Challenge update

I haven't blogged for a while, and when I look back, I struggled to keep up the blogging at this time last year. Training is now very time consuming.
Since I last blogged I have managed to complete 2013 accumulated miles from walking, swimming, running and cycling. That's good. My running miles have suffered slightly with the upping of my swimming and cycling. I am currently on 775 miles, whereas I aught to be closer to 852 The good news is that I am finally running pain free, and have been for a week now, long may it last. I still need to up my mileage to 42 miles a week for the rest of the year, that's an average of 6 miles a day. Fingers crossed that this remains an achievable goal.
To help re focus, I have decided to join Juneathon to hopefully get my run mileage back up again.
My run and walk miles have contributed to a moon landing with the
As far as my virtual run to Moscow, well I have passed Hannover and am heading towards Berlin.

On May Day Bank Holiday, Billy and I headed up to Ellerton lake for our first open water swim. I struggled with my breathing and the cold, I had totally lost my confidence. We met a swim coach Pauline Squires, whilst we were there and booked her for the Saturday. Saturday came and it was bitterly cold. Pauline was great and after a very cold hour, we both felt more confident. We celebrated by getting the stove out of the car boot for sausage and egg but ties to warm us up. A week later we went back to Ellerton. And completed a very cold 2 miles in 1:15, we were quite pleased with ourselves. This week we did a similar distance in a similar time in Ripon Racecourse lake. 

Billy and I have been trying to build our bike miles up in Preparation for Outlaw. I feel that the cycle leg is where the biggest improvement (time saving) can be made, so a couple of weeks ago we headed out to Hawes, 36 miles away in the dales. The weather was grim, wet and windy and we were under no illusion as to the hilly ness of the route. It was hard, we were cold and wet and the wind was in our faces most of the way there. After a bacon and egg butty in a cafe, we enjoyed a tail wind most of the way home.

We stopped on the way home to admire the Archimedes screw at Bainbridge which creates hydro electricity for the local community.

On Bank Holiday Monday this week, after a lovely weekends rest (after a 2 mile swim on Saturday morning in the racecourse lake) we went out on our bikes to Easingwold, Coxwold and Kilburn, returning home via Thirsk. Again it was windy, but it was a nice dry day and resulted in a bit of sunburn.

Another part of my challenge is to complete a marathon a month, I have completed 5 so far, January was a training marathon, 3 laps of town. February, was the same. March was Trollers Trot + a bit. April was Blackpool marathon in the first week and Manchester marathon the last week, this means that I still had a marathon to complete in May and I was running out of month. On Wednesday morning I set off to Studley Royal deer park to run 10 laps of front to back gate and back( 2.2 miles) this and the fact that it was 2 miles from home should add up to 26 miles. This was tough, mentally and physically but I was joined by Jo and she chatted to me as we ran 3 laps, this was an enormous moral booster. I left my drink and jacket at the front gate so I could get a drink at the end of each lap. At the end of lap 4, it had gone, I was gutted. Jo ran to Dave Jelly (Jellylegs) house for more water whilst I continued on my repetitive run. Jo had to leave and I continued on on my own, but it felt easier now. Thank you Jo. Good luck on Saturday 1 June with your half marathon fell run. At the end of lap 7 I saw a park warden I asked if she could get in touch with the groundsmen who had been around at the time my bottle and jacket had gone missing. She said she could and reached into her handbag and pulled out an enormous radio, she contacted the groundsman, he said he had my stuff, she asked that it be put back where it was. How easy was that. Thanks Ann. At the end of the next lap I was relieved to see my jacket and bottle returned.
I got to my last lap, I had to fight to get to the top of the hill, I touched the gate, turned and was practically dancing on the way back down, where I reclaimed my jacket and bottle and ran the 2 miles home.
May marathon complete, phew!

And so, tomorrow is 1st June, back to jogging, logging and blogging.
This weekend sees some pretty massive races for the Poppyfielders, Michelle Blackmore is taking on the Swashbuckler 70.3 as a training race for Challenge Roth. Lesley Byrne and Michael Evans are taking on the Inaugural Outlaw half and Mark Dodgson is doing the massive City to Summit,(swim in Firth of Forth, cycle to For William and run a marathon to and up Ben Nevis. Good luck to all of you. Meanwhile, Sid, who inspired us to be doing exercise everyday of 2013 will be training and planning the logistics of completing Outlaw Triathlon in a morphsuit.
Billy and I are heading to Coniston for the Epic Swim, 3.8 km, apparently it's 11 degrees in there at the moment, Bbbrr!

Over 8 hrs on a bike. Ouch!

