6 more days...

In 6 more days, I will be racing (participating) in my first half ironman race of my triathlon-life.

I am currently in taper week and because of the change in training load, the emotional stresses/anxiety regarding this event is starting to play on my mind.

Post Noosa week, I have been back on the training wagon -
Thursday - Open water swim followed by a run at Elwood.
Friday - Day off
Saturday - A short 50km ride on Dale to sort out last minute hydration/nutritional strategies
Sunday - A short 12km run followed by 2km open water swim

I can feel my body is still recovering from Noosa as I am still feeling tired - maybe I am just anxious about putting any load on the body which will cause me to fall ill or injured? I am glad that Shepparton is 2 weeks from the Noosa race as the last few days after Noosa felt like a big drainer mentally and physically.

The next few days will consist of

• Tidying things up with work (leave starts 3pm on Thursday until Monday)
• A massage (booked in to see Andy Naylor at Arena on Thursday pm)
• Some packing for my 4 days at Shepparton
• A quick clean of the bike
• Training and racing gear to be packed
• Some coaching with Tri Alliance this Tuesday night followed by race briefing

A comment was posted on facebook that I am (still) focused even after Noosa, I guess this is my major race at which I have been training consistently for over the last 6 months. This will be my first half ironman and will provide me with plenty of perspective and feedback to how my body can handle long course training and racing as appose to the short course stuff I have been doing since 2010.

I didn't get much sleep last night as it hit me during Sunday evening that (Sunday evening) next week, I would have finished my first half ironman (fingers crossed that all goes well). My family and (non-triathlon) friends have no idea about the magnitute of this race I am doing and how much it means to me, but I am not doing this for anyone (I am however receiving plenty of encouragement from the triathlon circle), I am doing this for me.

6 more days...