Seasons Greeting!

What a fabulous time of the year! Filled with joy, feast, renewal of friendships and family ties. Not that this cant be done for the most part of the year, but Christmas is not just the reminder of the birth of Christ, it is also a time set aside for the remembrance of our loved ones. Although the setting is now very much secularised - believers or not - it is a joyful time for all.


We have the tradition in my home to have my wife's family and family friends come over every Christmas eve. But this year, we had to hold it on Christmas night itself. This tradition, come to think of it, had been on going for at least 8-9 years? For sure, ever since we shifted to our current place, it had been an annual affair. And it really is nice to have people filled up the place with laughter. We enjoy playing hosts. Just that the cleaning up thereafter is a real pain. My wife does the cooking, turkey, pork ribs, pasta, potato skins, salads, etc. every year with a couple of changes. The turkey is always there though. Nice!

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Friday I rushed through a short swim in the early morning. Had to send my daughter for CCA in school. Managed 400m warm up and 1.5km swim. Remembered reading from Tri Swim Coach forum and tried out the technique - keeping the pull to the side instead of to the chest and elbow bent. For a while I thought I had my elbows bent. Apparently not so because with this change, I managed to swim below 1:50 per 100m pretty consistently. And there was no change in cadence or noticeable greater effort. This meant that efficiency had improved? Will try it out a few more times to see if this were true. However, it was quite a conscientious effort to swim in that manner. There was a definite need to unlearn and relearn this time.


I started the Christmas morning with a 105km ride with 2 other friends of mine. The 52 year old friend was under the weather while another partied till quite late and decided to sleep in. Knowing that these 2 guys are not that slow, instead of the agreed slow ride, it got to a not so easy conversational pace. But the blokes were drafting me. Freewheeling occasionally, as if telling me to speed up - although I would say it was not the case, I am sure. For we are all friendly riders.


It was nice and steady paced, with occasional surges peppered here and there. I do know that at a stretch of the expressway that we had to hop on, while coming back from Tuas, I was pushing at 47kph. Well under the speed limit of the carriageway anyway?


This morning hit out for an easy 20km run. Took just under 2hours to complete. Total no carbs. Just water for hydration. The idea was to get the body to use the body fats for fuel. I know I was getting fuel short on the return lap coz I could feel my legs getting heavier.


What I enjoyed the most was the fact that my stamina had not been affected too much despite not training as intensely? And despite the slight increase in body weight, running and cycling had not been so much hindered. I think I am on good track for this recovery period. It has been 3 weeks since the ironman. And we, my family and I, still relish the relaxing times we had in WA. Although there was really very little to do, the slow pace of life was definitely a great miss for city folks like us.


2010 came 12 months ago and is almost gone. Time passes really fast and it waits for no Man. Grab hold of all the opportunities life gives and live it to the fullest. Have we lived it to the best we can? Perhaps not. I know I havent. There are a lot more I want to do not just for myself, but for the people around. Maybe next year it should be a year of dedication to others?