Feeling Festive

The cold has almost cleared and I'm starting to feel festive. Especially after an evening of making mince pies, drinking mulled wine, Christmas songs and wrapping Christmas presents. I had to bribe Simon to join in the FUN with diary free mince pies and spaghetti bolognese for dinner. But definitely worth it, even if did wake at 7:50am, and needed to be at work for 8:30 - oh dear!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sarah 0 Germs 1

Like most active people I do not do being unwell. I try to push through hoping my immune system will get one over on the germs invading my body. I hate been unable to train, I’ll even admit to hate being off work.

How is it that these tiny germs have overcome my immune defences, made home in my respiratory system. I’m fit and healthy. I Exercise. Eat healthily (most of the time) and go to bed early. Somehow these germs have managed to start a mass war on my body. The linings of my airways reacting by producing copious amounts of snot and phlegm, drinking hot lemon and honey continuously to replenish fuilds. I am actually in awe at the amount of fluid that can be produce. (Simon’s explanation was that my brain’s melting, but then retracted that since it’s still coming out). My head’s throbbing and my abdominals hurt from coughing like they do two days after a massive core session in the gym. I’m wrapped up at home, drugged up with flu remedy and sucking strepsils like they’re going out of fashion, feeling completely miserable. To make things worse this invasion his been timed perfectly, today is the first dry and sunny day for what feels like months. But getting a grip, this will pass and I’ll be back on track shortly.

On the bright side it’s given me a bit of time to think about the coming year and refine my goals. Although my main goal for 2010 is too have a great race at Ironman Nice, qualify for Ironman Hawaii and in turn have another great race there, anything can happen on race day and you never know who else is going to racing. So it’s important to have performance orientated goals. My training last year was hampered by my recovery from a stress fracture and my confidence in my running ability has been affected, especially my ability to run well off the bike. So one of my goals to have the confidence to push harder on the bike, knowing I’m going to run well still. I’m definitely not a slinky slim triathlete, and am not going to be (with a medium build and years of hockey and gym training) but improving my power to weight ratio (ie losing some weight!) is going to help my climbing on the bike, and running but also my ability to maintain by body temperature, racing in hotter climates. Improving my swim has to be a key priority for me, getting out the water a bit further up the field, being closer to the front of the race earlier on, will be key in having a great race. Every day, working as a Physiotherapist I set goals with my patients which are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound, and review these regularly, reassessing and changing treatment plans. Now it’s about time I applied those principles to my own training!

Lesson in descending skills!

My descending isn't very nippy at the best of times - Simon showed me this to help me over my fears of going fast down curly and droppy descents.

http://www.gamaniak.com/embed.swf?file=http://media.gamaniak.com/vid/descente-cote-buggy-rollin.mp4&image=http://www.gamaniak.com/pics/3625.jpg&showdigits=true&controlbar=over&link=http://www.gamaniak.com/video-3625-descente-cote-buggyrollin.html&displayc


The Human Transformer - He's shifting!!

Time wasting!

Many hours of Internet searching and becoming completely confused!

I have finally decided and purchased a new phone!

How baffled and indecisive can a girl be!

Such Good Intentions!

That pretty much sums up my blog updates of late. I'd like to say that i've been super busy training. But i haven't, i've been a bit under the weather, with some sinus problems and a bit of a chest infection, so have eased back on the training. Now getting back in the swing! Biking and running well but swimming feels much harder work than normal, that will be the weights sessions i've just started. My arms feel more like rocks in the water than usual :-)

Managed to drag Simon - out on a evening to Lewes firworks (rarely happens on a schoolnight!) - complete with Hog Roast in a bun and sparklers. Had fun but very cold and squished in the crowds, remember why i hadn't been since 5 years before.

Recieved some lovely new Zoot winter kit - thats not to say i'm likely the wet and windy weather we have a present, its just a bit more bareable. Also managed to get myself a pair of Zoot Ultra Speed Trainers (2010 super light race shoe) - Will be looking forward to my next interval session to try them out, i think not.

