Sunday 2 July 2017

DNS

Three simple letters but behind them always lies a story - DNS = did not start.  When the Edinburgh 70.3 Ironman was announced I got over excited.  An Ironman (half) event on my door stop and it would have been my second of the year and good motivation to continue cross training which would reduce my chance of injury.  Well that was the plan which would have worked had I not had an injury earlier in the year which set me back and meant my training plan had to change.
Today was the day of the 70.3 and I wasn't at the start line.  I made my decision after completing the Swashbuckler 70.3 back in May but as Edinburgh was approaching I was beginning to get "withdrawal symptoms".  Could I do it?  Could I just rock up and surprise everyone?  Those thoughts were going through my head this week but that was just stupid because my hammy is still not 100% and a 70.3 requires you to be fully fit and I haven't been on a bike for over a month.
While my pals were all battling the waves at Gullane and the jelly fish, I was at Tollcross knocking out 3,200m followed by a 6km run.  Except with 300m to go on the run my hammy began grumbling so I walked to the finish.
But hats off to all of those who made the start line and braved the elements.  And congratulations to all who finished.  To those who didn't, it will make you all the more determined to come back stronger.  There is a story behind everyone's training and the races are the icing on the cake.  I'm working hard to make sure that it's extra thick icing come September, but I need to get the body sorted first!