Salad for pudding!

I just had a salad for pudding... this better be bloody worth it.
More thank yous to come tomorrow, I need to go and make a mental list of what I'm going to eat after Sunday!

SCORCHIO!

Mr. Sun has indeed got his hat on and yesterday's run was a hot affair, granted I went out at the peak of the day, as with seven days to go I figured that I could have a heat session and have plenty of time to rehydrate, but phew, when you have got used to running in temperatures ranging from -5 - 10C max it's quite a wake up call. The route is fast and flat but the wind and heat will make it tough going, I may find myself making slightly more use of the aid stations than I did at Ironman UK where the conditions were slightly more British.

Getting used to the conditions was a continuing theme this morning with a choppy swim. The weather has calmed down now but there were some pretty big swells a couple of hours ago and it's a strange experience putting your hand in the water and getting nothing but air. Just as strange but more disconcerting is when you turn to breath and find nothing but water, still, it beats dodging grannies.

Today's thank you has to go to my housemates. As anyone who has lived with an athlete knows we sometimes don't make the best dwelling partners. I'd like to apologise for the following:

1. Sweaty/dirty/damp/sticky/blood-stained kit being left in the kitchen/bathroom/landing/hall/lounge.
2. The fact that any left overs not clingfilmed and fridged are automatically considered "fair game".
3. Having to see me topless and steaming for the last 3 weeks most mornings on the turbo - what a wake up call.
4. All the times I'm in a crappy mood because I'm tired.
5. The fact that there are bikes/wheels/energy products/water bottles/tools/speedos/heart rate monitors everywhere.
6. Using the bathroom for 30 minutes most evenings to do core work and stretching.

Not only do they put up with this but they even bought me my favourite food, malt loaf, as a parting gift, it made a nice breakfast in Joburg air port.

Thanks guys, WLCM rock!

Don't stand if you can sit, don't sit if you can lie.

The parting wisdom of the Bike Whisperer. I thought that instead of just rambling about doing nothing I could use each of these days to say thanks to someone who has helped me in the run up to this race. Today goes to the Corrine and Scherrit at the Bike Whisperer. Some of you will know them from previous blogs but "legends" doesn't really do them justice. The amount of time they have saved my skin with last minute repairs (including Scherrit making a front derailleur from scratch overnight!!) runs into double figures. Not only this but the care with which they treat their customers is second to none. I am not sponsored by them so I don't write this because I have to but because if people like this are forced out of working with bikes and cyclists then it will be a damn shame. If you live in West London and need some bike advice/repairs click on the link on the right, you won't regret it.

Now, back to the rambling. Road the course yesterday, went slightly long on the way out as I wasn't sure where the turn around was so 1 lap came in about 41 miles but bloody hell it's quick. Taking the avg. from both speedos about 22.2 mph quick. I suppose that's mostly the effects of not having to dodge grannies and kamikaze motorists in Southall. The route I rode is below, it's pretty close to the race day route for those that care. Click on the link the full stats.

Swam this morning, sea was nice, just right for a wetsuit. Hard to tell how far but felt good in the new suit, despite the wind it wasn't to choppy so hopefully we'll see a repeat of today in 7 days time.

Tune in tomorrow for 1 lap of the run route and another thank you.

Here's Johnny!

I'm here, lying on a big bed looking at the pier where the start line will be in 8 days (well 7.5 days) time. The journey was great, I can't say a big enough thanks to BA who saw fit to bump me to club class! If I ever have the cash, or a kind enough sponsor, to allow me to fly club I will as it is without doubt worth the cost, flat bed, great food and drink all of which means despite nearly 20 hours of travelling I actually feel as fresh as a daisy.

About to go out and ride 1 lap of the course, which means putting my bike back together, haven't opening the box yet so here goes...

*nervous tension*

...all good! Thank God. If this last 36 hours is representative of the next few days it's going to be a fantastic week! All that remains is to put the thing back together and go and ride. One more thing to mention, it's windy, really, really windy, 40mph gusts, so we'll see how I get on with that!

Will blog again this evening and post the Garmin route for 1 lap. If anyone reading this knows if it is OK to sea swim here on your tod please let me know as I don't fancy being shark bait.

12 hours and counting...

The first of many pointless and time killing posts...

LONDON

VERSUS P.E.
=

Next time I *insert mundane weekly task* it'll be done!

The countdown really has begun, in 14 days time the race will be over (bar some catastrophic miss pacing). The taper is well underway and I feel fresher than I have in months. Saturday saw a 3k TT in the pool with swanky new wetsuit out on test for Tri247 (check out the review after the race). First impressions are very good not least as I swam a 44min 3k which for a brick like me is blistering. That was following by a nice 2hr+ ride which came in at a comfortable 21.6mph. Sunday was a 25TT and whilst my 1:01.39 ain't gonna set the world alight it was OK for someone who's HR hasn't really gone about 160 on the bike this season. All that now remains is to have faith in the work I've done, know that I cannot make myself faster/fitter/stronger in 2 weeks and not to over eat. I'm sure with strict resting orders and a wireless connection in PE there will be many a taper-related musing to come.

On another note today is Mother's day and whilst I'm not normally one for Hallmark profiteering (being both cynical and cheap) I'd like to wish a very happy Mother's day to my mum whose constant support during the last 23 years and 100 odd days has let me get to where I am today.

Ta mum!

A weekend by numbers

7k of swimming + 115mi bike + 30mi run / 46 hrs = OW!

It's been a long weekend, starting at 6pm on Friday with a 4.2k swim it was going to be a 12 hour plus festival of suffering but I've come out the other side with only a little soreness (maybe little is a slight understatement).

This was my last big weekend with my 21 day taper starting tomorrow and I wanted to make sure I had as much training to "soak up" as possible. All the training was done at IM HR/pace and I was pleasantly surprised by the splits. Obviously it is impossible to compare like with like and both the ride and run were a couple of thousand feet hillier than the SA course, however Port Elizabeth has a reputation for being windy. Also I'm hoping the first and last 10k of the bike course won't be littered with traffic lights and some of the most incompetent drivers know to man.

On a slightly different note (i.e. not me talking about swimming, biking and running lots) over the last 2 weeks I've made a significant change in my diet. Having read up on the Paleo diet I've made a concerted effort to seriously reduce my intake of refined carbs. My shopping basket this morning containined about 3 times the RDA of fruit and veg and for the first time ever no bread/pasta/potatoes/rice/noodles. I think I'm noticing improved recovery and less bloating as well as being the lightest I've been in 5 years!

Skinny and strong... IMSA - 21 days

(Sore and chaffed) Drowned rat

Another weekend another set of sore legs and chaffing. Been a couple of weeks since I posted mainly because I haven't been up to much. This weekend was the first 10mle TT of the season. Obviously I haven't really been training for the distance so was pretty chuffed with a 24:10 (this is a guess based on my Garmin avg mph as I was obviously so fast the marshal at the finish missed me, like the Delorian out of Back to the Future I just disappeared). This was slightly quicker than last year when I was fresh and tapering for Clumber Duathlon so no complaints.

The run which followed was less enjoyable as good ol' blightly served up a smorgasbord of weather today, all of it windy but some of it wetter than others. Nothing like driving rain and a 25mph wind at the start of you 22 mile run. All that is left today is a nice stretch and a shower and then sitting, sweet, sweet sitting.

Till next time...