From Fat Slob To Fit Triathlete

This weight is becoming an obsession so don’t worry I am aware and I will return to the real world shortly.

So the weigh in lost 2 ½ lb. Yes, that’s correct LOST 2 ½ lb!

Just humour me please.

I think.. my body desperately needed calories last week. If I can eat and drink everything that I did and still lose weight then I must have been in some kind of deprivation mode?

I am totally focussed and committed now. I realise I can’t, much as I love it, survive on cottage cheese salad.

I’m organised enough now to have my oatibix breakfast, please tell me does anyone else have the same problem with it soaking up about a pint of milk? Slight exaggeration there. The other thing is I thought it was erm supposed to er keep you regular? It’s had the opposite effect on me.

Lunch is my thick seedy, nutty wholemeal bread (2 slices) with ham today and a separate salad and fruit.

Dinner will be chicken with new potatoes and fresh veg.

This was basically what I said at basically this time last week and then disaster struck except that:-

1.      I’ve had breakfast

2.      I’ve had a generous portion of bread that I really like

3.      I understand now that I am exercising “a lot” and need fuel

I was extremely positive and motivated last week. I am extremely positive and motivated now plus I have learned from last week’s let’s not say mistakes but experience.

Thea I take on board everything you say and really am very apprecaitive of your advice and support - I am an athlete and i will start eating like one.

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

This is the blog which is too raw to post but I'm going to post it anyway.

So here we go again…...

Slimming World works! End of. I've lost loads on it, loads of times so why can't I do it this time?

I join Wednesday. Have fish, chips and mushy peas from the chippy but that's my last blow out ha ha!

Thursday off to Tesco after my run. No breakfast. Cottage cheese salad lunch. Chicken, carrots, broccoli new potatoes – hey doing really well here. Then.. 2 bags hula hoops, bowl of oat musili , half  a block of cheese, half a box of cheese biscuits and a bottle and a half of wine!

Friday – Lunch Cottage cheese salad, Ham bits. Tea Jacket potato with tuna mayo.

Saturday – Ran hilly 5k 40mins -Brunch bacon, sausage, mushrooms. Tea large chicken kebab. 4 pints of cider and ½ a bottle of wine

Sunday – Breakfast Oatibix X 2, Lunch Tuna sandwiches (4x800g white loaf!) with Mayo, Tea Prawn Special Piza & garlic bread

Monday – Cycled 10 miles (Nercwys X2) 65minutes - Breakfast Oatibix X 2, Lunch baked potato with cottage cheese, Tea pasta with chunky vegatable sauce and sausages.Bottle of wine cheese biscuits and cheese.

There's this trigger in my brain saying "sabotage." I know I'm doing it. I can't help myself.

I did those Nercwys hills on Monday but I really struggled. I promised myself that never again would I have to drag 15 stone up them.

I tortured myself watching 2 old Gillian McKeith's last week. The guinea pigs lost 2 stone in 8 weeks. Not difficult.

I read an article in the Express on Monday about boot camp weight loss. One of them was a size 10(at the start!) All she did was to be picked up 4 times a week by limo and do 1 hour gym sessions plus have all her food delivered. Piece of cake! She, who needed to lose about an ounce, lost 11lb.

There was another who went to a boot camp and was on the "Pain is weakness leaving the body" regime for a week.

The last one went to Harrods on a machine for £20 a time 4 times a week for 4 weeks. She lost 2lb. All I can say is "They got big windows love!" AKA "Saw you coming!"

For goodness sake Lynne get to the point!

All I have to do is carry on with my exercise routine and convince my brain that my body's not on a restrictive diet.

At the beginning of my triathlon training I stuck religiously to a no alcohol – no food after 7ish regime. It worked wonders. That was before I'd achieved the stone and a half weight loss and before I proved to the world I could stick to an exercise routine.

My body is screaming make me slim. My brain is screaming you're not worthy! It's like I know that the "fat body" is stopping me doing so much and once the "fat body" problem has gone I'll have to face up to what's really wrong in my life.

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

This is a bit of a strange one (nothing new there Lynne!) I wrote this last Thursday. Saved it to a jump drive and left the jump drive in work and as I've been off couldn't post it until today.

I seriously considered not posting it but I think it's a true reflection of how I felt then and an important bit of the story....

On 3 January I contemplated joining Slimming World and convinced myself that the fiver a week it was going to cost me would be better spent on… anything basically. Did I save the fiver? No. Did I lose weight? Yes but not as much as I should or could have and if I'd weighed less maybe I could have run more.

