Race Report - Part IV - The Aftermath

OK - so that was a joke ;oO How can I possibly write more about the race!!!???

So here's just some general ramblings - back to normal then :o)

First off - a week later and I'm still smiling :o) ... I'm still totally amazed with the time and am wondering if only I had trained as much as I wanted in June and July what the time would have been. Obviously my run is by far the weakest part of the event - I think last Sunday, obviously the heat was a factor, but also a distinct lack of running in the last two months meant the time was sluggish. At the end of May I was probably 2-4mins quicker (based on my 5k race times).

Having done a 2:46 Oly I'm now wondering if I could ever get under 2:30 (I know that's a BIG jump), but reckon I can gain a minute or two on the swim, a min in T1, a couple of mins on the bike and a whooping 10mins on the run... hummm... I've no idea if that's possible or not - but a couple of experienced people reckon it could be so that may be something to keep me going over the winter! Maybe I should aim for sub 2:45 first ;o)

...and now a confession....

Yep a couple of weeks ago, one sleepy Sunday morning (well I had been at the lake for OW already), I got a call from Angel (Lanzarote Tri-camp buddy)...... for some obscure and strange reason - despite me saying I'd wait until I'd done a half Mary before entering - we both got carried away.... and so whilst on the phone we both entered Swiss 70.3

Obviously the Sunday morning madness bug hit us that day! I've heard the support on the course is fantastic. However I have since read that the bike has a 10% grad climb in it (and twice at that as it's two 45k loops), oh dear. Just to put the cherry on the icing I then read that the run (also two laps) contains the "stairways to heaven" - more likely to be hell given it's a run up steps in the middle of the town. Oh dear! Oh dear! Well as they say - in for a penny, in for a pound! I am looking forward to getting my training plan sorted :o)

The good(ish) thing also is that the race is 1 June - which means my work year-end (end of June) won't get in the way of training!! Also gives me 2 months to adapt back down to Oly distance as I intend to enter London again next year (although the entry fee is a whooping £76!)

What else....

Oh yeah - recovery.... So my recovery week (read - big fat grrl blow out, eat as many ice-creams, pies and beer as possible), went really well! Made it to the pool Monday morning, 20mins swim a length (stretching out), and jog back (yes in the water), followed by 30mins in the hydro pool and ending with a plunge into the icey-cold plunge pool. Either this worked or my body is amazing (in the recovery sense ... lol).... as I had virtually no aches and pains. Did a club swim on Wednesday which was good until my foot decided to cramp. Finally rounded my lazy week off with my longest "long slow run" ever with a 11.5k (7miles) slow trot around the local fields.

Yes - half Mary is in 5 weeks so am trying to up the long run by a mile a week and ensure I do at least another 2 run sessions a week. I'm glad I've got another big thing to head for straight after London as I think it's helped keep me on the go. I do plan however for a holiday at the beginning of October and a few weeks of random training prior to "prep" phase training starting in November :o).... Golly - does this all sound a bit sad or what!! ;o) Ahhh well live life whilst you're alive eh :o)

Happy Monday :o)

Oh and I know you like to know what my local weather is... well after a week of lovely Sun (neither too hot or too cold), we have a "Weather warning" for Wednesday ...... Wet and Windy with a spot of thunder... nice!