I sometimes wonder if I should post about more than just my training and what I'm up to, start giving my opinion about other stuff that's going on in the world. Stupid as it seems though I'm actually quite private (today is a one off), some people my have seen my argueing a case on Twitter but what I'm argueing for may not always actually be my view. Sometimes I just jump in there to defend the underdog, I can stir it up a little and then watch it all go mad. Most people know by now that you take my opinions with a pinch of salt so 'I think' they all still talk to me - hmmmm!
So having said all that, here's a couple of things that have been happening outside of my life and my thoughts. Things that I have absolutely no control over whatsoever.The WTC/Ironman Corporation has been having fun. First of all they come out with their ill fated "Access Program" where they basically wanted people to pay $1000 for the privilage of entering their races and paying another $600 a week early to guarantee their entry. That blew up in their face big style and rightly so. Then they started getting more flak because it turned out that Ironman Hawaii 2011 is on the Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur. This one I may have upset a few folks on Twitter with because if I'm honest, I don't really think that religious events and sporting events should ever be put aqainst each other. If you're religious then your faith wins - simple! I could try qualifying for Kona and then find one of my close relatives is getting married on that day............................................... hopefully they wouldn't miss me too much ;-). Then of course there's the whole 2012 Olympics/Ramadan clash!! Now that's a biggie that I'm keeping well away from. It makes the whole WTC/Yom Kippur clash look like a tiny blade of grass on a football pitch, especially when the whole ethos behind the Olympics is that it brings EVERYBODY together while the WTC are only really there to make money for themselves.
While I'm on an Ironman roll ............... Most people I know are now aware of my great Ironman U-turn which seems to have started a trend (I'll claim anything). After Ironman Hawaii I retired from Ironman, the training, the hassle not to mention the stupid amount of money it costs were all far too much for someone like me to continue with it. Well, the retirement only lasted 4 weeks because on 7th November after watching this years race online (and under massive amounts of peer pressure ;-p) I signed up for my 5th Ironman Florida. It's about time they started paying for my accomodation as I'm over there so aften ;-). Here's to another summer of stupid bike mileage when I could be chilling in the sun. Still, I guess it's an excuse for me to get out of doing the garden up and /or moving to a bigger house that we now can't afford (every cloud has a silver lining!!).
Still on the Ironman Florida line......... If you were racing for that elusive Kona slot but you really REALLY needed to hit the toilets, what would you do? Brial Scheall had that dilemma and just let it all out WHILE he ran. He could never have imagined in his wildest dreams that he'd be photographed with sh*t running all down the back of his legs and would turn into an internet sensation. I couldn't do it, could you? ........... Well, he won his age group and qualified for Hawaii so in the end I guess it was worth it. The whole world is STILL waiting for a race report to appear on his blog though ;-)Last weekend was the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida. Three of my clubmates races in various states of health. Tim, who recently broke 2 ribs and his collarbone in an embarrassing bike accident. Maria who had a bout of Shingles just prior to the race. Rose who was the only healthy member of the group. They all had amazing races and it was great for me that people I know have now been and witnessed the whole circus that is a WTC World Champs. Watching the race online was fantastic, seeing someone run a 70min half marathon AFTER the swim/bike is just rediculous. The GB Team also had a fantastic day with Jodie Swallow leading from start to finish and finally getting a few of the plaudits she deserves after being it the sport for so many years. With 5 GB women in the top 10 of the Pro field and the first overall Age Groupers both Male and Female it must have been party time after the race.
For me though special mention has to go to James Gilfillan who finished 22nd OVERALL and led the Mens Age Group race from the gun to win by almost 5mins. James has been around for years, I was racing him when he was a teenager and he was an awesome athlete back then. With all these long distance Tri teams around he really should get snapped up, it's such a waste for him to have to race as an Age Grouper, he's so much better than that.
So what's next in the future of Iain? Well, I'm going to take part in the Winterswim and a little bit of fun that some of us are having which is going under the hashtag of #sillyswimsesh. Then of course there is Cornish Marathon which is ........ erm ........ tomorrow. As always I'm totally unprepared and under trained and I'm sat here typing this while drinking my 2nd large glass of red wine. Still, I'm going down for a bit of fun with my Marathon junkie pal Jimmy. He's having the running season of his life and has knocked out several sub 3hr marathons this year. I'm going to beat him tomorrow using my run/walk technique, well at least that's what I've been telling him for the last couple of weeks.Will I beat him? Nope! Will I break 3hrs? I doubt it very much! But as long as the weather is ok I should come back with another of my awful race video's as I'm taking my ipod down with me to record some stuff. It'll be a fun season finale whatever happens and I'll be rooting for Jimmy to put in another sub 3 performance on what is a tough course with 1,000ft of climbing.
One final thing before I go. The good Twitter come up with some wonderful phrases and sayings and after many conversations about diet, weight and all good things like that I saw a post that made me laugh.............. Although you may have to be in the UK to understand it.
"Gillian McKeith and Nigella Lawson are the same age. If you are what you eat, then lead me to the chocolate fudge cake!" - I'll leave you to ponder that one :-D
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