Defeated by Teggie

I had many concerns about Bala. 
They were real n they were mine. But they were measured. I wasn't going into something so big with my eyes closed, or naively blagging my way through it. 

I respect myself and the water too much for that. 

I was aware of my concerns and the impact they would have on my swim if they reared their ugly heads - but they weren't 'definitely' going to feature as a problem during my swim. They were maybe's. 

My limited cold water exposure of this season was potentially a factor - as it turned out the water in Llyn Tegid was balmy n warm. 
Almost bath like. 
A tropical 18*

The whiplash was potentially a factor, but I knew I could swim (and had done half the distance to check everything worked) I knew where I would ache and knot and knew that Tracy had RockTaped me to within an inch of my life - literally. 
I had my recovery plan that was probably tighter and more detailed than my swim plan.

I was weak from my injuries - and that might mean I was overall slower, but I could still swim. 

I had been bollocked (at length, repeatedly) about fretting about these various things. 

I was reminded that if the worst happened (the worst being that I was unable to complete the full distance of 6miles/10km) then, actually, Bala was 'just' a training swim. 
Windermere is my 'A swim' for this year. 

It was a weekend away with friends n fellow Bears. The plan was that 3 of us would swim our longest swims to date. The plan was that we would spend time with old friends, make new friends, giggle, eat cake and ice cream, drink and swim. The plan was, we would have a nice time. 

I had a race/feed schedule which I had shared with my kayaker, Patrick.
I had shared my fears about the wind with Caroline n Cathy in the car on the way to Wales. I shared them with Patrick in the pub. 

Not the Beaufort variety of wind.
The trumpy variety of wind. 

Blowing bubbles out of my backside was a real concern for me. 
And something that I do frequently when I swim long distances. 
Nobody needed to see that for a few hours while I swam!

In through the mouth, out through the bum. 
Classy huh!? 
A variety of yoga-breath for swimmers.

We went to the lake early to watch Rob swim (he came second in his event!!), exchange squishes n generally fret. 

Naturally, I'd had beans with my breakfast to aid with my power-ups and turbo-boosts.

There was definitely weather. 
Weather of the windy, lumpy, blowing a storm variety. 

Fuckety-bollocks.

While it wasn't in the plan, we can handle weather.
We've swum in lumps before. 
It was made better by the fact it was blowing the right way. 

First 5km into the head wind, 5km home with a tail wind. 
Double tail wind for me if you included trumps \o/
Whoop!! 
Negative split almost guaranteed. 

I'm not a fool when it comes to open water swimming. 
The changeable nature of the elements is one of the things I love about it. 
Being in the outside brings wonderful things, but it also brings risks. 
And risks have to be taken into account. 
There has to be a line of where a risk is manageable and where it is a risk too far. 

The BLDSA ask that each swimmer has it's own support kayak for swims  over certain distances - to minimise risk to the swimmer and for those who will need to perform the rescue.

The safety briefing explains very clear rules about distances that should be adhered to between swimmer and kayak, what it means when the swimmer touches the boat (insert many references to Finding Nemo and touching the butt) about when the safety rib patrolling will make the call and pull a swimmer/kayak pairing. 

At no point, do the race referees want the swimmers to fail. 
I knew that despite my fears and my shoulders falling to pieces, if I started, the only way I was getting out was through being pulled. 

And that's what happened. 
I was pulled.
I got my first DNF.

I had been fighting the waves for 3km - swimming at the pace I had predicted, but battling hard.

The waves didn't allow for any rhythm and I kept taking gob-fulls of water. 
I tried breathing on 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then 5.
There was no pattern to the being blown about. 
Rolling further over to take a breath pulled on my neck and shoulders and I was having to adjust my stroke which wasn't great, but I knew I was making progress (despite asking on more than one occasion if I was actually moving) 
My left thumb had started to go slowly numb about a mile in. By 2 mile it was completely numb. I'm attributing this to my newly invented and whiplash combo. I was also concerned about seasickness. 

A part of me was loving the challenge and a part of me was concerned about Caroline and Cathy. How were they? 
Were they ok? 
Of course they were.

We hit a point of sticky-out headland at the same time as 2 other swimmers. 
We must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

One of the pairings, the kayaker came in the pond n decided to have a little swim, the other pairing turned round n headed back n we were pulled.