I'm setting myself a challenge for the next month, to post a blog once a week.

Sarah x

Age grouper of the week!!

Simon nominated me for age grouper of the week, on IM Talk (podcast). Obviously listen to the whole show!, but i'm mentioned at about 28 1/2 minutes.

http://www.imtalk.me/Podcast.html

Beachy Head Marathon.

Yesterday was the Beachy Head Marathon. Described as the toughest uk marathon, taking place on the sussex downs, starting and finishing in Eastbourne. Knowing quite a few runners, I thought I'd do my weekend bike ride and do some supporting at the same time. On hearing the weather forecast I had second thoughts, but stuck to by promise and headed out for a ride - jersey pockets stuffed with gels. Managed to watch the start, you couldn't even see the top of the first hill for the mist.

Unfortunately I only take a few pictures, the weather was rubbish (very wet and misty) and I was getting cold every time i stopped.

Completely managed to miss Helyn, (King of the mountains) at all but the junction with the road 5 mins in!

Last year having watched i fancied entering. This year watching - not a chance! but having said that never say never, if Kona doesn't happen i might be looking for a back up.

Photo update of our van conversion

Update on the progress so far! We still have lots to do. Next job is the celling vent and then we can line and insulate the roof.

Simon has made the sink unit it will go under the window.

There will be storage along the rest of the wall.

Looking foward we need to get proper foam cut for the bed cut to size and covers made, but for our trip away in the summer we just had a matteress topper, cut and stiched by me (surprising my blanket stitch! is still holding it together)

View of the back, our bikes go along the back, they fit perfectly with wheels in and rest up againist the wooden frame, between that and the doors.

Simon selected the curtain material - Buzz Lightyear

Our benches, which are storage boxes ( i like storage) and fold out to be a platform for the bed

Were thinking we might stay in the van after fireworks night, but might chicken out especially as the roof is unlikely to be finished my then :-(

Check out my Tri 247 Column

http://www.tri247.com/article_5955_Columnist%3A+Sarah+Lovelock.html?region_id=&category=


Tri247 are pleased to announce that they have a new columnist, and thankfully she's female! With so many men on our books it was about time to add an another interesting lady - to help add to the feminine flair to our columnist page.
Sarah, who when she's not working as a physiotherapist (there's an interesting story in her debut column about how physiotherapists deal with their injuries - it's an interesting one!) is an athlete with a mission; to get back to Kona in 2010.
Not one to do things by half, in 2005 Sarah raced her first triathlon, not a nice little sprint distance, but the Vitruvian Middle Distance. In 2007 she raced Ironman Florida, her first Ironman event and finished in a highly commendable time of 10:35:39 - a time which qualified her for the 2008 Ironman World Championships.
The road hasn't always been easy, but now with the motivation of watching this year's event from the sidelines and a new coach onboard, Sarah is raring to go and is looking forward to returning to Kona in 2010 - this time hopefully with her body well and truly intact.
To read Sarah's first ever Tri247 column click here.

