Mathieu O’Halloran

This season started in a surprising manner where I got all these ideas and options and self-pressures early on of which made me see things that where non existent so after some more grinding, what was “within” appeared and showed its potential only to be hindered by a speed bump, but with the aid of some titanium, peer support and good ole sticking it out, I met some many more interesting humans which made me feel like this is my place so now I eagerly await 2009 to attack the room for improvement theory.!.!.!

Once uppon a time I over heard this story about tennis great Andre Agassie.

 Andre had a plan to win the Australian open a lot of times. The Aussie open is the first major tennis tournament of the year in JAnuary.

 So Andre would simply, go to bed early and rise ealier to practice hard during the holiday season, while his adversairies would be taking it easy…

Andre won the Aussie open 4 times.

 Now, I see myself like Andre, gaining while others are not gaining. Drinking gatorade and not eggnog. Eating rice and pine-apple, not turkey and stuffing! Out under the sun, not under the mistletoe. 

 2009 here I come!

Joyette, please dont be jealous…

 ”Oh dear airport road, you have everything a cyclist would want! Uphills, downhills, rollers, sharp turns, gradual turns, lefts/rights, tail wind, head wind and a couple turn arounds!

You always let me be on top and you never complain! Never judgemental of my grunts or when I shout.

Rainy day or Sunny day, your available to me…

The purple sunsets and pink sunrises we have witnessed together are in my memorie forever.

Even though I have to share you with others, I know I’m your favorite”

So its that time of year again, where I put in a solid block of training with my shadow.

Unlike last year, this time I have familliar training venues and a few more options…

 So, lets start with the Pros:

- Start the sessions on my own timeline.

-Warm up/down at my speed and for as long long or short that I want.

-Focus on my pace.

-Relaxating

Cons:

-Nobody to keep me honest.

-Nobody to pull away from or to chase down.

-Nobody to chitchat to.

-Nobody to ask how many reps we have done (mostly for swimming)

-Not always looking forward to an empty swim pool.

-Nobody to help me clear lane 1 of walkers off the track before fast running.

 Okay, so the cons win over the pros…………………………………..

Earlier this week, I was visiting my tiny girl friend and I got the chance to browse around Manilas vast options for training facilities!

 I was quite impressed with how many 50m pools there are but mostly, I admired the die hard cycling community who ride on a regular basis around this 2km out and back section behind the mall of Asia at sunrise to avoid traffic…

The picture is taken at the Ultra sports complex, which is home to many sports. You can find many of the local tri crowd there because of the convinience of a 400m track and 50m pool meters from each other.

 If only the crazy traffic could be fixed…

This morning I did my “comeback” race at a local season ending event very near Subic in the prestigious Anvaya Cove!

So, Anvaya Cove is what I picture in my mind when I imagine heaven…Well, minus the clouds and more people in sandles and bathrobes

The race, was an original format of 1k swim-30k bike-6km run. START! And I took my place at the front of the swim where I could see the ocean bed even when I was rouding the furthest buoy. At one point I was wondering if the sand here is imported from the Carribean?

The bike was very hilly and twisty and because of the multi lap format, I had to politley over pass many athletes. Due to my impressive record of crashing on downhills, I took them easy and did lots “Lancing Armstrong” on the uphills with some un-characteristical out of the saddles climbing.

The run was done how we often train, M/M/M and that was it! After the interviews and autographs I did some more running to make my legs feel a bit better for tomorow when I wake up and start all ooooooover again!

I wish I had a Peso everytime I got asked that question!

 My shoulder is fine, always has. But my collar bone is a bit sensitive when the weather or pool water is cold or when I wake up in the mornings.  I have done a few “all out” swims with my big black paddles and cut off bike tubes with no pain, followed by satisfactory numbers!

Last blog I was rambling about a little fever. Well that fever ended up being a quite serious sinus infection that compelled some nose bleeds and solid head aces for about 2 weeks! At one point some people though I had high blood pressure or hipper tension, possible at 22? I dont know but I`m feeling fine now!

This block of training has been rock steady, consistent hard sessions with a variety of rookies! Most continents are represented in our squad at present, of which makes interesting conversations and mis-understanding imminent!

I quietly chuckle when doc “loses it” at the rookies for making mistakes! But often they repeat the same mistakes out of ambition…Even though I am still the youngest, I cant help but feeling like one of the oldest. Not sure why???

Anyway, I have a foggy idea of what I am doing next year. But the fog will eventually clear, my targets will be vivid and I`ll be armed with some sharpend arrows!

Its been exactly 8 weeks since my surgery.

And I can assertively type that my fitness is almost back to what it was before the crash. I still cant swimming around with my big black paddles, put that will come soon enuff. I also havent tried to dive in the pool just yet, just because, just because.

But I still do ride with the same bike jersey I crashed in and ride over that same speed bumb everytime I go to the pool. Theres accualy 2 ways of going to the pool, the longer and easier road or the shorter and harder road. The speed bump is on the shorter and harder road. And everytime I go to the pool, I take the shorter and harder road, regardless.

 Appart from a little fever I have now, I cant really complain because the weather has been very sweet, I have new training mates of which I get to draw from, which is always a favrite for me. Also we have a new TBB kiosk here, with a resident mechanic, who will do ALL of my bike maintenance because I am very impotent and fixing my bike. I just like to ride it.

 Anyway, I should be back at racing in November, which will be a relief…………………..

Mabuhay!

After 33 days without swimming I got to feel the water a few times this past week.

I got humbled by the local Pilipino squad here on my first session but those days are numbered, believe it.

Some pain free moving around in the water and I enjoy every moment of it. At present I can kick faster than I swim, and I really like just “playing” in the water!

I believe that I am a good swimming because I love swimming, the refreshing feel of floating and slicing through one of earths elements, powering off the walls and my ever favorite, lapping other athletes!

I have vivid nostalgia of my childhood summer days when me and my buddies would race our bikes to the local lake, sprint into the water and swim a far as possible, in our “CHICKEN” competition, which was basically last one to turn back, gets free ice cream!

The lifeguards add a particular loathe for this game of ours because we displayed a bad example to the other kids by swimming outside the designated perimeter!

My friend Marc-Andre was my biggest rival, some of our battles would go on for over an hour at times, with the clear knowledge that every stroke out will be another stroke back in….

It’s been 23 days since my surgery and I am very satisfied how my recovery has been going. I now have 99% mobility and flexibility back! Actually the only motion that hurts the titanium plate and 5 screws on my collar bone is when I try to kiss my elbow.  Yes, I do have a lot of free time on my hands!

I have read 3 books, watched 17 movies, watched season 11 of the Simpsons twice, watch the 2^nd season of Grays Anatomy once and I am now half way through the first season of Dark Angel! Jessica Alba I LOVE YOU!

I also gained some “healthy weigth” because I decided to eat lots of food to assist with my recovery, versus popping pills and supplements.

So now I have to wait some more…..……………….