All within a 30m square area of a bloody big puddle. 
Coincidence? Me thinks not. 

Would it have been as bad if we were 20m closer to shore? 
We will never know. 
I can't help but think that maybe we would have been ok. 

Patrick couldn't keep up with me - neither could Michelle's kayaker.
When the safety rib came to see what they could do to assist, they identified issues with the kayak hired out to us - after trying to fix it, I was starting to get cold from waiting in the water and so kicked when I started swimming again, the wind prevented Patrick moving and he was going nowhere fast but I was pulling away in my bid to get warm. 

Jackie made the right call n kept us both safe. 
I was pulled, cocooned in a blanket and my Dryrobe n we hitched a lift to shore. 

I was first woman back. 
It was my first 10km swim n I was first woman back. 
I will never be able to make that claim again. 


After coffee and ice cream and quiet reflection n cuddles, the tears fell when Caroline and Cathy arrived back, Caroline's beautiful, precise stroke visible down the lake.

SO. FRICKING. PROUD. 

They fought stupendously hard. 
Being out there was exhausting. 
Cathy admitted, if Caroline had been a faster swimmer, she wouldn't have been able to keep up with her due to the conditions. They too would've been pulled.

Patrick was visibly distraught and blames himself. 
If roles were reversed, I would be the same. I would be devastated and no amount of understanding words or kindness would make it better. 

I think my being so understanding pissed him off further. I suspect he wanted me to be pissed off with him. 

Yeah, well, sorry, not sorry. 

I don't blame Patrick. 
It's a hazard of the sport and part of it's unique charm. 
Swimmers get pulled all the time to keep them safe. 
Saturday was my time to be pulled. 
That's all. 

I've taken part in events which have been cancelled due to the weather n conditions being on par with Saturday. 
Coniston last year (run by EpicEvents) wasn't as bad as Bala was n got cancelled. 
That was like swimming in the sea too.

I got a surprise and unexpected swim on Sunday which I didn't have to do solo n unsupported. I owe thanks to Helen for allowing last minute entry and Rob for kayaking. 
It wasn't anywhere near as lumpy. 

I was in the water as Cathy set off to do her longest ever swim.
Did i mention she only started OW swimming in September 2014? Did i mention that in March she couldn't swim more than 100m front crawl? 

I had a great weekend with great friends n hopefully made some new ones.

My marathon swim will happen, it is likely that it will take place quietly and unceremoniously. 

I am likely to cry when it does - as I seem to be bawling at least once a day currently. 
But a bit of eye leak never hurt anyone and it doesn't count when you cry into your goggles. 

Saturday and Sunday was about Caroline and Cathy. 
About their longest swims.
It was about friends and life lessons.And actually, I wouldn't change a thing about it.  

Oh, how things change.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this blog about Bala

Oh, how things change!!

I posted that on the 20th June - my biggest concern was the cold.
On 23rd June, I was knocked from my bike by a car.
One minute I was cycling round a roundabout and the next minute, I learned to fly as a car pulled out and hit me side on.
I was lucky, only bumps and bruises and a broken bike.

It has been gloriously warm since - its likely that even Bala has warmed considerably.
I am no longer worried about the cold.
It will be what it will be and it will be the same temperature for everyone.

My biggest fear is now my shoulders.
Whether they will hold.
Whether they are strong enough to take me the 6 miles required.

I suffered whiplash - and frankly, swimming now hurts in 127 different ways and in 43 different places.

I had my first swim on Wednesday and managed a mile - it was possibly the most unattractive mile I've swum. EVER
But I did it.

And then I swam another mile on Saturday.
I possibly went a bit too fast on this but needed to prove to myself, that while I may feel weak at the minute and although I cant sustain anything that resembles speed I am capable of, it hasn't gone away completely, nor has it gone forever.

As with everything, this too shall pass.
But not in time for next weekend.

I wont lie - I was gonna DNS.
Then I contemplated changing to the shorter distance.

I don't want to fail.
A DNF will devastate me.

I am in proper turmoil about this.

I swam 5km today.
It was slow.
It was supremely sore.

