Club News

MAY 2017

In the thick of training this month, and I did have to wonder why I had chosen to do and event in July. May is always a hectic month in our house, with loads of birthday’s, parties and get togethers, it was a constant juggle, but I got there. I didn’t find the training too hard – it was more the logistics of how can I do a 6 hour bike and travel to a party and get the kids to 2 different the matchs etc. (The answer is mostly to simply to get up earlier!) Outside of swimming I trained almost entirely alone this month. I was on the road every Saturday by 0700, but that left me free from 1400. I did laugh out loud at an article I read that said you absolutely have to sit down for 2 hours after a long training session – that might work for Pros, but not for many in the real world!. In April it was a breakthrough to do a 5 hour bike –I have now done multiple 6 hour plus bikes. Even on your own the time does pass quickly – you are watching heart rate, keeping in mind technique, concentrating on drinking and eating regularly. And even though it was officailly summer, it seemed the wind came up every time I hit road for a long bike and I was wetter and dirter than I have ever been.

I have been inspired by many who have gone before in club, but none more so than Catherine Corby, who took on the notoriusly difficult IM Lanzarote this month. Catherine was amazing– she decided to do it, put her head down and just got on with the training. I was glued to the phone awaiting the news that she had crossed the line. By all accounts, tough as it was, she smiled the whole way round and became an Ironman.

With all the socialising, I met quiet a few people I hadnt seen in the last six months. I have changed shape a bit, my face is weather beaten and I was uncharateristically abstemious. A bit like when you are pregnant, people seem to feel they can give their opinion and offer advice; An old friend told me (ciggarette in hand) that they didn’t think endurance sport was good for you. At another party one person said my husband was ‘very good to let me’ and another commented she ‘wouldn’t do it to her kids’. She might have had a point. My 9 year old has accompained me on her bike for a number of long runs and she did ask me was it normal for a 9 year old to cycle 15km, all I could tell her was that it was our normal!

One draw back of deciding to do this with out a coach or do any races, is that you are not quite sure of where you are – have you done enough? You hear others talking about their training and I feel like I am doing hardly anything by comparison, but then I know I don’t have any more time to give and that I am following a recognised and proven pIan. With my swim times just about holding, I did decide to give the cycle Time Trial a go. The night I picked was ideal, warm and still. I was delighted with a 36:04 for the 20km. Looking back on sprint Triathlon times, I have rarely broken 40 minutes for the bike, so I must be doing something right.

So here I am with only 4 weeks to go. I can’t believe what I have done so far, how quickly the time has gone and how in less than a month the adverture will be over. Yikes!