Awinha - one of my triathletes in training on the turbo.
FRIDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2008
Forget the sunshine today for my shorter 3 hour bike. The weather this morning wasn’t looking good at all. I procrastinated in bed for a while, while I listened to the rain on the tin roof and my husband instructing the kids on things they needed to do so they could get to school. (The pitch of his voice getting higher and higher as he said - have you packed your lunch?, got your books?, brushed your teeth?, please stop paying Lego!, you only have 5 minutes to bike to the bus stop, etc. It isn’t just us……is it?)
By the time the kids left for school I’d made my decision to bike on the turbo. I dragged myself out of bed and then dragged the turbo over to the DVD screen. My new strategy – watch a movie! I picked Gladiator – it’s the longest movie we have, there’s loads action and there aren’t many talkie bits that cannot be filled in with a bit of imagination, (the noise from the turbo and the rain often drowns out the voices).
The session was tough but doable, and for the bikers out there I just couldn’t get out of the small chain ring. It was also sweaty and without the kids around to refill my water bottles I had to break my session and refill them myself – this is psychological agony for a slightly obsessive compulsive person! But hey-ho! The time whizzed by and I was entertained by the ‘Epic Movie’.
The only bit I found really hard was when Maximus is trying desperately hard to die at the very end. In between almost being dead and leaving instructions for the future of Rome, he walks through the door of the after life into cornfields, to meet his dead son and wife. I got all choked up! (I’m a sucker for the sad bits and I cry at anything remotely sad – including cartoons!).
Being choked up and biking with a moderate amount of effort doesn’t go together very well – my throat constricts, it’s very hard to breath and I have to slow down……….......and this was going on a long time! You see I was equipped with prior knowledge of the film’s ending. This meant I started getting choked up and had a constricted airway way before it even looks like Maximus is going to get hurt, and when it’s eventually apparent that he’s a goner, he does take his time dying doesn’t he?
This emotion-stimulated turbo session could count as potential choking practice for the race in Kona. To do an Ironman you have to sacrifice a lot and spend so much time, energy, and effort reaching your goal, you can imagine emotions are flowing on race day and it doesn’t take much for them to bubble to the surface.
I got choked up three times when I did the Taupo Ironman, once on the bike, once on the run and then seeing my husband after the finish. I suppose you’d describe it as dry sobbing – just a few sobs, not complete break down – but it is enough to slow you down. Maybe the next film I’ll have to watch on a rainy-turbo day will be the English Patient – it’s the saddest film ever! I usually cry from beginning to end – that would be very good practice for race day wouldn’t it?
Forget the sunshine today for my shorter 3 hour bike. The weather this morning wasn’t looking good at all. I procrastinated in bed for a while, while I listened to the rain on the tin roof and my husband instructing the kids on things they needed to do so they could get to school. (The pitch of his voice getting higher and higher as he said - have you packed your lunch?, got your books?, brushed your teeth?, please stop paying Lego!, you only have 5 minutes to bike to the bus stop, etc. It isn’t just us……is it?)
By the time the kids left for school I’d made my decision to bike on the turbo. I dragged myself out of bed and then dragged the turbo over to the DVD screen. My new strategy – watch a movie! I picked Gladiator – it’s the longest movie we have, there’s loads action and there aren’t many talkie bits that cannot be filled in with a bit of imagination, (the noise from the turbo and the rain often drowns out the voices).
The session was tough but doable, and for the bikers out there I just couldn’t get out of the small chain ring. It was also sweaty and without the kids around to refill my water bottles I had to break my session and refill them myself – this is psychological agony for a slightly obsessive compulsive person! But hey-ho! The time whizzed by and I was entertained by the ‘Epic Movie’.
The only bit I found really hard was when Maximus is trying desperately hard to die at the very end. In between almost being dead and leaving instructions for the future of Rome, he walks through the door of the after life into cornfields, to meet his dead son and wife. I got all choked up! (I’m a sucker for the sad bits and I cry at anything remotely sad – including cartoons!).
Being choked up and biking with a moderate amount of effort doesn’t go together very well – my throat constricts, it’s very hard to breath and I have to slow down……….......and this was going on a long time! You see I was equipped with prior knowledge of the film’s ending. This meant I started getting choked up and had a constricted airway way before it even looks like Maximus is going to get hurt, and when it’s eventually apparent that he’s a goner, he does take his time dying doesn’t he?
This emotion-stimulated turbo session could count as potential choking practice for the race in Kona. To do an Ironman you have to sacrifice a lot and spend so much time, energy, and effort reaching your goal, you can imagine emotions are flowing on race day and it doesn’t take much for them to bubble to the surface.
I got choked up three times when I did the Taupo Ironman, once on the bike, once on the run and then seeing my husband after the finish. I suppose you’d describe it as dry sobbing – just a few sobs, not complete break down – but it is enough to slow you down. Maybe the next film I’ll have to watch on a rainy-turbo day will be the English Patient – it’s the saddest film ever! I usually cry from beginning to end – that would be very good practice for race day wouldn’t it?