Since my last musings there hasn't been too much activity really but what I have done has felt good.
Monday 14th April after some relaxation from running & a last minute squash canacellation I thought it high time to make sure I can still complete a 5k run in one piece, I can!, albeit a good 5mins slower than when at my best but right now I will take a 5 min setback over a DNF. Nothing fancy just my old faithful tarmac route bisected with a couple of small respite walks:
Wednesday 16th April saw an impromptu bike ride taking full advantage of the lighter evenings and half decent weather. With a couple of hours to play with I plotted a last minute route through Hornby, Gressingham, Arkholme, Borwick, Warton & Carnforth. "We'll take it easy" I said to Doug before heading off with a max height of 100m how tough could this get. Well, the answer in all honesty is not very, apart from the 1 section that went from 12% to 19% in the blink of an eye - man what a brief but tough climb that was!!
Despite the watch malfunction missing the first 8k it was a pretty enjoyable evening
Just what the doctor ordered followed the Wednesday ride a nice long Bank Holiday weekend and what better way to use it than gardening!! Well actually I can think of a much better way. Good Friday I squeaked an early swim in with my new pull buoy in tow (pun intended) followed by the dreaded gardening and a little stroll around the river. Saturday we had another little stroll this time up on Arnside Knott, Sunday as we all know was chocolate day - well for some it was I didn't get any eggs (cue world's smallest violin playing just for me....) which brings us to the Bank Holiday Brick.
With less than a week to race day I thought it prudent to make sure I remember the feeling of 'jelly legs' post bike. Nothing too elaborate just in case so once again an old faithful cycle to Hornby Pool where I was flat out into the wind all the way there and suitably exhausted upon arrival at the half way point, the way home was clearly a different a story with an average speed 5kph higher than the out leg. Jumping off the bike the legs were less like jelly and more like lead and due to the classic school boy error of not wearing padded shorts my ass was deader than after hours at a morgue. Onwards I pounded though cutting the 5k route short before doing myself too much damage. Home, ice, stretch and relax.
A final swim tonight (data to follow no the clip is ordered!) and just sit back and count down to Sunday's Tri at Ribby Hall - if I said I wasn't nervous I'd clearly being lying but I think it is more to do with the logistics of transition rather the the physical exertion, any way it will be what it will be and we will all have a good laugh and enjoy it - weather permitting!! Also, keep your eye out for all members of team penguin sporting their custom race tattoos!!