Done!!!

Had a pretty good nights sleep and woke up pretty nervous.  Brad made me breakfast (as he always does! He is so amazing!). Played with the kids, tried to relax, then loaded up the bike and I was off.

Arrived at the event just in time to line up to get my race number, and get my stuff together. Was met by lovely friends who were super encouraging! Brought my nerves right down to not too shaky levels.

I lined up for the swim, and in my lane was a 17 year old swim champion, and another girl in her 20's.  Both really nice, both really fit! I was first. Had no choice in the matter. All the others were blokes starting in my wave. All superhero types. I really thought they had made a mistake and put me in the wrong group! The 17 year old swim champion passed me to my relief! Was really nice to have someone to try and catch up with. She was amazing. The swim went really well, only got wacked round the head once by a bloke in the next lane. Got out of the pool, ran across the road to transition 1.

I was relieved to have layed out my stuff well, and in order.  My brain was fried. Off on the bike.  I really pushed the bike part.  Passed a few, was passed by many! But pretty pleased with my bike performance.

As I got off the bike, and put my shoes on, I had the most amazing cramp in my leg! Lots of people cheering me on in transition and the start of the run, but all I could think was OUCH!!! I kept running, albeit slightly limping and slower than I would have liked, but loosened up by the second lap of the run.  The run part was most definitely lifted by Saffia, Matt, Clare and the Run for the Slum team cheering and encouraging, but most of all by young T! Thank you T and B, you were the most encouraging little people! Cramp disappeared, and I managed to sprint to the finish line, mostly because my lovely friend Jenny was shouting at me to beat the guy to my side! Thanks Jenny! It really worked!

As I got to the end, I was just so elated to have done it! And in a respectable time too!

1hr25mins. I got personal bests in all 3 parts of the race! Which was a big surprise as I certainly didnt feel all that fast at the time. It was not fast compared to everyone else, but really fast for me.

400m swim: 8:31
T1: 2.16
20k Bike: 46.58
5k Run: 27.55

Well done to the rest of the Run for the Slum team, Matt, Nicki, Nicky, Nora, Natasha, Julia. We did it! And thank you to the lovely Thomas Family, Saffia and family, Clare, and the rest of the Run for the Slum support crew! Your encouragement was so helpful!

Now what?

night before

I am about to get my stuff together. I am so flippin nervous.  Keep having daydream-nightmares about tripping someone up, or crashing my bike, or getting a puncture, or forgetting to wear shoes! Today I did a wee practice of bike to run, and I ran off still with a helmet on!

Just hoping for a good nights sleep and some decent weather tomorrow.  Neither of those things are within my control!

This time tomorrow I will hopefully be on here saying how much I enjoyed it.  Thats the hope. Months of training, all worth it even if I come dead last.

I am too nervous to even finish writing this sentan

The worst time to have a cold

The Triathlon is 3 sleeps away.  And I have a cold.  Thanks kids. Hopefully it will get better not worse over the next few days.

Suuuuuper nervous about the whole thing. Too nervous to write about being nervous....

Hi Matt.

Its here! The post lady came!

The trisuit arrived. Went for a run in it today.  Felt like one of the X-Men (or X-women...)

Its a cheap one, but its really cool to wear.  Its honestly like being a superhero, without the body, or the powers, just the lycra. Noah says I look like a fish.  Not so encouraging...

a WEEK AND A HALF TO GO!!!!

Crazy busy

So the triathlon approaches. So much to do, so little time.  I have been crazy busy with youth stuff and kids and weddings and summer holidays.  I have done more like 4 workouts a week instead of 6 for the last 3 weeks.  It doesnt seem to have affected me too much.

I swam my furthest ever last week - 1800 meters. Loved it. The next 3 weeks will involve one full on hard week, and 2 slighly less full on weeks to prepare for the race.  I am just hoping to make it round.  Thats my goal. No idea what a good time would be, and if I come last and still just make it round without dropping dead, I'll be pleased.

