Happy Anniversary to Me

Today is the official first year anniversary of my walkabout. I can't believe a year has gone by already. It doesn't seem like it has been a year, yet at the same time, it seems longer. I almost feel like I've been on a walkabout my whole life. Perhaps I have, in a way.

One year ago today, I hopped on the I-5 north in a fully loaded car with my Mom, and began the first leg of my venture into wonderland. Much has happened since then, all of which has been great experiences I wouldn’t change for the world. I’ve been to New Zealand, I’ve been to Australia, I’ve done some road tripping in the States, I have met some wonderful people and made many great new friends – of the lifelong variety. Good friends are priceless and I am so grateful to have so many. I have discovered many a fine thing, and seen first-hand that all can be good in the world. Not a day goes by that I don't smile.

I truly believe that the Universe looks out for us – if we let it. “Letting” it look after us requires no more than a simple faith in the world around us. I have that. Always have. There are things I have always wanted in this life and it seems most all of those things are coming to me right now. It’s as if the longer I’m out here in flow of it, the more that comes to me. I always wanted to travel – I am. I always wanted to work for myself – I am. I always wanted to road trip the US – I am and will be more next year. I always wanted to live outside the box – I am. I always wanted to live life on my schedule – I am. There is more I want in life and I have no doubts it’s all on its way too.

In triathlon I’ve seen huge improvements this year. It started when I arrived in New Zealand and stepped into a 22-hour training week. A new benchmark that set me up for a 90-minute personal best off my Ironman distance time in March. Through the spring and summer I reduced my training volume a touch, increased the intensity and then had some fantastic results at a few local races in Colorado. I’ve been making consistent body composition improvements through finally – after almost three years – finding the magic diet that works best for me. Diet is more than likely a poor choice of word, it’s a lifestyle choice.

After a short break late summer – having something to do with a doorframe and bruised ribs ;-) – I now find myself back in New Zealand doing regular 25-hour training weeks. One year later, I’m 13 pounds lighter, two minutes per mile faster on the run, 40 seconds per 100 faster in the pool, and much stronger on the bike. I’ve been doing some “Big Day” training like the big boys and am a week away from my first “Adventure” training day. I’m even back into jeans I haven’t worn since 1999. I am really looking forward to how all this will translate to my next Ironman come March 6th.

So the journey continues. Who knows where, when, or if, it ends. I don’t think it ever really does end, it just keeps changing, taking different roads – or not. I’m certainly not putting any deadlines on myself. I don’t have a job to go back to, or a home, or a husband... So really, what’s to stop me from just rolling along endlessly? Me. I’ll plant my feet one of these days – maybe just my toes though. ;-)

Back to an earlier thought – perhaps I have always been on a walkabout. I need change. Change is an important stimulus for me, and in hindsight, has always been a part of who I am. When I was a little munchkin I would wander off. As soon as I could walk my Mom would find me a couple miles from home standing in an open field, underneath a grazing horse petting its belly. Policemen would knock on the door holding a little girl and a trike, “Is she yours?” They’d ask my Mom. In the winter, she’d follow my footsteps in the snow to a neighbour’s house where I’d let myself in to an empty house to play in their toy room.

When I was in my early teens I would ride my horse for hours and hours on endless trails. Out there I was completely lost to the world, and loving every minute of it. Eventually, people started buying me watches so I would know when to come home. At home, I would get bored of my bedroom at least once every six months and completely rearrange it, or move it to another room in the house. Every room at my Mom’s house was my bedroom at one time or another. Then I left home and hit open roads to see where they’d take me. They’ve taken me on many a great adventure – some maybe not so good, but all certainly worthwhile in the grand scheme of things. They definitely played a part in shaping the Wy of today, and the Wy of today is a pretty happy character. There are things in this life I’m still looking for, and I’m sure I’ll one day find them. Until then, I’ll keep on keeping on with a big ole smile plastered across my face.

And with that, I think I’ll go hop on my bike and take a few roads I’ve never ridden before – just to see where they go.

15 December 2003

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In the Window

Three weeks ago I was out for a long bike ride. I was climbing up Evans Pass, thinking what a fantastic day it was to be out there, when it dawned on me: Ironman New Zealand was exactly three months away. Yikes! It all matters now.

The final three months leading into an Ironman are "time critical" in training. This is where you have to put on the blinders and focus completely on your preparations for race day. It all matters from here on in. I said to myself, "You're in the window, Wy. That means no screwing around." When I got home I wrote "You are in the window" on the whiteboard in my bedroom. That was to be my focus motto for the race. Any time I had a moment of slacking off, not following the plan, or just no caring, all I’d have to do was look at that board and remind myself, "I’m in the window".

That simple little saying has been keeping me going like a steam train. I’ve been on a roll in my training and haven’t missed a beat. I get up in the morning and I get out there. I don’t hesitate, I don’t put anything off, I walk past “that” isle at the grocery store. I was on such a great roll that even Gordo started to worry my momentum was going too well and I’d fry myself simply because I couldn’t stop.

There was one Friday afternoon when I went to a movie and ended up missing a ride. I was sitting in the theater stewing with guilt. “I shouldn’t be here,” I was thinking to myself. Made it hard to enjoy the show, but Gordo was glad that I slowed my momentum down a gear. Still a lot of time before the race and a movie or two in December wasn’t going to hurt my training at all.

It was all going great until this week. I did a hillacious bike ride on Christmas Eve that was five straight hours of steep hill work. The only breaks were the descents... that lead to the next climb. There may have been one mile that was flat — and that was at the start/end of the ride.

Christmas Day I had a long crazy Kiwi trail run planned with my friend, Lisa. Well, Gordo said that wasn’t such a good idea the day after that solid hill ride. I didn't need to be pushing myself to the wall and ending up in a casket. I guess he was right. As much as I wanted to do that run and as much as I was disappointed that I couldn’t, my legs were heavy and I was tired. Fatigue, a missed workout, and some 8,000 miles away from my family at Christmas time, did a little damage to my mood.

On Boxing Day I was still tired, but I wanted to workout. I swam but I was slow. Then I started thinking that maybe three months in the window is too long. In the window can be a pretty tough place and three months is a long time to keep your momentum rolling like a steam train. Maybe the window should be two months.

This morning Scott Molina dropped by and I told him about my thoughts on the window. He agreed three months is a long time, however, opening the window three months out was perfect timing. He suggested that the window be only two months as I thought, but that it open three months out and close one month out. That two months are when you can roll it solid and do all those mega workouts — the workouts that will matter come race day. Then close the window one month before the race. Too many people have a tendency to keep pushing the window back, closer and closer to race day. They end up trying to squeeze in that "last big ride" or that "last long run" too close to the race. The bulk of those workouts should be under your belt by the time you hit T-minus four weeks. Then, if you screw up in that last month you can still have a good race. Good plan, Scott! :-)

Phew, I feel much better now. I’m still in the window, but I’ll close it on February 6th. Actually, I’ll close the window on February 9th. We have our last Big Day training planned for that weekend. Myself and a crew of close to 20 triathletes doing IMNZ are doing a three-day training trip to Hanmer Springs. Day one we ride to Hanmer Springs (about 150K), day two we run long in the trails and swim, and day three we ride back to Christchurch. That's a solid "window" workout.

Six more weeks in the window. Roll it, Steam Train!

27 December 2003

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