It's coming - honest

So we know I can be a bit tardy on the old race report... but I've started it - honestly - the preamble (aka the boring part ...LOL...) is done... Just got to do the race day report; but we at least know how it finished!!

So a quick update on the bangs, bruises and cuts;

My main leg shredded bits are out into the open air.... they're not too bad. My thigh bruise is by far the biggest; about the size of my hand - and believe me I have quite bit paws (and big thighs for that matter). My right knee got the hardest knock I think, well other then my right heel.... the right knee scab is out in the air (sorry probably too much detail!).... but it's quite sore underneath, still a bit puffy so think there's some bruising to come out yet.

My right heel is a bit ouchie to run on (I did try an 25min light jog yesterday).... so won't be putting too much weight through that for few more days yet... as for the holes on my right toe... barf is all I'll say!! Hopefully these will start healing better soon as I want to get back in the pool and lake!!

As for the seasons goal - well yes Challenge Copenhagen is now off - we all know 2 weeks out in your final 13 weeks is really a dodgey thing, especially given I was only just starting to run properly from my other foot injury. BUT ALL IS NOT LOST. The nice people at Challenge have said they're refund my Copenhagen money and they have slots still at Barcelona!! YEAH! So I've got to enter but the plan now is for Barcelona in October which should work perfectly :O)

All for now - have a great week!

Ouchie.

... Yeah so some of you Facebookers will know my Half-Challenge Barcelona race finished before the end with a rather cruddy accident coming off the bike at the bike dismount line (well to be fair - slightly before the bike dismount line)!

Full report to follow... But for now HIGHLIGHTS - ok more like bullet points;

• Aim was to go sub 35mins swim... DESPITE choppy seas (it felt like an up hill swim) and slow (compared to normal!) professional times (fastest lady out was 27.something minutes).... I DID it... 34.59 mat time to be precise. HAPPY.WITH.THAT
• Bike aim to go as fast as I possibly could... given no taper and training (although easy) on Friday and Saturday.... I averaged 19.2mph... HAPPY.WITH.THAT
• Never had an issue with a "flying" dismount before. Except this time there was a speed hump between me and the timing mat.... and there was me already out of my shoes, legs both on the left side of my bike and coming in at break-neck speed... well lucky I didn't break my neck and I certainly went flying. Skid on my thigh, knees, and foot later and viola.. bloody me not going any further. NOT.HAPPY.WITH.THAT

Organisation GREAT
Medical Assistance GREAT
Facililities GREAT
Feedling Stations GREAT
Hotel FRIENDLY and GREAT

Recommended. Full race report to follow!

Yowza!

Having blogged like mad the week before last clearly I've had to have a recovery period .... LOL..

So just a quick space saver for now....

Running: I'm still on it - recovery going well, I've managed a couple of short runs off the bike and today did a 30min run... so it looks like (fingers crossed)... I may still be good to go for the Ironman. My "go-no-go" date is 24 May, and if I continue to be able to manage the recovery and increase the run then at the moment I'm at go go go... but I've got 12 days yet, fingers crossed.

Have been biking like a demon (as I'm not running), and managed my longest ride at the weekend. 70miles with a ridiculous amount of hills included (over 600metres!)... still survived and I'm now on week 3 of my training cycle which means next week is recovery!!

This weekend is my first HALF IRONMAN distance of the season with Challenge Barcelona... except for me it's more like ONE THIRD IRONMAN as I'll only be doing the swim and bike.. LOL... of course this assumes that come Friday morning flights are still leaving the UK for Spain what with the roaming ash cloud and all.....

OK - that's it.. short but sweet I know.

If I manage to pack in good time tomorrow night then I may even blog tomorrow and make it two in two!

April Totals

Yowza... So I couldn't run so did I hit the bike or did I hit the bike?!....

Courtesy of runsaturday.com here are the monthly totals for March then April;

March

• Run - 11 - 21.1 mi - 3.8 hrs
• Swim - 6 - 6.5 mi - 4.2 hrs
• Bike - 17 - 356.5 mi - 24.8 hrs
• Cross - 13 - 2.7 mi - 5.6 hrs
• Total - 47 - 386.8 mi - 38.4 hrs

April

• Run - 9 - 18.7 mi - 4.4 hrs
• Swim - 9 - 13.6 mi - 7.7 hrs
• Bike - 18 - 375.6 mi - 27.1 hrs
• Cross - 15 - 6.9 mi - 7.0 hrs
• Total - 51 - 414.8 mi - 46.2 hrs

So let's exclude the "cross" for a minute which generally consists of stretching or trips to the physio or sports massage guy... Total compared to March is..UP UP UP! "Run" is actually my cross trainer/ rowing sessions.

Happy with the month. Despite not running and being laid low for a couple of days with lurgy it all went well and gvien last week was my recovery week this week I've felt relatively fresh (as well as the next two weeks will be a little ... WAHHHHHHH ish!, before I have a recovery week again!)


The month of May will be a weird one. I am "doing", well going would be more accurate to Challenge  Barcelona  70.3 in two weeks. Clearly I will be having my second "DNF" ever, and second "DNF" of the season as, despite my first run being Friday just gone, there's no way a half marathon in these quads! Still as Jules and Anita are going for good times (this is a FLAT course) then it would be rude not to participate a bit and enjoy a small beer or two the day after... I feel like I need a couple of days break anyhow so it will be good to get away .... plan is to race as flat out as possible the swim and bike bit just to see where I'm at.


My main aim for May is to get running... my "go/ no go" decision on Copenhagen is 24th May, if I'm up to an hour running by then then I'm in, if not, well I'll probably just cry and sort out an alternative.  Assuming the lake water gets warmer I'd also like to get the distance done in my wetsuit outdoors during May, but that will be weather dependant.... Bike... well just keep on motoring!!