So I can do the one way.
Comfortably (ish)

Who needs comfortable anyway?
I saw on the way home from the lake that Hazel has what could be upto 125km in the water this week.

I've trained for 10km... so 10km is what I'm gonna do.
There.
I said it.

And I don't tell lies.

Pre Bala

I am swimming the length of Bala in 4 weeks.
When I have swum it one way, I am going to swim back again.
All in the same sitting.

In total this will be 6 miles or 10km.
My plan is that it will take me around 3 hours and 30 minutes.... That said, I'm aware that anything can happen on the day.

There are lots of variables that I can control and lots that I can't.

I know to practice my nutrition.
I know to make sure I am ok with the distance and my long swims.

I know that I can't control the weather.
I know that I can't control the water temperature.

To say the water temperature is currently freaking me out is an understatement.
I cannot get my head round it.

My long swims in the pool are fine - my speed is dramatically reduced - and actually, I'm fine with that, a slower pace suggests that I'm doing it right for the distance I'm undertaking.
That's a good thing.
I want to finish and if that means going slower, well, that's ok.

The problem with going slower means that I'm gonna be in the water for longer.
Now, usually, I would be ok with that. 
Time in the water is ace.

Except, I'm struggling with the cold at the minute.
I'm struggling to stay in the water.
I am feeling the cold and starting to shiver while I'm swimming.

My tolerance for the cold is through the floor.
I can manage about an hour. 
I need to be able to manage anything up to 4 hours.
I have 3 weeks to find 3 hours spare tolerance.

I can't work out if I'm being over-cautious and getting out too soon.
Suffer but NEVER surrender certainly doesn't apply to some aspects of open water swimming.
I do know that when I get out, I am shivering and my speech is starting to slur.
These are my tells.

So what do I do?

When I was swimming today, all I could focus on was the cold, the way my body felt.
I couldn't relax.
When I was walking down the side of the Quays, before I got in, I was apprehensive.

I'm now worried that I went in with the wrong mind-set. 

Could I have done another lap?
Probably.
Am I scared to test it?
Absolutely.

I can't not be mindful of it though.

I have never experienced the cold the way I am currently.
Even winter swimming was easier than this.

I have swum in water that has been as cold as 2.5*, water that has been 5* and 8*
Today was reported to be 16*.
If I could only cope with 16* for an hour then I am looking at a DNF.

2 weeks ago, Bala was 11*

The only thing I can do, is work on my mind-set, get as much cold water exposure as I can, work on a pace I can sustain over the distance (I REALLY don't want to blow myself up on the day).... and ....well, hope for the best.
I'm even contemplating watching my weight doesn't drop any to help stave off the shivers.

If only it were as easy as "just keep swimming".

I don't want to go into it with DNF as a possibility.
That is the last thing I want - but I have to be aware of what could happen.
I just don't want to take it as an option.

I have a few short weeks to work on this and get my head and body where they need to be.

Tri-ing

Over the winter, I had the pleasure of teaching a couple of people to swim.
I have coached others to become better swimmers.
Then, there are those dear friends that have been infected with a love of open water and have decided that a triathlon would be a very good idea - seeing as they can run a bit and bike a bit and quite like a good challenge.

These people, in a few short weeks, will take on their first triathlon - different triathlons, of different distances.

As I have been coaching and chatting, I said that I would write a blog about it - about the things to remember, lessons I learned from my previous triathlons and bits of advice that were invaluable as I was going into my first one.

I don't claim to be an expert - these are some the things I could do to remember myself as silly season approaches. It will not be a complete list, everyone has their own routines and approaches.

I repeat, I do not profess to be an expert - nor do I profess to be fast.


Training and the weeks leading up to

• Do brick sessions. It will hurt and feel like your legs are made of wood or rubber when you get of the bike and begin to run. Practice it so you know you can keep moving.

• Train in the kit you will be wearing on race day. This might mean swimming with a sports bra under your trisuit while you go for an open water dip. Yes it will feel weird, but its worth knowing how it feels. Practice getting on the bike in a wet trisuit. Again, it feels different to a dry trisuit. 

