I think the subtle changes are visible with these bike shots too - Geraldton April 2019 on left, Bunbury February 2020 on the right đ
Get one of those teardrop helmets, it’ll make a world of difference.
Great progress Gazza! đ´đź
Starting to look svelte mate
đ
Can you spot the difference? From left to right... Geraldton April 2019, Whitfords Nodes December 2019, Bunbury February 2020
Differences may be subtle or slight, but in terms of where I was at -
Geraldton I had started to get back into things again but shortly after lost the mojo (and was getting sore and injured)when I started focusing on Gold Coast marathon training.
Whitfords Nodes I had another crack at lifting myself out of the rut and started to turn a corner. Fitness had fallen since Geraldton and the Gold Coast.
Bunbury I finally felt like it had all come together and a corner had been turned. Suspect I am slightly fitter and perhaps a tad lighter than back in April last year and this time the mojo will stay đ
#NMMFG #MakeLifeAmazing #lifestylereboot #mojo #changes #SmallSteps2GreatAchievements #roadtobusso2020
Come on... Admit it.. You are an amazing determined guy.. We all chase our mojo from time to time.. Don't have to be Mr Perfect all the time..đđ
Gary Wilmot I just recently had the pleasure of meeting you, and training with you seeing your commitment and how you approach every challenge with a smile and can do attitude is truly inspirational. I’m happy you have your mojo back and I’m sure you will ride that road to Ironman this year!
I think the middle photo you were heavier than in the first and last photo .in the latest photo you have certainly slimmed down a tad .well done keep up the good work losing weight is not the easiest thing to do xxx
It's not unusual to lose the motivation, will, determination, mojo...whatever you want to call it. What lifts you up is that you come back. You try again. You set your sights on a goal and say: "ok,it's gonna be work, but I can do this!". Never let the times that you stop determine your course. *You* do that. Your heart and brain do that. Every bit...every bit counts! Well done, and keep up the great efforts. You are inspiring!
You're doing fantastically well đ
Keep going Cousin...don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re doing fantastic. â¤ď¸
Great work Gary!
Good luck mate you got this đ
Looking amazing Gary xx
Inspirational
You’re an inspiration Gary Wilmot
Well that was hard work. Outing number 3 for the wetsuit and itâs going on and coming off a LOT more easily. The swim itself though? The instruction was to âswim with purposeâ which basically meant I wound up trying to maintain form with my hand entry, and THAT worked my shoulders hard and was very tiring. On the plus side, I could feel the difference while I was doing that. I basically wound up doing bursts of âswimming with purposeâ and taking it easy in between. Talked about the session with @perthtriclub coach @anne.derover afterwards, and reminded myself that it wasnât so long ago that I could barely stop myself drowning (ok maybe thatâs a small exaggeration lol) and thereâs progress being made constantly. Onwards and upwards!
strava.app.link/NnmUTfWdf4
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #ptcaccountability #trilife #swimbikerun #triathlon #training #accidentalironman #roadtobusso2020 #smallsteps2greatachievements
Epic sunrise this morning! And have you considered vaseline or KY đ¤Łđ¤Ł
Youâve got to admire the way that Keith (the bike) handles the task of carrying me around a course đ @perthtriclub @bunburytriclub #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #trilife
Well done Keith đ
Legendary bike carrying a legendary guy
Back out on the river loop this morning. Was pleasantly surprised to find that the freeway bike path has been re-opened between Canning Bridge and the Narrows, making the final few kms a lot more straightforward.
Made a conscious effort to try to maintain effort for as long as possible and was rewarded with the quickest river loop - at least in the last couple of years. I think it was about 10 minutes quicker than last week anyway đ
Happy with that and hoping to crack 2 hours very soon and then look at trying to start and stay with the main group!
#NMMFG #MakeLifeAmazing #lifestylereboot #ptcaccountability #trilife #swimbikerun #triathlon #training #accidentalironman #SmallSteps2GreatAchievements
Congratulations đđ
So, the weekend that just was. Firstly, massive kudos to @bunburytriclub and all their sponsors, supporters, helpers and volunteers for putting on a fantastic event. A few of us from @perthtriclub travelled down and had the best weekend. Yes there was a triathlon event, but the experience of the whole weekend made it a great mini holiday break.
The event, for me, was a training session, a chance to gauge where Iâm at, and a chance to gain more race-day experience. So how did it go?
