so much more than an individual sport

Triathlon IS an individual sport. No argument there. But, as long as I don't deviate from the point too much, I'll explain how embracing the "team" aspect of the sport can open so many more opportunities to enjoy it, and to get everything you can out of yourself in the process.
This week was a MONSTER!! In terms of Ironman training, it was my biggest week (in all 3 sports and hours) to date. The more exciting side of a record like that is that there was a lot of quality in there, not just "long, slow" stuff.
A week of training hard, along with some stressful planning of Uni work meant that after an awesome 5 days of training, I went to "bounce" out of bed on Saturday, all excited for my one group ride of the week - a hilly 120-150km in the Dandenongs. Bounce? More like "thud". Oh dear. I plodded my way through the empty Melbourne streets at 6am, and I knew that my legs had not come to the party. I won't relive the next 5 (plus) hours, it's best left for the depths of my memory while I am on the Queen K highway in just under 6 weeks. But suffice to say, my "group" ride became a "me and Pete" ride within 10 minutes!!
More about Pete's role later, but I got through it, and as is often the case with these rides, we actually made it back not that far behind the rest. And there were lots of tired people at the finish!! (Plus one casualty - thankfully not a car crash this time, but colliding with a wallaby at 70kph didn't do Geoff's face any favours).
I went to bed that afternoon, absolutely exhausted, and got up on Sunday, a beautiful sunny day absolutely DREADING my 2 hr 15min long run. Now remember, I can run, it's kind of my thing. And I have run 2.15 and longer many, many times. But when you think it's going to hurt (from the start), and you're convinced you'll be running it on your own (because you won't keep up) it becomes less of "your thing"!
Enter my team mates.
So we only joined MTC and Fluid Movements 14 months ago. Before that we trained on our own. Well actually, no we didn't. You see as I reflect on some of my favourite moments in this sport, I admit that some are the personal achievements. But far far more involve my friends along the way.
In the very early days (2004), it was Kristen. My inspiration to "go long". She had run the Boston Marathon. I was in awe. We used to run around Princes Park (5km) and she would FLOG me!!! But she kept me going with her encouragement and love for running.
Then Nathan (my honorary "Aussie brother", now married to Kristen! (yes we introduced them!) Many, many memories of pushing through the tough times with Nath beside me.


Pete and I with Kurt, Nathan and Kristen



So many other people, Mark, Lynn, Ian. The "Oui Tri" crew (although that was more the post race drinking company!!)

When I lived in Timboon for 18 months, I just don't know if I could have kept the swim training going if it hadn't been for my friends Kurt and Cathy, who gave me a bed every week, so I didn't have to drive 50km for swim training on a wednesday morning before work.
And now I am spoilt for choice of training buddies. I joined the club so I had a good, structured training program (and boy, that bit worked!!) But also for the company and cameraderie that a triathlon club provides. But is still takes individuals to reach out and give you that company just when you need it. Several people do this, and Marie stepped up on Sunday. Big style. She knew I'd had a rough day on Saturday, and instead of just running her own pace on Sunday, she stayed with me the whole time. Chatted when I needed to chat, and we just ran at other times. Along the way, we were joined by Ollie from Tri Alliance (sharing the love from club to club!) and Stryker ran the second half with us (for his longest ever run - yay!)

Finishing the long run together

I can't begin to say how much these kind of gestures mean. I used to look at Hawaii Ironman athletes in complete awe, assuming they were all super-human. Now I am one, I can safely say - we are not!!
Another athlete once asked how my training was going, when Pete was injured and I was training for South Africa on my own. I said "Ok, but I'm a bit sick of all my long rides on my own". He said "Isn't being on your own what Ironman is all about?" Well I can safely say - if that's what you prefer, then sure, do it on your own, but if you perform better with company, rally whoever you can, and get your little team going, and you never know how much more you might achieve.
Which brings me back to the biggest (literally!) team mate I have. My wonderful, wonderful husband, friend and training buddy Pete. He has been there since day 1. He patiently sat through 5 (plus) hours of what must have been the most frustrating ride ever on saturday. He is looking after me as if his whole role is to get me to Hawaii in the best shape possible. He really is amazing. I am so lucky that we both love the same sport, and that he "gets it".
Here's to many more years of team mates and cameraderie. I am really looking forward to coming back from Hawaii and giving some of that support back. Especially to the newer triathletes, for whom 2 hrs 15 mins seems so long!
Weeks to go = 6
Hours trained this week = 25.75
Swim = 14.7 km
Bike = 340 km
Run = 76.39 km