1 year older (again)

With annoying consistency my birthday roles round each and every 29th of November. Between the ages of 0-21 it was a novelty to be celebrated with gusto but I seem to have slipped into the mid-20s malaise where its worth a meal out and a beer rather than a huge piss up with several days recovery to follow.

Before writing this I looked back at the similar blog I wrote this time last year regarding where I had come from and where I thought I would be in a years time and once again I am reminded that even the loftiest goals are attainable through hard work and perseverance. I always had a Kona slot in mind when I sat at the Hillingdon Xmas bash in 2008 but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be the top British age grouper at the event. It has been yet another fantastic year and even though a quick review of 12 months of blogging reveals some major lows, they are out-weighed by the phenomenal highs.

I already know what my targets are for next year in my three "A" races (Roth, Louisville and, if Louisville is a success, Kona) and this year I have more riding on my results than ever. I have told myself that, extenuating circumstances, aside I MUST hit 2/3 of my targets in these races to even consider continuing with triathlon as a career into 2011. These targets are written in black and white on my bedroom door so there is no escaping them.

For once I won't be sharing these targets (yet) as they seem, even to me, to be lofty. Only time will tell if I have ideas above my station (in which case I'll be sat here in 12 months time writing about a significant change in direction) or whether I really can make it in what is one of the toughest and most competitive sports on the planet.

I'll finish with a quote I read on Gordo Bryn's website this last week from the swimming coach Dick Jochums. "People will do the minimum required for success. This is why extremely motivated people can compete with extremely talented people."

Amen Dick, Amen.