The swim conditions were perfect, and the run to transition was nice and short! I was at the back of my wave, and overtaken by subsequent waves as per usual, however I think this was strongest swim to date. The only downside was that I struggled to sight the red buoy on the final part of the swim. Looking at Strava, I should work on keeping a straighter line and clocked up just over 1km for a 750m swim!
I actually had enough puff to jog a little up the beach and into transition, had a few delays getting my bike shoes on but eventually was out on the bike course. As an aside - being last out of the water makes it VERY easy to locate where my bike is racked đ
The bike course initially headed east for a little out and back - I managed to catch my breath and was soon taking advantage of a tailwind holding a pace in the upper 20s km/h - things changed a little heading west and then south - after going through the town and around the lighthouse, it was mostly a steady uphill ride along the coastline. I was familiar with this part of the course as itâs part of the Bunbury 3 Waters marathon course.
In my mind I knew that once I reached turnaround I would have one climb and then a generally downward course back to transition. Downhill riding is my friend - gravity is my ally when I head downhill. I worked throughout the ride and was very happy to complete the ride in well under an hour - from memory it was 52 minutes. Those Kings Park sessions and river loop rides are certainly helping.
And so to the run - I donât have too much to say about that except running hasnât really been happening for me lately, so I was determined to run/walk the whole way (and not just walk). The plan mostly worked - there was much more walking on the uphill sections, especially as we headed up and around the lighthouse.
I kept up the efforts all the way back, had the amazing support of my PTC club mates as I got closer to the finish and even managed a bit of a sprint finish đ
Once across the line I enjoyed an ice cold choc milk, water and fresh orange pieces - the supplies were well stocked, and even this back of the packer had a full choice from the recovery area âmenuâ.
I was very happy with my performance, thoroughly enjoyed a fabulous weekend with PTC peeps, and found the event itself to be brilliant. So well organised, and a great course to swim, ride and run on.
Iâm definitely going to Bunbury again!
Way to go Gary and great photo! Where did you access the event photos?
Awesome effort Gary, well done đđđ
That's good love especially you feeling like you had a mini holiday x You also did well in the tri. Being last is better than not doing it & it can have its advantages đ congratulations your looking good xx
Great work Gary!
Looking good Gary, xx
You make want to learn how to run now! My physio said not yet lol
đđťđđťđđťđđť
I always enjoy the @perthtriclub coffee morning every Wednesday at @hbf_stadium - itâs the hour or so in the pool beforehand thatâs a struggle đđđ
About 75 minutes in the pool today - warm up, loads of drills and then cool down.
Key coaching observation this morning is that I am a âsinkerâ - which we kind of knew anyway, and is the reason I feel more at home in the ocean.
Pool water always feels so âthinâ, and itâs a real struggle for me even doing the warm up without fins, pull buoy or paddles!
Perseverance is the name of the game though, and while I may never be a good pool swimmer, all the work in the pool, and any improvements, will translate to better performances in salt water!
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #trilife #swimbikerun #triathlon #training #accidentalironman #sinkorswim #ptcaccountability
Perth Tri Club need their own keep cups đ
Up early for the usual Kingâs Park strength session on the bike, and rewarded with some glorious sunrise views an hour or so into things. Even the view while doing a 2km run off the bike was worth the effort đ
strava.app.link/LCCV6Njna4
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #ptcaccountability #trilife #triathlon #training #accidentalironman #roadtobusso2020 #smallsteps2greatachievements #kingspark #perth #perthisok @ Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Farewell Koombana Beach, Bunbury. Itâs been fun, and who knows, maybe see you next time đ
one of the best bays for swimming and if you are lucky enough to have the dolphins swim with you, its amazing
Details to follow later, but suffice to say I am still alive, and pretty happy with the way this morning went đ
Fantastic! Well done Gary, this is a great triathlon result. Quick getting out of that wetsuit too!
That's brilliant love well done Xx
Wow awesome!!
Well done đđ
Well done!
