Swings and roundabouts........ I wish!!

Week 23 saw me being very tired after my Half Ironman attempt. I had felt pretty strong really considering while doing it, but then you're always going to be tired afterwards. I quite revelled in having an easy swim, then another on Thursday - we overslept so only ended up with about an hour to swim - I had a leisurely 64length swim (1mile) in 36minutes and generally felt pretty good. On Friday I had a 1.15hr run to fit in - so found a lovely, if slightly busy route towards bigbury and back along the road.
On Saturday I was scheduled for the longest ride so far - 5hrs, with a 45min run afterwards. I wanted to aim high and do a route up onto the moor via Buckfast and Princetown, but I got as far as Venford res in 2 hrs and realised I had left it a bit late to head across the moor. (I have vowed to do that this weekend with James in support vehicle!) Thus, I ended up only having a 4hr 15min ride, before heading out for a 45min run along the valley road - so after the initial lump, its pretty flat until about 25mins in. Overall I felt okay considering, and on Sunday headed out for 45min bike, followed by 2hr run - I found James' new bridlepath, which is great, and found some new tracks to link up when we get finally get back on our mountainbikes. I saw a giant ferret too!

Week 24 started fabulously, my swim session was great - the pool was quite cool when we got in - perfect for swimming faster! I swam the whole 3.5km and felt great doing it, even swimming at the same pace as James for alot of the time. Then on Tuesday evening we had a great run - James is tapering now so joins me for shorter sessions, then I continue alone! 1.15 and I still felt okay.
Tuesday evening I had a bit of a late one with work and bam - now I am feeling it. I felt exhausted all day yesterday so was not really looking forward to coming home and doing a QC session, I nearly didn't do it at all. I had to give myself a talking to - I haven't come all this way to opt out just because I am tired - and besides, on race day I'll be tired for the entire day and will still have to keep on. Due to the risk of injury when tired, I made a compromise, and had a slightly shorter session instead - 45mins low intensity bike, followed by a 15min uphill run and a slow jog and run home.... I figured this was better than doing nothing as I really needed the fresh air and I found a great spot for a summer evening picnic for watching the sunset.
So, on to this morning's swim - I could not wake up at all, so you can imagine that this was not going to be very succesful - the water was really warm, which is not very swim friendly and my left shoulder has decided to give me some pain. I managed a very slow 64lengths in about 45mins before conceding to the clock - James had to get to work! After James dropped me home, I had a recovery shake and took myself back to bed for a couple of hours. Luckily I can do that, but I really needed it. I still don't feel amazing now and have to face up to an 1.5hr ride, I think another easy one is called for.
Tomorrow I have a 1/5hr run, but I am quite excited about this as have looked on a map and can see how to link up loads of bridleways.
I am really not nervous about the race at all - I think it'll be one of those things that will just happen and it'll hit me once I finish exactly what a tough journey this has been! Between now and then James has Norseman next weekend, so I will have a new training ground for a few days - fjord swimming and running in some stunning scenery, can't wait!

Half Ironman maps

Half Ironman - wk22

Yesterday was my day to complete the half Ironman distance. James and I headed down to Slapton Sands for the swim and one look at the sea told me that I wasn't keen. I have a habit of looking at the sea and having a moment, normally I give it a miss and insist to James that it wouldn't be worth getting in as I wouldn't enjoy myself, I've been doing this for a while now since I decided to be scared of the sea?! So, as expected, we headed back towards Kingsbridge to have a look at the estuary to work out if we should start there.
After alot of procrastination and me having a bit of a temper tantrum (I really wasn't feeling it) I told James to head back to Slapton, I had given myself a bit of a talking to and realised that I'd have to just go through it all again another day. I can't predict the weather on race day after all, so no time like the present!

In order to swim with the current, we decided that the car and transition, needed to be at our finish, so James took the car down to the carpark near the other end of the beach, meanwhile, I got in and started swimming, James would meet me somewhere along the beach. A coach load of tourists had just jumped out of their bus to look at the sea, they found it most amusing that I was in the sea and I watched on as they followed me along the beach posing for photos with the 'crazy swimming lady' in the background. I quite enjoyed this and I think I got a bit of kodak courage, I told myself to stay calm and to relax and enjoy it, and give or take the odd seabird diving giving me the jitters, I think I did enjoy it. I finished the swim in just over 42mins and James informed me afterwards that we had actually been against the current, but with the waves?

Mike had rocked up to join us for the ride, so we (eventually!) set off to begin the 57mile ride.
Along Slapton line, to Torcross and back inland towards Kingsbridge, up out towards Malborough and down to Salcombe. We had a quick stop for a pastie (or bacon sarnie) then back up the hill and on the road. Through Aveton Gifford, to Modbury, then up towards Ermington, Ugborough and then back in towards Morleigh. From there across to Halwell, then down into Dartmouth, back up and along the coast road back to Slapton. This was a pretty gruelling ride. The climbs out of Kingsbridge, Salcombe, Modbury, Gara Bridge, Dartmouth and Blackpool sands pretty much finished off my legs - I tried to go a bit slower than usual to pace myself, but funnily enough I was pretty tired after the earlier swim.Finally we peaked at Strete and it was all downhill and back to the car - this was my favourite bit!!

