Bala Middle 2009

Alarm goes off at 5:15. Can’t quite work out what day it is, where I am or why I’m so tired. Then the penny drops and I’m up like a lark. Forecast was good but it’s still difficult to know what to pack. So I wore a running vest with a T shirt over and my hi vis and took my Tri Talk cycling jersey, plus a hoodie, plus a fleece, plus waterproofs (have I ever mentioned I used to be a Girl Guide)

Absolutely glorious morning. Great roads over the moors and then the views of the mist over the fields. It’s as if the clouds have come down to kiss the earth and forgotten when to stop.




Arrived at the leisure centre and parked up. There was no one stopping cars coming in so I talked myself into that job then moved my car lakeside when the cavalry arrived.




Managed a quick chat to Doonhamer and then off to registration.

Was allocated body marking which is just about one of the best jobs. Never had so many blokes drop their trousers for me! (Transition Ted refused!). It was very interesting to see so many fantastic tattoos. It was also interesting to see so much scar tissue! KennyBoy introduced himself and then it was outside.

My absolute idol the amazing Rhian Roxborough asked “lil old me” to do her up. Exciting stuff.




Managed to see the first two waves off before assisting with the counting out of the swim which for me consisted of shouting well done’s and attempting to take pictures. Even though I knew a lot of competitors quite well it is difficult to recognise them in wetsuits with goggles and swimming hats. Rhian had a fantastic swim.

There was just time to grab a quick bite to eat (can highly recommend the pasta from the organic van) and then back to transition to shout the bike out. A bit eerie is transition without any bikes. We weren’t plagued by magpies this year but crows and a very nice family of ducks.






The first TriTalker back was poet. It was announced over the tannoy that he was in transition. I watched waiting to give the shout out. Couldn’t quite work out what he was doing but it included eating, drinking, stretching, kissing someone through the fence. I was gutted. I thought he’d had a DNF and then next thing he flies out like a rocket. Left me a bit speechless!

Rhian was back quick but with another lady hot on her heals.

Tim B comes in and I get my phone out. I’m a bit prone to pressing the button too late so this time I erm.. pressed it too early.




Transition Ted’s in and out pretty smartish then Reproman comes in and I’m screaming at him – tell you what matey you need to go to specsavers – they do hearing tests there now.

Lance my wonderful swim coach comes in and is suffering badly with cramp. I really thought he wasn’t going to start the run but he did.

Good to be able to hear the finishing results. Really disappointed that Rhian’s not first lady, then she’s not second either. Eventually she comes in 5th and has to be supported by Rocky through transition. She sustained the injury at 2 miles into the run and should have quit but in true Tri style didn’t.

Moved from transition to the run finish mostly to watch the finishers but ended up stopping pedestrians when runners were coming in.

Fabulous day. Fantastic effort by ALL who competed. Very nice to be thanked by so many. Highlight of the day was a hug off a lady who I stopped going onto the run with her helmet on.

I really want to do this next year.

Posted On Tri Talk Sunday 7 June

I'll be back
Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:30 pm LynneE

Looking at my last entry “things can’t get any worse?” Erm yup they can.

Not blogged because not done much. Mark’s been back and to, to Chesterfield. When he’s been away I couldn’t train (practicalities of looking after Morgan) and when he’s been home I didn’t want to train.

His Dad passed away on Friday. I decided I was giving up Triathlon as I can’t do the OW session this afternoon and I have no idea when Mark’s coming back so what’s the point?

I wrote probably the hardest letter I will ever have to write yesterday to his Mam. It was the kick up the @rse that I’ve needed. Mike, Mark’s Dad fought so hard against real obstacles, Parkinson’s a brain tumour and here’s pathetic old me giving up just because I’ve missed a few weeks training.

I may not be his blood relative but he taught me a lot – don’t know when but “I’ll be back”

And just in case anyone’s interested my tribute to a great man is on my Life of Lynne Blog. Michael Edward Evans 1.10.37-5.6.2009 Rest In Peace

TEST

Just want to see if this works whole blog disappeared

Ups And Downs

Started the week really well and then…

Mark’s dad was taken ill so he had to hotfoot it to Chesterfield. My Mum and Dad agreed to look after Morgan for me to go to work but as I do my training early mornings it has been impossible to do anything.

