MULTISPORT he says he is making it work . “ We ’ re training seven days a week , two times a day , in the morning and then in the afternoon , so we are putting a lot of time on the legs and a lot of time in the pool . I think for me , it ’ s about trying to find a balance and enjoying it , and making it as exciting as possible .”
Of course , it does mean making some sacrifices , including some very early mornings . “ I wake up early , with the hadadas and the chickens , so that we can be out on the road by half-past-four . There ’ s a cycle route we do called E to E , which gives us about 32 kilometres , and then we go for a run . So , we ’ re done by about half-past-six , I ’ m home by seven , and then I can go to work ,” continues Mac . “ My schedule only gets a bit more hectic when we ’ re travelling , but I actually quite enjoy taking my tekkies with me and going for a run . I get to see the length and breadth of South Africa thanks to my work , and I love getting to see more of the country by being out on the road . I might not cycle when travelling , but I still try and put in a run , and if there ’ s a pool , I ’ ll put in a swim , too .”
Mac is doing most of his training with his coach and long-time friend , Langa Lloyd Marlowe , a personal trainer at Fitness & Lifestyle Wellness , and he says this makes the training a lot easier to get through . “ Lloyd has done three or four Ironmen , and the Comrades , and I don ’ t think there ’ s a marathon in this country he hasn ’ t done ! We went to school together , and I think we ’ ve known each other for about 30 years , so it helps that we really get along , and that we can remind each other of the days when we were growing up . I was saying to him the other day that we ’ ve grown up , just so that we can be kids again , because there ’ s nothing more exhilarating than going fast downhill on a bike and you just feel like you ’ re a rockstar !”
Images : Courtesy Mac Moleli , Carte Blanche , Piehl Family , Promise to Andre Campaign
Mac says the training is also definitely changing his outlook on life . “ Once you decide to make a decision to do something like an Ironman , the drinking stops , and the parties stop . The other day , a friend ’ s brother was turning 50 , and so I sat there surrounded by people having conversations , and all that was going on in my mind was , how do I correct my stroke ? Am I not pulling properly ? And at nine o ’ clock , I was like , that ’ s me done , I ’ m going home , because I want to go swim tomorrow . Normally I ’ d be the guy
Swimming stroke coaching from good friend and coach , Lloyd Marlowe
Coach and athlete take a breather as they move closer to that Ironman
leaving at 2am , after having the last shot of tequila or Jägermeister !”
Building For the Big Day
As part of the journey to the full Ironman , Mac is not only gradually increasing his training mileage , but is also planning to do a number of shorter triathlons as stepping stones to the big one in March . He says his programme will include the Joburg Ultra and Durban Ultra events , but at the time of writing , his first official triathlon is just around the corner , at the Tinman event in Durban and he admits that there are a few nerves , especially since he won ’ t be starting with the shortest distances on offer .
“ Lloyd is like , no , do the tougher ones , so that you can just get your body used to what it will need to do at Ironman , so I ’ ll be doing a 1.2-kilometre swim , a 32-kilometre cycle and a 10-kilometre run . It ’ s a solid start , and I ’ m quite excited about that , but I am definitely more worried about the swimming than anything else . But , hey , if you don ’ t do it , you ’ ll never know if you can ,” says Mac .
As for the Ironman itself , Mac says he is very much taking things easy in terms of setting goals . “ I think it ’ s a big task for me , and it ’ s quite daunting , but I ’ m comfortable on the road , I ’ m comfortable on the bike . The swimming is the big thing for me . It ’ s just about getting my stroke right , and if I can wing the swim , everything else will fall into place . But still , I ’ m going for a finish , not a time – I just want to get over the finish line . But being a boarding schoolboy , it ’ s go big , or go home , right ? They say that if your dreams don ’ t scare you , then they ’ re not big enough …. And I ’ m pissing my pants !” he says with a healthy laugh .
Modern Athlete is going to be keeping tabs on Mac ’ s journey to the Ironman in March , and will be bringing you more on this story in upcoming editions of the mag .
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