took about 2 minutes and the course was a LOT hillier. So overall I feel like I did better than last time. I also achieved my goal of – having fun (heaps!!), improve my confidence (yep- see above), and go with the flow.

The whole thing was good. It was a glorious pre-dawn drive to the north side of Brisbane, and to then get ready for the run as the sun came up over Moreton Bay was just special, a rare thrill. The run itself - as the name suggests – is a run along the coast, out and back to a jetty, through a Sunday market, along the beachfront, up and over hills, around the North Moreton Bay coast.

The best bit was I ran the last 2ks with a girl from the organising runners club and she encouraged me to run hard to the line ‘Knees up, pump your arms, push hard, go James go!” It was great fun, I felt like a runner (although tired) and I learnt how to push to the end. Thanks heaps to that nice girl.

The rest of the run was like a training run- just as I’d hoped. I found a pace runner for 2:15, quickly settled into a good rhythm, and joined a good chat with a bunch of other 2:15 runners. The chat lasted for 15ks before we spread out and got home on our own time.

So... a really good chat, a beautiful early morning coastal course, lots of laughs, a comfortable running pace and a great result. That’s a good way to spend a Sunday morning - No expectations, good exercise, lots of fun, and a huge feel-good factor afterwards.

More later, journey on.......
James





Word Count - 406

Gold Coast 1/2 Marathon 2010

So there I was..... Southport Queensland, a winter's Sunday morning, slightly chilly at 06.30am, standing nervously at the back of the pack, bouncing with excitement.

It was an amazing sight to be on a small hill in the middle of the Gold Coast highway just on sunrise looking at a writhing snake of humanity determinately making its way through the starting gate of the 2010 Gold Coast Half Marathon.

9000 runners taking up both sides of the highway, crowned with morning sun, all heading in the same direction, all pulling me forward. What an inspiration.

It was my first distance event and surprisingly I felt quite relaxed. I knew I had put in the training (although not enough- never enough), I knew I was determined to finish, and that ‘my time was now'. So I made a commitment to not waste this opportunity, to put in a big effort, to run hard, and most of all, to have fun!!

My goal time was 2hrs 30min so when I found the pace runner for 2:20 I decided to run with him for a while. I figured I'd stay with him until I got tired. But in the excitement of the event, with everyone around me trying so hard, I just didn’t stop running. I ran and I ran. I couldn’t believe it – I’ve never run so far before. What a buzz. What fun.

Suddenly there was only 3 kms to go and I was ahead of the pace runner. I realised I had a great chance to record an incredible time. Everything changed in my head. It put a smile on my face; as you can see in the photos, I was having a ball. I picked up the pace and ran hard to the end. I entered the chute, the crowds were cheering and clapping, I got another burst of energy and I sprinted to the finish.

2 hours 15 minutes 19 seconds. 15 minutes under my target. Wow!!!!!

And there it was –in a click of a timing machine I was a half-marathoner! I smiled with satisfaction. A great feeling. As I always say to myself - The discomfort of the run is temporary, the result is permanent. Damn right.

There were lots of fun things along the way. Towards the end I saw a sign held up by a random supporter that read ‘Your feet hurt cause you’re kicking butt’. ;-) Thank you to that person. Nice.

I saw an overweight guy jogging slowly, wearing a black t-shirt that read ‘I am NOT a virgin’. What the??? Funny!

I followed a girl for a while who was wearing the three layer of clothes; you know the bra, singlet, t-shirt look. I was thinking; ‘Gawd I’m glad I’m not female and have to wear all those clothes to stop things bouncing.’ When we hit a turnaround point I saw she was amazingly flat-chested. ‘Ooops’ I thought, ‘maybe it should be me wearing all the clothes, get my man boobs under control, stop the big buggers from bouncing.’ It was funny in my head at the time. :-)

I ran for a while with a bunch of ladies from the Hamilton Running Club from New Zealand, which was really nice - It reminded me of the great support I get from Chrissie in Hamilton and our other friends in NZ.

In the second half of the run I listened to my I-pod to the music from my 50th birthday. Thanks Therese.

The last thing I should mention is how well I did with my nutrition. Two hours before the start, at 0400 I had two pieces of fruit, a cup of coffee and a Growling Dog energy bar, and I drank 600mls of water. Along the way I grabbed cups of water from the aid stations, and then, at the turnaround point I had an energy gel. This was a great idea as it gave me a heap of energy and I’m sure it was what gave me the energy to finish with a burst. A smart thing to do.

So it was lots of fun, I learnt a lots of lesson and in the end I gained a lot of satisfaction. Best of all, for the rest of my life, I can now say I’m a half-marathoner.

I recommend it to everyone.

More later, journey on
James




Word Count - 748

First goal for the year successfully completed

Today I finished my first true distance event and I'm proud to say.. I nailed it! I can now say, for the rest of my life that I am a half-marathoner. In my first event I ran the whole way, I beat my 'hoped for' time by 15 minutes and my 'expected' time by 25 minutes. It's awesome to be able to say I ran the whole way... I really am a half-marathoner now.

I ran the 21kms in 2:15:19, a LOT faster than my 'hope for' time of 2 hours 30 (see blog 8th June)and I am beside myself with excitement. I am soooo pumped.

It's an amazing feeling to train for so long and with a heap of determination and consistency, to set - and also state- a very specific goal, to put myself out there via this blog, to have a go and then, to nail it!!

It feels great. I started this journey asking 'Can a fat and unfit 50 y.o. - with a poor lifestyle and no sporting ability - turn himself into a Distance Athlete?'. At the moment it seems the answer is a resounding YES!!.....Perhaps its not such an Improbable Dream after all.

Tomorrow, when I've had a chance to rest and reflect I'll tell you about the race, and the lessons I learnt. For now though, I think I'll just enjoy the experience of finally being a successful half-marathoner. :-)

By the way, thanks for all your feedback via phone and email. If you want to leave a message on my blog, click on the 'envelope' symbol at the bottom of the post. Thanks!

More later, journey on.....
James




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