Tough week, Tough Guy...

I've had a strange old week this week. I worried before Ironman that having such a huge run up would inevitably result in me suffering form Post-Ironman blues. I've certainly suffered from marathon blues and really struggled to get back into my training. However, I'm pleased to say that having such a huge goal for next year & also because I'm looking forward to the rest of this season, that I think I'm going to get away without getting the blues.

This week has been tough though. I've been tired & a bit heavy legged. I've had late nights at work which have meant late nights at home & to bed which is fatal for recovery & also greatly affects the quality of my training. Today I completed Tough Guy, which is basically the most crazy, mad event out there. It makes Ironman look normal! I was in a team with four other girs - Hannah Spanner Corne, Alison, Hannah (Paris Hilton) & Clare- we all run together in our running club. We also cajoled some of the boys into a 'Girls against boys' bout and today we all threw ourselves into a million smelly quagmires, climbed high cargo netting, ducked our heads under the stinkiest, muddiest water & slid down treacherous slides. It has to be seen to be believed but we all loved it. We were all brilliant, girls & boys, such a team effort. It was great to get out there being really active but with such fantastic team spirit.

Training for Ironman can get a bit lonely, which actually I don't mind a single bit. I like to switch off when I'm running long & think about the day, my future or in fact if I'll ever make it to Kona. When I ride I like to be on my own as I can't put untold amounts of pressure on myself and worry that I'm just too slow for everyone else. And when I swim I'm in a pool counting lengths or chasing time. Today we raced with no pressure what so ever and no clock...lovely... and a refreshing change. Don't think for a second that it was a walk in the park though. Let me put you straight... it's described as... "8 cross country miles before you descend into a pit of sadism" and I think that does actually do it justice. I think I'll be cleaning the filth out of my ears for months and as for the clothes we wore, they're ruined and in a smelly heap in the back garden! The memories are ones I'll hold onto forever. I thought I was going to shiver myself to death I was so cold & Alison nearly killed herself in a spectacular fall from the cargo netting. Spanner kept her cool & kept up the team spirit. Paris didn't break a nail and was brilliant & Clare, well she was ace, no challenge too big or small & she led the way, if Clare did it, we all did it! Thanks guys. I'm also hoping that I've convinced my brother Jonny to enter next Summer's Tough Guy, yes you brother, get the entry form in or 'Go to Jail, Go directly to Jail, Do not pass Go, Do not collect £200!!! You'll love it & we'll be there to hold the coats & the hot chocolate!

So, back to reality tomorrow (although our pool isn't working) and we'll have to fit the missed swim session in on another day. This week I'm hoping will see me more like my old self. We have our club 10mile TT on Thursday eve in Boroughbridge and I'm really looking forward to it. I haven't got a 10 mile TT time so it's a line in the sand for me & it'll be good to compare myself to some of the better girls to see how I'm faring.

I'm also planning to have a review of the next coming months with my coach Martin Yelling. I'd like to sit down with him and really go through what the rest of the season holds for me & how we're going to approach my next few races, the training I need to do for it & then the big one... what next years training plans are for Germany & hopefully...Kona!

These past few weeks I've really reflected on how I did in Austria, what I did well, what & where I can improve & what I should expect for next year, all of this I will also discuss with Martin very soon.

So, here we go, only 48 weeks left already! Let the training commence.

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement" Brian Tracy

H. x