SPLAT !

I persuaded my wife and family to come away with me for the weekend. The plan was for me to check out the half Ironman cycle and run routes. So with family in tow we all set off early Saturday morning and two and a half hours later arrived at Wimbleball lake. After a quick bite to eat with my family, I left them and set-off to cycle the 56 mile cycle route.

Bloody hell this is steep and I’ve only been cycling for 10 minutes ...

8 miles later ....

wow this is fast……whoa these roads are narrow…..whoa, arrrgghhhh oooo eeee SPLAT boing, boing…oooph aouch !!!!!!

I was traveling at 32 mph and flew round a corner, hit the brakes skidded and went head long into a rather large hedge with stinging nettles. I remember bouncing along in the hedge and landing on my left knee and head a couple of times, once I finally stopped bouncing I sat up. Crumbs I’m shaking, quick check my bike, phew it’s OK. Bugger …. my shoulder hurts, ouch my knee, oh blast I’ve been stung all up my arm. I nnnneed to sit down for a second.

Two minutes later I’m on my way (the wrong way) pulling bits of hedge out of my helmet and jersey. Unfortunately, I had taken a wrong turn and ended up going 20 miles in the wrong direction, coming back to meet the family was all uphill and so I spent the afternoon climbing a total of 866m. I cycled back to a great B&B on the Ironman course, it turns out that the organisers are staying here on race day. Knackered and beaten up, I fell asleep at 8pm.

The next morning I was up and out to check out the run course, still suffering from bruising I took a gentle jog around the ironman run course. Despite being cold, it was a beautiful sunny morning. The lake was mirror-like and in 39 days time I would be diving in!!!!

Despite my mishap, I’m so pleased I came to check-out the course beforehand. It’s going to be very tough; the cycle route is going to be a killer …. I’m scared, very scared but I guess that’s the best bit !!!!!!