So when Lesley suggested we join after the triathlon I agreed. The first time I went to Slimming world was in 1988 and I probably weighed about 10 ½ stone. That's my target! Ha! Ha! I've lost count of the number of times I've joined. Lost loads. Got cocky. Stopped going and put it back on again.

Jayne the consultant was lovely and there was me and Lesley and another couple of newbies. She explained the plan, red days, green days. As much "free" fruit and vegetables as you can eat, healthy options and syns. Perfect!

She asked us newbies what couldn't we do without Lesley and another girl said crisps, the other lady said wine and I said er. er.  er.  6 months ago it would have been wine but I've hit that demon on the head. I said cheese but even that craving's not so great any more. I love bread but when I did the Atkins felt so much better without it so I don't know. I do love food. Almost all food. The only thing I can think that I don't like is runny eggs. They absolutely turn my stomach but anything else I like.

I don't have a sweet tooth. I can take or leave chocolate. I used to be a big pie and pastry eater but the gall stones broke that habit. That's what's got me thinking. I eat through habit. Not because I'm hungry.

Left feeling all positive and motivated and erm called in the chippy and had fish chips and mushy peas. Do you want me to repeat that? Left feeling all positive and motivated and erm called in the chippy and had fish chips and mushy peas.

There's no hope! There is though because read everything and decided to make the fresh start today then realised there was no salad in the fridge.

Went for a little jog this morning (I'm still on recovery remember?) then went to Tesco.

New potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cottage cheese, fry lite, water, oil free dressing, salad. That is food I absolutely love. There's no deprivation there.

Syns – well this is where I come a bit unstuck. You can have a little of what you fancy. I don't do "little." I can't open a bottle of wine without drinking the lot. I can't open a family bag of tortillas without scoffing the lot. Abstain is the only way for me.

Breakfast is another "problem." Oh god this is so funny I don't have time. Erm I have time to run and cycle and swim but haven't got 2 minutes to get weetabix down my neck. My world in future will be filled with "solutions" not "problems."

"Preparation is the key to success" 12 November and 28 February blogs.

I've brought to work cottage cheese, bagged salad, oil free dressing, 2lt water and riveta. Piece of cake. Why haven't I done this before?

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

I am A Triathlete!

I am A Triathlete!

I am A Triathlete!

And if you didn’t hear me I am A Triathlete!

I have just had one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I was told many, many times the adrenalin would get me through and you better believe it.

Well a little after posting last night’s blog I totally went to pieces. The can’t and the won’t surfaced and I had an awful night’s sleep.

As predicted it was throwing it down. Checked the bags, checked the car, checked the lists, double checked the lists and then went back in and did a triple check of the whole house to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.

Arrived just after 8. Start was 9.30. That hour and a half absolutely flew.

Registered, picked up the goodie bag, had my numbers drawn. Went to find the bike racking and found Sue my Iron Lady and Paula, who I’ve never met before who was off at Number One. They asked how I was feeling and I said awful and Paula said that she just wanted to get going and that basically was that. I wanted to get going too and I wanted to prove to the World how far I’d come in 6 months.

I made the monumentous decision that I’d cycle and run in leggings and a T shirt and that was that.

Racked the bike and all the books say lay out your stuff in the order that you’re going to put it on. It was pelting down so everything got shoved into a carrier bag. TipI will buy a plastic box with a lid for my next event.

Said goodbye to Mark and Morgan and off to get changed.

I have never spoken to so many complete strangers in my life. Everyone was so friendly, encouraging and totally relaxing.

Were called for the briefing which explained the direction of the swim, how you would be tapped with a kickboard with two lengths to go, how you must not touch your bike until your helmet was fastened, how you must run with the bike through transition and only mount when you were over the line, likewise dismount before the line on the way in and not remove your helmet until the bike was safely racked.

Got in the pool and I missed the whistle. I was looking round like a startled rabbit! Off I went. Plan was  4 lengths crawl then alternate breast stroke/ crawl so that I finished on breast stroke so not to be too out of breath. Sue had warned me just before I got into the pool not to go off too fast. Then doh if I did 4 lengths breast stroke I’d end up finishing on crawl. Did 5 lengths crawl and struggled and the niggling doubts of why the hell am I doing this crept in. Closely followed by I’ll never do it. Then as I’m doing breast stroke I have time to take notice of the people watching. Shouting “Come on Lynne you’re doing really well.” Piece of cake. As it happens I was in the pool on my own and the cheering and applause when I got out, via the steps was unbelievable.

