Trains, Travels

Something like 5 days here now, to be honest I’m losing track of the time a little. Days blend into one pretty quickly, though sometimes they’re a bit cloudy or there’s a storm to break up the monotony of the relentless sunny weather. I guess maybe it could get boring otherwise, maybe…

I got myself into training pretty quickly. I don’t suffer from jet lag a bonus of years as an insomniac student getting by on 4 or 5 hours sleep a night. A run to the beach to start Sunday morning off and remind myself of why I was here. Then real training started Monday, and so far I’m sticking to around 4 hours or a little over a day. In between that training I’m slowly organising my life here.

It’s been great to get some cycling done in warm weather, being able to get out on the road at 6am in just shorts and a jersey is so nice. By the time you finish it’s starting to really warm up and you get to enjoy the sun for the last hour of the ride. I haven’t been too adventurous in my routes yet, having essentially ridden up and down the front both times. Still it’s only the first few days and I did go out on a nice hilly ride with a couple of mates before heading off down the front. Looks like I have some training partners lined up shortly and based on that first ride they should push me pretty hard too. The course was lumpy and we weren’t holding back for the two loops we did. Almost a relief to ride the front on my own afterwards! That said when the winds pick up here it can make it pretty tough going.

I’ve thrown myself into the 20-25k a week swimming program, it’s not so hard here. I’ve a 50m pool only about 20 minutes walk from where I’m living. Compare that with a 1 hour drive back home. It’s an 8 lane open air pool so importantly you can even out the tan lines whilst you’re training. It’s fine if you go in the day, you’ll more than likely get one of those lanes to yourself, go when squad training is on and it’s a bit like back home though. A bunch of us stuck in just 2 lanes with 3 women having decided the lane I was in was ideal for incredibly slow breaststroke. One of them couldn’t actually make the full 50m in one go and would hang on the lane line for a while each length. I am having to get used to not being the fastest in the pool in public swimming. I have been wearing the drag shorts to slow me down a little, but even without them there are some decent swimmers here. Right now I’m focussing on getting used to some weeks of higher volume swimming before doing specific sessions.

As a training environment it’s living up to expectations aside from the perfect climate, that I might have mentioned, I have very few distractions. I’m not watching much TV, I’m barely on the internet and I’m in bed by around 10 most evenings. It’s an exciting life! The reward is you get up before 6 and feel rested and ready to train. Little faffing, straight out the door to get the first session in before breakfast. Weather aside I could have achieved this all at home I’m sure, it’s just much easier here.

Outside of training? Well there’s not much to tell really. I’ve sorted out the bits and pieces I need day to day and got my bearings on the area. I’ve stocked up on all the drugs supplements I need. An old lady offered me drugs, if she’d had them on her, OK admittedly it was just a supplement I was buying which she had a bottle she didn’t want. It just sounded better to imply that elderly Australians were drug dealers, pensions aren’t what they were after all. I also highly recommend the Ironman movie, nothing to do with the triathlon, but the one based on the Marvel comics. I can’t say I’m a particular Ironman fan, though there were probably some n the comics I gave away, but the film was great.

As part of my new improved time management I need to get to the pool to get a 3k minimum set done before lunch. I’ll try and get a decent photo showing off how nice it is here for next time.

• Tweet
• Comment

Well here I am, in Australia now enjoying warm sunny weather and clear blue skies. It’s a little odd to think this is where I’ll be for the next 9 months or so. Having been stuck on a plane for most of a day there’s not much to blog about.

The movie selection let me see the new Indiana Jones film without having to pay for the privilege. It really wasn’t as bad as I expected, which is to say I expected it to be dreadful. In Bruges was pretty good, quite dark and quite funny, but not worth the hyperbole used to sell it on the poster. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was also a lot better than expected, amusing in places and not just because I have an inexplicable weakness for romantic comedies.

However I’m not going to review movies as a means to generate blog content, back to books. Whilst climbing in the Alps I was recommended a book by Michael the other guy on the course. Actually I was recommended 2 books but this isn’t a review of the one on the secret techniques for picking up women. Instead I looked for a copy of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho at the airport bookshop.

Michael had recommended the book as life changing. A story of a boy following his dreams above all else. Whilst I’m inclined to be cynical about claims that something might be life changing, the theme seemed relevant to me and the trip was about to take. Also Michael was following his own dreams with similar dedication and to me demonstrated an admirable focus towards this. If this book as claimed had influenced him into this state then it seemed worth some consideration. Having bought it I was a little shocked and discouraged to read a positive review by Madonna on the rear.

So the novel itself is quite short and a quick read. It has characteristics of modern parable both for the good and bad. Characterisation is weak, they’re just tools to move a simplistic narrative forward. The language is quite simple and whilst this might be an artefact of translation I suspect it’s more likely a deliberate method to invoke the feeling of parable. Taken at it’s most literal it reads like pseudo-spiritual mumbo-jumbo and initially I found little positive in it.

As time went on I found that I could enjoy it much more if I considered it metaphorically and instead looked to see the view the author was expressing about following our dreams. I was perhaps helped by the author’s note preceding the story which stated the 4 obstacles to achieving dreams. As events unfolded I tried to see how it referred back to these four. I came to largely dismiss the spiritual aspect of events or their explanations, instead looking for approaches to life.

Essentially the parable suggests the world is set-up to support those who chase their dreams, but to do so you have to be in tune with the world. Here meaning to be able to communicate with the Soul of the World, in fact with the essence of anything. For those of us who prefer an analytical approach over such things I read a parable that following your dreams requires a focus on the details to reach a level of adeptness to survive and advance.

Personally I didn’t find it life changing, in part because I am already following my dreams to an extent. Perhaps it’s a little affirming of the choices I’ve made and even reflects some of the experience I have had. It would be fair to say some of the doubt and fears mentioned as obstacles in your path were relevant. The story itself is a bit too heavy handed and simplistic for my taste and whilst appropriate for a parable it just felt a little artificial. However it was thought provoking though not in the way I think it’s expected to be. Rather than inspiring I looked to see how this fitted to my own views on life and the choices I’m making now. Oh and it’s also short and bloody expensive considering that!

It’ll be back to training and life in Australia from now on. I’m already enjoying things starting my first day with an hours run to the beach and back. Warm weather, sunshine and beautiful views!

• Tweet
• Comment

Well that’s it, goodbye to the UK and off to Australia. I’m all packed into 2 bags, somehow everything I need for the next 10 months fits. My bike bag can take 2 pairs of wheels along with the bike frame and a few other bits and pieces. Weighed them and neither bag is too heavy, on the other hand I definitely am! For once I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything and I’m ready with some time to spare. If I’ve missed anything when I get there, well I’ll have to buy it.

I arrive on Saturday and I’m counting Sunday as day 1 of the new training regime. Back down to race weight, better diet, plenty of training and new levels of fitness. No more comments about looking like a ghost in race photos too I hope! That’s it for now a mercifully short post after the last couple of days. Next time I’ll be on the other side of the world.

• Tweet
• Comment