Training for Ironman Japan 2010

While preparing for my Ironman Western Australia (IMWA), I already had set my eyes on Ironman Japan (IMJ) 2010. I had hesitated and had only wanted to register after IMWA because I wanted to find out what frame of mind I would be in after the 1st Iroman. It turned out to be a very good experience and the masochistic sense in me desired more pain.

The race is set to be on 13 June 2010. It has a cut off timing of 15hours. Compared to the rest of the IMs in the world, this is 2 hours shorter, except for Nice (France), which has a cut off of 16hours. This is going to be a big risk because if anything fouls up, I will be stuck with DNF (Did Not Finish) and it is something I will not want to be stigmatised with. A stigma not by labelled by others, but by myself.

To make matters worse, the bike leg has some formidable climbs. Even the run leg is rumoured to be not any easier. As such, I started my training on 9 January 2010, shortly after taking a break for 1month from IMWA's race. I have started hill trainings, both on the bike, as well as on the run. This time, I am making sure I am totally ready and race what I plan to do. Equipment will be checked and none of the incidents at IMWA should take place any more.

I am all psyched up to take on this new challenge. I have never trained on hills. And I started on them. I have never liked intervals. Yet, my coach, Craig "Fox" Holland, had me started on them. It has been a new journey, and frankly, I liked it. Not that I liked the pain, but the new training has put my fitness on a different level as compared to IMWA. I am feeling stronger and perhaps faster as compared to the 1st Ironman.

As I compared my initial training programme for IMWA and IMJ, the mileage I am hitting now is the mileage I was hitting at the end of IMWA. This is a good sign indeed! Having said that, I believe Craig is putting me on a programme that ensures I will not be injured in the long run.

It will be a dream come true if one day I will be qualify for a championship, be it the Clearwater 70.3 or Kona Ironman. But before that, I will have to ensure that I remain injury free, sustain the motivation, and as Craig said,"Continually chip off the timings." I am not a professional and have family and career to look after. It will take some time to be able to qualify for the championships. I am an eager beaver and yearn to see that day loom fast in the horizon. However, like I have learnt before in my Ironman preparation, I will learn to be patient.

This race, I will be on my own. My family will not be there to support me. In fact, there will not be many Singaporeans who will be travelling to this race. I will be alone with a small group of Ironman. It will not be easy but I will have to learn to live with it.

Well, Tri-4-Life. How apt! It is like a marriage vow, till death do us part.