Kona 2010
Posted by: Sarah Lovelock
Posted on: Thursday 1st October 2009

When Tri247's deputy editor, Annie Emmerson replied to inform me that I was welcome to join their team of columnists, initially I was excited (this did include a moment of dancing around the room like a crazy person!), then the panic set in. With the racing season now coming to an end, what would I write about?
2010 for me is going to be all about qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships again. Being an NHS Physiotherapist, with limited holiday and money (more importantly), I'm going to have one shot - Ironman Nice. I was fortunate enough to qualify for the 2008 Ironman World Championships at Ironman Florida in 2007, my first attempt at the Ironman distance. Unfortunately my race last year didn't go at all to plan. I'd had a solid 2008 season both in terms of training and racing, but two weeks before flying out to Hawaii I developed shin pain. The Physiotherapist in me suspected it was something slightly more sinister than tendonitis, but the athlete in me hoped that with rest, all would be good by race day. But it was not, I hadn't been able to run for three weeks and had definitely started to develop a 'pain avoiding' limp. However, I was in Hawaii and wasn't about to not try to finish (the thought of not starting never cross my mind).
Entering the water on race morning was the most awesome feeling. Just that alone makes me want to get back there. The swim (my least favourite discipline) flew by, and I soon found myself being yanked out of the water and up onto the pier.
The bike started well but by mile 80, my shin had become sore and despite painkillers I couldn't really push powerfully through my right leg. Ever hopeful, I started the run optimistically and physically feeling really strong (except for the pain!). Trotting out of T2 I was running on adrenaline, but I guess by mile three I was starting to hurt. Coming back through town before heading out onto the Queen K, my boyfriend Simon was waiting, by this point I was hobbling/running and had a pain stricken face. Over the next three miles it got worse, to the point my leg was giving way every time I landed and it became quicker and safer to walk. I cried a bit, actually a lot! But as the race went on and it started to get dark I found new strength and inspiration from everyone else out on the course and I started to enjoy the experience again.
I crossed the finish line in 12:21. Way off what I'd hoped and disappointed, but having hobbled the last half of the marathon felt proud that I'd survived a tough day.
Returning to the UK, Dr Nick Webborn at SportsWise, Eastbourne scanned my leg and confirmed what I already really knew - that I had a nasty proximal tibia stress fracture and was lucky it had not fractured completely. Since coming back a friend has commented that a physiotherapist who attempts to run (let alone do a marathon) on what she suspects is a stress fracture should be struck off. Luckily for me the Health Professionals Council has not heard and I'm still happily employed. Even better, I have recovered and am back training and racing. But now I have to go back!
One year on and with this year's World Championships less than two weeks away, I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about the pre race tension at the pier. All the nervous energy building up. The big island of Hawaii is such an awesome place.
My return to training and racing this year has been helped along by my new coach Sarah Coope of Bodyworks XTC (before Chrissie, she was the highest placed Brit in Kona, with third in 1991), and being able to train with other super talented and dedicated Bodyworks XTC athletes, swimming under the ever watchful eyes of Glenn Cook. I've also been very fortunate to have had fantastic ongoing support from The Tri Store in Eastbourne and Martin Bramfoot / DJM Products the UK distributors of Zoot.
I finished off this year with a return to ironman distance racing, in the form of the UK's 'The Big Woody'. I finished as first women and fifth overall. Proving to myself that I'd recovered fully from injury and putting the nasty little demons that creep out when you have an injury, that make you doubt yourself, back locked away deep at the back of my brain.
So I'm already looking forward to 2010, looking forward to logging the winter miles and building on my triathlon experiences (my first tri was at the end of 2005), and more importantly getting even faster! So my column will be writing about getting back to Kona. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.
Happy Training
Sarah

Photo's from Big Woody

Courtesy of Paul Moore, LincolnTri

And following requests from my fans - okay my Dad and Guy and Helyn at King of the Mountains

Britains Dirty Beaches.

Watched this Panorama episode last night! Yuk!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mg5cg/Panorama_Britains_Dirty_Beaches/

and then go join Surfers againist Sewage http://www.sas.org.uk/

Happy Swimming!!

The Big Woody Race Report - Dominating the Dojo!

I actually wrote this on Sunday morning, but unfortunately I've been lost in the Forest of Dean for two days!!! A broken exhaust on the van prevented us heading back out to civilisation and down to Devon and Cornwall.

