Tue - The Rockies

Spent the first part of Tuesday shopping in downtown boulder - looking at all the timbuk2 messenger bags in University Bicycles, bought a checked shirt in Billabong and some funky new flip flops [yes I can now throw the old disgusting ones out].

Suitably bankrupt I then lunched with nick in Illegal Pete's - great burrito (could not finish - and should not really, I can already feel the weight piling on!)

Then we headed into the Rocky Mountains National Park - truly stunning scenery with some cool wildlife too - moose, elk and chipmunks! We walked up to the highest point - just over 12000 feet. Actually I ran the first part but did not get very far before pathetically breathless. Stange feeling.

It's a long drive and on the way back we popped into see Diana's father and grandfather in their log cabin - awesome, right in the forest. The most impressive personal coffee maker setup I've seen thus far [Matt would be jealous!].

We stopped off for a great American burger on the way back as it was late by now, yummy.

Up at 5am today, wide awake.

Bolder Boulder 06

We got up at 5am to cycle downtown to the race start. Race was supremely well organised - never seen anything like it. Free bike racking (like triathlon transition), loads of toilets, security ensuring only correctly bibbed runners were at their correct start. The route was lined with loads of live music and spectators too with a glorious finish in the University's American Football stadium.

I got into the AA wave (2nd of 30 or so) based on my Swansea Bay 10K time last year - no PB expected today at altitude and after a long drunken wedding day, heavy days travel and little sleep!

After 4 miles / 7.5km I finally speeded up from my debilitated jog and felt vaguely human to finish in a negative last 5km split and 46:24 (official time).

Nick and Di ran together and only came in a few mins behind. We grabbed a load of freebies including some t-shirts at the expo then headed for a huge breakfast, even though it felt like time for evening meal!

Also see Nick's Blog here (careful of motion sickness if you watch the video clips!!)

USA

Got to Boulder, CO late on Sunday night after an epic journey of delays - first I thought I'd miss the flight due to some bad traffic on the M1 (driving to Heathrow from Rhys & Hazel's Wedding in Nottingham). Made the plane though only to watch some guy spanner with the wing for an hour - confidence never high at this point!

Hour delay at London, missed the connection at Chicago, but nice to see another city from the air! 2nd flight was also delayed - we had to return to the gate to pickup some more bags - noone minded this incase it was their bags!

All luggage in one piece, Nick & Di kindly picked me up at we got to bed a little before 3am.

Break[ing Point]

Thu/Fri/Sat to get through then off to USA for a break.

Time for a long hard think about the future.

I'm training 6 days a week, running a business, chairman of the tri club.
Currently I seem to have no social life, no time to relax and a mountain of work piling up. I rarely get an evening to myself, get paid too little and feel pressured most of the time. I get roped into doing loads at the tri club for no thanks, some others that offer to help actually do, plenty do not - they are 'too busy' - erm, try my life.

Something has got to give, this is not maintainable.

Java contract is on the cards - get back to sensible hours and sensible pay and resign as chairman - let others take the responsibility and spend their free time for no thanks.

I'm going to enjoy my break, that's for sure. Things could well change on my return...

Mon 15th - Rest / Massage

Ah, nice but strange to do no sport tonight. Lovely to have a leg massage (sports) from trainee Mark, excellent as ever.

Sun 14th - Blaenavon Triathlon

I know these days to ignore how my body feels as it's rarely a true reflection - you can feel knackered as you go out on the chain gang but can then be the strongest rider!

This morning I did feel a little tired though - this was my 13th day of training on the bounce (I skipped two rest days - one I went surfing and the other was a sea swim).

However, I produced my best result at Blaenavon ever, by 8 minutes! Took about a minute off the swim, which felt comfortable; four minutes off the bike - felt strong on the flat and a bit of a weak kitten on the last hill; and took 3 mins off my best run time - despite walking at all the normal points on the course - you have to, your calves are burning with all the bike & run climbing!

