Hi blog followers and welcome to blog # 29.
For me it was welcome to Weather Blast # 2 in good old Wellington. My training result was average this week as I struggled again with insomnia which affects my output, but the biggest hiccup came on Wednesday which is always my 2 hour training session each week that Qwik Kiwi’s Coach Ray has scheduled for me. I didn’t sleep very well throughout Tuesday night, so I thought if I hit food and ate well throughout the day that would help combat the energy effect from lack of sleep. Unfortunately a conference that took up a good part of the day with a minimal break for lunch prevented that opportunity, so I only managed to consume fruit and hot drinks whenever the opportunity existed.
Then the weather turned with a weather blast that was horrendous during the short lunch break when I looked outside, with massive winds and heavy rain. I commented to my work colleagues that it is always like this on a Wednesday as that is my heaviest mid-week session and it is not under the covers of an indoor swimming pool. By the time I finished work though it had all but cleared up. I hit the road on my training bike feeling okay and not too affected with a lack of energy, however once going through Whiteman’s Valley I was clearly fatigued. The wind and rain had let up, but the dark clouds were starting to loom in the distance.
I managed to rack my bike without enduring any rain after the 1hr 20min session. I thought I might get away with minor drizzle on the 40 minute. My energy was okay for the first two quarters. No sooner than I was at the halfway turn around point for the route I use on a Wednesday, the clouds seriously darkened out of nowhere. Then they opened up and I wore the intense downpour like a monsoon rain in Asian countries. By the time I started the last quarter of my run I was drenched to the skin and my running shoes were water logged and heavy. To top it off it started hailing followed by thunder in the distance. Really, this is January. What the hell! As I ran through the Guard Hut at Camp the Security Guards couldn’t help but laugh. Fair call. The hot shower was like a dream come true.
This brings me to this weeks photos from Ultraman Australia. They have nothing to do with me as an athlete, but everything to do with the people that put it together. The first two photos are of the Race Commentator Steve King and his helping Crew, with the scoreboard taking up the 3rd photo. At the end of each day they upload scoreboard information to the Internet for the athletes’ supporters from around the world, support crews and athletes themselves to follow. The fourth photo is of one of the sponsors (Temple Nutrition) who give away all their free products which I consumed like no tomorrow. The fifth
photo is of the sports masseuse who greet each athlete at the end of each day to sort their legs out (or attempt too). The athletes simply can’t wait to see the faces of all of these people along with the Medic, who is compulsory to visit at the end of each day. Photos courtesy of Barry Alsop of Eyes Wide Open Images, Official Photographer for Ultraman Australia 2016.
Take care team as we continue the 3+2+1=Charity journey, with the 2 Ironman distance events over two weeks looming in a few weeks.
Regards John Humphries (Aka UltraHumps, Aka Humps)!