Turning a 'failure' into an achievement

It's 9:45pm and I'm ready to go to sleep. The boat is rocking back and forth and the ropes are creaking in a rhythmic manner. It's warm inside my cabin - the warm air is blowing through the hatch but not cooling much. The weather here in Lanzarote has shifted quite suddenly and drastically. Today we reached the mid 30's and I can tell I'm not as acclimitised as before!

Lee had a 5km TT run on the menu for me today, and was kind enough to 'spectate' on the bike. We found a quiet stretch of road and set off for a 2.5k out and back with the wind in our backs. I tried to glance down at my watch after a few seconds to see what pace we were going at but even before I could process anything on the screen Lee's voice was quick and strict, "No looking at your watch today, JUST RUN!"

So I just ran. HARD. Too hard. I'm almost embarrassed to write it down but I actually stopped after 2k. "I can’t, Lee. I'm sorry!" I mumbled under my breath. In hindsight I wonder if I could have continued. Was I suffering so bad that the only thing my body could do was to stop? Frustrated, angry, dissappointed in myself and my 'weak' body but more so the mind. Lee, being the amazing coach he is, turned this negative into a positive and immediately changed the session without making a fuss. One minute rest and another 2k hard. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You asked me to work you hard and here's a hard session. Push through it, think about all those girls who you want to beat. These are the kind of sessions that will make you mentally tougher than any one else.

So I took it one step at a time, trying to breath, trying not to slow, trying to get in another 100m , then another, and another. Finally I got to hit the 'stop' button on my watch and we'd logged 5km. Of course I was still dissappointed in myself but I was glad Lee was there to save the day. We finished off the run with another 8km at IRONMAN pace to see how this would feel. The first kilometer was slightly uncomfortable (no surprise after a 5k smash fest) and it was tough running into the wind. But it didn't take long to settle in and I felt the diesel engine in me. It was reassuring to feel comfortable at my pace after a pretty high intensity session. By this time the endorphins were starting to fly all over the place any way, so even through the doubts and frustrations I came back feeling happy and satisfied.

After a well deserved lunch feast I took the mountain bike for a nice easy ride to spin out the legs, towards Papagayo, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Getting into my custom-fit SNUGG wetsuit was a workout by itself thanks to my sticky, sweaty skin. I was still on a massive high from the previous session and LOVED my open water swim. I would 'blame' this rarity on my runners high - but you can't deny the wonders of Papagayo. Crystal clear water, colorful fish, interesting rock formations and beautiful patterns of sand. Perfect way to finish a day where a 'failure' was turned into an achievement.