Manley Mere - Tri Again

Oh my God where in the world do you start this?

Off to he Doctors on Tuesday who in no uncertain terms told me not to stop training.

Blood tests Wednesday and appointment for X-Ray next Monday. If it's too painful to run just cycle and swim! It's not painful - just swollen. She thinks part of my metalwork might have become loose or dislodged so in a worse case scenario I'll have to have it all taken out but it could be possible if it's just a little screw that I could have it done by keyhole. Entirely possible though that it's just the heat and because I've laid off the training circulation is sluggish. Was reading on tri talk when people taper their body fights back so maybe that's what mine's been doing.

So the training Tri on Wednesday. They said it was a Club training so I couldn't do it. Then they said they'd squeeze me in. Then I got the list saying there were 5 spare places and was anyone interested. Cerys my swimming teacher said she'd come. I mailed them back and they said it was Club only! grrr so I told Cerys and she'd also been in touch with Sal the Divas secretary - I wasn't sure if she was back from Vancouver and she said that Cerys should just turn up. so mad panic after work. Mark put my rack on. I got changed and broke the zip on my tri suit so ended up putting a swimming costume on under it. Left my kit bag on the top of the stairs. grabbed my wetsuit and Morgan decided to throw my bag down the stairs and follow it head first. So off to casualty complete with bike rack and me panicking that I haven't got any knickers on!

His nose is very grazed. He's got a big bump on his head but basically they don't think anything's broken and we've got to see GP in 10 days.

Reasonable Nercwys loop Thursday

Saturday decided to wear my new running vest. Tip – never race in a new vest. It kept riding up and showed my vast belly – was totally mortified.

Off to Manley yesterday. I went off first in the slowest bike group and I was last which says a lot? Failed on one hill too was mightily peed off. Longer than the ones I do but no steeper. No excuses just don't know the course. Will get out there and conquer it a few times before the race. Cracking course though. Quite twisty and up and down but ok if you get the cadence going down and change early enough. Sal says I need to use the balls of my feet and raise my seat so there's the jobs for this week.

Didn't run as there wasn't much time and takes me forever to get in my wetsuit.

Absolutely hated the swim. Was only 250m the same as last time but I seriously wanted to get out once I was across the mere. Last time I had a canoeist and a club swimmer by me most of the time. This time I felt totally isolated. We were supposed to do 2 X 250m I felt quite chuffed that I'd done 1 but towards the end got my stroke and confidence and second wind. Important lessons learned:-
1) I can swim
2) I didn't consume half the Mere
3) The support guy's are there to help and they obviously didn't think I needed any help
4) I really didn't need any help.

Got out and said to the guy at the side "Hated every minute of it - that's why I'll be back next time!"

Got out of my wetsuit reasonably ok so T1 isn't quite as daunting.

I need to say to you now exactly the same as I did last time. I desperately need to lose weight so that my wetsuit fits better. I need to get some serious swim practice in and I need to get to bed earlier so I can get up earlier and add an extra 30 mins training a day.

Have an extraordinary story to tell about Sue the Ironlady but need her permission first,.