First week done, and it fortunately ended on a good note. Had dinner and drinks with colleagues on Friday night. Some lighthearted banter and jokes, and I got more sloshed than I have been in a while.
Believe it or not I turned on the light at some ungodly hour and continued reading The Climb until I finished the book later the next (Saturday) morning.
At 12:00 we met Michael at McDonalds and shopped around for an apartment. The first one, close to Corneli's was a shocker. Basically the size of two bathrooms. When I turned that down, the director and Michael had some kind of disagreement and Michael kind've stomped off, pretty upset.
Then we drove towards Madu, and at first it wasn't even clear if Michael was going to join us. This apartment, directly across the road from KT, and within spitting distance of a Cannondale Shop, was better, more spacious, with a fairly good view, and so I accepted.
Sleep deprivation is a major component of my weekly woes. I could have gone on a 150km cycle to Bear's Town, or 90km to Imjingak this morning if my patterns were better. I'm actually not ready to train again. 2 factors need to be in place that aren't now: good routine, good diet. Implicit in a good routine is getting enough sleep and having decent everyday energy. That's just not happening, and is a recipe for illness, or at the least, weakness.
I expect to be in a pattern soon, for health and sanity, but I need to have the right mindset, to care about why I am training, and thus produce the motivation to consistently bring that about. I feel a bit wary, having returned, trained, and gotten ill, to commit again to training. My experience in Korea has been one of setting goals (in sport) and becoming ill time and time again within sight of the race.
I think the answer is to reduce the training window, and perhaps also the number of races.
I'm also considering abandoning triathlon for a while, until I can pursue it 100%. I would like to train in order to race a sub 10 hour Ironman, and commit all my resources to qualifying for a slot to Hawaii.
In place of triathlon I'm considering substituting high altitude mountain climbs, basically btween 6000-7000m. It seems to be an interesting extension of the Ironman mantra, which is Anything Is Possible. I also find the simplicity of climbing mountains, and the humility involved, worth engaging.
If I do follow this interest, it will naturally mean a trip at some point to either the Himalayas, or, I'd imagine, the Andes, either in August or over the Christmas period. I need to be certain that I really want to do this, and not that it is a flight of fancy. Since running is a useful way to prepare for altitude climbing, it's possible that I can keep triathlon in the picture, although on the backburner.
I do though, fully intend to do the Half Ironman this year, and would like to improve on the previous two performances, particularly the running leg.
I'll probably move into my apartment on Wednesday, and from then on can start developing habits and routines towards a longer terms pattern.
Of concern is the credit card situation. No word from my dad, and the contact email I got from Mr Naidoo at Nedbank didn't work. I may have to make a few phone calls, as some people seem loathe to face their email inbox.
It's warm enough to walk around outside in shorts and a t-shirt.
I'd like to run or swim tomorrow, and work my way through the pile of books that I have. It will be good to go hiking in the next few weeks.
Week 51 goals:
Normal sleep patterns
Get W70 000 from Ryan
Run x 2
Swim x 1
Cycle x 1
Buy a bicycle stand, computer table, curtains etc.
Sort out credit card by Wednesday
Contact Annie
Post some explorative narratives on Kili, and the spirit of Mountaineering
Expand on the 'Flashes' concept (writing a first person narrative in the character of Scott Fischer from the point where he is having a beer at Base Camp, flashing forwards and backwards to drammatic junctures.
Continue on writing of RIDICULOUS
Week 52 Goals: Accomplished
Week 50 Predicted priorities: training, weight, savings
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