I am not the only Mum of 3 small kids doing the race which is really encouraging. I think it will be really inspiring to be alongside so many really fit people.

Speaking of which I need to do a just giving page....

Porridge, Everest and young people. All good things. All hard work. All worth it.

So we have been away with 50 teenagers last week, and away with 10,000 next week! This is the in between week of sleeping it off. I can honestly say I have not been this tired for a very long time. My swim this week was like swimming through porridge, and Old Down hill felt like Everest.

The school we were staying at last week had a pool which was great, so fitted in 2 mile long swims and 2 decent runs amidst the youth work chaos.

Next week we will be at the bath and west showground, so training will be more of a challenge. I am taking a ropey old bike, and will try and do some runs. Will have to get up very early after some very late nights, which will be a big ask of my already very weary body.

Every year we say to ourselves - never again.  These camps are seriously hard work with 3 small kids in tow.  And every year we have a fantastic time, and vow to go back.  And this year is no different. After seeing the riots this week, with so many young people joining in, its worth pointing out that its a minority.  I will be with this lot next week:

10, 000 youths, in one big field, and no trouble to anyone...

Over kill over hill

So after missing 2 workouts, I decided to make it up...

Did a brick workout last night, an hour on the bike then 20min run. Had a mini break in middle of ride as I stopped at a friends house to pick something up. Some very important lego merchandise for my son! Thank you friend!

Its really weird getting off the bike and going straight to the run.  My legs feel like they belong to someone else. Really bizarre! Really fun though. You feel like a spaceman (or woman!). Its a mildly addictive feeling. Try it sometime.

This morning I had the breakfast of champions (3 jelly babies) and went of to run up a big hill.  Half way up I thought my legs were going to fall off and wait for me by the side until I was done. Ridiculous legs today. But my legs and I did a deal.  If I made it to the top, I would give them an actual breakfast when we got back.

We made it. Hard going though.  But it was worth it, I feel like I have conquered.  The cows appreciated my whoop of joy at the top.  I did a little rocky type montage to them, (da da DAA da da DAA, and super cool shadow boxing) and inside (I could tell) I made them smile. Cows keep their cards close to their chests but I think they have a sense of humour underneath it all. They are not always moooody. I know I know....

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

Its not you, its me. You are great, I am the one with the problem. I'm sorry we've been on a break.  I have not been giving you enough attention, and I'm sorry.  Lets not split up, lets try again. I'll change.
Yours apologetically,

Esther.

Its been a ridiculous week. I have not been to bed before midnight all week, and my youngest has been ill and up in the night every night. Its been a nightmare! We are off on youth summer camps over the next few weeks, and the preparations are intense. I have missed 2 workouts this week already, and its only Thursday.  Rubbish. I went for a run day before yesterday and honestly had my eyes closed for half of it.  I was running alone a quiet road with no traffic, and honestly thought to myself "I could just close my eyes for a bit til I get the the end of the road.  There is not traffic, its safe to sleep for this bit!"  Seriously, if I am considering sleep running in a semi conscious state then I *might* be overdoing it. Might be. Just a bit.

10 years

Got loads going on at the moment aside from Triathlonning. So mega busy. Finding it hard to get up and train when bedtime is midnight. But havent missed a day aside from my saturday rest day in 5 weeks. Pretty proud of that.

Have been married to Bradley for 10 years tomorrow! Best 10 years of my life.  Actually its been a whole third of my life. Looking forward to the day when I have been married longer than not married.  If that makes sense. Happy anniversary boy.  Here's to the next 10! x

Foxes vs Rabbits

Saw 2 foxes and 23 rabbits on my run this morning.  The rabbits were clearly pretty tough bunnies to be hanging around near the foxes.  I like to think they have staged a demonstration and won. Screw you foxes, we are not going to be afraid any more.