Transition. Golden Rule. Keep Calm. Yeh and who invented that one?

Well as it was throwing it down no point whatsoever in using my towel on my body so put my T shirt on and then disaster. Couldn’t find my leggings. Put the towel down, in a puddle. Tried to dry my feet, socks soaked in the end just go for it. Remembered my race belt, which I put on upside down. Helmet, fastened, the bloke next to me got shouted at for unracking whilst his was undone and away to go. I ran with the bike through transition (this is important – remember for later!)

So off out onto the road and it’s raining. Warned about turns being slippery so take it a bit easy and then just go for it. No plan for the bike just enjoy and I did. People started to come past me on their way back and almost everyone shouted “Well done” or “You’re doing really well” or “Keep going” and Glyn Ceiriog came around much quicker than when I’d done it on a training run. The backwards was a breeze and even the hill at the end was nothing compared to my usual hilly routs around home. So back in and passed my Dad and asked him for a time check 15 minutes faster. I felt I could fly.

Dismounted the bike and tried to run with it through transition. I couldn’t. Not a problem. Get my legs moving I’ll be ok. Racked and started to walk. I couldn’t feel my feet and my calves were killing me. Betty Spaghetti legs at a walk. Not to worry I’ll run out of the gate. I couldn’t. It’s ok I’ll walk the hill and run when it flattens. I couldn’t. So I walked and walked and walked and walked. Every time I attempted to run my heart rate monitor beep beeped at me.

When I first said I was going to do a triathlon my Mum said “You’ll give yourself a heart attack” my response was if I do nothing I’ll have a heart attack. I made a solemn promise to her last night that I wouldn’t push myself on the run and I didn’t. I ran down the hill to the finish.

I have not stopped grinning! It’s like I’d won and I have!

Provisional times of 2hours 17mins 14.30swim,  1 hour 17 bike and 43minutes run. All better than expected and Steve Smith’s prediction of 2hours 10 was closer than mine of 2.30. It’s not about time though. It never has been.

Six months ago I set out to complete a Triathlon. Today I did it.

I am a Triathlete.

Official Result

328th out of 333

Two were slower

Three Did not Finish

2 hours 17minutes 12 Seconds

Swim 13.46

Bike 1.15.01

Run 48.25

John Smith's Woman On A Mission AKA Out of Transition

The Start of The Bike

The Start of The Run (Walk Ha Ha!) See the Agony?

Proof I Finished (That Orange Thing Is The Finish Line)

Relief?

Worth It!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Twas the night before Triathlon and all through the house… a loopy woman sat quietly and wondered what the heck was happening.

Tomorrow’s the “Big Day” and I feel fine.

Not excited, not apprehensive just extremely cool, calm and collected which is totally out of character for me.

I’ve had a little look back at the emails of the last couple of weeks and the only conclusion I can  come up with is preparation has paid off.. “Have confidence in your training and the rest is down to Lady Luck.” Well I’ve trained as hard as I could. I’m still a bit iffy about the running but have put in two hard brick sessions this week including running up the Tesco hill after the hard hill session on the bike. There is no section of the Chirk course any more challenging than what I do in my standard training sessions.

“How are you feeling? I can’t do this Tri! I won’t do this Tri! Why am I doing this Tri? The emotions may be high, feeling tearful, down, sick,  etc”  Well no actually. I have experienced all that but that was a couple of weeks ago. Tonight I’m feeling “Bring it on! Let’s go for it! Whatever it will be a Personal Best!”

Today I had a spray tan. I look like, not sure if my Mum will get done for this, but when we were kids we had to dress up as Indians for something in the Brownies and she covered me in gravy browning. I look healthy though and was warned when I  wash it off tomorrow I’ll have a gorgeous golden glow. Why did I want a tan you may ask? I couldn’t give a monkeys about everyone seeing 15stone wobbling about. I care horribly about the crowd seeing 15 stone of white lard. It’s a confidence thing and if it makes me feel better?!

Had this awful thought… bearing in mind I’ve got lists on lists and have had my bag packed for over a week.. What do I wear? Doh I know what I’m going to wear to do it in but what do I go in? I’ve got to have my numbers put on so I need to go in my Tri suit. So I thought I’d just put on what I’ll be racing in. Then I got to thinking. I need my Tshirt trainers and leggings in transition so that would mean walking in a Tri suit bare foot into the Leisure Centre and hanging on getting cold waiting for the start so off to Broughton we pop for new trainers and leggings.

