It will have been 6 months this Sunday since I competed in the 2011 Hawaiian Ironman 70.3 this weekend…

And I have become fat! I rolled out of bed with a thud that shook the building…

The consequence of not doing any exercise for 6 months, becoming engaged to an amazing woman and generally just living the good life. No, no, no… I’m not saying Gen made me fat – I am sure it was all the cheese, biscuits and wine on the balcony in Manly sunsets that did it. 🙂

So it was back on the bike this morning, (didn’t Lance write a book titled that?).  The Goal…

Hawaii 70.3 Ironman 2012 – in 5 hours!

On the bike – I was feeling good… that normal pain of using muscles that have been dormant for 6 months, now coming out of hibernation. All was going smoothly. I was just taking it easy, trying not to burn myself on the first hill though I was pleasantly surprised to see I was still making really good time.

This is when tragedy struck… a flat tyre. It would be unfair to say I forgot my spare tube and pump… because when I finished packing my bike last night I saw I had left it out and thought… she’ll be right for one day! Apparently not!

This is the first time I can remember actually having a flat tyre!

Luckily for me – a guy was nice enough to stop and give me his spare tube. Carelessly I didn’t get his name or a card or anything. Feeling a bit silly about that as I write this now. I will no doubt return the favour to someone else caught in the same predicament.

4km later… another flat. 2 flats in the same ride! Yes I checked the tyre and rim to make sure there was nothing still in there from the first flat – obviously I didn’t do a good enough job though.

Needless to say – it was a bit of walk to the closet ferry… though I do thank my lucky stars for that. Had I been riding from where I grew up it would have been an expensive cab ride if I could have hail one.

It will be off to the bike store to get another tube – might get a few – at lunch today.

An interesting start to this years entry! Bring on Hawaii 2012!!

Hillboy

PS.  I am in a bit of a video kick at the moment… so I have taken some footage that I will cut into something eventually. (inspired by the Long Way Down)