• Practice nutrition. It doesn't matter if you eat jam sandwiches on the bike, Bounty bars or energy gels. It doesn't matter if your tri is so short that you don't think you will need nutrition. Anything over an hour, feed yourself something.  Half iron distance, aim for every 20/30 minutes once your on the bike whether it feels like you need it or not. 

• Set up transition and PRACTICE (I am the biggest culprit ever for NOT doing this regardless of what I say to others). Every time I have come into transition, I have looked at my stuff and not known where to start.  I have become incapable of processing and it takes me agggggggges. this is mainly due to me starting putting gloves on, then starting on socks before I have finished the task at hand.  PLAN IT. PRACTICE IT.  Practice taking of your wetsuit and getting ready for the bike. Go round the block on the bike, come home, change and getting ready for the run. 

• Familiarise yourself with the race route, look at maps of transition so you have a rough idea of where swim in/bike out/bike in/run out is. There will be marshals on the day to help you, so don't get hung up on knowing this inside and out.

Swim

• Familiarise yourself with the start. Is it a mass start? Is it waves at regular intervals? Is it a deep water start? Is it a pool? Know your lane and start time. 

• If you haven't done a mass/deep water start before, try book yourself into an event before the day so that you can experience what its like. This is especially important if you're not a strong swimmer or not as happy as you might be in open water. 

• The washing machine effect of arms n legs everywhere, plus adrenaline, plus cold water, plus wetsuit can make it seem as through you can't breathe, to combat this, take a minute, breathe out more than you think you need to. Expel all the air in your lungs. Then take a relaxed breath in. If you take short jerky, irregular breaths that mimic hyperventilating, your body will think this is what's happening and speed the process up.

• If its an open water swim, I always recommend popping spare goggles inside the top of your wetsuit or up your leg - you never know what will happen on race day, you may need them or someone else.  It could make all the difference.

• Trust your own abilities. You can swim. You know you can. You know that you've relaxed previously when you've been tense in the water. Give youself a mantra.

• Don't go too hard. Unless you're aiming to win (in which case it's very unlikely you will be reading my blog) you don't need to go all out. The swim is the warm up bit. 

• Practice going from horizontal to vertical. Some people get easily dizzy. This can be combat with earplugs or seasickness tablets. 

• As you get out of the lake/pond/dock/river in training, practice removing your wetsuit on the move. Start unzipping and removing the arms, rolling down to the waist REMEMBER TO PLACE YOUR WATCH UNDER YOUR WETSUIT SLEEVE. I tend to pop a gel in the top of my wetsuit so I can have it on the water on the water to T1. It's one less thing to worry about then.

T1

• Remove wetsuit fully. If you have a Zone 3 wetsuit, it will remove easily. Other wetsuits have panels to help with removal, some don't. The ones that don't, it can help by cutting a small amount of neoprene from the ankle. This doesn't need to be a lot but will make the opening wider and the suit easier to remove.

• Personally, I find that putting my bike helmet over my bike shoes n other bits of kit, means that i put this on first n getting penalties for touching my bike without my lid stops being an issue.

• Know the order you will put your bike kit on. Did you opt to wear race belt under wetsuit? If not, pop that on making sure number is visible at the back. Are you wearing gloves? (I would never go without personally) Are you wearing arm warmers? Will your shoes be clipped to your bike? Are you wearing socks? If you are in trainers n normal pedals, do your trainers have elastic laces? This will save time.

• Run or walk with your bike to the mount line. There will be a marshall telling you when it is ok to mount your bike.

• WHEN RACKING, MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS IN A NICE EASY GEAR SO YOU CAN GET GOING.

• Get on n get settled. Find a rhythm. Smile!  

The Bike

• If you're doing a longer distance tri, start getting fuel inside you as soon as you can. I fuel every half hour. This works for me, some people find 20 minutes is needed.  Do what works for you, but certainly make sure you fuel regularly. 

• Know your nutrition strategy in advance. If you are using fuel provided at the feed stations, know what fuel they are giving, how often and test to make sure you can tolerate it. I find 'real food' or solids such as bars are better for the bike. I have known people rely on the fuel stations, only to find they only had water or had run out. 

• TAKE SOME FUEL OF YOUR OWN! Do not rely on it being available. 

