Gutted.com

Hi Folks,

Sorry that I have not updated my blog for a couple of weeks, after the decision not to race Ironman Wales this year I have been so disappointed that I have just not had it in me until now.

Hopefully this news will not come as a shock to my regular readers, most will know that I have been in quite a bit of pain while training, especially on the bike. I want to pay the Ironman Wales bike course the respect it deserves and if I am taking pain relief after 10 mile on the bike a jump up and down after 112 miles would see me make a similar noise to a half full tube of Smarties (Other confectionery are available).

I was also worried about the fact that the pain was getting worse as the days progressed. The problem was also spreading and muscles in my forearm, bicep, tricep and deltoid were also suffering, possibly where they were compensating for the injury. In hindsight maybe I should have called it off earlier, I had trained so hard though, really felt like I was doing well that I did not want to admit that my dream was over for another year. One friend even shed a tear knowing how much I want it. Even yesterday I said to the wife 'Shall I take my bike down and use it as a training day?'

Its behind me now.....or it will be on the 17th September. Both the wife and I will be in Tenby cheers on friends come the big day. It will be hard to watch but it will also be nice to cheer my fellow club members and friends to finish line.

So at the moment I am swimming once a week, a very easy session concentrating on technique so that its a physio session and that no further damage is caused. No cycling what so ever (My elbow was even hurting during a spinning class!) and running when ever the mood takes me..........the latter is due to change though.

Mrs Taming Tenby has entered us both into the Cardiff Half in 6 weeks and then the Gloucester Marathon in January (Incentive not to over indulge at Xmas). Its good to have something to train for and the thought of getting 'Chicked' by the wife will keep me going........thanks love x x x

So Excited I Could Wee! (Or is it just an age thing?)

Well.....well, well, well oh well. Big day today for two reasons, firstly because about an hour ago I got to plug my fundraising efforts for the RNLI on 96.4FM The Wave, South Wales Number 1 radio station. Badger and Emma do a great job of hosting the breakfast program and I often find myself in fits of laughter (Badger & Emma reading 50 Shades of Grey in different stylies is hysterical!) but there was no laughter this morning, not from me anyway. Even though I am use to speaking in front of large groups and briefing High Ranking Military staff for some reason I was very very nervous and while on air, all I could hear in my ear was the stream of text messages arriving. Most are not printable here but did make me giggle. Anyway, I hope I achieved the aim which was to plug my cause, my sponsors and get details of how people can sponsor me out there....... time will tell how effective the latter was. A mahoosive thank you to Amanda and Andrew Gilbert for making it happen and Badger and Emma for putting up with my mumblings.

Even the car air fresheners failed to take the odour away!

Secondly my cast finally comes off today (yeyyyyy!). Really hoping after the x-ray that is does not need to go back on, training for the big day is hard enough as it is. If it does I will not give up though, just means I will have to be more imaginative when it comes to training. Better to tri and fail than never tri at all (See what I did there. Clever No?)

Not too sure what to expect my arm to look like and I am wondering whether to warn the Nurse that something(s) may jump out at her once she has cut it off. It's now so bad that when in the car with Mrs Taming Tenby I have to hang my arm out of the window, this helps to stop the windows from steaming up and allow other passengers to breath.

So here ends Part one of this blog.........of to the Hospital :-/

Part two.......

They were waiting for me! 'Ahhh Robert' the receptionist in the fracture clinic cried, 'We were wondering when you would turn up......what's this you have been running with your arm in plaster!!' Think the only person in the Hospital not to have listened to The Wave that morning was the Dr himself..........Doh!!

Off came the plaster and I am pleased to report that there was no re-enactment similar to the scene in 'Aliens' where some horrid creature bursts through the skin, indeed there was no creepy crawlies or dead things, in fact it was quite clean.......WHITE CLEAN! Pasty White clean, Pasty White clean and skinny! (Thank god for teenagers and fake tan!!)

Matthew

Confirmation received that the plaster would not go back on it was then off to North Dock to meet a fellow CELTIC TRI club member Matthew Anderson and get my toes wet. Pleased to report that the swim went well with only slight pain. Think this was caused because of the wrists stiffness through lack of use as its getting better and better as the day goes on. 1000meters was far enough for my first swim back, especially as it was a wetsuit swim. From experience the muscles around the shoulders and arms get use to swimming again pretty quickly so I feel quite relaxed about this part of my training. Only main problem today was trying to swim in a straight line, again this will be down to a weak left arm. Plan is to have another dip first thing tomorrow morning.

