My first big goal done - an Olympic Distance tri

Finished my first olympic distance tri today, I did the Sparke Helmore in Newcastle. Toughest day in the office I've had in my short Tri 'career'. The swim was really sweet, I was worried about the 1500m distance, but it went really nicely.

Unfortunately, it was all horrible after that. A new bike course - now 6 laps of King Edward Park, 6 laps around Fort Scratchley, and so much wind that on the flats I still couldnt get off the small ring up front. Virtually zero time down on the tri bars as the cross winds were so strong it was hard to control the bike, the roads were so wet I tip toed through the decents and spent about a third of the ride in the stand climbing. After this I was wrecked for the run so my only aim was to tough it out and finish running not walking. I made it., it was slow, my knees hurt, my ankles hurt, my thighs were just dead, but I made it.

This distance at this tri was the goal I set myself in May 2011. To get here I've lost 35kg and done a shit load of work. Frankly I'm feeling sore but pretty good right now.

Eddie Vedder, Into the Wild - great driving music

Been listening to Eddie Vedder's - Into the Wild cd every morning driving to work this week. Really bad mistake. A long line of discordant, stirring, stirring and ultimately haunting songs questioning the role of greed, the importance of stuff, the glory of the simple and finally the peace of acceptance. A truly horrible soundtrack to have going through your head as you drive through the gates and strap in for another day of working for the man.

But I cant stop listening. I think part of the reason is the timing.

As I drive to work along the banks of the Hunter River in Newcastle, over the Stockton Bridge, and then north through the countryside leading out of Newcastle the sun is just rising in that glorious golden hour. This creates wonderful lines and shadows, imbues ordinarily ugly devices like coal loaders with a magical halo and when all combined with the simple guitars and soulful vocals of Into the Wild I feel transported. I feel like I'm making a journey, I feel that its going to change and be better.

So when I hit the gates of work, yeah I'm brought down a little, but from a point where I was so high it doesnt matter. Soon I'll tire of the album, or the sun will be rising earlier and I'll miss golden hour but either way. I have this time now and I'm loving it.