I waved goodbye to Mike and headed out on the run, in theory Slapton line is 2.5miles long, plus a little hill at the end and back makes 6 miles. I headed along the beach and covered the first 2miles in about 15mins, so was feeling strong. A turn at Torcross and back down the beach again, phew......... At the far end the steep off road 1/4 mile hill was really slippy, loads of debris and mud do not work with road running shoes, so I took a gamble and descended on the road. I figured that this was a bit longer, so I didn't need to run back up again. Back along the beach to Torcross, and was joined by James for most of this, he gave me loads of encouragement and helped heaps. It's always demoralising to keep passing your finish and having to keep going!! Finally I reached Torcross again and turned for the last time. The sun was starting to head down towards the horizon and the clouds were coming back, so I think the timing was great for my finish. I finished the run in 2hrs 08mins, a bit slower than I had hoped, but it was flipping hard work and I had managed more consecutively than ever before.

Total time was 7hrs 30 mins and a few seconds - without the lunch stop and slower than should be transition times (I know I am quicker in real races, plus was busy chatting!!) and so if I can continue like this I may just be able to pull out a 15-16hr Ironman time. Not as fast as I would hope, but not as bad as it looked a few weeks back. I definately feel more confident and a little stronger and training reaches peek weeks soon, so watch this space........

France pics....

France continued.....

We had seen that there was a very lush looking bay in Erquy, so on Monday headed down with Nat, Don & Albert to the beach. James and I got suited up and headed out to swim to the buoy, but much to our dismay, seemed to take just a few strokes. I felt a little out of my depth, so headed back in and swam along the shore line, where I saw a massive fish and millions of tiny fish, plus some nearly naked old people!

The week continued much on this vain. Thursday's swim was a bit choppier, so I cried this one off and got out pretty quick, coupled with James ripping his brand new wetsuit (!) so we ran instead. We caught a couple of Tour stages, very exciting and really helped to inspire me.

On our final day (Friday) we headed to Mini Mt St Michel and found a lovely sheltered beach to swim from, to the other side across a river mouth. The water was probably only 7ft deep at the most, with turquoise water and a sandy bottom, so clear we could see the crabs sitting at the bottom with claws up. I told myself to relax and enjoy, and do you know what? I did, finally it started to sink in, I was relaxed and comfortable and it felt very smooth too, great swim to finish the week.
Afterwards, James, Don and I put on our running kit and headed off to run back to our campsite, about 10miles away around the coastal path. There were more glorious sandy beaches and hidden coves and quite alot of climbing, and steps to contend with. Finally we got back tot the campsite in 1hr45 (the boys were back a bit before me as I had twinged something in my foot) but it was truly an amazing run. and a fab training week for my confidence.

Long time no blog.....

d

I consider myself officially told off - having a lovely drink in the pub after the Endurancelife wild swim today, Sarah commented that she likes to read my blog and I'm aware that I haven't updated for a while - sporadic blogger that I am. So much to update and share, so consider it done, and read on - this one's for you Sarah x

The last couple of weeks have been okay-ish. Had a lovely strong week towards the end of June, I have been pushing it while cycling as just sticking to my optimum heart rate zone seems to make me painfully slow. Had some lovely evening rides after work and the last few 3km swims. Running wasn't so hot though with the odd ache and pain starting, but nothing to write home about.

2 weeks ago, James, Nat, Don, Albert and I headed out to France to catch up on some of the Tour and had a really cool time training. We were staying at a campsite near Cap Frehel, the finish for stage 5, so made sure we got right on it. We arrived at our campsite at about midday on Saturday and headed straight out for a run to acclimatise ourselves and find the nearest beach. A quick run down from the campsite took us to a gorgeous long sandy beach, gently sloping, with the tide out it must have been at least 400m wide, and to run along took us about 40mins - so a pretty big beach by all accounts! At the far end of the beach we turned inland and found an awesome coastal trail, that was pretty technical by our CTS standards and full of amazing butterflies. At the hill back up to the campsite we carried straight out on the trail along the coast to the next village and wound our way, slowly, back up to the campsite, through wheatfields and with the blazing sun. This was planned to be a 2 hour run and took us about 2.45hrs and was pretty tiring in the heat.

Next day was long ride day, so we got up early-ish and jumped on our bikes and headed south. What a refreshing change, James and I were able to cycle net to each other for most of the time as French drivers are so much more conditioned to cyclists and give a lot more room. Plus being on the right hand side of the road meant I could hear what was coming, so we happily pootled along side by side for hours.
Along the route, passing through many of the villages and following most of the route of the Tour stage near us, down as far as Yffiniac (couldn't find a non motorway route to St Brieuc so decided to turn here) and then headed back up towards Cap Frehel.
We passed a huge bike race heading in the opposite direction, then the penny dropped that we should have entered it.
It was a glorious day and eventually the bike race caught us up - or we caught them. Hurtling up to Cap Frehel and the finishing line for the Tour, we childishly stepped on it and raced through to a sprint finish along with the riders, then carried on through for the extra 5 miles or so to the actual Cap.
We turned round and headed back for home, with a quick Galettes stop in 'Sables d'or les pins' a crazy little seaside village taken over with a bike expo and lots of kites?!!
Total distance was about 57miles, in about 5hrs, with food stop, some pootling, but some tourist photo stops too!