On the way to my parents Friday night there was an almighty bang. I thought I’d been shot then that a tyre had blown bus realised as I was still driving it was something else. Just before I was about to pull over I noticed a chip in the windscreen about the size of a 50p. My Dad had a look at it and said “are you sure it wasn’t a pellet gun?” I mean how am I supposed to know? I took it for “repair” Saturday morning and the guys were quite shocked. Because it was the top drivers corner and because of the depth of the chip (which had now developed a foot long crack and can’t be repaired and has to be replaced) they thought it highly unlikely a stone from the road would have caused that kind of damage. They suspected that it was either a pellet gun or a stone had been deliberately thrown at me. Off I toddle to the police station and basically they didn’t want to know. They’d had no other reported incidents so there was nothing they could do. My point is, I went in to report this but they didn’t log it so it wasn’t reported. How am I or they to know that someone else hasn’t done the same?

Bought Morgan an electronic dartboard. Got home no darts.

Sunday was helping Jim with his online, maths, angles in parallel lines homework (you cannot imagine how hard I found it – you cant draw “Z” and “F” angles on screen and I ended up looking at them upside down!) anyway Morgan was playing in the bathroom (which is precisely 2 foot from Jim’s room) he’d decided to put the hand towel in the sink and turn on the tap – yup you guessed one flooded bathroom. Later on another flood in the bathroom this time from the toilet but we’re not sure how. We think perhaps the Andrex fairies had paid us a visit. They could also be the same fairies that had drawn all over Morgan’s face in bright orange marker pen!

Mark’s Dad’s still in hospital but he’s stable so Mark came home last night. Looking forward to a better week. It can’t get any worse can it?

Recovery, Two Sessions In A Day and A Freezing Lake

Well I said I was having a rest and I have for 2 weeks.

I think Saveloy and Sue’s suggestion not to do Chirk were probably right as whilst I was mega chuffed at having done it I really haven’t felt good for the last 2 weeks.

Some big positives to emerge though.

Contacted one of my massager’s other clients, Lance, who is an Ironman and asked him for some swim coaching. Met him last Saturday and after telling him that I was completely crap he asked me to swim. Apparently all my mechanics were there, they just needed some “tweaking.” First thing was such a fundamental pathetic error; keep my fingers together. Doh! Secondly he made me slow right down and breath every other stroke. This made a massive difference and made me about a million times faster. Really kicked myself that I hadn’t got in touch with him sooner.

Got out of the pool and my towel was missing. Checked my locker. Checked the side of the pool. Checked behind the desk. Nothing. Had all the pool attendants check all the lockers, all the cubicles, the toilets – nothing. Was offered one of the staff’s but I declines. I am a triathlete! It’s only like doing a T1!

Last Sunday’s planned bike was cancelled due to literally getting off the toilet and an almighty ping in the bottom of my back. Sitting, standing and lying I was in agony. Bending and stretching were my only relief.

Out on the bike this morning – decided to keep it short because firstly I was swimming this afternoon and secondly because it was cold and windy! (yup no hope for me!) Felt absolutely amazing. Only did 10 miles, only had to go to the little ring once and took 7 minutes off my PB.

This afternoon was the first of Chester Tri’s training days for the Diva Divas. I’d decided that I only wanted to swim as logistically with my 3 and a borrowed child in tow to do all 3 would have been impractical. We got there for the start and I couldn’t believe how many had turned up. Far more than last year. There’s an adventure trail on the site and we had a whale of a time. Jim and Cait were soaked, Morgan was plastered in mud but what the hell what are Sunday afternoons for.

Changed into my wetsuit and it felt a tad tight. Was ready for the off when Sal the race secretary suggested “next time it might be a good idea to wear 2 caps.” As an ex Girl Guide the “Be prepared” motto still sticks so I retrieved my spare from Cait. It was cold, very, very cold but in fairness I soon warmed up. As usual I stuck to the back but felt incredibly strong. I am never going to be a good swimmer but whilst my £35 Tesco wetsuit was adequate for last year when I did my “doggy” crawl of a fashion stroke today I felt the restriction on my shoulder as I crawled the whole course. We didn’t do the full 750m but I certainly felt fresh and held my own. Even more incentive to get into AndyS’s Orca for the next session on June 7th. Once again this was a fabulous event arranged by our very own Timmy and his Chester Tri team. Thanks guys.