I'm writing this feeling unexpectedly stiff and sore, drinking coffee and eating pastries! Yesterday was the Big Woody Ironman Distance race. Having had a Tibia stress fracture during Ironman Hawaii, last October, (and more importantly lacking in cash to go abroad for an Ironman) it was good to feel like I could race Ironman again. My goal was just to put in a solid performance. The day before the race it was blowing a gale and very cold – had fingers and toes crossed that the weather would improve. The crossing of all digits obviously worked as race morning was pretty much perfect – cool, with just a light breeze. After a 20 minute delay to the start the 4 laps of Drummonds Dub. Swimming up the lake, into the low sun was a nightmare. I swear I swam in a zig zag fashion adding on 100m each lap. My orange lenses probably didn't help (In that 20 minute delay the sun came up and stayed out!!). But I've been reassured by my boyfriend who did the Little Woody that with dark lens it wasn't much better. Some how my 1:10 swim got me out as 1st lady, must have been by Zoot Wetsuit (shameless plug). Looking at swim times think it was a bit long. Out of transition saw us going straight up a hill – nice to wake the legs up. Before joining the course, of which i'd do 2 and a bit times. The course was winding and hilly, typical British - “I'm riding along, then who put that steep, out the saddle climb, in my path” making it hard to maintain pedalling rhythm. I'll shamelessly admit that I used by 29 sprocket on each of the three times going up the 12% climb out of English Bicknor. Better to save my legs for the run. I was sensible on the bike – my coach Sarah Coope will be proud. I came off the bike still in first place. To be cheered by my boyfriend Simon, who on finishing the Little Woody, had become my support crew. Out on the run, my back was feeling tight, but I quickly found my run legs and settled into a comfortable pace. The run was a lumpy! mainly off road run, of 4 out and backs. I'm not sure where I first saw the 2nd lady but knew I had a comfortable lead. Each time heading back through transition, I was greeted by cheers, encouragement and new bottles for my fuel belt from Simon. By the 3rd lap, my soles of my feet had become really sore (something to do with wearing new Birkenstocks to walk to work, then from work to the seafront and back home on the Monday before the race, stupid!). I passed up the offer of new socks and trainers on the last lap, I've been told I looked liked I was going to burst into tears, but then just trotted off again. If I can try to run with a stress fracture, I can run with sore and blistered soles. In the last mile I lapped the 2nd place lady – I could see her up ahead, she was too much of a target. I finished in 10:55:05, in 5th overall. Swim 1:10. Bike 6:17. Run 3:23 (run a bit short!) Still can't quite believe that my performance and result. Being injured last winter, had put a lot of doubt into my running ability, but had also given me a lot of focus and determination.

Thanks to Trevor and Julian, at Black Sheep Sports for putting on a good event. Challenging course to say the least! If you're after something a bit different from the M dot events this is definitely one to test yourself on, both physically, but also mentally due to minimal crowd support on the course.

Thanks to Martin Branfoot, DJM Products/ Zoot sports from continuing his sponsorship of me this year. Providing me with lots of lovely Zoot training and racing kit – Ultra Tri Shorts are just fabulous!! (girls, you know what I mean).

Also thank you to The Tri Store (Eastbourne), Lawrence and Simon for continued support and interest. Especially thanks and kisses to Simon for all his support both at the race and in training.

Thanks to Sarah Coope, Bodywork xtc, for coaching me this year and being a constant source of encouragement and enthusiasm and also to Glen Cook, for letting me join his morning squad sessions. I'm sure the trashing by speedy 10 – 12 year old swimmers, had built my mental toughness and I definitely came out the water feeling fresher, than previous races, if not faster.

So now for holiday, 10 days in Devon and Cornwall, this time I might get to have a go at surfing. Not quite the north shore of Ohau, Hawaii but at least I can stand and balance after this Ironman!

3 days until The Big Woody!

I should be in bed 10:30pm! but sorting and packing and now wide awake. Also ate way too much Homemade Pizza for dinner and might be sick if I lay down!

Pic of my new Cervelo - race ready! Hopefully I am too!

Keep fingers crossed for me.

Our vans looking fab and very live-able, if I get a chance will take a few pics tomorrow.

Sarah x

Genius!!!!!!

This is brilliant!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn29DvMITu4

Thanks Guy and Helyn (King of the Mountains) for the link. Loving the Portland backdrop - makes me want to go back - two of the best things coffee culture and cycling/ running (Nike home town) culture in one place!!!

Happy training

Sarah x

2 weeks to go!