• There will be drop zones for bottles and litter. Do not litter outside these zones. I know someone who was DQ'd from Ironman UK for spitting a piece of sandwich out that he was struggling to swallow. I kid you not.

• As you're approaching the end of the bike and T2, make sure you have had some fuel so you can get straight into the run. 

• Prior to reaching the dismount line, knock your bike into an easier gear and give you legs a spin. This will help get them ready for the run. 

T2

• Dismount at the line as instructed by marshals, run or walk bike to rack. I suggest walking!!

• Change shoes (if using cleats), leave helmet, spin race belt round so number is at front, grab any extra fuel, exit T2 and head out on the run.

• Chances are, if it's your first triathlon, your legs will feel like rubber or lead. They will almost certainly feel as though they don't belong to you. If you have practiced bike to run brick sessions, this feeling will be reduced, if not.... Well, it could be interesting!!

Run

• This is the part where mind of matter comes into it's own. Chances are you will want to walk. The second you give into this, it makes it ok to give into it again later. 

• KEEP RUNNING AS LONG AS YOU CAN. It doesn't matter how slowly - but keep running if you can. 

• Its very very OK to plan for a walk run strategy, this could be run 9 minutes, walk 1, run for 15, walk 3, run everything but walk the feed stations. 

• Remember that everyone else will be hurting just as much as you are. The wibbly legs are part of the challenge!! 

• If you're doing a longer triathlon, make sure you keep up with your fuelling strategy, being careful not to over hydrate. 

• Keep smiling throughout n know that once you're on the run, very shortly, you will have completed you first (or another triathlon) 

When you finish

• Bask in the glory of your awesomeness but only after you've got some recovery fuel and food inside you. 

• Stretch

• Book your next race/event. 

• Set your next goal.

I have a kit list I use which I'm happy to share with you and there are plenty floating about on the internet.

It's easy to be intimidated by all the fast bikes, compression, aero helmets n deep rimmed wheels when you first arrive at a triathlon.

Chances are though, there will be LOADS of people where it is there first or second outing or first outing at this location or distance.
They will be just as nervous and excited as you are.

Chat to them. They WILL help you.

It doesn't matter if your bike is a bit heavier than theirs or not an all singing all dancing road bike.

It is about the taking part.
It's about the smile on your face during and at the end n the will to give it a go.

It's worth knowing how to change a tyre and have practiced doing this so it's not a mad fluster of panic if it happens on race day.
Personally, I think it's worth knowing how to use a gas canister to inflate a new tyre, but if this all sounds very scary, don't worry about it. 

For those that this blog is pitched at, I hope it helps.
Its not meant to be patronising in any way, its not meant to be a 'I'm an expert'.
Its meant to be a helpful tool for those who don't know what to expect. 

Feed back and questions are always welcomed. 

This could get ranty.....

So.... there are many opinions floating around in the social media about this sporting lark – what it is and what it isn't.

There are people who started sporty blogs which have now turned into feature length adverts and reviews for various products.

Sport very rarely gets a mention.

Don't get me wrong – there are some people who manage to review products very honestly, are selective about how often and what products they will review. These people manage to maintain their integrity.

Some are less selective.

Anyway... that's one of my many gripes.

Another one?

Well, here goes, and I hope I can convey what I want to and get the balance right.

Last weekend while walking a chunk of Manchester marathon with Sarah (@SazzyMCH), probably around mile 23, one of the wonderful crowd shouted very loudly 'keep going you've almost run a marathon'

I thanked the lady for her words of encouragement but told her that I wouldn't be a marathon runner as I was walking.

I didn't have much run left in me at that point and wanted to save every ounce of run I could muster for the last mile.

And I meant it.

I can't call myself a marathon runner – I haven't run a marathon.

I have completed one, so I am a marathon finisher.

That's what it says on my t-shirt I got at the end too.

Marathon finisher.

If I had run the whole 26.2 miles at a pace of 12 minute miles, but run them all – then yes, I would call myself a runner.

If I had run them all at 6.30 minute miles, then I would call myself a runner.

I think by calling myself a runner takes away some of the achievement from those who run hard.

Those who give everything to do a 3 hour marathon – those that run hard to do a 6 hour marathon (but run all of it, not walk a bit here and a bit there)

Running a whole marathon requires proper training and proper dedication.

