Ever Ready?

Read an article from October's Triathlete mag. Author and medical doctor was preparing for his ironman race and just before the event, he had problem with his heels.


This just sounds so familiar. How many times have we heard the same story? As students we studied for an examination, entered the exam hall, lo and behold, none of the questions looked vaguely familiar to what we have prepared for? As adults, we prepared for our job interview, read up the company's profile and core businesses, got into the interview room, the panel of interviewers simply sliced up the confidence. As a first time spouse, what does it take to live with another person for life, putting up with the partner's nuances and idiosyncrasies? As a first time parent, read as much as we can on the know-hows, but nothing can prepare us for the realities the sacrifices we need to make for a helpless human being? And no amount of death stories in the world and violence in the media will prepare us when the life that is precious to us leaves us?


Can we be ever ready for anything that we prepare for? Nothing is absolute. And that is a life's lesson we all have to learn. And I learnt it yet again.


In building up to IMWA in December, I have signed up a few races. Upcoming one is Army Half Marathon on Sunday. I had a good feeling while coming up to it. Am sure Coach had his expectations as well. This week was a very easy week of training. This was to ensure that my legs would be fully prepared for the run. Coach had left his instructions for race day as well. My mind was slowly gearing up to it.


But guess what? Unknowingly, I fell slightly ill yesterday. No thanks to the thunderstorm. Of course, I am never one for Old Wives' Tales about staying out of the rain. I had thought that I was fit enough to overcome any illnesses now - which had been the case for the past half year? Though technically, it was probably not the rain that brought me down to reality but a combination of that and the cold air blasting away for 2 hours at ELITE while I was slightly wet during the bike fit with David Greenfield. David was fine tuning my fit and fixing up the bike for me as well.


Stubborn me thought it was nothing, with the eyes throbbing slightly this morning, went out for a 40km bike and a 4km run. I survived the training but in the evening I spent lying on the bed sleeping the grogginess off. So yes, no swim tomorrow. It is rest up or no go on Sunday at all.


Will it be my best performance in my life on Sunday? It remains to be seen. I do not have the crystal ball. But I can only prepare all the way to race day. What happens next will be how I cope. I asked my friend and colleague, a first time mom soon, "Are you ready?" And she responded, "No, but I will still have to cope."


So yes, I will have to cope with whatever happens. We are after all, mortals. A humbling experience. But better now than before an even more major race.