Dry May / August harvest?

It was 5 a.m. on the first of May. It is unusual for me to stir before my 7:15 alarm, but perhaps it was because I knew that my beloved Chelsea were doing battle against Liverpool in the Champions’ League semi final 2nd leg that suddenly I was wide awake. It still took a bit of effort to drag myself out of bed, but I was treated to thrilling win over the scouser scum. Chelsea had got past the semi final stage for the first time at the fourth time of asking in the last 5 years. I knew that May was going to be a good month, but also a chance for a fresh start.

During the game I got to thinking about my own goals. In all honesty, April hadn’t been a great month for me. After making a good push on the training front in March, my effort levels had dropped a little. I was still happy with by fitness levels and how I played at Nats, but I had failed to reach my goals of regular Pilates sessions and increased running sessions. I started to think: if I could make the effort to get out of bed to watch the football, surely I should be making a bigger effort for Worlds? So for starters I decided to give up alcohol for May (giving up crap late night television would have been too hard!). Not that I have been drinking much these past few months, but it more about the change of mindset that this commitment might help support. The first test came when I rocked up to the Fakulti/Wildcard ball, not realising that my ticket price had covered all alcohol for the evening. You Fakulti boys owe me some beers come June – or whenever else this madness ends!

The more thought I gave to my effort levels, the more I started thinking about why am I even here. Why did Di and I quit our jobs in London and, after years of flat-sharing, move out of the flat we had bought only 5 months earlier, to go back to flat-sharing here in Sydney? OK – so the snorkelling is a bit better here, but the real reason is that 2004 was the most fulfilling experience of my life. The effort and sacrifice of all those involved was immense. The results were a nice reward, but it was the journey that was the most satisfying. I wanted one more chance at that journey – even though I knew it would require a massive effort. So this is my last chance. My last chance to be the best Frisbee player I can be. My last chance to be the fittest I have ever been, when I step on that plane in less than 3 months. Last chance to put in the effort required to contribute to this team being the best Australian ultimate team ever.

I’ve been to 7 Worlds & Clubs. Each time I have probably been fitter than the previous one, but still, I’ve never stepped onto the plane thinking ‘I’ve done all I could’. In reality of course, we are an amateur / part-time sport, so I am never going to be as fit as is humanly possible, BUT there is a big difference between being inhibited by circumstance (such as having to work full-time) and being held back by a lack of effort.

So that is my goal: Maximise my effort over these final 3 months, so that when I get on that plane I will know that I will never look back on the 08 campaign and think, ‘I could have done more’.

One good week down… less than 11 more to go!