Nearly 10...

So my training week called for 10.5 hours.... and I did 9 hours 55mins.... although I did include an hour of sports massage in those numbers (under strength and conditioning), after all that pain ought to be recordable don't ya think!?

The good stuff was the running, the bad was the swimming. Kinda ran out of time for swimming. Over cooked the running versus the plan for two reasons; (1)I missed my 2hour run the previous weekend due to nasty vommiting disease thing (that word is so graphic don't you think - blur), and (2) cos I made a really rather silly school girl error with my half mary plan - essentially I've been training a week behind schedule (turns out despite the Maths degree I can't count!).

So I am currently re-jigging my training plan to account for that stupid mistake!! DOH!

I've just had a good ok actually GREAT weekend! Until about 10pm Sunday evening when I realised I was going down with another lurgy - this time a cold - YUK!

So after quite a bit of rain last week I ventured out Saturday morning for an off road trail ride on Rocky. This is an organised event so quite good in terms of trail fully route marked and post ride refreshments (in terms of bowl of chilli and cuppa tea!). Despite the previous rain Saturday was a simply glorious day (despite the frozen car and paths!). A beautiful clear sky - what better weather could you ask for (ok so it could have been a few degree's warmer, starting off at 1 degree was a bit chilly!). A perfect morning saw a fair group of riders slog up the odd hill, whiz down the odd path and simple GAWP at the breadth and length of some of the puddles (read lakes). Needless to say my toes did get a little wet in some of those - but luckily the worst if these were in the last 5-6k of the ride. So total time on the bike 2 hours, for 26k (ok so the time not great but it was mostly off road!)

Later Saturday I ventured up to the snowdome in Milton Keynes (about hour and half away), for some pizza and adventure with a snowboard. Quite surprised myself with the board - haven't done any boarding for about 5 years yet I did manage to get on with it pretty much straight away - hurrah! Only time I came a cropper was on the button lifts - which doesn't count as coming off them whilst on a board is inevitable IMHO
So, I was looking forward to my boarding holiday before and now I really REALLY am! Big sigh of relief! Oh and for those interested, it's a week in TREMBLANT, Canada. Never been there before but it looks like it's going to be great!

Sunday I met up with my Tri training buddy Leanne and we headed out for a long run. She and her husband are also doing the Reading Half... So Dan headed out for his 2hrs on his own as he's a tad faster then us. Leanne had a 75mins on her schedule and I had 2hrs... so effectively we were going for a certain route then I was going to carry on a bit. Twas a grey and grizzly day but almost perfect temp for run (although I didn't really appreciate the wind!). We had a great route - from her house down to the River Thames, down the path to Henley then back up some country roads. It was a GREAT run, the river run bit was a bit gloopy underfoot because of the rain, but that didn't last too long. Luckily for me Leanne had planned the route to go past some public conveniences (which I had to visit - let's just say I regretted putting that chilly oil on my pizza the night before.. Yooouch!).... Anyhow, only thing to do having got to Henley was to run back - which was largely up hill, including at one a one stage a 14% gradient - YIKES!

Still we managed it - which was great. Leanne's 75min turned into a 103min run and she did it EASY! She's going to blast her expectation of sub 2hr30 for the half mary!!! I went on for another few mins and finished on my allotted 2hrs with 17.4k - slightly less then last week's two hours but probably hillier and also included an unscheduled potty break!!!

Following from the run I did feel slightly washed out - until Dan rescued us all with giant bacon butties - YUM!

Felt fine really after, knee not as stiff as the previous week - think the sports massage helped there. Only trouble now is this darn cold I've got. Felt increasing rough yesterday, culminating in me leaving work early (ok actually on time) and crawling in to bed by 9pm. So I missed my swim session planned for yesterday (humpf)!... didn't sleep at all well last night and still have no energy beans, head is pounding and my throat sore... need more sleep!!


Only 2 weeks and 2 days until my tri-camp in La Santa! Whopp-dee-doooo!! :o)