There are people who go out, week on week, and give it their all at park-run, those who will never run more than 5km every Saturday morning, but run with all their heart and soul on a weekly basis.

There are those who are sponsored – be that via nutrition or kit supplies, proper professional athletes who train every day, for multiple hours a day.

GB runners, those who do nothing but run, cross train so it benefits their running, recover thoroughly and scrutinise everything that goes into their body as fuel.

Day in, day out.

They eat, sleep and breath running.

These are runners.

There are recreational runners who train every day and have sponsors – these are runners too.

I don't want to take anything away from anyone, and include myself in that statement.

Don't get me wrong 26.2 miles was a big deal for me.

And yes, I trained for it.

I trained hard (not hard enough) - but it wasn't my primary goal.

My first 5km was a big deal.

I know the exact spot on the canal where I turned so I could complete my first 10km run ever.

Were it not for triathlon, it is very unlikely I would be doing any running at all – and for that reason, I feel a fraud in calling myself a runner if this detracts form others who work harder at it than I do.

I don't even consider myself a triathlete – I am someone who does triathlons.

Just because you lace up a pair of trainers, doesn't necessarily make you a runner – for some running is something they do – it doesn't define who they are.

It doesn't mean they enjoy it any more or any less than someone who does it more often or faster or for longer distances.

Someone very close me is a very talented runner, has great fitness, good speed, good endurance, but openly dislikes running – it is something they do.

It is just different – it serves a different purpose for different people and there are lots of people out there, in running circles, in media circles who could do with thinking about it in this way.

What was it Paula Radcliffe said on Sunday 'I run because I am a runner. I am a runner because I run'

While I respect everything she has done and am more than a little bit in awe at her achievements, bounce-back-ability and determination, this statement is only true for some.

My next area of shouty rantiness could go in any direction – I know what I want to say, again, whether it comes out the way I want it to is another matter..... but here goes.....

When the 'This Girl Can' campaign came out, I had a watch of it and a read about it and thought 'I LOVE the 'I jiggle, therefore I am' and yes, I thought 'this girl can' briefly about myself, but equally and more often, I thought 'what about the blokes who jiggle and can?'

Why wasn't it 'you can'?

Regardless of your age, shape, speed, size, jiggly bits, limb structure, skin colour – it should be 'you can' or 'I can' or 'this person can'

Because there are men that need some gentle encouragement too.

Lots of men.

Without going into detail or derailing myself, its worth mentioning the male suicide rate and the positive links between sport and depression at this point.

I regularly see the rants about 'women in sport' and needing to get more women taking part – we need to get more people in general taking part (the flip side of more participation being the complaints about events selling out 12 months in advance / being overpriced due to demand etc etc)

The same people who want women involved in sports, who vote for women only marathons and triathlons, equally whinge and moan about the 'pink it and shrink it' approach and complain that they don't want that – that women don’t want that.

Some women must want it, else it wouldn't sell.

Make your mind up... do you want specialist treatment cos you're female? Do you want sport in isolation so its all soft and gentle?

No – we want it tough..... ok... so why can't it be mixed with the blokes if that's the case? Ah, well, there is everyday sexism too.....

JUST STOP IT!!!!! 

I love the idea of Race for Life – I really do, but why can't men take part? Men suffer from cancer.... ah well, its breast cancer.

Yeah – they suffer from that too.

Show me a man who hasn't been affected by cancer.

How pink is that?

And exclusive.

If men organised a male only event there would be utter uproar.

Carnage.

Men had Movember as A Thing of their own for prostate cancer– but the women have gradually infiltrated this and leapt on board with cries of 'we're supporting our men folk'

Wicked.

No really, well done. 

Last time I checked, the prostate helped with the production of sperm and women don't have that – but men do have breast tissue.

See my problem?

I want more people in sport.

I want kids passionate about it – and have the opportunity to try all the sports and have access to them all so they fall in love with whatever it is that floats their boat.

I want men and woman of all ages and abilities to have access to welcoming and supportive clubs and facilities.

I want people to be proud of what their bodies can do.

I want people to realise how glorious life can be when it is coloured with endorphins.

I want everyone to be encouraged to be the best they can be – at whatever they chose to do.

