Lawrence Ng, you are an IRONMAN!!

After being a man in motion for 11hr25min, I am an Ironman once again!!:)

All packed and ready to go!

The Final Countdown

It's 6 more days to the big day!!.....and I am really excited!! I am done with all my training. I have come this far without injury or illness, so let's hope that I can keep it that way all the way to the start line.

I watched the 1998 Hawaii Ironman on TV last night AGAIN :). The 1998 edition is one of my favourites. I like the part where the Ironman Hall of Famers gather into a chapel and talk about the mental aspect of the race.

Here are some words of wisdom from them:

"No matter how much you prepare, you can never control the race....the race is just there, you have to respond to the dynamics of it and find those places in yourself that are dormant, that sort of come alive when you are under that type of pressure."
-Mark Allen

"The actual physicalness of accomplishing this is very doable if you just put in the training, it's the mental...totally mental.If you can come into the race and find the flow....take everything that is dealt to you at the moment and handle it....that's where all the success and failures come, because if you don't handle it, the greatest training in the world is absolutely no good at all."
-Paula Newby Fraser

"The novelty of this race wears off about an hour out on the lava fields. There is so much momentum and so much hype and their adrenaline is coming out of their ears. But once you get out to the lava fields, you are all by yourself. I think a lot of people get hung up; I got to finish this race, I got to do this X time. I don't pay attention to time at all. I just let that moment consume me."
- Dave Scott

----------------------



Ever heard of "Lawrence Ng Formula"?:) That's what I will be using for the Ironman. I was getting sick of eating gels during my rides and I have trouble swallowing salt tablets, so I decided to try Infinit Nutrition. I answered the questionnaire on their website and that helped create this formula, which reduces the need for me to carry any gel or salt (though I will carry some gel with me in case I miss my special needs bag). I have not used this in competition. Langkawi will be the first time, so it will be one big experiment, though I have tried in during my long rides and it seems ok so far.

Head Games Part 2

Some thoughts during my long ride and post-workout today...........

- I don't think I am going to do well for Langkawi...I have not done everything that I have set out to do.
+ Given the amount of time that you have; the stress and triedness from work, the need to balance time training with time with emily.....you are not a pro, you have done well
- I think 10:37 may be a little too ambitious. Perhaps I shouldn't even be doing an Ironman. I am just not strong enough. Maybe I should wait another year.
+ There is never a good time to do an Ironman. There will be always be other distractions in life. You have done well by training the best you could under the circumstances. If everyone thinks like you, then the 4 min mile will never be broken. Now go out there and enjoy yourself!
- My long rides is only up to 150, long run only up to 26k.
+ Given where you started, maybe it is a good idea that you did not overdo things. Anyway, there is really nothing you can do now. Just focus on the next 1.5 weeks and make sure you rest well, eat well and dun do anything stupid!!
- I am really scared now. The Ironman is going to be a long, hard day. Am I going to make it?
+ Just take it one step at a time, remember? Just think back to all those times when you thought you were not going to make it, but you did. Remember 1999, you suffered through a 6:45 bike in the nz cold and then ran a ~4:12 for the marathon? Remember 2000? You did a 60k ride with daniel on the Queen K and then went back to your home totally demoralised because the winds were so strong. You wondered how you were going to ride 180k. But on race day, you did just that!!! Just take it one stroke, one step at a time. Listen to your body, focus, and dun do anything stupid!!
- I think I am going to embarass myself if I dun hit my targets.
+ Hey, I think you are taking a bold step forward by stating your goal. This is the boldest I have ever seen you. Just ask yourself, why are you doing the Ironman? I dun think it is to show off to your frens cos not many of them know you are doing one, except for some close frens and colleagues. You are doing this for yourself. So dun be so concerned about what others think. Think instead of all the things from you have gained from trying to reach your goals: discipline, time management, knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses etc.
+ And you know what? If the Ironman was that easy, everybody will be doing it :)

Absolutely Beautiful!

I want to learn diving!! I want to visit Sipadan someday!!