2015 has been a weird year with virtually no notable athletic achievements from me. A combination of injuries and losing my mojo mainly. It took me quite a while to actually believe that I'd managed to complete the Outlaw and even longer to believe that it had gone so well. Then I think I had a period of aimless athletic wandering, struggling to find something that was grabbing me, motivating me, getting that fire in my sole stirring again. I think I'd been on the journey to an ironman for longer than I knew, probably since I'd started exercising and once it was done I felt aimless, nowhere to go, I couldn't think of the next target, the next challenge. I also had such a fab time that a part of me wanted to leave it there, go out on a high!
Then the idea of IM Wales came into my head, one of the hardest courses in the world, one of the most spectacular scenery wise. I trained, not with my usual ooopmh but I trained for it, reccied the routes...even the swim is uphill ;-) several weeks out I got a chest infection that floored me, I took the not so difficult decision to DNS......I knew it was right as I was cutting fine with the volume I'd done and I really needed those last few big weeks of training that I'd missed.....it nags at me though...big time...I will do that event, the course reccie made me realise what an epic event it will be.
2015 has been a weird year as despite not having any major personal competitive successes I've spent more time than ever around the sport. I've really been focusing on developing my coaching and have taken on a couple of new exciting roles. I joined Stockport Tri Club, an amazing new fast growing BTF triathlon club. Some clubs are full of egos and politics... not here, it's a really friendly place where people of all abilities get support to develop, especially coaches! There is so much happening considering it's quite a new club, sessions for all disciplines, triathlons, duathlons, time trials. I've also been coaching the swim squads at Active Blu, a company owned by Swim Smooths Coach Education manager Emma Brunning. Working with Emma has been amazing, a fantastic opportunity to learn from the best on this side of the world. Then I was fortunate to attend Swim Smooths Coaching Development Course with the best from the other side of the world Paul Newsome. I'm super excited about what I've learnt and the plans I have for the future to share it. I've also squeezed in volunteer swim teaching for children at a local pool, 1:1 coaching of people both new to triathlon and people wanting to smash their pb's and getting my Personal Trainer qualification.....not exactly a quiet year!
I've found that thing that grabs me thought along the way, that thing that energises me, puts the fire in my belly........coaching, helping others experience the joy of fitness, triathlon, all things healthy and sporty and the added stuff it brings. But I'm also back chasing too in 2016, chasing new times, new experiences, new achievements. I often liken training and competing in running and triathlon to gambling......we are always chasing the next big win, the next pb, the next win if your lucky enough to be near the top of the field, the next bigger, better achievement.....so I will keep posting along the way, I might even occasionally post something vaguely useful or coaching tips but most of the time it will be the usual useless insight into what I've been doing, the mistakes Ive been making and how behind I am with housework rubbish ....it's all about me!
I hope you've got many exciting things planned for 2016, keep chasing :-)