The end of the line, or the start of an adventure? You decide đ #thethingsyousee #railtracks #Bunbury #NMMFG #adventuretime
Different style of adventure buddy
Start of a new adventure đ
Start of an adventure for sure
Race pack collected and a great evening spent with @perthtriclub friends... now itâs time to sleep and be ready to go in the morning đ #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #trilife #546 #sprint #bunbury #triathlon
Good luck. You have been training hard. đ
All the best for tomorrow Gaz x
Good luck Gary. Xx
Good luck tomorrow mate enjoy it Bro
Best of luck mate, have a greet race đ
Best wishes Gary Looking forward to your post event report đđđ
Oooooh a rubber beanie sign me up đ
Have a great time
Thanks everyone đđđ
I didnât get a photo from other side of the artwork, but this is from behind. You can see that itâs not a solid piece at all. In fact the way the pieces are layered and positioned, from one side it is solid and the other it is almost invisible
Very clever xx
Taking a romantic Valentines weekend break with #Keith đTriathlon weekend road trip đ Just picked up a couple of spare inner tubes and about to hit the road. See you soon for pack pickup @lgmbunburycityclassic and my @perthtriclub clubmates heading down đ #roadtrip #trilife #Bunbury #NMMFG #MakeLifeAmazing
Have fun in the sun xx
This is the full shot of me in a wetsuit - I used a zoomed in view of it with this morningâs post. Iâm posting this now to talk a bit more about the wetsuit saga, why I think last week was so frustrating, and why this morning was a real breakthrough moment.
I headed to the beach early last week, partly because thatâs what Iâve been doing, partly because I thought I was going to crack out a monster session, and partly for the same reasons I used to like running In the dark; because there would be nobody else around to witness it.
As a larger, back of the pack triathlete, with a long personal history of not being especially sporty, and of not being especially happy with my body shape and so on, squeezing into a wetsuit has been a fear from the moment I contemplated doing triathlon.
Last Friday was the day I had been dreading for a few years, and so when it all went to mush, there was a fair bit of pent up emotion to tack onto that frustration.
This week? Well this week was about many things, but an important one was remembering that all the fears Iâve faced so far have proven themselves to be nothing more than flimsy illusions.
Today was about publicly hauling myself into the ridiculously tight neoprene suit, in the same manner that I have grown to be OK with the unflattering lycra tri suit. Today was also about approaching the swim calmly, with no fixed goals or agendas other than to start to become familiar with wet suit swimming.
The reward was a good swim, and a breakthrough lightbulb moment where I realised that this #Ironman thing really is doable, and so is the 70.3 in just 10 weeks time.
Today was about doing all the things Iâve done to run marathons, complete ultras, and walk across a continent - not listening to fear, taking things as they come, and finding growth, success and evolution on the other side of those fears.
It was a very timely reminder indeed đ
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #triathlon #fear #growth #success
I posted a photo of myself in a wetsuit on fb once. I was happy with it until someone told me I looked like a blow up doll. I think of that every time I wear a wetsuit, and am so glad when events are wetsuit optional - it means I don't have to wear it. The saddest thing about that comment was it came from a coach.
Good on you Gary, you are gonna kill this triathlon, such an inspiration đ
You are awesome! That is all.
Well done mate... release your inhibitions đ
I love your fearlessness in the face of fear, and your perseverance to overcome when the little internal voice decides to go all in. Awesomeness in action!
Fantastic Gary well done you.
I kinda needed to hear this right now. So much of it rings a bell!
Love this post!! You can absolutely do anything that you set your mind to. The ironman is so achieveable, it's all about the mental game and this post proves yet again that you are able to push past the doubts and the negative voices and have a cracker of a day! I can't wait to see you cross the finish line!!
Gary ... this is fantabulous news ... well done you for just doing it ... your goals are always larger than life, just like you ... keep it up!!
Mate, you are miles ahead of most, myself included
Son you are awesome x â¤ď¸xx
Thank you đ
Gazza your Awesome Bro
You can do anything if you believe in yourself....I remember carrying you on my shoulders over 200m on a bushtrack in 35degree heat during toughmudder...;)
Wetsuit swim, round 2....
The zip was fixed, and this time I headed to Cottesloe for the same start time as the rest of the @perthtriclub group - with the assistance of coach @anne.derover and my mate âBirdyâ, the wetsuit was put on, adjusted and zipped up with no dramas...
As for the swim itself - this time I was more prepared for how it would feel in the water, and the position that the wetsuit would be trying to force me into. This time I just relaxed into it and went with the flow - when I wanted to take it easy and catch my breath, I was able to do so more easily. When I was putting in a little more effort, I focused on reaching my arm forward and rotating my body. There were times when I felt as though I was gliding effortlessly, cutting across the water as easily as a blowtorch through butter...