Other opinions are available.

Manchester Marathon

I would love to write a mile by mile, blow by blow account of how the marathon went.

I would like to write about how I smashed my goal time into bits.

I didn't smash it to bits.

My original goals were

A) Finish

B) Sub 5 hours

C) Sub 4.30

Sub 5 hours would be a push - i knew that before the day came.

When the gun went off and i crossed the start line, my goals for the day very quickly became

A) Finish

B) Don't shit yourself 

C) Don't be last

These all seemed like fairly achievable goals. 

Much more realistic than my first set of goals - although 'B) Don't shit yourself' came into question for a few of the middle miles. 

I think I would have liked to have blogged about my training that led into the marathon. But in all honesty, it wasn't that glamorous and in all honesty, some days, I called getting out of bed and getting dressed a success, let alone going in the outside and running. 

I can summarise the training part fairly quickly, I missed 6 weeks at the start of the build to the marathon - I found a lump in my left breast on New Years Eve, the first biopsy left me sore and not able to do very much for the first week of January, the second biopsy left me very sore and unable to do very much of anything for about 5 weeks.  I was unable to swim (arm movement hurt) unable to run (jiggle hurt far too much) and unable to bike (downward pressure was agony regardless of how much strapping I used) 

Lack of exercise, let alone significant training, also compounded the SAD that had already taken a tight hold. Overall, at the beginning of the year, most days I had the motivation of a sloth. 

Happily, I only had to have 2 biopsies and some poking about.

I did train when I could n February saw me racking the miles up - running became my happy head space and suddenly, the drop in heart rate I had been promised for so very long, finally arrived.  

Whoop.

The week before Manchester, I cheered Paris marathon, found myself giddy high and ready for it to be my turn.

Manchester wasn't a 'run' for me in the same way it was for many others.

It was a training exercise for Ironman Japan.

Yes the distance was a bit early, but I needed to tick off the distance. 

I needed to know what 26.2 miles of running would feel like.

I needed to know how far it was. 

I'm aware that sounds stupid, but until I completed it, I genuinely didn't know. 

And now I do.

I learned a lot while running my first marathon last Sunday.

I learned my mates are awesome. 

Really they are.

It makes my face hurt and my insides squish a bit when I think about the fact they stood in the cold for over 5 hours to cheer for me.

I learned that 26.2 miles is hard work.

It hurts your legs, your joints, your head and if you're not careful your stomach. 

I need to practice running longer distances.

I definitely need to practice pace control - even though I KNEW this and tried my best to curb my enthusiasm, I still went out harder than I should and this made the second half harder than it needed to be. 

Did I mention that I bloody loved it?

As in properly loved it.

I smiled the WHOLE way round.

And I high-fived EVERYBODY

I even found myself crossing the road to high-five kids!

That counts as extra running right?

I BEAMED all the way (apart from the photo below which was taken before the gun went off and I was still full of all the terror - also slightly pressured and confused, but mainly touched, by the fact my swim coach had come to watch me run.)

I was promised pom-poms at mile 26.
Couldn't really miss them!!

My biggest fan

And a new friend who helped me through the last 5 miles. 

The biggest thing I learned though was from looking back at the pictures after the marathon and knowing how much my knees hurt during the last miles and in the hours and days after I had finished.

If you look at the picture below, you will notice 3 things
1)  One of the loves of my life is hanging over the fence on the left of the picture.  I love her lots.  Signe covered miles on the course so she could cheer and squidge in multiple locations!! She's ace.
2) I am still smiling.
3) My legs are all over the shop.

The pressure that is placed on my knee when I connect with the ground is visible.
My whole leg is at an angle, with my foot tilted out to compensate and balance the weight.
I rock my hips from side to side.

If this happened for every stride during the whole 26.2 miles (which it did, cos this is how I run), no wonder my knee was grumpy with me.

I knew my run was 'distinctive'
I've been told I can be very easily identified in a crowd of runners.
And I kinda knew it happened.
I just didn't know it looked like this!!

Other than looking like a very happy version Quadzilla, there looks to be no roll in my left foot - it appears that I land flat, my hips seem to roll (although not as emphasised) 

 

Its certainly fair to say, I don't look like this 

Sigh.