Two weeks till the Big Woody - Excited? Yes, strangly. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can put together on race day, given the training and the racing season i've had so far.

Training has been going well over the past couple of weeks and my running just feels strong at the moment, so I'm happy. Looking forward to riding my new bike, which is just the lovely - ist bike ever. We rode the bike course a couple of weekends back and there are few steep sections, where i know I'll be glad of a nice light road bike, that just zips uphill, especially on the last lap!

Simon and I both rode the WCA 100 mile Time Trial last Sunday - tearing old PB's to pieces. Simon rode 4:04 and I a 4:22, lets hope not peaked too soon? Doubt it my legs felt dreadful for first 10 miles and then didn't really come to life until the last 50 miles!

Our van conversion is coming along too. Beds now in, we had our first weekend away last weekend - Forgot the Hot Chocolate, Doh! Just awaiting windows to arrive, so they can be fitted and then we can do the soft furnishing bits! Curtains ordered - Toy Story ones!! Simon's Choice - Never a dull moment with my 38, going on 11 (3 + 8) year old boyfriend.

Training and the Ford Transit!!.

I started writing this blog almost 2 weeks ago! My life has been hectic as normal! I don't know why I'm not surprised. 5 weeks out from an Ironman and life's going to get a bit crazy. Plus Simon and I have a new project - converting a Ford Transit into a camper van.

I took a week off work a couple of weeks back to get in lots of quality cycling miles and ensure i recover well too. The week started by having to say goodbye to our Suzuki Vitara. For the past couple of weeks it's been guzzling petrol and putting out black smoke, polluting the environment making the ozone hole bigger by the minute. The garages opinion after £100 of tweaking was that it was a little better, but on it's last legs. The Suzuki never quite got the same reputation as being a tardis, like my old Citreon AX, which we crammed 2 bikes and 2 weeks of camping gear, including large tent and camping hob into!! But nether the less sad to see it go. So instead we are now proud owners of a ford transist (white - of course!), which we are going to convert into a camper van, with optimal bike/ race kit storage. I'm going to be in heaven designing storage spaces once the boring insulating and lining stuff is done, - that's if Simon will let me loose. His first purchase for the van was a dustpan and brush - you can see where its going! Not sure Simon's used the dustpan in the flat!.

Leaving the Vitara and becoming a white van Lady!!

I'll pop up some pictures of the work in progress below - So my time has been consumed gutting the van and assisting in the refitting. Have to admit that the tour de france hasn't help my blog writing!

Stripping the van back taking up the old flooring and putting new baton up ready to insulate the walls, Simon's head injury, once stopped bleeding from standing up into the light fitting.

Simon and his Dad, Tim hard at work in the drizzle cutting and fixing new ply walls to the van. You can just make out my skillfully laid vinyl flooring.

Oh yes - back to training and racing - Rode a 50 mile TT to summarise it HURT!!!

Riding WCA 100mile TT in couple of week, so aim to write after that. Then its the Big Woody at the end of August.

Happy training

Sarah x

Crikey!! - Up date on last 6 weeks - King of the Mountians, Weymouth and Cowman race reports.

Hadn't realised it's been so long since I lasted posted a blog. Every long ride I've done over the past couple of weekends I've been thinking about what to write. But then come home and need a nap! So my best blogging intentions have gone to pot!

Since my last post we've been out in French Alps at King of the mountains. Our friends Guy and Helyn have converted an old french school house, into a chalet haven for cyclist and outdoorsy people. So we sent the week cycling and being completely pampered by Helyn's and Guy. Their enthusiasm and love of the area is infectious and over our stay we clocked over 450 miles, which 14,000m of climbing. Need less to say my legs were fried at the end. Unfortunately the Galibier was still (very) closed whilst we were there, otherwise we probably would have road the Marmotte route, but may be that was a good thing. Will post some pics shortly.

