As his private trainer, I am always on hand to give Michiel some extra motivation and push when he needs it. Sometimes, as he would also admit, he lacks self motivation and has to really work on getting in the mood to workout. Swimming has always been the scariest of the 3 sports for Michiel, he feels very conscious in the water, and it took a lot of self belief and effort to get him this far, performing in the pool, with great effort and progress.
It was time now to step it up a level. He is ready. The first swim out of a pool. The notorious Ironman swim is in the sea, and I want him to feel fully ready for race day, and comfortable in the great outdoors.
Wetsuit on. Pep-talk given. It was time to enter the water. I am always trying to encourage Michiel through any barriers, and I knew this was a big one for him. Off he went. We used shoreline markers to swim to, and once he was used to the wetsuit, and the water, we set a 1000m challenge – and we were off.
He DID IT!!! Despite the brand new conditions, and nerves, he did it! Proud trainer! A new experience and a new terrain covered – boom!
After some celebratory acai smoothies and lunch at Raw Balance, we couldn’t leave the area without seeing the famous Huka Falls.
Now we have the wetsuit and he has nailed open water swimming, I can throw him into any open water for a quick drill, right?!