What a difference. This week I managed 1.4km in 52 minutes, compared to 700m in about an hour last week. Also, when I got out of the water, I didnât feel completely smashed.
Comparing todayâs swim to a similar non-wetsuit one from a few weeks ago, I reckon a combination of wetsuit, improved fitness and better technique brought about an approximate improvement of about 15 minutes!
Yup, feeling a bit more wetsuit love today. Being Valentineâs Day perhaps thatâs quite apt đ
strava.app.link/ynJLXeiD33
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #trilife #swimbikerun #triathlon #training #roadtobusso2020 #accidentalironman #valentines #wetsuit #smallsteps2greatachievements
Stick with it mate. I remember the horrendous time I had the first time I attempted open water swimming. I was filled with doubt about whether I'd ever be able to do it. (Spoiler: it was possible)
Awesome đ glad it's working for you đ well done đ
well done...keep grinding away and it will all come to the day you tow the start line and you will be ready for the day of the race.
Pretend you’re a seal đ
What an inspiration. đ
great xxx
So great to hear.
Another Thursday, another River Loop with @perthtriclub đ
strava.app.link/jFpz6Vta23
This morning I made a deliberate attempt to increase / maintain pace. Could definitely feel that I was working harder, though I could also feel things falling off once I turned into the wind to head back to Perth.
In previous weeks Iâd managed about 21 km/h for the first 20km and averaged about 18/19 km/h for the full 45km.
This week I was holding around 24 km/h for the first 20km and averaged just over 20 km/h overall.
Iâm taking that as a small sign of progress đ
Another small update / tweak - in previous weeks I had only taken water on the ride, but had really started to feel drained from the 2 hour mark onwards. Today I added some Tailwind in the bottle and things were far less horrible đ
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #trilife #swimbikerun #triathlon #training #tailwind @tailwindnutritionaust #roadtobusso2020 #accidentalironman #smallsteps2greatachievements
Well done love xx
Jumped into the pool with the latest @perthtriclub beginners this morning for a skills and technique session that involved various pool accessories; paddles, pull buoy, buoyancy ankle bracelets and fins. Lots of useful drills under the guidance of coach @anne.derover - the biggest discovery was that having buoyancy right down on my ankles was actually my favourite of the lot. Goes to show just how much my legs naturally want to sink at the moment đ
Anyway, another good session locked away and another small step taken towards the goal đ
#NMMFG #MakeLifeAmazing #lifestylereboot #SmallSteps2GreatAchievements #trilife #triathlon #training #swimbikerun #ptcaccountability #accidentalironman
This was how I felt after doing a warm and sweaty 25km evening bike ride. It was a lot flatter than Kings Park, and a bit shorter in terms of time and distance, but I felt pretty good about getting out on the bike once I got home from work.
The session itself was fairly OK, I managed a fairly steady pace over 20km - recording a time of about 52 minutes. The last 5km was a combination of grinding things out, cooling down and a feeling of âmehâ đ
Happy overall - now I just hope I sleep properly so Iâm raring to go for the @perthtriclub swim session at @hbf_stadium in the morning.
strava.app.link/rgHZNtEAZ3
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #ptcaccountability #redemption #trilife #swimbikerun #roadtobusso2020 #accidentalironman
Right now I should be halfway through a bike session in Kings Park - I had the alarm set nice and early, was feeling pretty tired and relaxed after the swim, and was in bed by 9pm. I managed about an hour of sleep before waking up, and then couldnât get back to sleep - eventually drifting off about the time I was meant to get up, and waking about 5:30am
It annoys me - consistency is one of they key components of any training program, and especially a key session like this one.
Will have to see how the rest of the day goes, and hopefully fit in a substitute bike ride later...
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #trilife #insomnia #swimbikerun #roadtobusso2020 #setbacks #consistency
Might be good to eyeball your schedule and make sure you are putting enough quality rest time in there. If not, then mornings like these will happen as an override. Not a setback, be grateful for the progress your body made with the extra rest.
Hopefully you get some good rest for the next ine
Across the month of February, some of the @perthtriclub gang are having a bit of âswimuaryâ fun. Ideally swimming 1 km every day, but mainly using it as motivation to get in the water more.
For me, the more time in the water the better. Technique, fitness and breathing all need as much practice as possible!