Something really awful happened. We were quick in Broghton. Mark bought two pairs of trainers and I bought trainers and leggings. Pretty much in and out. When we got back on the A55 there was a horrific crash on the opposite carriageway. There were police, ambulance and fire crews with cutting gear. There was a massive tailback.  The most scary, awful thing about it is we must have only just missed it.

I digress, maybe a sign of nerves?

The forecast is awful. Well maybe not awful, just wet at least it’s not windy and cold too but there is a possibility of hail and thunder! I can’t do anything about the weather so why worry? Might end up doing the bike leg in a coat but hey ho! And I was hoping to wear my diamond studded D&G Jackie “O” sunglasses!

I’ve read every horror story from leaving bike helmet on passenger seat of car  to taking the bike but forgetting the wheels, to no pins for numbers, to punctures, to chains coming off, to elastic breaking on race belts. I’ve made as many contingency plans as I can.

The aim? To finish. Really not bothered about times but 15minute swim, 90minute bike and 45 minute run would be a bonus and if I can run the whole run Iwould be over the moon.

In 12 hours time I will be leaving for my first triathlon. Will I be able to say this time tomorrow I am a Triathlete?

Wish me luck?

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

Today is Wednesday. Probably won’t post this until Saturday or Sunday but thought I better make a start as there are just so many people to thank and really don’t want to leave anyone out.

In no particular order:-

To Gareth Bicknell whose Daily Post blog got me interested in Triathlon in the first place.

To Mark, my darling husband for laughing at me and thinking it was the worst idea he’d ever heard, which made me all the more determined to show him that I could do it. Despite this he bought me my £40 ebay bike, sat in the car for an hour and a half when I cycled Chirk and has given me all the support I needed to train early in the mornings. He also bought my Tri suit for Mothers day and a new pair of trainers and leggings to start my Deva Divas training

To Cait, Jim and Morgan for my heart Rate Monitor and Cycle Helmet.

To Iain and Carolyn from the Coaching Station for their support, advice and encouragement. Iain formulated my training plan and offered blood, sweat and tears. Carolyn was there in the gym every morning at 7am to encourage in the beginning and then to yell to train harder and faster – they are a truly remarkable couple.

To my dear friend Lesley for her blind faith, for buying me a decent pair of trainers and cycling shorts. For listening to me banging on endlessly about training, progress, the lack of it and always encouraging. When I doubted myself she pushed me on and on.

To Dawn, my fantastic Sister in Law who is my inspiration. She runs while her daughter cross country trains. She has taught me the art of time management and never use the excuse that there isn’t enough time. You can always make time if you want it bad enough. This year will be Dawn’s third Race for Life. This year she will run it. She bought me Running Made Easy which taught me it was ok to run/walk a lamppost at a time or in my case the short sides of a football pitch.. I later bought Triathlon Made Easy by the same authors which gave me my final 10 week training plan.

To my Mum for paying for my swimming sessions, to my Dad for paying for my swimming lessons.

To my big brother for paying for my entry tomorrow – he would never have forgiven me had I not made the start line. To my little brother for buying me radox instead of bubbly for my birthday.

To my In Laws for buying my sports bra without which none of this training would have taken place.

To Jim from Wrecsam Tri Club, Sally from Chester Tri Club and Sue The Iron Lady who I have pestered the life out of with stupid questions over transitions, training, equipment, injuries you name it. Their support has been invaluable.

To Tracey the masseuse at the Coaching Station who inflicted more pain than I have ever experienced, childbirth included, but eventually unravelled the knots in my calves. 

To Colette and Thea for commenting on my blogs – it’s a lonely old world out there in blog land you know?

To everyone who has parted with hard cash to help me raise funds for Hope House we’re up to £660 which I am delighted about.

To everyone who has sent messages of support throughout the last 26 weeks. You have had more faith in me than I had in myself.

To you all I give myheartfelt thanks

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

“The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime! It is never too late to become what I might have been.”

Well that was the week that was and wasn’t!

So totally terrified of overdoing it so rested Monday and Tuesday and then arranged a little jaunt with Sue the Ironman. Now Sue has given me fantastic advice and support for the last goodness how many weeks and she suggested an easy run, at my pace, my choice of course and my duration. I thought it would be a good idea to do a slow 5k with hills. A course I have managed many times in the past but not since my dreaded “runner’s block.”

