The Ups and Downs..

 

As much as this blog is my soapbox to express any of my opinions freely, I am self-moderating this particular posting. Not because I want to say anything that is offensive or such like, but because it may be misconstrued.

Eyes/Lips…

Our recent South Seas gig… the less said the better other than it frustrates me when you work hard in rehearsal, but once you hit the stage, the sound just doesn’t happen. I have my own thoughts on this and will share them with Izzie and Nina as to how we can overcome this issue to a large extent.

There was nothing wrong with our playing.  We did our best as usual.

My triathlon training…

Yesterday, I spent a day at Southwell preparing for my forthcoming triathlon there. Triathlon England had organised a novices day for triathlon rookies like myself. It was a great day and I got to meet likeminded individuals who had also pressed the “send” button on the entry form whilst perhaps having a beer at the time, like me.

I managed to fall off my bike twice when practicing T1 (transition from swimming to bike). My saddle is quite high. Have you ever tried running beside your bike 30 seconds out of a quarter mile swim (simulated butterfly arm strokes on the all-weather 5-a-side soccer pitch actually), then hopping on one pedal with your left leg whilst hurdling the bike with the other? Not normal but I did eventually get the hang of it. I didn’t jump the mounting line either unlike some amateur Olympic bronze medallist called Jonny.

There were five lanes in the pool, six swimmers to each making it rather claustrophobic. The lane ropes were over the marker lines on the bottom of the pool. This meant a few collisions with the rope and side of the pool because it was hard to judge a straight line of swimming, especially in a crowded lane.

Out on the rugby pitch we did some stretching exercises and cadence work before half walking, half jogging the run course. There is a steepish hill straight out of transition which will require some strength straight off the bike.

We didn’t get time for the bike run so on the way home I drove the ten mile course to familiarise myself with it. Quite undulating.

Memory of the day..…back in the debriefing room, a slide show. This picture of cyclist face down at side of crumpled bike in transition.

Happens to the best of us, mate.