This was a ârecoveryâ swim after yesterdayâs trail run - up and down the pool with the pull buoy for a total of 1km and then 100m as a mix of freestyle and breast stroke to cool down.
Slowing things right down gave me a chance to focus on breathing, keeping my head down and various aspects of technique. At various times I really could feel myself âliftâ in the water and the subsequent improvement in the forward motion.
Iâm thinking that slowing things down is what I need to do the next time I give the wetsuit a go. Get used to it and build from there.
Talking of which, the wetsuit is in a shop at the moment, and Iâm waiting for a quote to sort the zip out đ
Just finally - getting in the pool for a slow evening swim was a really nice way to end the day; I think I may have to do that more often đ
strava.app.link/5PhlizXLX3
#nomoremrfatguy #makelifeamazing #ptcaccountability #trilife #triathlon #swimuary #roadtobusso2020 #accidentalironman
I'm really impressed. I hate swimming.
So if wetsuit swimming can be described as out of my comfort zone, today was a chance to do something a little more familiar. Just over 10km on a hilly trail, encouraged and enabled by @perthtriclub club mate Birdy.
strava.app.link/Rsdar4fYV3
I ran the shorter Christmas Tree Creek trail today - itâs about half the Eagle Trail with a âshortcutâ through the middle of the national park. The shortcut just happens to be a long grinding climb to about the same elevation as the Eagle Trail, and a corresponding opportunity to pick up the pace on the way down.
This was a much needed and overdue return to the trails - it was truly beautiful out there; peaceful, challenging and as breathtaking as ever (literally as well as metaphorically).
Longest distance covered in a very long time - the body held up ok despite the lack of running in recent times. The strength and endurance work on the bike clearly helped!
This will be an increasingly important and regular element of my training - time on legs, strength and endurance, and all the benefits of quality time in nature đ
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #ptcaccountability #trilife #trailrunning #trailrunner #swimbikerun #triathlon #roadtobusso2020 #smallsteps2greatachievements #accidentalironman #johnforrestnationalpark #perth #perthisok
I was out that way today too. Just beautiful đ
Beautiful views xx
Sitting here watching others swim, including the latest @perthtriclub beginners group. My swim is already done, though it was a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. Was my first wetsuit swim, and ended up enlisting the help of a couple of cops who happened to be in the area, to sort out a jammed zip. Also had to get assistance removing the wetsuit as it wouldnât unzip fully - turns out the original jam actually broke the zip đł
So what of the swim itself? Well on the plus side, no stings (and apparently the stingers are out)... and to be honest, thatâs the end of the positives!
OK, so I could feel the wetsuit lift me, but in the end that was part of the problem I had; when I wanted to ease off and catch my breath, I was effectively working against the suit. The post-swim feeling in my shoulders also tells me that I was working harder when actually swimming.
After an hour in the water, I was shattered and only clocked up 700m!
I was excited this morning - hoping the wetsuit would work itâs magic and enable me to crack out a decent 2 hour session. The reality has left me a bit physically and mentally flat.
Letâs see what coffee, breakfast and a chat with @anne.derover brings, right now the wetsuit is broken after one outing and I have genuine #wetsuitloathing đ
It wouldnât be a #journey without setbacks and #learningopportunities right? LOL
#nomoremrfatguy #makelifeamazing #lifestylereboot #trilife #triathlon #training #swimbikerun #smallsteps2greatachievements #roadtobusso2020 #coffeetime
If you look at buying a new wetsuit, I can recommend the following. The Adrenalin wetsuit (which is also Australian-made) is very flexible. It is made for swimming. It is only 1.5mm thick which I find great for swimming. Also a responsible price. longreefsurf.com.au/wetsuits/mens-wetsuits/adrenalin-mens-summer-flex-swimming-wetsuit-superstret...
I loathe wetsuit swims. One thing my coach had me doing was swimming every pool session with arm or hand paddles, really works the shoulders and I admit made wetsuit swimming a whole lot easier
It takes a little getting used to a wetsuit, but yep it’s easier without one in my mind, but you will need it if you are doing Busso in May! Perseverance is key. Relax as much as possible when in it while swimming, that way less fatigue. Keep grinding đ
It does take time to get use to the wetsuit but keep persevering with it. I agree use paddles as well in some swims as it builds the muscles and makes your stroke stronger
I love following your journey Gary, the highs and lows, you are doing amazing as usual đ