One area that now concerns me is getting back out on the roads. This has nothing to do with a fear of a further fall, its more to do with the vibration that the road will cause and how my arm will cope with it. I am currently in two minds......carry on training on the turbo for another week or just crack on and give it a go. Just know the more I think about it the call of 'Take me out to play' coming from the garage will get louder and louder.

One last thing before I go and change the rear wheel on my bike (Ok, Ok.......its just in case!). Make sure you revisit this page again.......may have some good news for all the readers.

I'm BACK!!!!

Tick Tock

There is an old saying that time and tide stand still for no man. How right they are, it only seems like yesterday I posted on FB that its 100 days until I will be stood on North Beach, Tenby. In a blink of an eye 12 days have past and I am sure the remaining days will fly by just as quick.

Training is still going well but the frustration of not being able to go for a swim or get out on the bike is immense. I dread to think what I would be like if I could not run or have a session on the turbo, without doubt the bookies would have paid out on Mrs Taming Tenby killing me ages ago (At present its still odds on!). Anyway I already have swimming gear in the boot of my car and the minute its off I will be getting my toes wet.

Eight days until I am free of the cast (And Mrs Taming Tenby is free of me). Think the nurses will be amazed just how smelly its become and I feel a little like Tom Hanks in the film Castaway as my best friend is now a chopstick! (Knitting needles are terribly hard to come by these days). So much talc and sweat have been absorbed by the cast that I am pretty sure it now has its own mini biosystem. Proof of this was when Charlie (The chopstick) and I were involved in eliminating an itch, both of us were really not expecting something to tumble out onto the floor. I must admit that it would not have been so troubling if it hadn't sprouted legs and scurried away.

I have hatched a plan in order to reach my fundraising target. Not all of these ides can be revealed yet but I am sure that with the help of family, friends and my very kind Corporate sponsors I will reach my target. If you would like to support my efforts and my more importantly my nominated charity you can do any of the following:

Shirt printed by Dorian's Heel bar. Swansea. Thanks Jon and Den

• Sponsor me Directly by visiting my donation page.... Click here
• Buy a Lucky Lifeboat Station from me for £2 and if your station gets picked you win £50!!!
• Suggest to your boss that he/she could advertise their business cheaply. In return I will ensure I 'Plug' the company name as often as possible (I have some cracking opportunities lined up!) and add their logo to my race apparel. My Sponsor me page contains my contact details for further information.
• Or pop into Dorians heel bar and place a donation in the RNLI box.

Two new additions to my Taming Tenby recommends page. The first is Dirty Green Trainers Sports Photography who have been added for their great photography and amazing value for money. Order your photos from them for just £10 and they send you a digital copy of every image taken of you from over the recent long course weekend. I only did the Half Marathon and had Ten photos! some friends who also Swam on the Friday and cycled on the Saturday have 40+ images which really does represent amazing value for money.

Where's (the) Wally?

Tri and Enter events are also very worthy additions. They put on some first class races, the next one being the Mumbles Triathlon this weekend (Saturday 23rd June 0700). What makes them worthy? Tri and Enter go out of their way to make sure that every athlete from Newbie to Pro enjoys the experience, hold events in some fantastic locations and appreciate for some its not a race but an experience or challenge, only too willing to answer any question or point people in the right direction. All Marshals at Tri and Enter events are volunteers, are well briefed and as such they are far more interested in the days events. As I have previously been sent the wrong way, been shouted at in foreign tongues and been on the end of blank vacant stares during events organised by other companies, its great to have people who want to be there (The bottle of wine, packed lunch and T-Shirt ease the burden of volunteering!). If you want to try your hand at marshalling, taking part in an event or are interested in a corporate event why not drop them a line here. Fancy joining me marshalling this weekend? Its the next best thing to Racing!

Until next time,

Taming Tenby.

Nothing Great Is Easy

The last seven days have been full of ups and downs (Especially Sunday but I will talk about that later). The night of my last post (Wednesday) I donned my trainers and headed out for a 6/7 mile trot. Three mile into a hilly run I felt a dull throb originating from my lower calf area, initially I carried on thinking that it may go but it persisted. Rather than push it and possibley do more damage I phoned Mrs Taming Tenby to come and pick me up......gutted and worried that it would spoil my training plan.

Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevated (Think the 'C' would be better off standing for curry!) as soon as I got home, even recruited my 8 year old son Jack to use a rolling pin on the area to massage it (Don't knock it till you've tried it). After a good nights sleep it was still tight but not that sore, further rest and stretching was required so decided it was best to have a couple of days off.

