Life's little challenges

When I called this blog 'Life's little challenges...' I was trying to be ironic. Another meaning, however, can be the 'little' challenges I will encounter during my day-to-day training.

Today's 'little challenge' occurred whilst I was on my long bike ride. 40 min from my house, just out of the city, I got a puncture. Annoyed, but not worried, I changed my tire. I swear it was only a mile or 2 later when I hit a hit hole. Boy do you feel sick when you feel the immediate deflation of your tire. Again, after a bit of swearing, I changed my tire. This was the first time I had carried to tubes so I was really lucky. Or was I?

For some reason the tube wouldn't inflate. A passing cyclist also tried his pump and it wasn't happening. I don't know what exactly what happened but I must have caught the tube when putting it and created a pinch, or it was a faulty tube or I hadn't found the original cause of the puncture, it didn't matter. It was by now 8am and I was 8 miles from home and I had an hour to get to work. There was only one thing to do. I started to walk.

Sights on route to work included Musselburgh race course; the lighthouse on an island on the forth; the firth of forth (always a sight to be seen), Portobello swimming pool (and the grateful use for their facilities with the tremendous luck that no one nicked my bike while I was there) and the promenade.

I started changing the lyrics to songs. It started with 'Brights Eyes' being changed to 'Bright Side', Monty Pythons 'Always look on the bright side of life' and other songs that I can't remember now. It gets a bit monotonous as I can only ever remember a few lines of songs so they kept on being repeated round and round and round.

After 2 hours of walking I was beginning to get a bit jaded.

I arrived at the office after 2 hours and 45 minutes walking and getting close to a sense of humour failure.

Sod the diet, I headed to the corner shop and downed a snickers duo.

I have decided to call the walk to work a 'training session' specialising in 'mental strength'. I hope I don't have too many of them!

Doing too much?

What a week! I think that maybe I was trying to do too much.

Let me know what you think...

So Sunday I cycled to Glentress, near Peebles. Not a great distance, only 22miles, but I had a head wind the entire way. I swear, my top speed was 21mph, the wind was that strong I had to peddle to go down hill! I got overtaken by a small peloton of 3 men. Not wanting to appear weak I joined on the back and boy was that nice to get towed along.

At GT I met up with Stu and drove back to Edinburgh and the Loch Fyne restaurant. Arriving 2hrs late for our meal with friends! No matter, they just ate their pudding and drank their coffees really slowly.

Then I rushed home to pack for my forthcoming trip to London on Monday before heading off to the cinema to see Australia. (I quite liked it).

And that was just day 1! Can you see where this is heading?

Monday saw me head out the house with a bike loaded with 2 panniers and a rucksack. I'm sure I looked a sight going in to the gym with all that lot. An hour in the gym and I was off to work. 1pm and I was off to catch the train.

I do love getting the train to London. It is really easy and relaxing. No hour drive to the airport, no waiting around the terminal and no hour train back into London. All you have to do is pitch up and jump on. 4 1/2 hours later your there, in the center of town. AND the bike is free.

I cycled around the city a bit, checking out where my course was, where my gym was (I had blagged membership to a gym in London for the duration of my stay) and then out to Finchley road in zone 2 to catch the tube to my digs in zone 5. I was too knacked to do my run set so I missed it.

Tuesday involved an hour of travel on the tube and bike to the gym, and quick 45 min session in the gym, 20 min to my course, 8 hours of study then 20 min back to the gym for a bit more training and finally an hour of travelling back to my digs loaded with my study materials.

Wednesday was a repeat of Tuesday only add in a puncture, a trip to the local bike shop and four hours of evening study!

On Thursday I went for an hour and 10 min run round the neighbourhood in the pouring rain then off into the city again. Unfortunately Kings Cross was closed so I got off at Euston to walk and... walked the wrong way! When I noticed I was well p****d off and ended up being very late. Thursday night was fun though. I went out to Redhill to play with my friends son, a 9 month old bubbly baby boy and to play on their Wii. And to see them of course!

Come Friday I was knacked. I had good intentions to go to the gym after more course had finished but really couldn't do it.

I was really relieved to be back on the train on Friday, chilling out and studying in equal mix.

Too much do you think?

Motivational Moments

This morning before work I went out on a 27 mile ride east of Edinburgh to Longniddry, over to the coast and back to Edinburgh.

It was stunning.

It was pitch black as left the house and Edinburgh, cold but not freezing. As I left the urban sprawl and the last remnants of the city, dawn started to break over the horizon. I was suddenly aware that I could see the hills. The land was a fraction blacker than the sky. As the miles rolled on, the sky turned through the shades of blue from a dark steal to a deep royal blue. By the time I reached Longniddry and the turning point, I was sorry I wasn't continuing east. I wanted to carry on but I couldn't this week, too soon in the training schedule, only my second full training week.

When I hit the coast, I was glad I continued with the plan. The Forth of Firth was pitch black but the moon was almost full, hanging in a clear dark blue sky. The reflexion of the moon on the water was dazzling. I followed this view as I headed back to Edinburgh, sometimes with Fife as a backdrop and sometimes Edinburgh and Arthur's Seat. Stunning.

By the time I hit the outskirts of the city, rush hour was digging in. The lorries were cautiously passing and the cars were bombing past...

But they couldn't take away the sense of peace and joy of the world.

Week 1 accomplished!

I am at the end of what I consider to be my first proper week of training and I am well chuffed. I didn't skip even one session!

It started last Sunday with a 30 mile ride out along the coast. It was lush winter weather and I was of with a friend who usually kicks my ass but I held my own.

Seven core sessions (home), four flexibility sessions (home), four baby bike rides (commutes), three gym sessions, two swim sessions and four runs later saw me to Saturday and a 5K race round Arthur's Seat. I did the race in 27:35. Not as good as I would have hoped, I got a stitch at the top of the hill that stuck with me to the end, but I really enjoyed it.

I also had a target of getting up at 6.30 am every morning, another target achieved! Next week I plan to get up at 6am every weekday morning. I'm glad I'm a morning person!

Happy New Year!

Seeing the New Year on the Meadows in Edinburgh!

I have made one or two New Years resolutions.

1. To be an optimistic realist. I am often told by my work colleagues and boyfriend that I am pessimistic. I don't believe this totally, I think I am panicky and a realist, but if it will move me forward in my relationships I am willing to give it a shot. So... on the way home from the pub on New Years Eve I realise that I have left the handbag in the pub with my friends. I panic and turn back until it is suggested that I am worrying over nothing and that my friend will pick it up. I should be optimistic! This is a challenge to my resolution at just 1.5 hours in to the New Year. I can't say I was totally optimistic at this point but I continued home. I received a text about 30 min later from my friend saying that she had my bag! I have a feeling this resolution is going to be a challenge to follow but then that would be pessimistic outlook!


2. To get myself organised for Antwerp. I would like to get my accommodation and travel sorted. Start a list of all that I will need for the event and test it.


3. Plan lifestyle logistics such as making a list of meals I can eat at what times, a pre-made list of things I need to keep in my fridge, freezer and larder so that I can optimise my shopping time. Lay clothes out in advance so that I can maximise my time in the morning. To keep tidy so that I don't get stressed when I can't find something. We woke up on New Years day with no food in the cupboards and no supermarkets open!


4. Start getting up early to maximise my training and lifestyle logistics such as shopping and washing clothes. I'm starting on the 5th January, my first day back at work!

So onwards and upwards...

Bring on the New Year, I want to see what you have in store!