The ride today was very similar to the one I had last week, but comparing the two rides is like comparing chalk and cheese. By the end of the ride last week I was a broken man. I had spent the second half of the ride working back into a headwind and it had destroyed me. This week, I wouldn't say that I started the ride feeling any better, but by the end I was a different person. Most of that I think is due to better pacing, which was made a lot easier by the winds being in the opposite direction to last week. This week I got to work into the headwind on the way out, and had the joy of coming home with the tail wind. What a difference, both mentally and physically being able to cruise home with the wind behind.
The only downside to the ride this morning was that it was freezing. I mean that in the literal sense. Most of Perth got somewhere near zero last night, some parts below. It was finger numbing, face burningly cold. Still I do like the simplicity that comes with such cold morning. No doubts about, will I get too hot, should I wear this, or not wear that etc. Mornings like this one you just wear it all. Are you wearing gardening gloves? You betcha. Is that a tea cosy on your head? For sure. This morning, if it added a layer, it was on my body.
Besides the cold though it was a lovely morning. I was up late last night. At a WA Symphony Orchestra performance don't you know. Look at me, la dee da. Anyway, moving on, late night. So I had a late start to the ride. As a result it was actually light when I started (still freezing though), which was a really nice change. On top of that it was really still. I know I said above that I worked into the wind, which I did sort of, it is just there wasn't a lot of wind. It was a truly lovely morning to be riding.
The swim this afternoon was a good old classic Saturday Swim Smooth session. Heaps of open water skills, drafting drills, match racing, a little bit of a smash fest. Solid work, but heaps of fun. After the session today I couldn't get the smile off my face.
Away from training, I had something arrive in the mail yesterday. Something that has me a bit torn. It was this:
The reason it has me torn is this. I am kind of proud of achieving the whole All World Athlete thing. I am aware that it is a ranking manufactured by Ironman, and as such a little artificial. However, I can't help it, I think it is kind of cool. However, I am not the biggest fan of some parts of how WTC run the Ironman franchise. I can't deny that the popularity of Triathlon at the moment is in no small part due to WTC and Ironman, but all the same, some bits of how they run the business annoy me. The bit of me that thinks all the above can't believe that the other part of me just purchased Ironman merchandise. The annoyed part of me thinks I shouldn't be encouraging them. The rest of me is willing to ignore the annoyed part though and thinks that this kit is a bit nifty. Now I just have to get over myself long enough to wear it out on the bike.
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