There is much work to do.

No amount of work will make my legs that long. 

Orr lean.

I have been experimenting with my running form since the marathon - I have been working on aligning my hips and knees, not rocking my hips, keeping my feet facing forwards, shifting my body weight, altering my stride length. 

All to see which feels best. 

What it feels like, what it looks like and how efficient it is can all be very out of sync with each other.

And like swimming, having someone watch can be invaluable. 

So... for me, I need to work HARD of my running form - mainly so my knees don't die a slow and painful death just as i'm starting to love running. 

Any hints, tips, drills will be appreciated - I know there are lots of running coached out there. 

Ideally, I need to have some proper analysis and some proper coaching.

I shall add it to the list of things to do.....

Macaroon making

I have only discovered these little magical clouds of loveliness since coming to Paris.

I was asked if I would like to join a friend of Bear's at one of the many cooking schools in Paris for an afternoon macaroon making.

How could I say no?

My place was booked at La Cuisine, Paris.

Having never baked in public, and not being in a cookery lesson since I was 14 (so 20 years ago), I was slightly apprehensive but looking forward to it. I love both baking and eating the finished product.

When we arrived at La Cuisine, we were welcomed by the reception staff who were clearly passionate about food - we were given a map of Paris with various restaurants, cookware shops and specialist food shops highlighted - told the best paces to buy marmalade and the famous beurre bordier

We were informed about their market tours which take in local markets and specialist shops, buying local produce then returning to the kitchen classroom to rustle up some tasty treats with the help of the chefs.

After being introduced to Eric, our chef and instructor for the afternoon, the group of 6 of us went into the cellar, scrubbed up and found our work stations. The kitchen was used standard kitchen ware so that those attending classes could be sure they would leave with the ability to replicate at home.

We would be making 2 different types of macaroons - Italian and French. 

We were talked through the differences in the 2 and the science needed for both - there is a very specific failure point from over mixing and too much moisture.

Turns out, macaroon making is quite an exact science.  

We set to work making the different fillings first (so they could sit in the fridge while we made the macaroons)

Me and Cas were allocated fruit filling. There was also coffee butter-cream, vanilla patisserie custard and dark chocolate ganache made by others in the group.  

We were all invited to have a look at the science of making the other fillings, every step was explained and monitored.
When we had all filled the piping bags and sent them to cool, it was time to make the Italian macaroons (the harder of the 2 to make)

The sugar solution had to be heated to exactly 118*C - while this is warming, start to whisk the eggs

Add the sugar to the eggs when it reaches temperature and continue to whisk until the mixture is no longer hot.
While this is happening, sieve the ground almonds and caster sugar.

once sieved - add remaining egg whiles and mix until combined - add any food colouring at this point

Add powdered food colouring rather than liquid so as not to mess with the humidity.
We voted to make purple and the blue colouring got everywhere. I looked like I had been shaking hands with a smurf.

Then its time to combine the 2 mixtures together.

This is a very important part of the process. Its easy to over mix then and ruin the whole batch.
Consistency is key. Its important to add the egg whites and sugar mix a third at a time and fold in gradually while checking for a 'ribbon' consistency.

Pop the mix into a piping bag, pipe small rounds onto a pre-prepared baking tray.

Bake at a low temp for approx 12 mins or until the macaroons 'don't wiggle' (technical term)

Once cooled, the macaroons should slide from the sheet easily, leave to cool and then pair with their soul mate macaroons
Fill with the prepared fillings, squidge them together and allow to stand in the fridge for 24 hours to get the best results (if you can leave them alone for that that long!)

The jam filling ones should be eaten soon due to the liquid content affecting the stability of the macaroons - same with the custard. Eat these first - let the coffee and and chocolate ones stand.


We then made French macaroons, which was a very quick method - and while the macaroons looked different and tasted different when they had just been made, after a few days of standing - they tasted exactly the same as the Italian version.

If you ever fancy an afternoon of learning something 'typically French', and happen to be in Paris, I would recommend this.
Eric, our chef, was friendly, helpful, and had obtained a pastry degree while living in France - his knowledge and passion shone through.

I had a great afternoon and may return to have a bash at croissant making in the future (although that may prove very dangerous for my waste line)