Have decided to totally change my tactics and plans. The Diva Diva’s is my next race on 12 July. 750m open water swim 10mile bike with a tough hill at the beginning (not too tough I did get up it without getting off last year) and a 5k pancake flat out and back (twice) run on grass around the mere.

I’ve had problems with my back twice in the last month and whilst neither was a training injury I’m convinced that pushing myself to run longer is the cause. I want to go back to just running 40minutes and upping it by 10 minutes for the next 2 weeks then going back down to 40. Swimming, there’s another 2 open water training sessions, hopefully Lance will be able to give me a coached session every week and I’ll get another endurance session in every week. Bike wise I think is where I can make the most time. The old Mold sprint will give me the endurance plus the hill strength. The 10 miler I did this morning will give me an idea of pace and the Borders/Nercwys loop is short and hilly enough to run off to get my bricks in.

One very happy bunny!

And to cap it all.... Jims footie presentation yesterday and he got a well deserved player of the year

Chirk Sprint 2009

Had an awful swim and not entirely convinced I did 16 lengths. Faffed in T1 deciding whether or not to put a top on - did in the end and was glad. Felt incredibly strong and much more confident on the bike. Ran into and out of T2 but had the problem of not feeling my feet. I probably ran about half which I was disappointed with because I can run more difficult and longer routes. Guess the bike took more out of me than I thought.

Actually remembered to set my watch so was really pleased with 2:13

Then the results
Swim 13:58 (13:46 2008)
Bike 1:15:57 (1:15:01 2008)
Run 43:21 (48:25 2008)
Overall 2:13:16 (2:17:12)

Absolutely over the moon with the run time – 5 minutes in a sprint. Sue has got to take a lot of credit for this “encouraging” me to go long and hilly.

Thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon timing the bike so got to see quite a lot and a good laugh – at least 3 with their helmets the wrong way.

Back a bit sore but not suffering anywhere near as much as last year. I really would have kicked myself if I hadn't done it.

Wanted to do the Deva Divas as my next event but not sure.

Will do Llanrwst.

Going to have a rest from TriTalk for a while – thanks to all for your support and encouragement. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

Posted Friday 24 April - The Best Laid Plans

So the plan? Rest on Wednesday fine.

That’s when it all goes a bit pear shaped.

Thursday could hardly get out of bed. Back was so sore. Not unduly worried. Seven days training on the bounce and going long would inevitably mean a bit of a seize up when I stopped. Friday was no better so booked a massage for Saturday.

Tracey worked her magic and diagnosed inflammation of the tendons, which I suspected. She suggested rest which really wasn’t a problem.

Mark phoned me in work on Monday panicking like mad Morgan had a temperature and was sleeping. Can tell it’s his first child and I probably would have been worried too had I not had the other two and realise how quick kids bounce back. My main concern when I got in from work was not that he had a raging temperature but that he wouldn’t drink.

Mark was relegated to the back bedroom and Morgan slept with me. He woke up several times screaming obviously having horrendous nightmares. Mark took him to the Doctors on Tuesday who diagnosed a throat infection but said if he hadn’t started drinking by 7pm he would have to be admitted to hospital and put on a drip. We managed to get him to sip half of his juice.

During the night he woofed down 3 beakers of milk and was right as nine pence Wednesday morning by which time I woke up with an awful sore throat and a really chesty cough. Mark decided the cure all would be a really hot curry which seemed to do the trick except yesterday morning it decided to depart my body really quickly and I was left with “the ring of fire.”

Can it get any worse? Yup.

Whilst I was glued to the loo get’s a call off my ex hubby to say that Cait had a really bad stomach and wasn’t going to school. Typical 15 year old girl me thinks. I was seriously allergic to double French. By lunch time he’d left me voicemail that she’d been to the doctors who’d referred her to the hospital and she was waiting to have a scan. The diagnosis was fluid around her ovary. No cause and no cure.

I have no idea if I will be on that starting line on Sunday. My back is still really sore. I can deal with that (tramodol and declofenac) It’s the throat and chest that are giving me concerns. If I don’t do it I’ll forever say “I wish I’d….” If I do it and struggle I’ll wish I hadn’t. I’ve got nothing to prove. I’ve done it before. I really want to do it. It’s a sprint for goodness sake. 2 hours of hard exercise are not going to kill me. Anyway the spray tan’s booked and I’m marshalling on the main gate from noon so good luck to all and don’t forget to say “Hi.”