Tough Ten 14 February 2010 - Weston-Super-Mare

So the first race of the season resulted in a climb up the places ladder from 162 to 91 finisher this year. It was good to see the training going in the right direction and the fact that I finished so strongly is encouraging, although no sprint finish which will hopefully mean that I dont look like an idiot in the race photos.

While I am happy with the result I still keep saying to myself "I am sure I could have pushed harder". This is a bit silly for a number of reasons, I wasnt exactly moseying along at a sedate pace but I dont think I would have been happy unless I had collapsed over the line in a sweaty minging mess. This is worrying and a bit stupid, I have to remember that it was a good race with a great strong pace over a tough course and I finished strongly. I didnt over do things so training this week will not be affected, I have to try and save those collapsing over the lines for a couple of occasions during the year. I think it is just the competitive nature that it is inherent in athletes (or lazy people who just happen to train once in a while) that you want to beat others and simultaneously push yourself past your limits. However, doing this has costs and while I would be happy with a couple of further places up the ladder, if this was at the risk of training this week then it would b questionable whether it would be worthwhile.

Long Time No Blog

So it has been an age since my last blog, so long in fact that this is more a resurrection as opposed to an awakening! I could put the lack of blogging down to numerous things at the end of last season (having said that the last blog was only in May!) Since my last blog there has been a distinct lack of racing, albeit I did race in the Black Sheep tri at the end of July. However, lack of racing has not meant lack of training I have got myself a new coach, Toby Jameson www.driventotri.com The training has increased and I am actually enjoying pushing myself as well, though I think this means I may have been guilty of slacking in the past, no chance of that now and I have my first race on Sunday www.toughten.co.uk should be interesting to see how the training has affected race pace!
Not all hard work though I got married last September, I even managed to sneak a few early morning runs in while on honeymoon in New Zealand - glad to see that being a tri widow is not a legal ground for divorce!
Aims for this season
For some unknown reason I have decided to take on the Alpe d' Huez triathlon this year and have stupidly entered the long distance cat: 2.2km Swim 115km Bike and 21km Run at altitude, for the first time I have started something where there is a distinct risk that I wont complete it - NB I WILL COMPLETE IT though! trying to find a charity as well to raise funds for so someone can benefit from my pain - any thoughts.... If this wasnt enough pain I have also entered the "Worlds toughest half ironman" as a warm up, who in their right mind treats that kind of race as a warm up!

Right that is it for now - will blog after the race and let you know how it went