THE Ultimate refreshment..

Discovered the best way to recover from tired achey legs after our Sunday run yesterday, not quite brave enough for a full on swim yet, but soon, ahhh!!

More Easter weekend......

On Saturday I had a 3hr bike ride to do, James had to ride for 4hrs, so went off for an hour before coming back to collect me. We decided to plan to Dartmoor and try to get to Hexworthy to have a dip in the Dart.
It was a quite eventful ride, one short cut gone wrong, followed by a sudden down pour, a by pass around a rocky bridleway, but finally we reached Vennford reservoir. Unfortunately, we didn't get as far as Hexworthy, but we did have a lovely return journey (all down hill!) and back in time for tea!
Still not enough elevation, but the rides get longer from here on in and Dartmoor is 30mins ride away, phew!! At least it's Easter and tomorrow I get to eat loads of chocolate ;-)

Happy happy Easter weekend

Friday morning saw the launch of Trailblaze - a new trail running format where you pay per play or membership, which gives you access to many different trails across the country in a non race event. You receive a timing chip, which tracks your times, these go onto an online leaderboard, so you can race against your own times, or other people, any time you like. So for the launch, a bunch of people got together to run as far as they could from Dartmouth along one of the first trails to be opened. I ran with James B from Dartmouth to Torcross. I was meant to stop at Blackpool sand, but felt fine, so kept going.. It was a really lovely run, the sun shining and the sea looking really inviting.
We then followed/ supported Neil Bryant, who ran all the way to Plymouth - 89km, in 11hrs 12 mins, phew!! Well done Neil ;-)

Wonderful warm weekends..

The last few weeks have seen some stonkingly good weather, especially on weekends. This weekend James and I were marshalling at another Endurancelife event on exmoor. As James and the other guys are all training for the Norseman, they decided it would be a good plan to ride from Ilfracombe back to Totnes - guess who lovingly got to be support crew? It was a really early start (5am) to get from Heddon valley to the start of the epic 102mile ride. I got to fit in my 1hr run at the first pre-arranged stop, Great Torrington, then sun myself at Okehampton and Lettaford, then bomb back to Totnes to fetch my bike and ride out to escort them home. I am really impressed with their ride and look forward with anticipation to my first mammoth one!

Week 9 so far..

Completed my second ever 2.5km continuous swim in 57min 13s, 10 ins off original time, so very chuffed.
Tuesday evening run not so successful though, felt pretty tired and struggled a bit, but that's when its nice to have James with me to keep me company (and push me on!)
Weds evening quick change bike to run transition - I like this bit, you get to ride for a relatively short time -45mins, then jump off and run for only 15mins. The bar soon gets raised, so I'll make the most of the last couple of easy weeks before training intensity increases!!
Swimming was hard this morning, I think I am finally getting tired, but also, because Totnes pool is officially rubbish, in the words of James after a similar experience in Liskeard pool ' I have swum in clearer bogs'!! Back to Kingsbridge pool next week ;-)

A plan is hatched.......

Back in February, James, OB and I went to TCR show at Epsom racecourse. It was here that I learned about Ironman Wales, and though not fully convinced at the time of my ability to compete in - it certainly got me thinking. Here are some pics of us having a body scan to size us for swimming wetsuits - and of course, having a go in an endless pool to test them! ;-)

22 weeks to go

This week has started well. Had a great swim on Tuesday morning, followed by Body Balance class with Maz and an hour run, I felt much stronger running, guess I had warmed up a bit!! Quick change session lastnight was lovely, a really sunny evening, and James joined me, which made the time fly by. Topped off by seeing the seal in the river Dart again on our run, unfortunately, we didn't manage to snap him, I'm sure he'll be there again next Weds evening!!

Productive weekend.....

Training going well so far, a 2.5hr bike ride (to Avon dam and back from Totnes, plus a little bit more!) and a 1.5hr run on Sunday. Monday is rest day, but back on it again now with a 100length (2.5km) swim first thing today. Only an hour run and body balance class to go and I'll be ready for dinner and bed, phew!!

RNLI goodies

The postie arrived this morning with a parcel from RNLI, it's only my event tees already! So guess what I wore on my 1hr15min run this afternoon? Quite nice to be joined by James for this one and we discovered a new route through the woods ;-)