The week following a marathon aught to be a rest week. Well that wasn't gonna happen. I walked and swam on Monday .Tuesday was the usual mad rush of walk the dog, work, walk the dog, Junior running club, adult running club, home about 8/8:30. Eat sleep.
This week was even more tiring as it wa the adult running club Chase Your Mates championship. This is a handicap race for club members, its a set route approx 6 miles and no one is allowed to wear any timing/pacing events. When it was my turn to set off, there was no one in site, I ran comfortably for the first time in a long time, it felt good. About half way I saw another runner, I could also hear chatting behind, so I ha someone to chase and some one to run from, I was caught by my chasers at the corner on the hill, we're nor racing Ian and Alan told me and ran ahead, I tried to keep up a bit and they held the gate, soon I caught the person in front and as I left the field the guys held the gate and I spotted a pink shirt ahead and began to wind her in, keeping as close to the guys a I could. I was impressed with myself as I ran down Whitcliffe lane, a marathon 2days ago and now here I was racing again, my ankle was hardly any bother, the toughest part of the race was over, there was about a third left to run and I was regaling the next runner in. The guys were pulling away, there's another gate, I laughingly called. As I approached the gate the guys held it and I ran through and overtook my opponent. As the guys passed again they informed me there was someone coming up fast behind. I was tired but couldn't give in to it, I focused on another runner ahead. Just over a mile to go and I was overtaken and as. Glanced behind I saw someone else coming fast. I really pushed myself but about half a mile from the finish I was overtaken again. I kept pushing and finished strong. I was really pleased with my effort.
Wednesday was a rest day, so dog walk, work, dog walk. It was also sports massage day. Time to rub out some aches and pains from the last few days.
Thursday was the usual walking as well running club training. An interval session. Tough. I always find any speed work tough but I know it's necessary so I go and try my hardest.
Friday, rest again, walking mainly as Saturday was going to be a bit tough
Saturday was Pocklington Pedal. I'd entered Billy and I for the Mega (100 miles) months ago when I thought we'd have had loads of training, but we have hardly been on the bikes. The weather was cloudy nod windy. We got to Pocklington
and registered, sorted the bikes and lined up with the others. I was a bit panicky, I'd never ridden in a pack and was scared Id do something wrong an upset someone. Not to worry, after the town cryer had set us off I was soon no in the pack, Billy dropped back to join me, and as I settled down, we soon were back with the pack, just as w turned a corner and started to climb, and climb and climb, near the top, red faced and breathless I was confronted by photographers, I tried to smile, hmmm! Not seen the pics ye but it'll probably look like a grimace. Billy waited at the top and we set off after the pack. Soon we came to a village, there was a left arrow ahead of a corner, we bore left and followed the road. The group behind shouted us and told us we'd gone wrong. We went back, we'd missed a turning. We got on the right track again. At 20 miles billy had a puncture. We were half way up yet another incline. Billy made short work of changing the tube and off we went again. Billy had not been able to get full pressure into the tyre, but we thought there would be a pump at the feed station at 30 odd miles. The wind was relentless fighting against it on the inclines and the flats but the most frustrating was the fact that even the descents were slowed by the wind. We were very relieved to reach the feed station at 6 miles. There was no pump but Billy ha a go at getting more air in his rear tyre. We had coffee, banana Jaffa cakes and nutrigrain bars, refilled our water and set off again. The route was due to split pretty soon and did as we approached yet another hill,we turned off, our hill seemed gentler. As we approached a junction, a cyclist was coming towards us. It's flatter from here he said, that means its blooming hilly I thought. We came out of a junction half way up a hill, that was not funny. Billy pulled ahead. My throat started to itch, I coughed but the itch became a prickle. I was fighting to get up a hill and coughing, Billy pulled further ahead. Every breath made my throat prickle triggering a cough, my shirt felt as if it was strangling me, I undid it a bit. I was starting to panic. Billy was getting further ahead, I couldn't shout, a car and horse box overtook me as I cycled through a flood caused by a burst water main, soaking me. I felt so dejected. Soon, Billy started to slow and stopped. I thought he was waiting for me. Oh no! Another puncture. He was not amused as he removed his wheel and flung it across the verge. I welcomed the stop. It allowed me to get my inhaler out of my saddlebag. We were all alone in the middle of nowhere. Billy grumpily changed the tube, a lone rider passed us and asked if we were ok, we said we were (lie, Billy was very dispirited ). We eventually got going again an for a mile or two the wind was in our favour and the terrain kinder. We've bitten off more than we can chew with this he said, its gonna take about 10 1/2 hours at this rate. Finally my throat had settled. We were only about 45 miles in and w just dug deep to get it done. I felt guilty at Billy having to keep waiting for me. We soon were heading back upwards, I could see someone ahead of Billy and we were gaining, up and down the hills we went. Soon we came down a steep hill and turned to go up, I had a twinge in my left quad and thought I would cramp, so I got halfway and as I stood on the pedals the cramp started. I got off and walked. Billy never though, so again had to wait. As I got going again a bloke we had passed mentioned that we ha to be back at the finish by 17:30. Billy started doing the maths as I was forced off the bike to stretch my cramp as I chewed a dextrose tablet. We have to get our average up to 12.5 mph he said. We peddled on passing another cyclist. The next 20 miles were much smother though still windy. We finally arrived at Stamford Bridge 75 miles done. We thought the feed station may have closed, we'd not seen a cyclist for miles, but were relieved to see it open and there were still cyclists there. We wasted no time, more water banana and fig rolls and back on the bikes, gentle at first and soon the other cyclists passed us in a pack, we couldn't keep with them, we just plodded (peddled) onwards counting down the miles as we started to climb again, and again and again, we were tired now but Billy kept telling me that I'd have to be quicker if we were to get back in time. Finally a downhill as we approached Pocklington and as we rode down the road absolutely shattered I noticed the college, ooh! I said there's the finish and pedalled harder and turned into the collage and road over the timing mat. I turned to Billy, he was behind me. Oops! Billy had waited for me and encouraged me around the whole course and I had shot off at the end and left him behind. Relieved as I was to finish I felt so guilty.
8hours 26 minutes after the start, we had completed the hardest ride of our lives.


Sunday was recovery. Surprisingly we were not too sore, but we were sore so 2nice long dog walks were the order of the day.
So, how I did this week affect the challenge?
I only ran 14.4 miles this week leaving me at 634 miles, that's a little behind target, 61 miles to be exact. So I now need to up my weekly run target to 42 miles. Now that will be a challenge.