The best bit ....a long downhill

I was out on my usual Sunday cycle ride, and after 1 hour of climbing and rolling hills I get to the best bit. A lonnnnnnnng downhill........ its not very steep, but it does go on for a while..... wahoooooooo.

Ironman training - gardening?!

Gardening, well digging a vegetable bed actually, I bet this is not part of normal triathletes training programme. I don't see Chris McCormack training regime involving lugging large bags of compost or digging and weeding large vegetable beds.

Well, this is now part of my secret training schedule to blow away the UK triathlete competition .... I'll have to wait until June to see if it pays off.

I've submitted my application for a lottery place for Hawaii ...... don't stand a chance of getting a place and I would probably pee my pants if I did .................

Cold fingers and runny nose

Wow, what a great weekend, the weather was fantastic.  It all started Friday night with a monster session at the gym, followed by Saturday afternoon and a 10 mile run, and then today and a 3 hour cycle ride in the Oxfordshire winter sunshine.

Its Sunday night and I've got work tomorrow, lots of ironing, loads of household chores and my body is tired ....... but I don't care because it was a fabulous weekend.

Layers

What a palaver getting dressed for a cycle ride during the winter????

I start with a cotton vest, (I know its probably not great, as cotton holds moisture, but it seems to work for me). Next over the top, a long sleeve Lycra close fitting shirt, then a short sleeve loose dri-fit t-shirt, next comes Lycra arm warmers, then long leg Lycra bib pants, over the top Lycra padded racing bib shorts, racing cycle jersey and a wind proof gillet, all topped of with hat, gloves and overshoes.

Having the layers works well for cold days, although after a long cycle ride on Sunday and consuming two bottles of water, getting all those layers off to go to the bathroom is somewhat of a challenge.

Yippeeeee

I heard a strange sound this morning.  Birds singing.  Its still only January and the birds have started to sing.  I open the curtains and I'm greeted with a fabulous looking day, a great day for a cycle ride.  

My iphone is loaded and charged, I've got two water bottles, banana, bike repair kit and all set for a great cycle ride.  Sure enough it was a fantastic ride, the weather was great, the roads quiet, excluding the horse riders, runners and other cyclists (my kind of traffic).  Today was the best day of the year. 

(I apologise to those folks in deepest, cold winter).

First Amendment Area

NOISE.  I crave silence, no noise, nothing, just silence. 

I was running, when all of a sudden I stopped, switched off my music, pulled out my earphones and just stood still.  My breathing slowed and just for one minute there was peace and quiet, it was beautiful.

Jet lag

I can't sleep.  Which is very interesting, lying awake in bed at 02.30am listening to my wife snoring!!!!!!!!!! 

My wife and I are complete opposites, in every way, absolutely everything, even our breathing?  I can't sleep due to jet lag and a snoring wife, I've read about 10 zillion books, counted all the sheep in the world and so I try to match my wife's breathing pattern, I nearly start to hyper-ventilate, gosh she breathes fast when she sleeps.

Two doors down

My hotel room is two doors away from the hotel gym, which is great as I've hit the gym everyday, although I think I might have over done it on the step machine.

San Francisco is great, I just wish I had my bike with me.

San Francisco

Wahoooo I'm off to San Francisco tomorrow morning for a week, its not holiday but work.  I'm flying out British Airways business class and back first class.

A week of the hotel swimming pool, sauna  and gym....... piece of quiet from noisy family, shopping, eating out ahhhhhh.

Smarties

I managed a 10 mile run this past weekend, which seems to have put a temporary halt to my weird dreams. Alas, Monday thru Friday is still devoid of any training.  I'm really struggling to get arse into gear. 

I'm down to my last 5 smarties (chocolate M&Ms) and when the last one goes, that's it no more procrastinating.  I'm committed to a road of no more chocolate and a strict exercise and diet program.  Just scoffed another smartie, only 4 left and no excuses. 

Three orange and one green smartie to go.  No stop, couldn't resist 3 left ...... 

UPDATE: Scoffed the lot ..... strict exercise and diet routine has kicked in from now.

Grizzly bear dream

I'm in an ironman event, however instead of swimming, I'm in a sail boat.  I've just finished the swim (sail) leg and enter transition when out pops a huge grizzly bear.  The bear chases and catches me and is just about to bite my head off when I wake up. 

