Brick by brick - ITU Yokohama World Series
August 24th, 2009 by Gavin
Photo courtesy of triathlon.org
“It reflects his personality in the way I often think - what the hell is he on about today !???” Mark Noble interview
“What are you on about ? Do you smoke a crack pipe ?” Robbie Keane, Swiss Mountains
You will either get the following or you’ll think I have the pipe out . . . .
I was 11th in Yokohama World Championships Series and have just spent the last 26hrs travelling home. I have been in a sleepy daze since pouring milk into the the cornflakes box this morning and eating with my hands.
Later I was met by the stewardess as I got on a small BMI plane from London to Edinburgh. She checked my boarding card and then pointed down the aisle
“Really ? its that way ? I was hoping 18f would be in the cock pit”
I reminded myself of the old Irish saying seconds later as I walked down the aisle - “no one likes a prick”.
Anyway where was I ….. oh yeah Yokohama, 11th:
It’s like building a house. You do it brick by brick.
If your building your house by yourself or with only a few helpers it takes longer than yer boy up the road who has loads of full-time experienced workmen, site managers and dudes who can work the diggers.
At some stages your progress has been halted by shoddy workmanship, having to experiment with techniques or simply because of a lack of experience or funds.
Sometimes you get invited next door as a guest. You watch how they do things, see what techniques they use, what materials are best - you learn by working with them or learning from their successes or mistakes. You note most things down.
You go back and add a few more bricks to your own house.
I had workmen who would come and go. I learnt by making mistakes but now I have reliable experienced workmen who I can call on for help. I have a bit more experience myself.
At the moment my house is an average house in the middle of the nicest neighbourhood. I still need to add to the foundation, the plumbing, fix a few walls, seal the occasional leak in the roof . . . maybe ill add a new room ? It’s always easier to do these things when the sun is shining.
We are all restricted by the size of our plots but it’s what you do with your plot thats important.
I am pleased with the progress I made this summer and I thank those who have helped me. Slowly but surely, brick by brick , im increasingly confident I am on course to build a good house. I am not sure how long it will take but it may even stand out in this neighbourhood.
You know what I mean ????
4 Responses to “Brick by brick - ITU Yokohama World Series”
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August 25th, 2009 at 1:36 am
like the house metaphor, good way to think about things. well done, awesome result
August 25th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Congratulations on a great result. I often think about training the way you describe. Like today I did an hour on the rollers and was feeling tired and part of me was thinking, Well what good is a stupid hour on the rollers going to do? but then reminded myself that everything adds up like bricks on a house. I also find your post about chasing the wooly mammoth inspiring. If I’m on a run and feel slow and like crap I just say to myself, Well it’s supposed to be hard you dingbat, and then it feels better.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Well done Gav. But it does not take away from the fact you talk junk!
October 15th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Hello from Russia)