Juneathon day 29 sea swim

All month we have known that we could choose today's training, so we planned a sea swim. I asked on Facebook if anyone was swimming at North East coast, A lady replied who planned to swim for about 6 hours, she is training to swim the English Cannel in 4 weeks.

We got up this morning and it was a bit dreary outside, but undaunted we set off, as we got closer to Seaton Carew, the sun was out but it was windy. We parked up and OMG the sea looked rough.

We met up with the othe swimmers and after squeezing into our wetsuits we followed Amanda and her support crew into the water. Amanda was just in a bathing costume. I was scared. The water was battering us, Amanda and Matt soon disappeared into the white foam. Billy stuck with me and we forced our way trough the breakers, they battered us relentlessly, trying to grab my hat, getting in my goggles, I was so buoyant I couldn't get upright to sort them out, and still the waves came.

Eventually, we attempted to swim parallel to the shore (left) no mean feat, as the waves were coming at us diagonally. Breast stroke felt the best method so I could see the waves and where to go, but my breast stroke is pathetic, so heads up front crawl it was, I couldn't get my breathing timed right, I swallowed the water, it shot up my nose but Billy stayed close and I kept onwards. 

Eventually he said we should head in to shore. As soon as we were amongst the breakers we were battered again, my hat and goggles were coming off, so Billy shouted duck when the big waves came and I stuck a hand on my head, Then, suddenly a huge wave caught us, my hat was in my hand and I didn'tt know which way was up,  I could feel the sand and struggled to stand as the waves battered me, I looked behind and there was Billy. His hat had been swept away.

We got our bearings and realised that for all our efforts, instead of swimming along the beach, we'd had been swimming but also been swept backwards and we were a few hundred yards right from where we had entered.

Relieved to survive, I soon recovered and no feel I need to try sea swimming again, hopefully when it's not so rough.

Day 29 totals

Swim 0.33 miles

Walk 3 miles

Juneathon day 28 loads achieved

Plan said 8 mikes running so that's what I did, after walking the dog. I donned my lovely new trainers 

and set out to work hard, and work hard I did, I pushed myself and ran to Studley church, home again would be 6 miles, so I ran down the mile straight, back up to the church and then home. I was a lovely morning for a run, drizzly and cool, there were not many people about either. At one point the deer were stood all over the road, but they moved as the mad woman in bright red trainers and a face to match approached.

I was very pleased with today's run.

After getting home, stretching and getting cleaned up, Billy and I went holiday clothes shopping, not our favourite pastime. We went to Monks Cross shopping park at York. We wandered the shops and he got some swimming shorts and I got a play suit, a dress and some shorts. We were fed up and Billy's toe was very sore so came home via the Wetherby Whaler fish and chip resteraunt, yummy in my tummy.

This afternoon we cleaned the house top to bottom, walked the dog, did some food shopping, and Zi sorted the garden.

We can't believe how much we've got done in one day, you can tell it's rest week, and also how much our lives are dominated by the Ironman training.

Day 28 totals

Run 8.29 miles

Walk 4 miles

Juneathon day 27 rest day

Rest day at last, but that still means walking to keep things moving. 

Yesterday Billy stubbed his toe getting into the lake last night. Well, 4 weeks to Outlaw and he's broken his second toe. Gutting. But he's not backing out, four weeks to recover. 

Billy's toe meant I walked the dog on my own this morning, it was cooler than it has been of late, and so I had to put a hoody on for the first time in days.

This evening Iwent back up to school to view the students and other members of the communities art work, it was fantastic.

Back to it tomorrow though.

Day 27 total

3 miles walked

Juneathon day 26 going swimmingly

Today was open water swim day. I look forwards to it all day, then as the time to get in gets closer, I start to get nervous. I'm always like that but today it was worse because I was already aware that the weed had surfaced.

This the lake at Ripon Racecourse . It's very inviting. This is an old pic of me getting in.

Map of the lake from the Ripon Black Sheep Triathlon website.

Tonight Billy Martin and I got in tonight, 22 degrees c the co ordinater informed us. Didn't feel that warm. Martin asked what we planned. Billy was hoping for 2 laps of the lake, that's both Islands twice, I said 1 lap and then we'll see. So off we went. I had steamed up goggles, so stopped, stopped my watch and sorted them. The boys were already specks in the distance as I started again.

Weed, I hate it, nasty, grabby, prickly weed. I knew it was in there, where would it be. Yuk! there, about 50 yds in, just a small patch, Head up force my way through, head down back at it. I soon was passing the first island it was clear, past the second jetty, still ok. This was going well.