Jack

I was really looking forward to the Friday, we had booked accommodation in Tenby for the start of the Activity Wales Events organised Long Course Weekend. The weekend is kicked off with a race for the kids (Otherwise known as 'Taffletes'!) followed then by the big boys and girls having a 2.4 mile swim on Tenby's iconic North beach, a 112 mile bike ride on Saturday through the picturesque county of Pembrokeshire, finely concluding on Sunday with a Marathon. You will all be pleased to hear at this stage that shorter distances are available for each event and as my planned swim and bike ride were cancelled due to my arm being in plaster I signed up for the half marathon...sore calf and all.

Mike and Tara before realising how
cold the water is!

Although it was frustrating not being able to take part in Friday and Saturdays activities I still had loads of fun spectating, joining the other supporters, locals and tourists alike, in cheering the Athletes taking part. Both of these days I had work done on my injury by Sue, from Bodyworks Soft Tissue Therapy and at £10 for 20mins was exceptional value. If it were not for he healing feet (Read about her here) I doubt if I would have made the start line on Sunday.

The Half Marathon started at Noon with the athletes 'holding pen' being Pembroke castle, not a bad location eh! We were led out by a drum band prior to the start which really got the adrenaline pumping, couple this with athletes doing the full marathon running past and we were all raring to go. The first Six miles went well and were completed in 56mins, good going for me considering it was far more 'undulating' than I expected (I refer you back to the title). It was shortly after this point however that my calf tightened and turned the remaining miles into a walk/run/yomp. The support from the people of Pembs was incredible along the route and for this they must be commended. Many were sat at the end of their driveways, pubs and street corners, tea in hand (Some cruel souls lifted stronger beverages!) cheering and clapping as you ran past, kids wanting 'high fives' and really getting into the spirit of things.

Nothing could have prepared me for the final leg into Tenby however. For the last 600 yards or so the crowd were three deep lining the streets, cheering every finisher as if he/she were the first home. The Party atmosphere heavy in the air, rounds of applause coupled with words of encouragement erased any pain as I crossed the line. Still amazed now as I expect all who travelled to Tenby still are.

The weekend has inspired me to add another 'Tab' or page if you like, to my blog. This will contain links to organisations other than my sponsors, ones who deliver a first class service or product and come with a Taming Tenby recommendation.

The first of these to be added are Bodyworks for putting the customer first, I felt my treatment on both occasions ran over the allotted time but continued until all that could be done to my injury was done.

Secondly Activity Wales Events for a first class weekend and yet another well organised, well planned event. One that with the continued support of the Pembs community will no doubt expand, bringing tourists flocking to this area of natural beauty in order to witness first hand, the outstanding Pembrokeshire welcome.

Why?

My injury is still precluding an early return to work and the elbow has been very sore. Hoping this is where the bone is knitting together and its just weak. Still unable to use a knife and fork at the same time but my grip is getting stronger. Eating in public can be a little embarrassing, especially when you're asking your 8 year old to cut your food up for you!!!


Its been a good week training wise, my running continues to improve and I have been mixing long slow plods with short quick sprints. Still plodding away on the turbo trainer but it would be great to get out on the roads. Sadly, and just to be on the safe side, I phoned Mrs Taming Tenby to pick me up last night. At the 3 mile mark I pulled up after feeling a slight pull in my lower right calf muscle, iced it the minute I got home and after a good going over with a rolling pin its not too bad today. Although I stretched prior to running I think I now need to incorporate a more dynamic approach to this very important part of my training.

Julie making it look easy!

Karen's sprint finish 

Good to see so many athletes from the club race the Brecon Sprint triathlon last weekend. So many in fact that an outsider would not have been blamed for mistaking Celtic as the home tri club. The constant threat of rain in the air failed to materialise and condition were ideal. With a constant ringing in my ears from the cow bells I had issued to the kids I watch with pride as fellow members hurtled past me. Its hard being sidelined, listening to tales of 'The steps of doom!' and who did what it is definitely second best to racing. Special mentions this week go to the Celtic tri ladies, many of whom overcame the course and completed their first race. Well done ladies, some fantastic efforts and more females that I need to worry about 'Chicking' me!


So to address the title of this latest update......Why? Why would I, or anyone for that matter, want to become an Ironman? Why would anyone want to spend months watching what they are eating and drinking? (I need to be more rigid with the latter!) Why would anyone want to get up at the crack of dawn, swim or beat the streets for an hour, then spend all day in work pretending that you feel fresh as a daisy when in fact all you want is your bed, to then get home and go out training again.