Weymouth Middle Distance Triathlon - 7th June 2009
First race back and was more than a little nervous but was keen to see if all my swim training would show. The verdict - not really, coming out the water in 36 minutes. In T1 face planted on a slippery step just as the Marshall shouted carefully it's slippery - comedy moment!! Powered away on the bike coming in with 3/4/5th women. Posting the fastest female bike split:-). Running legs came to from the start and i was able to run consistently, finishing in 3rd place. Bodyworks xtc team mate Yvette Grice took first place.

More Training!!!!

Cowman Middle Distance - 27th June 2009.
I can't talk about the cowman race without a picture of Bart Simpson coming into my head - childish i know. Heavy fog, which delayed the start meant the swim buoys were hard to sight, but every one had that problem. Missed the last buoy and had to make a detour back to swim around it. But that said took 40 seconds off last years time. Played on my bike strength and took 4 minutes off my time from last year, for a 2:42 and the fastest female bike split by 4 minutes. Having come out the swim in 10th, I came into T2 in first place. Unfortunately my legs were not having fun running and found the off road open sections really tough. Overtaken on the 2nd lap and then again on 3rd. Finished in 3rd place again just 21 seconds back from 2nd, having pulled some time back on the forth and final lap, Oh my legs are going to hurt tomorrow :-)

Promise to self to blog more often - Happy Training x

Weekend of first's!!

No not first kiss - I'm a bit old for that!! But first sea swim - Brahhh! it was cold. I looked for every oppourtunitry not go in, but told myself if i did 10 mins i'd let myself have coffee on the seafront. So Neoprened out in new Zoot Suit, hat and booties, i venture into the 11 degrees. Once my hands went from painful to just numb I actually started to enjoy it and spent almost 40 minutes in the water. Dissapointingly forgot to put my £2 for coffee in my bag :-(

Sunday followed with my first 25 mile Time Trial -Dismal time and just pure pain, but had a good hard run off the bike. The afternoon was spent eating too much cake (couldn't resist a second chocolate slice) at a house warming tea and cake party!!

Next week off to King of the Mountains holiday and training - latest update is that the white stuff is on the retreat :-)

Despite my best intentions, i've been a complete slacker!

At updating my blog only, the rest of my life has been madness for the past couple of weeks. working lots (more than i want to and more than I'm paid for!, putting together a piece of research I've been working on - work again!!. Within that I've been swimming lots, cycling lots and running quite a bit! The past 6 weeks have just been manic! Some good things have happened in between all that.

1. Took Simon (boyfriend) away for his birthday and for a break from craziness in the New Forest at the end of March. Rented a cabin for the long weekend. Did some good long rides, but the weather wasn't liking us - drowned rats one day and snowed on the next!

2. Discovered home shopping - I place my food shopping online and some lovely delivery man brings it right into the kitchen - bliss. My life's been made so much better by that alone.

3. Finished paying of Hawaii credit card bill - thank goodness! Only one more and student loan to go to be debt free!!!!

4. Only 3 weeks until for to King of the Mountains - for a week of cycling and catching up with Guy and Helyn. I'm hoping the cold white stuff is retreating.

5. Started racing again - did first time trial on Thursday - a 2 up with the boyfriend. Enjoyed the hurt!

6. I'm now running for 90 mins!!!!!! - Weymouth half ironman is looking likely!!

7. Found a local coffee roaster, which roasts your beans and then dispatches on the same day - for super fresh and delicious coffee beans - very important!

8. Went home for Easter weekend and caught up with the family. Had lunch with my younger brother, Jamie - had a good gossip and quizzed him about his new and first proper girlfriend. Also my other brother, Simon, his girlfriend Natasha is riding a cycle challenge for the stroke association in June. She hasn't ridden a bike for years - She rocks!

9. Discovered Gavin and Stacey on BBC i player - how have i missed this!

10. Learnt home to completely stripped and rebuild by road bike, when i had a spring clean. Now feel like i can call myself a proper bike rider. Actually I can probably do more repairs/fixes to my bike than most of the boy's i train with. Having said that i still prefer Simon to check over the gears.

