Right then, whats the plan?

First enduro of the year, first slap in the face from reality!

Its all well and good imagining hurtling down descents off the brakes and charging the climbs, head up, big ring without a care in the world. POW! Body slam, elbow drop and the sleeper hold, that's right reality has opened up a can of whoop ass and your getting it, the tech down hills made me feel like Bamby on ice and I was demoted to granny ring racing on the steeper climbs. Hey ho 5 laps in 3.50hr is still better than I have done before and has given me targets, 10 laps at the Muc Off 8 hr and gulp, 14 laps at set 2 rise, please please please, don't hold me to that!!!

See you at the end!

First triathalon training swim

Well that was fun!!!!
I haven't been swimming since i was at school (now ten years ago) so i was a little rusty to say the least!

But anyway the alarm went off the wrong side of 6.30am this morning so up i rolled out of bed rather dazed and confused, time to get ready for the swim. Had a couple of banana's, played with the dog and off i went into a dark very wet cold morning which in it's self was a shock to the system that early. Arriving at the pool for just before 7am ( James didn't show, some lame story about having my old number! ), so on with the shorts and goggles and into the blue i fell!

The water was nice and warm which helped, and off i went length after length. Having not swam for alooonnng time it was not easy to start with, but i powered on swimming at a gentle pace to get into it and took it fairly easy for the whole swim. Not wanting to push myself on the first outing!
About half an hour of swimming was enough for me, so about 15-20 lengths later, i knew i had alot of work to do to be competitive in the Triathlon! After getting myself sorted off i pedaled off to work again into the cold dark wet morning!

So the next swim is Friday morning, again very very early but it has to be done.

Cycle Cycle Cycle

Cyclocross hey....

Went for a little adventure on Saturday on the Ridley Supercross, first good cycle in awhile have lost all motivation for cycling at the mo. Maybe it is because of the rubbish weather or just feeling the January blues, who knows but i have been very slack!!

Off i pottered up over Canford Heath and on to Wimbourne! Canford Heath was a little damp in places and made for some good fun riding, then hit the old train track from Broadstone to Wimbourne which is a nice flat gravel track which you can smash easily.

When i arrived in Wimbourne first thing was to check the River Stour for fishing Sunday ( the main reason for the cycle really!!! ) it was high and very very fast, not good for fishing! Foolishly i did fish and it was a disastor but we wont talk about that!!! So i checked out a few spot cycled across some very wet fields, most of which looked like lakes themselves!

Then off i went round the back lanes of Wimbourne/Cowgrove area, which are nice due to very little traffic. Passed a lot of roadies out on training rides, who seeming to be in a lot better shape than myself! A few green lanes and more off roading was to follow, getting covered in a variation of mud and possibly cow muc, didn't really want to check just kept telling myself it was mud! After about a couple hours of riding i was as good as baked, so headed home (to mummys for a cup of tea and biscuits first) taking the same route i used on the way out!

It was a good cycle, and did bring back some motivation to get out more on the cross bike. Just need some lighter longer days and better weather!

Would also like to say a well done to Jough our Northern Rep who raced the Masters Cyclocross World Champs this weekend finished 33rd after a couple of crashes in the main event (and a pair of snapped forks on Friday!) still a great effort.