There was a great turnout from Cardiff Tri - 9 of us! More than at the club champs last weekend! (and that's not even counting ex-members Keith Tanneta, Justin Ham and Paul Belcher who were also present)

Photo of the 9 is above:
Top - Left to Right: Steve, Gareth, Andy, Adam, Dominic
Bottom - Left to Right: Ieuan, Dave (Me), Nigel, Miles

Sat 13th - Bike

Just a quick hours spin on the bike to loosen the legs up for the race tomorrow - Blaenavon Triathlon.

Fri 12th - Sea Swim

Super high tide at Porthcawl tonight, 8 tri members turning up for the swim - but 3 swimming on their own as they were early (or we were late?)

Felt much further to swim with the tide in, water was pleasant temperature, though Pete (he's knocking on a bit now ;-) was feeling the cold.

Thu 11th - Run & Swim

Interval run session at WIS with Pete B.

9 min WU
8 x 2 min hard, 3 min walk / easy jog
WD

Tri Swim afterwards, my technique is looking good apparently, though I don't use any force and should! - Tried this and was knackered after 50m!

Wed 10th - 31 Today! (Arse)

First outing on the Wednesday night chain gang. Different format this year, ride 2 off the front steady on the hills, anything goes on the flat/downhills, all this along to Cowbridge and back to Llantrisant, then all hell breaks loose along Llantrisant Road back into Cardiff.

Did a couple of turns, then found myself scrabbling for Owen Beckett's wheel after the traffic lights at Cowbridge - noone else bothered, so we rode together all the way to the end of Llantrisant Road. I spent more time on his wheel than vice versa, strong lad.

Rich from tri club kindly cooked me some dinner afterwards too :-)

Tue 9th - Tri Swim

Hard session tonight, Elinor (coach) getting back at me for throwing her in the pool last Thursday!

200WU
10x50 on 1 min
5x100 on 2 min
2x200 on 4 min
5x100 on 2 min
3x50 on 1 min
50WD

2400m

Mon 8th - NIAC Run

Bit wet out, so headed to the 200m indoor track for 15 x 400m with 90 secs recovery (yikes!)

1.17, 1.42
1.16, 1.44
1.14, 1.45
1.13, 1.45
1.21, 1.39
1.16, 1.43
1.16, 1.42
1.19, 1.40
1.17, 1.43
1.15, 1.45
1.15, 1.44
1.19, 4.38 (200m jog instead of 400m rep - had maxed out on the previous rep)
1.16, 1.44
1.10

Got my breathing up to new levels on some of those. Legs felt ok, lungs working hard.

Sun 7th May - Open Water Swim

After marshalling at the club's Try-a-Tri event in the morning, 5 of us headed down to Porthcawl for a 1500m sea swim and a bbq. Lush sunny day :-)

Llandovery Triathlon

Had a good race on Sat, swim was steady, great bike, was flying in the mid & end section and the run went well though may have gone better (could have run harder?) if I had not also run hard the night before. Still, this was only for training.

Miles kindly drove myself, Gareth and Andy. It's often a close race between us and I pipped Gareth by 14 seconds! He and miles have not been training as much as usual though! Still, they all count :-)

Got 6th/75, 3rd on the bike :-)

Back again!

Jaysus, it's weeks since my last post!

Ok, I'm back, going to start posting more often now. Promise.

It's been a pretty good week - website sales are starting to become more regular, training is going well and getting some good results at races.
Our clubs novice triathlon was today - Try-a-Tri, which went really well. Mark and Jules did a great job organising and we got the results on the internet by 1pm (race finished at 11am!)

It's been quite sunny this weekend and a few of us went for a sea swim at Coney Beach, Porthcawl this afternoon. Water was much warmer than April, though still a little chilly initially. We did some body surfing afterwards too which was ace - pretty big waves and you could catch one most of the way in to shore!
Swim was followed by muffins and instant BBQ on the beach, nice to chill!