Go rabbits.

Swimming through molasses

This week is supposed to be a recovery week (easier workouts to prepare for much harder ones next week).

This mornings swim was only 750m which in theory is easy. But just couldn't get going today. Felt uncoordinated and weak, just couldn't find my pace. Started to get it together in the last 100m, which was really frustrating.

The problem? BED TIME! Just can't get there at a reasonable time. I am being woken by a sweet chubby hand poking me in the eyes at 6am which is fine as long as I am in bed at 10! The same chubby baby also woke me at 1am and 3am which doesn't help the tiredness issue!

Got lost with N on the run yesterday. Going for a run is so much more fun when you have to climb fences and wrestle through hedges!

What to wear to the ball....

So what am I supposed to wear for this thing? I have been researching, and I can get a cheap trisuit for about £30.  Is it worth it? Or should I just go all out nude.... I might have a chance at winning if I do that. Make them all run the other way! Like the cows!


No one is going to beat this guy...

Sunday swim - 1k
Monday bike - 9 miles

Steak + swim = tiring swim

Went out for dinner with some family last night and enjoyed a huge steak.  Thank you Boars Head Aust. Very nice. The downside, was trying to stay afloat in the water this morning. Hard work!

150m warm up
7x100m
150m cool down

=1 kilometre

sleep riding

Thursday - 45 mins on the bike whilst actually asleep.  I opened my eyes when cars were coming. Mostly.

Food and mood and mood food

Ran through fields of wheat in the early morning summer rain. Well worth the early start. I love running in the rain. It's my favourite running weather. It's the icing on the cake.

And whilst on the subject of cake...

I am finding it increasingly hard to know what I should be eating and how much is sensible. I am still breastfeeding my youngest, and training 6 days a week. Those 2 factors make me really hungry.

I am aware that not eating enough will mean I have a hungry baby, but eating too much is very easy. It's a tough balance. I get moody in the afternoons if I have not eaten enough, and lazy if I eat too much.

My morning sessions are going to get longer and tougher in the next few weeks, so need to get the balance right. Less chocolate, more umm, good for you type stuff!

Laptop lifeguarding

Kids have a piece of technology for everything these days! The young lifeguard this morning was deeply engrossed in his laptop.

The ability to save lives whilst looking at a screen is a brilliant piece of technology. Either that or he was just on Facebook ... My mum says he would look up if there was suddenly no splashing noises. Surely he would need to look up if there were LOTS of splashing noises...

200m warm up
50m x2 fast
75m x6 faster
250m cool down

Total: one kilometre.

Sunday runday moo

Went for a 6.15am run with great friend n. Mostly involved taking shirts off and running at the cows shouting. She is a vet, but I was still terrified. Heart rate monitor went bananas!

I heart you heart rate monitor friend

So for the last week I have been wearing a heart rate monitor for my workouts. Its been fun. I have a new relationship with my heart. I have never known what its been up to until now.

I am trying to work at 70-80% of my maximum heart rate. I thought I would be struggling to get to it, but actually I am near the top of it for the running, about right for the biking, and near the bottom for the swim. So I need to swim harder, and run easier. I would never have known that.

Its also pretty cool wearing it around the house because I am a geek like that.  When I shout at the kids (which is OBVIOUSLY never....) it goes pretty high!

Badger dodge

Did 10 miles on the bike on Thursday morning. Was pretty much asleep on auto pilot aside from the big hill (which was not so bad this time, helps to know when the top is coming.  The more I ride it, the easier it gets). 

In my half asleepness I nearly rode straight over a dead badger. I smelt it before I saw it, and swerved just in time. Poor little dude. Actually its not the worst thing I see on my rides.  The worst is people meeting up at 6am down by the river to "talk" or whatever. They never expect to see me thats for sure! MORNING!! I usually cheerfully shout.  They love that...