Happy training

Sarah xxx

Good things come in small packages! (or large boxes if your greedy!)

Yesterday I arrived home from my ride to find a large box outside our flat door!

The lovely people at DJM had sent me my spring 09 training and racing kit - oh my god the excitement could not be contained. Even before I could get my helmet and sweaty bike kit off I had the box open and was tearing open the plastic bags to inspect my new kit!!

Like a child in a sweetshop (unless it's the sweet shop on Rye high street, which has sweets in jars floor to ceiling - I'm in heaven) I couldn't wait to try it all on.

Can't wait for the weather to get warm so it can be worn in all its glory, rather than hidden under winter layers.

Sported my new Zoot swim costume at training this am - In 90 minutes it and I got treated to 1,100m warm up, 2,400m paddle, pull and band set, 250m kick than to finish 20 x 25m fly off 40 seconds. Having never done a full length fly! let alone 20, I started doing 1/2 length one arm, 1/2 length butterfly. But I like a challenge so after the 3rd 25m, I decided to see if i could do a full length. It wasn't very pretty, or very fast, but got to the other side and had about 10 seconds rest. So my first length butterfly, turned into 17 lengths :-)

Easy Week!

This last week has been an easy training week and with Simon away on a course (cycle mechanic's course - funny since he's been fixing bikes almost as long as I've been alive!) I've had the flat to myself. But I've been boring! Training done -and the evenings spent reading journal articles and doing yoga. Long baths (I've finished the bubbles!) and early nights. But body and mind feeling ready to go again. When training you look forward to days off and easy weeks, but when actually come around, you want to throw yourself back into training again.

Swimming update: Still at the back of the slowest lane, in morning swim session. But have done an 86 for 100m's, during a set - that's a 2009 PB and equal to my fast 100m ever!!! Oh and still can't do butterfly and hate back crawl with band.

Finally putting fingers to keys!

As my boyfriend has just put it - "about time". And yes I apologies to all my avid readers! If I have kept you on the edge of your seats waiting in anticipation since I announced a new blog. I honestly did have good intentions of writing regularly, but life has been a bit hectic and gotten in the way. Decided it would be really good to apply for a new job, which I didn't get! Also to develop myself as a clinical educator and do some teaching session to carers - which has involved taking a lot of work home. Stressful! Become very scatty, for example forgetting bike lock or house keys. The worst being leaving the car lights on twice in a two week period, draining the battery and having to get recovery guys out to rescue me. What makes it worse is I only drove the car 3 times in that two week period.

So the more interesting stuff - what's been happening with me since the start of 2009. Well, quite a lot - I've started training under Sarah Coope of Bodyworks xtc. Now in 7th week of training and all going well, but I've never done such hard turbo sessions. I've also joined the swim squad. So 4 mornings a week I'm getting my arse kicked, by 10 year olds. But the tough swim sets are hopefully going to help bring up my weakest discipline. And best news of all I'm back running - not very fast or far. but back pounding the pavements. Rather the soft surfaces of the downs surrounding Eastbourne.

Race plans for this season aren't set in stone yet, but likely to do a couple of UK half Ironmans and maybe Almere Ironman - we'll see how the running goes. But importantly holidays are booked. One week in the french Alps staying with our friends who have converted an old school house and run a chalet business for outdoors-ey people like cyclists etc - king of the mountains. We last visited the day before their very first guest in 2005, so be lovely to stay with them again. Plus the location is fab, Bourg d'Oisans in 10km and some of the major Col's are close by. So here's hoping that cold white stuff (aka snow) is going by late May and we can do some crazy cycling.

Promise to be better at blogging

Sarah xxx

p.s Just found out my boyfriend Simon has been a secret blogger - so if you're a bike geek you might fine his rambles interesting. His blog is http://simontunderwood.blogspot.com/

New Blog

This blog replaces my old one at http://journeytokona.blogspot.com/. Journey to Kona doesn't seem quite right now. May be the new blog should really be tittled journey back from Kona!

A proper post to follow shortly.