We set out pretty steady and by the time we’d got to the dreaded Hendy Road turning, where I had my block before I was ready to turn back. I felt awful. We ran back and by the time we got back to my house I felt a little better so we carried on. Then we carried on around the football field and walked back the last 100 yards or so. Throughout this Sue kept asking me if I wanted to walk but when I walk I can’t get going again so I declined.

When I got home my head was pounding. It wasn’t an ache but a pain. I had a bath, threw up and went to bed (at 8.30). I still felt rough as the proverbial bears bottom on Thursday  but munching paracetamol got me through.

I explained my dilemma to Sue about buying a wetsuit for the Deva Divas. She suggested posting a thread on Tri Talk. I was extremely dubious but as that’s where I found the lovely Sue I bowed to her superior knowledge and experience.

Very Overweight Lady Seeks Wetsuit To See Her Through

Hi, please don't laugh!
I'm a newbie doing my first Sprint in 10 days. I want to do an openwater in July.
I'm 5' 4" and weigh 210lb. I can't find a wetsuit anywhere.
I've lost 21lbs and would have hoped to lose another 42 by July but I need something now to train for openwater.
I'm confident by this time next year I'll be a "normal" size and will be happy to invest in something decent then. I just need something cheap and cheerful to get me through the next 3 months.
I've heard Tesco direct are doing wetsuits for £35. I know they're going to be too thick round the arms for any serious events but do you think they would be good enough to get me through?
Any advice gratefully accepted.
Thanks

Well to say I was overwhelmed with the response is understatement of the centaury. Not only was I given brilliant advice but offered not 1 but 2 wetsuits – how brilliant is that? The Tri community are incredibly generous with their time and resources.

It’s been said to me time and time again but this is what was posted to me on Tri talk

Good luck with the race in 10 days Lynne!

a) don't compare yourself to others
b) don't worry what people think
c) make sure your having fun.

Back to training…

Went out at 7.20 yesterday to attempt the hilly 5K loop. Got to my runners block and had to walk AGAIN. Walked to the top of the hill. Got my heart rate down and ran the rest of the loop without a problem in a PB of 41.28 (my previous was over 50 and that was running the whole loop) just goes to show. Should listen to those who’ve been there and done it!

What will I be doing exactly one week today? Having my numbers drawn on my arm and thigh? Quaking in my trainers?

I’ve got 2 brick sessions planned for this week, a spray tan on Saturday and early nights all week. I can do no more.

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

I have not run the Chirk course for a number of reasons.

I didn’t feel too good last Tuesday so decided to repeat Monday’s gentle jog and just as I was on the home straight ping went my calf muscle again. I was devastated. It stopped me training for 3 weeks last time. Anyway for once heeding advice, R.I.C.E Rest Ice Compression & Elevation.

It wasn’t too bad on Wednesday so I biked. Not bad not good. I biked again on Thursday and struggled like hell with the hills.

Friday I went to pick up my Wrecsam Tri running vest. Ever the diplomat the club Chairman asked “What size do you want Lynne? The biggest we’ve got is large and if you want it any bigger we’ll have to order it and it will take 6 weeks.” Large fits. I mean how tight or loose are running vests supposed to be?

For reasons best known to my husband I didn’t train Saturday and by  Saturday night was slightly cheesed off so had a huge Indian banquet and a bottle of wine.

Got up on Sunday feeling…. absolutely marvellous.

Did the Nercwys bike and blasted both hills, no need for sticks and stones  any more.

I've said before that I can't run off the bike, but soft cow was literally shoving bike through back gate and attempting to run so thought logically and did a practice T2. Dismounted at the back gate. Walked up the path. Racked next to the cooker. Had a drink and Betty Spaghetti legs out the front door. I never realised I could run slower than I do usually. Took about 5 minutes to get my legs back and all I couldthink about was I hope to God no one sees me. I only did another 10 minutes but was so chuffed.

Then off to the pool. Greeted by my swimming instructor who'd seen me running. Was mortified but really couldn't be bothered explaining about the bike. I did 400m in 14m 32sec. Best previous was 16m. I was on cloud nine. 

Then I get mail from the Club Secretary asking me to marshal in the afternoon. I say I will if I'm in any fit state but I reckon I'm probably going to take about 2hrs 30. He says 2hrs 10 (what planet is the man on?)

Plan of action? There isn’t one. It’s too close now. There’s no point pushing myself. I’m just going to take one day at a time and hope the adrenaline will pull me through.

And I've raised £400 so Far for Hope House www.justgiving.com/lynneevans

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

A down rather than an up week.

