Jackie D - Week 38

Week 38 - starting Monday 4 June 2007

Scheduled hours: 17hrs 30mins
Actual hours: 16hrs 57mins

Ooo look, naughty, naughty, I haven’t done my training time for this week! But the difference is just in my two swims. Instead of an hour plus each time at masters I went swimming in the lake again for both swims. AND they were done in the MORNING. I actually got up at 5.00am both times. Swims were only 40-45 minutes though because I had to get back to see to the kids. The second swim was in quite choppy water - it reminded me a bit of swimming in the ocean.

But not just 2 early mornings for me this week - but 3! Because of some school trip commitments I got up early to do a 2 hour brick before the kids woke up.

I can honestly say I HATE the moment the alarm clock goes off, but once up and going I LOVE it, and I LOVE the feeling of having accomplished so much before breakfast. I am going to keep reminding myself of this - and in fact once the kids break up from school in a couple of weeks I will probably have to do some early morning sessions just to fit things in.

My long run this week was fantastic! So, unlike last week when I felt I was just shuffling round trying to do the time required. I did the 10min run, 1min walk strategy and I ran the furthest I have ever run in my 3 hours - just over 20miles! In fact that is the furthest I have ever run, period! I was very pleased with that. I still couldn’t face as many gels as I should have had though but managed to force some down.

My long bike the next day was a different story. I kept it quite slow, so had a dreadful average pace but I did also purposely go looking for hills and purposely made sure I stayed seated on the hills so granny gears were used a lot. I went the route over from Honoeye to Bristol and was really wary of coming across the dog that had chased me last time. I couldn’t remember exactly where it was so each time I saw a grassy bank that looked familiar, I speeded up and if clear went right into the middle of the road. It was finally right at the crest of the hill I think, ‘cos I heard the tell tale barking but I sped away - he must have been in the back and not have had time to get round. Seems daft to me that someone wouldn’t make sure their dog stays in their yard anyway - what about the cars that whiz up that road?!

In fact this week seems to have been an “encounter with animals” (not least because of my fellow trainees having encounters with chipmunks and turtles!) because I was also chased briefly by a goose. I was just cutting along a section of path to our neighbourhood and there was mama, papa and their brood on one side. I kept as far away on the other side as I could but one of the parents decided that I was a threat and launched itself at me as I cycled by. There was an oncoming cyclist grinning at me as I went by him so I just wished him luck!

Recovery week next week - my last one. Eeeek!

6 WEEKS TO GO