 About half way along the second Island , grab, scratch, I'll soon be through, head up, OMG! 

You could see it on the surface, all around, I'd have to swim heads up. it was too thick, breast stroke. Now I can't actually do breast stroke, well not well anyway, but I worked my way slowly through. It felt like forever, I looked to my left and saw

Lily pads? What? Didn't expect that. I'd been admiring them on the neighbouring canal on my run last Sunday, never thought I'd see them in the lake, still nice places for the pike to hide.

I finally cleared the weed and swam wide of the top Island and headed back to the starting jetty where I turned and set off to do the whole lot again. 

This time I didn't hit the first patch of weed, that cleared me up, maybe there was a route through, I swam on, past the first island and the second jetty, I was about half way along the second island when I was surrounded. 

I clearly watched too many murder mysteries as I imagine there are dead people in the lake, waiting to pull me in. I hate pale patches and dread what I may see.

It was like I was been pulled and tugged as , with my head up, I fought my way though for a second time. Phew! What a relief to egg clear.

I returned to the start for the second time, Billy was there " can I do a bit more?"  Yes he said, so off I went.

No way was was I doing that weed again so I aimed for the first island. 

I was swimming up towards it, "Blooming Heck!" It never seemed to get closer. I finally made it to the first island, doing sums in my head. " Oh no!' I thought, no one is allowed in the lake after 8, I'd gone too far. This was racing a cut off, I swam as guard as I could, there were no other swimmers, no big buoys, I had to sight accurately. I swam hard and was tiring and finding it difficult to focus on the jetty, but I had to jeep going, I had to be out of the lake by 8 pm. Finally I made it there were a couple of people in the shallows. I stopped my watch.

1:34:25. OMG! That was the hardest and fastest I've done, BUTmy Garmin showed only 1.53 miles. 

No way, the route is 1500 mtrs, so that's at least 3000 mtrs in 2 laps and then the first island is well over half way up the lake, so I am claiming the iron distance for it.

On entry to the lake, Billy stubbed his toe, he said it was very sore, thought it was broken. Now if is bruised swollen and sore. Had had it iced, he swam 2 and a half laps, so the cool water had helped, now he is in a lot of pain.

Day 26 totals

Walk 3 miles,

Swim 2.4 miles

Juneathon day 25 the massage day

At least once a month I have a sports massage. I have been going to Libby since March 2010 and I am sure that I would not be able to train as hard as I do without getting the usual runners/cyclists niggles if I did not invest the time and money in these regular treatments.

Libby now knows me and my body as well as I do, today she worked on my feet and calves, but mainly on my neck and shoulders, ironing out knots and stretching out shortened tight muscles. 

I feel much better for it. 

So feeling like I had a new body, I went out with my friend Jill to recce the Ripon Tri route. She has not cycled much this year. You couldn't tell. We rode at an average of 15 mph. At one point we ended up in the middle of a time trial, I couldn't resist pushing myself a bit, I couldn't keep up, but it was fun.

Afterwards I went for my brick run and my watch had lost satellite, but I couldn't wait around, so set off anyway. I ran the route I always run on a Saturday and I got to the same place as Saturday, but 1 min quicker. Very happy with my pace.

Also today I took my resting heart rate, and it was the same as my age, 47 I am very chuffed with that.

Day 25 totals

28.62 miles cycle

3 mike walking 

1,6 miles running

Juneathon day 24 terrific Tuesday

Busy as always today, the school was ful of yr 6 s on their move up day. Lots to do. The n coaching the juniors and finally the adult run. We recycled a route for speed training. I ran the first half with a new runner, I like encouraging the new runners, after all, if I hadn't been welcomed and encouraged by the other club members when I first joined then I wouldn't have achieved all that I have so far. Then I ran at my own pace, well, actually I pushed myself with my fastest mile 8 min 19 sec. I was very pleased with that, even if it was downhill.

Day 24 totals 

7.5 miles run

3 miles walked

Juneathon day 23 recovery week

Recovery week on the plan, that just mean a bit less volume, so I still swam and went to the cycle studio for the watt bike session.

The week does promise to be less tough than last weeks 222 mile week, so that's good, probably still will not much pare time either. 

Less than 5 weeks to Outlaw ans 12 weeks to Ironman Wales., there is an end in sight.

Totals day 23 

Walk 2.5 miles

Swim 1.36 miles

Bike 7 miles