Mechanical failure

Set off this morning on an easy pace with a group.  7km into a steady climb and right before the massively steep climb I have a wee accident at 3mph!  All my accidents have happened at this speed and long may that continue.  Unfortunately it involves breaking 2 spokes which means I'm heading home to get the bike repaired - no cycling today.  But that's where triathlon is good because I put my running shoes on and did 5.5km in the heat of the day, and boy was it hot!  A certain amount of acclimitisation will be required before May 2012.  This was followed by a pasta and king prawn lunch with a banana split (one of my 5 a day) and a few glasses of wine to help the digestion and keep the calarie count up.
Tomorrow is the final day so I am hoping to ride to the top of the island, now my bike is fixed, to see the last part of the IM course.  This will result in a 90 mile ride which will take up most of the day to allow for coffee/cake stops and lunch.  My next post will be when I'm home shivering in the cold and swimming as I can't get my bike through the snow.  Catch up soon.

De je vue

Day 4 in Lanza and today we got our first real sunshine.  Day 1 was getting settled in and setting the bike up, day 2 I was dropped of the back of the group after 18 minutes (some very strong cyclists here) so went off on  my own (Derek no mates!) and did 25 miles with a very nice lunch - they did 75 miles!  Day 3 was 65 miles (very hard) miles - it hurt.  Today, Day 4 was a rest day (for the very strong cyclists); it had some really easy riding (my kind of pace) and some hills that sent the HR up along with the pain - we did 50 miles (on a rest day!).
I have this feeling of de je vue.  1 Year before Ironman I completed my 1st 50 mile cycle and was walking like John Wayne wondering how I'd complete an IM, but I did it 12 months later.  Lanzarote is brutal.  Hills (9,400 feet of climb on the IM) and a constant wind that destroys you on the bike - your not allowed to draft (shelter in a group of cyclists) that's why it has the reputation of being the toughest in the world.  So my mind is saying how the heck can I manage Lanza IM in 14 months time?  A very serious training plan to work on my cycling and strength will be required along with a lot of determination and support from the family and my training partners.
The guys and gals out in Lanza have been great as I have been the "cows tail" every day and they have encouraged and helped me through this brutal regime.  Tomorrow I'm taking the day off as I need to have a rest as my body is creaking - I'm walking like John Wayne again!  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and the hills in the UK will be easier as a result - bring it on.

Sign off

You know what it's like when you are trying to go on holiday....you work so hard that you need a holiday to recover!  Finally finished everything that needed to be done and will now relax with a few glasses of.....orange juice (yeh right!).  Tomorrow I'll dismantle (and hopefully not break) my bike and pack it away.  3am rise on Sunday and by lunchtime I'll be enjoying smooth tarmac and 21 degrees!
Dropped off Neil's static bike today so he can start his bike training.  He is really motivated to prove all those that say he won't do it so I am looking forward to a progress report when I get back.
Where possible I will send in an update on Lanzarote.  Catch up when I get back.  Work to be done as the etape caledonian 81 mile bike race is at the end of May!

4 seasons in a day!

Woke up this morning to snow, followed by wind, rain and now bright sunshine - that's Scotland for you.  In preparation for my training in the sun, not sure if I mentioned I was going to Lanzarote where it's 21 degrees, I am taking it easy as I still have a tickly cough and gloopy throat.  Tomorrow night I am going swimming with Neil to see how he is progressing.  The latest report is he is increasing his distance in the pool and amazingly he has knocked 5 minutes of his power walking time - much to the annoyance of his wife who was puffing and panting to keep up - way to go Neil!
On Friday I am picking up an exercise bike for him so he can start his cycling training.  He is as keen as mustard and remember 1 month ago he did not take part in regular exercise.  What he doesn't realise is the impact his journey is having on total strangers.  Only yesterday a middle aged executive told me that Neil had inspired him to tackle a novice triathlon so I am pulling together another training plan.  If you're following Neil's progress then post a blog and give him the encouragement he deserves.

Positive mindset

School was an interesting time in life for me.  My favourite teachers were the PE teachers - I spent hours playing various sports with them.  Unfortunately for my eldest son he isn't having the same experience and the language used always seems to be negative.  The other day the "f" word was used which is unheard of these days in school....failure.  So in order to establish some balance in the discussion I quoted Michael Jordan, the best basketball player in the world.  "I've missed more than 9,000 shots.  I've lost almost 300 games.  26 times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.  I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed."
If it's good enough for Michael Jordan, it's good enough for me.  If you haven't failed, you haven't tried.  Come on get yourself out there and have a go!

A&E on a Sunday!

Failing to plan is planning to fail but you can't plan for accidents.  My son Ali has always believed that playing friendly matches is a a waste of time because someone always gets injured.  He was right, this time he injured the ligaments in his ankle so we spent 2.5 hours in A&E watching how not to run a hospital.  He left on crutches so now his plan will revolve around recuperation.  Injuries are a set back but you need to respect the recovery period and not to be impatient.  He's my son so........it will be a challenge.  I'm off to start my turbo training which was meant to happen hours ago.

Back on the road

Went out cycling with the ATHelite crowd this morning.  It was a good session and fantastic to be out on the road.  However cycling in Scotland means potholes and lots of sh1t on the road from tractors so you need to be careful.  Good practicing bike handling skills before going over to Lanza where you need to ware sun glasses to shade your eyes not to protect them from flying debris such as lumps of mud.  More turbo sessions this week to continue getting my fitness back before packing the bike away.  I will be meeting up with Neil so will be able to report back on his progress.