Bump Bump Bump!

That was me coming down to earth with a bump! 

Yesterdays time trial went very well 30 minutes 29 seconds so I spent yesterday feeling smug and pleased with myself.  I think I might of even whistled a little tune as I helped paint the portacabin up at the rugby pitches in the afternoon.

Today I went out with 1st Chard Wheelers all full of enthusiasm but after an hour and a half was struggling to keep up!  Its official I miss Smithy

Then I got so far behind I missed a turning and then didnt know which way they had gone.  So true to form I had a little Deborah paddy, annoyed only at myself and had no choice but to find my own way home.  So if feeling inadequate with regards riding my bike wasnt enough I then had to navigate home – I am so going to buy a Garmin with sat nav on it but hey I know where a few more of the country lanes go to so the time was not wasted!

The time trial cometh before the triathlon!

I never have been good with dates…. of any kind!  Whilst looking at the calendar I realised that the 1st Chard Wheelers club time trial that I thought was in September is this Saturday.  Never mind, it just means less time to worry about it.

Rugby training was very good last night.  We did the 15 m bleep test.  One of the boys got up to level 7.  I think I bowed out ungraciously at level 3 but to be fair it was wet and we were running on grass.  After the bleep test we did a last man out thing seeing who could do the most sit ups – my stomach feels just a bit tight today .. ouch! Oh and suffice to say I wasnt the last person out but neither was I the first!

I managed to get under 10 minutes this week for the 400m swim …… ok ok, by only 5 seconds but hopefully it will help towards me not being the last person in the pool next Sunday.  The next big dilemma is what to wear in the pool?  I have visions of getting tangled up in damp clothing in the transition area, getting my leg caught in my shorts, falling over and causing a domino effect of all the bikes in the transition area…. whoops!  But I am still not sure I can brave a tri suit – I know that no one is going to be paying any attention to me but it still doesnt help and I will still feel like I have a big arrow attached to my head, neon and flashing ‘Deb in a tri suit’ and that some skinny person will come up to me and remind me that buoyancy aids are not allowed…. err no love thats just my body .  Who ever said that ‘lycra was a girls best friend’?

It is the last week of rugby fitness training next week – the boys want to do circuits again.  After that I can get back to the running club on a Thursday

The triathlon cometh

Two swims, two runs, two cycles and a session of circuits with the rugby team so far this week.  Cheers for the training tips last week at Linda’s BBQ, excellent exercises but I reckon some of the boys were muttering unpleasant comments with the one where you do a sit up into a stand – what a hurter that is ! Please let me know if anyone can do more than one

Rugby training!

Usually I look forward to Thursdays because it is CRC running club night, that comes with lots of perks…. running with a lovely group of people, Dereks’ musing, and last but not least Clives shorts but no club running tonight.  Instead another one of my supposed good ideas – pre season rugby training for Chard U16s.  How it was supposed to work was a friend was going to do the training, and I was going to support him – how it worked out was my friend couldnt make it so I took the training.  Well a big thank you to the group because they didnt laugh, they didnt complain and everyone participated and hopefully their obliques, their quads, etc etc all ache as much as mine do today.

Meeting Eddie Merck and riding Abbottsbury Hill

The top of Abbottsbury Hill

‘Go on Mum you know you want to’ were Mikes words! No son I really really don’t want to get at 6.30am, cycle 64 miles and face the humiliation of being caught, and timed out by the broom wagon!
So despite my protest Saturday afternoon was spent at Cricket St Thomas signing on, enjoying the pasta party and meeting the great man, Eddie Merck. 
Sunday morning saw us up and ready to ride.  A big turn out from Chard Wheelers who we left in a bunch with.  It was classic tortoise and hare riding for Mike and I.  I knew some of the hills that lay ahead so took it steady.  The hills didn’t disappoint and were punishing, and were also relentless in their frequency and size !
I finished in 5 hours 44 minutes which I was pleased with.  Mike finished an hour later, with me hoping he had learnt something about pacing himself x

Home at last

We cycled the final 35 miles back to Caen on Wednesday arriving in good time for the ferry.  A summary of the trip;
301 miles
No punctures
1 fall
No tears or tantrums
Prizes for map reading – zero!
Laura – a late entry to the trip was a star
Mike was the pack horse carrying the heaviest paniers – thank you
Funniest moment – lots of them but probably the car park incident in Paris
Whilst unfortunately the realisation that I am no Johny Hoogerland has sunk in I reckon I am very fortunate to have had such a brilliant adventure with Mike and Laura.  Cheers guys see you next year

Are we there yet ?

Our route today was Evereux to Lisieux, approximately 65 miles.  A nice route through quiet lanes.  We were convinced that we were going to have a dog encounter somewhen on the trip especially as the more rural we were the bigger the dogs got!  Luckily the dogs stayed the right side of the fences and not attached to our ankles.  We had an unexpected welcome in Lisieux -  we arrived in the middle of the towns Criterium – a cycling time trial event.  The main event being the pro riders, some of whom were staying in the same hotel as us.  It was a lovely way to spent our last evening in France.