Conquered the bike course so reasonably confident over that. All the practice in the world’s not going to improve my swimming in 3 weeks so resting on my laurels a bit there so decided it was the week to concentrate on running.

Had a very confident 5k on the flat on Monday in 35 minutes so was feeling really good. Thursday I decided to do the Ruthin Road hilly route. I got to Hendy Road and my legs felt like lead. I hadn’t even started the hill by then. I walked a bit, tried again and still couldn’t get going. I ended up walking. It wasn’t a breathing thing, just really heavy legs. I finished the 4k in 39 minutes which wasn’t bad for a walk.

Desperately emailed everyone when I got back. Ever the pragmatist Ian wanted to know could I not run because I was injured? Or couldn’t be bothered?

Basically the verdict is that I’ve been overdoing it. I have to laugh. Me, couch potato of the centaury overdoing exercise. It does become very addictive though.

So the new strategy. Quality not quantity of training. I am absolutely terrified now of picking up an injury or making myself ill.

Had a full leg wax on Friday. Expected to lose ½ stone! Seriously, on race day your number is written on your calf/thigh in permanent marker. I have warned the organisers they’ll need extra ink for me!

I love my bike and the temptation is to cycle,cycle and cycle. The hills are hard but the satisfaction is enormous. Had a good old ride Saturday morning and then straight to the Coaching Station for a leg massage. Told Tracey I’d got achy knees. I am so thick! She soon diagnosed stretching and building up quads as the "problem." Resolved in 2 minutes flat with her magic fingers.

Intended to do "something" yesterday but got caught up emailing 250 businesses in Mold begging for sponsorship. Not sure what will come of it but one has to try.

Out on the road this morning. Took it very, very steady and just jogged 2.5k on the flat. Didn’t feel right but was a million times better than last week.

Off to Chirk tomorrow to run. Watch this space.

Got my race number tonight 28 and start time 9.30. All of a sudden this is becomming very real and very scarry!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

"Don't live down to expectations.  Go out there and do something remarkable. "

                                                ~Wendy Wasserstein

What I’ve discovered is there’s no middle ground with me I’m either euphoric or down in the dumps.

My aim is to raise £1000 for Hope House Hospice. I’m not going to do that unless people know what I’m doing so I invite the  local papers to “publicise” what I’m doing. I know none of the shots will be very flattering but it’s not about me it’s about raising awareness and getting the donations in. 

As predicted I went to Chirk on Friday. It hammered down all the way there but fortunately cleared up when we got there.

I took long suffering husband:-

1.      In case of mechanical failure.I really didn’t want to have to carry the bike back 8 miles

2.      In case of physical failure – I really didn’t know if I’d be able to complete the course

3.      In case I was so stiff I couldn’t drive home.

I’d driven the course a couple of weeks ago but I have no perception of distance.

The bike training I’ve been doing has been up some serious hills. Great for strength.  The thing is though when you come down these hills you tend to woosh and not pedal so legs have a bit of a rest. This course was solid pedalling. I had no problems getting to Glyn Ceiriog I seriously worried on the way there whether I would make it back.

Not only do I have no perception of distance. I have no perception of space. I hadn’t realised that I’d been going up hill all the way there so was able pretty much to woosh back. There was a bit of a hill but when I got to the top I was amazed to find I was back in Chirk.

1.      No mechanical failures

2.      No physical failures

3.      I drove home.

As per everything related to Lynne I found a problem. I can’t turn right in traffic. Just hope there’s good marshalls on the day.

 

I have seriously neglected my swimming because I know I can do 16 lengths. Today I practiced getting out of the pool. I have asked for a step lane but there’s no guarantee. I really can’t do it. I’ve got carpet burns on my elbows and my stomach is literally black and blue but… I asked a 7 year old for help. “Easy,” he said “use the filters.” There’s 2 step lanes and 2 filter lanes so I’ve got a 2 to 1 chance of being able to get out. Started doing arm strengthening exercises. Morgan weighs 35lb. If I lift him over my head 5 times from the floor and do three sets as many times a day as he’ll let me I’ll have arms like Arnie!!

 

I dared to go in the pool today in my tri suit with my sports bra underneath.

All in all not a bad week.

 

4 weeks to conquer:-

 

1.      getting out of the pool

2.      turning right in traffic on my bike

3.      running up Moel Famau – not quite but definitely hills, hills, hills and when I’ve finished those more hills.

 

No problem!

Tags: Hope House Hospice

Written by lynneevans19 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own