I must get out and do some exercise, before my dreams turn me into a nervous wreck.

(Picture: Dave Hurteau of Field & Stream magazine)

Reoccurring dream

The past two nights I've been waking up mid-dream (night-mare).  I'm dreaming that I'm in an ironman event and have completed the swim but then get lost during the run or bike leg, at which point I wake up in a sweat, rather anxious and confused.

Not sure what the dream means.  Probably my subconscious telling me that I've eaten toooooo much chocolate and not done enough exercise this holiday.

Its rather foggy

I've been procrastinating and sulking all day and finally dragged my arse out of the house for a run.  It was that or watch High School Musical with the kids.

It was rather cold and foggy, but I'm pleased as I managed a fair pace for about one hour.  I'm not sulking anymore ...... exercise is a great tonic.

Sore nose

Wahooo its nearly Christmas, no work for week. Yippeeee ..... OK long run on Saturday, Cycle Sunday, Swim Monday, Cycle & Christmas Lunch Tuesday, Cycle Wednesday ..... aaachooooooo, snivel, sniff ..... blast where is my hankie!!!

Oh bugger that I feel terrible.  I've caught a stonker of a cold and right now feel like going to bed ............ Ok maybe a run tomorrow will sort me out ... kill or cure.

New car

The roads were very quiet this afternoon.  I was out for a gentle 1 hour run before it got dark.  It was flippin cold.

We are looking to buy a new car.  We test drove a BMW 5 series touring yesterday, it was beautiful to drive, I'm in love.  Alas, it failed the wife test.  Would my bike fit easily into the back of the car in 1 minute with two kids in the rear seats.  (Silly test I know, but I have an inpatient wife).

Despite trying to persuade my wife that I would take both wheels off, the saddle out, remove the handlebars, the forks within 30 seconds, it was with a heavy heart I confessed it failed.  Other cars we have looked at the passed this test with flying colours, just pop out the front wheel and in it slides, even with kids sitting in the back seat.

Crikey that was cold and wet

Today it rained cats, dogs, chickens, polar bear and penguins.  I did battle with the elements as I cycled from Oxford to Marlborough.  It was a tough cycle what with the cold wind and the rain. 

It took slightly longer than planned , plus I was late setting out which meant when I came into Marlborough, the light had just about gone.  (Slightly stupid really as I did not have any lights on my bike).

Shock

My daughter is 6 years old and already she has broken her poor old fathers heart.  Today over breakfast she told me... . ..... ... I can't say this .... .  . . that <trembling voice> she is in fact a MANCHESTER UNITED fan and would not like a Chelsea football kit for Christmas, she would like a Man U kit.

My son and I are still in shock, but I guess we will have to come to terms with her decision.  (Psst son lets put her up for sale on ebay).

I hate winter ......

The weekends slipped by and I stayed cocooned in my house.  Despite the guilt and the lack of exercise, which started to effect my sanity, I really struggled to make the first step or push of the pedal.

Today, I finally plucked up the courage to venture back out into the dark cold evening, back into the breach, as I hit the road on a regular training run.

Its was a relief to be back, I just hope this is the start of normality again.

Huh .... where did 2007 go?

I've just submitted an application for the 2008 White Horse Challenge. This is a 150km cycle race around the Berkshire countryside in April.

I always do this at the end of the year, I get gun-ho and sign up to marathons, triathlons and cycle races for the next year. I forget about the hours of training that lies ahead, the cold dark mornings in January and February, the panic in March as the early races approach .... and then in April I normally fall apart and get cross with myself for entering these events.

I know that if I don't do this now, while the joy of crossing the finishing line in 2007 is still fresh in my mind, I will never enter any events.

Tentative schedule for 2008

06th Apr 2008: Grove half marathon (confirmed)
13th Apr 2008: London marathon (waiting for lottery place - 9th year of applying)
18th May 2008: Copenhagen, Denmark marathon
25th May 2008: Edinburgh marathon (not sure about this one if I do Copenhagen)
15th Jun 2008: 70.3 Half Ironman, UK (confirmed)
23th Aug 2008: Reykjavik, Iceland marathon
07th Sep 2008: Ironman UK

................unless I win the lottery, in which case I will be sitting on a beach.