Cow stand-off and Rugby super stars

This morning I came face to face with my regular running nemesis.  Bulls. There is one field on my run that often has bulls in it, and I have had several humorous encounters with them in the past.

Once I stripped my shirt off and waved it at them to scare them away. It worked. They are usually just inquisitive, but sometimes they are inquisitive at full speed, which is useful in testing my sprinting ability!

Today I was half way through the field, and they were not budging, just staring me down.  So I stopped, and they just came closer. We stared at each other for a while, until I gave in and turned around. They followed me back to the gate as if to say "sucker!!"

There is no other way round this field, its surrounded by deep ravines and 10ft hedges.  So I was forced to find another way. And then, as if by magic, an ex-England Rugby captain came past in his landrover to offer me wisdom.  Seriously.

The sheep farmer who owns the land used to captain for England back in the day.  Top bloke. We had a brief chat about running and Rugby, and he laughed at my cow story. Told me I was a wimp (true), and then suggested I try the other way.

The other way? I have lived here most of my life, played in these fields and woods since I was 5, been scared by the same field of bulls forever, and all this time there was another way?

He pointed out a tiny footpath sign, buried in 6ft nettles and brambles, and drove off smiling. Laughing that the woman who is scared of cows could never battle through brambles.

Whats the worst that could happen? So I fought my way through, scratching up my arms, grateful that I was wearing long trousers, and swearing under my breath. But on the other side of the hedge, was the most amazing trail!

A narrow winding route under a canopy of trees, then opening out to rolling (cow free) fields and on down to the river. Amazing! It was clear no one had been this way for a long time.

I felt like a member of the famous five! I was an explorer! I was finding brave new places! I was entering Narnia! I was..... late! Crap! I had been gone 15 mins longer than I promised Brad, and he was going to be late, so I sprinted back as fast as I could, back through my new secret run, full of adventure, and home to a very patient Brad.

And this is one of 101 reasons I love to run. All this adventure before 7.30am...



p.s. - soon to come on this blog - kit reviews, photos, race info, links, training info....

THAT hill....

Did 45 minute bike ride this morning.  Including Old down Hill, which I have to do twice during the race.  Not fun. My lungs were on fire!! Great sense of achievement at the top though. Not sure how I am going to manage it twice on the day. It twists and turns and you never know when you are near the top.

Was hard going this morning.  Mostly due to the fact that Summer was awake for 2 hours in the night with teeth issues. Had tried to get to bed early too.  Ahh well. Brad was amazing and let me sleep a bit longer, and still go for a ride.


Every day I watch Brad do endless chin ups, and in a fit of jealousy I decided I want to do that.  So I started a few weeks ago unable to do one. Today after the ride I did 4! Which is a big achievement for me!

I was really inspired by this blog last night.  This woman has done so many triathlons and races. This account of her second ever Ironman had me in tears.  Amazing.

Swim monday - dozey lifeguard

Woken at 5.45am by my youngest (Summer - aged 9 months), who woke me by gently wacking me in the face. I have not needed an alarm clock for 5 years.

Had to wake up the lifeguard at the pool this morning. 6.30am is not the time to be awake if you are a teenager. I was the only person in the pool.  Loved it.  That first push off the side into perfectly still water is amazing.

Did 900 meters:

150 warm up
4x50m with 15 sec rest between each
8x50m with 10 sec rest
150 cool down.

Cold shower.  Great.

Traithlon? Why????

So I am doing my first Triathlon, and it feels like such a big thing for me that I might as well record how it goes. This blog will log the next 12 weeks of my training.

I am a Mum of 3 kids (aged 5, 3, and 9 months).  They are amazing little people, but occasionally, its nice to run away from them.  Which is how I started running after my second one was born.

Since baby number 3 I have done a bit of running, biking and swimming, so thought (in a mad moment) that it might be fun to do all 3 straight after one another with a load of random strangers.

So here I go.  12 weeks. 6 days a week.  Can I do it?