TJ 

You could most probably ask 100 Ironmen this very question, with each one returning a very different answer. My reasons are quite simple, first and foremost its the kudos, a couple of months of pain, a lifetimes with of bragging. Marathon runners are now two-a-penny, how many non Triathletes reading this know a marathon runner? Now how many know an Ironman? 




Secondly it will be the end of a journey, going from a 20+ stone smoker due for a knee operation, too unfit to run a single mile without stopping, to completing 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and 26.4 miles of running......all within 17 hours. 


Finally to go back to Brecon, let me introduce TJ our current club Chairman. If you ever needed inspiration to get up off the settee and be active today here it is, crossing the finish line to a chorus of 'Happy Birthday'. Hope I am doing simular when I am 60 years young!

Until next time..........

Show me the Money!

Hi Folks, welcome to my latest blog. Before my ramblings commence here are a couple of statistics for you. At the time of writing this my blog has been viewed 1451 times, 377 times this month alone (And there is still this blog left to go). My audience is mainly in the UK but I also have regular views form the United States, Russia, Germany, Spain, Holland, Latvia, Norway, Romania and Tunisia. I am delighted with the above and would like to thank you all for visiting this page. If you enjoy, please feel free to share using the link options at the bottom.

This blog was set up for two reasons, the first was to chronicle my journey to becoming an Ironman and secondly to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). At this point I refer you back to the statistics in the first section. These numbers have helped me in sourcing corporate support and it gives me great pleasure to announce that JCP Solicitors are officially on board and have made a very generous donation to the RNLI in support of my efforts. JCP Solicitors are based in Swansea but also have offices in Pembroke and Carmarthen, South Wales.


A leading sponsor of Swansea City Football Club, Wales Premiership Football Team, they have advised a number of high profile International Sportsmen. It is now very commendable that they now support one whose profile may not be of such grand status, one without a hope of winning but one that promises to give his all come the day. A big special thank you to Amy Seppman, JCP's Marketing Manager, for her help in making it happen. Please show your support by visiting my Sponsors page where a full description of services offered are available. Alternatively click here for a direct link to their website or visit their facebook page here.

Also onboard the good ship 'Taming Tenby' are Dorians Heal Bar. Established in 1964 by Mr Dorian Price, the business has thrived and become a cornerstone for a multitude of local sporting associations and clubs as well as the general public in the Swansea and Carmarthen communities. Dorian Heel Bars offer a boundless range of services. From key cutting and shoe repair, (most of which can be done while you wait), through to engraving, sport trophies and gifts. RNLI collection boxes are present in each shop with all donations going towards my total. Visit them on line by clicking here.


My injury still continues to frustrate; especially as we have experienced some perfect cycling and open water swimming weather in South Wales this last week. As such I have viewed friends Social Media status with envy as I read about long ride induced dodgy tan lines and blue flagged beach swims. Bit different to arm in a sling, sat on the turbo trainer, melting in the kitchen watching Jeremy Kyle and Loose Women sessions (Did I really just admit to watching them?!?!?). 


Its not all bad as I continue to run without pain and have increased my long run session to Nine miles. Really chuffed with this as it was done in the midday sun, on the hottest day this year. Only pain experienced was caused by running out of water with 2 miles left to go and hot spots on the soles of my feet brought on by my inability to tie my trainers tight enough due to injury (Still have to ask Ever Suffering wife to open Jars, bottles and tins for me, some cynics will say that this has always been the case!). Yesterdays investment in some elastic laces should alleviate the latter. 


By far the biggest drawback from having my arm in a cast is not the inability to swim or cycle, nor is it the ability to wash both my arm pits (Although if you stand on my right side you may disagree). The excellent weather witnessed this last week, coupled with my continued exertions, has meant I have perspired profusely when running or spinning. As such the fibre glass cast has become on occasions drenched with sweat. I have learnt that the use of a hair dryer pointed into the cast is excellent for sorting this out. A quick puff of talc on completion is then great for stopping any itching. It is not however advised, should any of you find yourself in the same predicament, to pour copious amounts of talc into the top of the cast prior to it drying. I did, and it was quickly followed a substance closely resembling porridge appearing from the other end. The smell of the cast is pretty horrific too and is only offset by the smell of talc for a short period, I am sure being banished to the spare bedroom is just one more sweaty run away.....it not all bad though as it does balance the poorly washed armpit out!..........time to get it changed maybe?


As the title of this posts suggests, the main reason for producing these diffuse and disconnected collection of words, is to encourage your support. You can do this by donating to the RNLI, further details of which can be found here.


Until next time Tri'ers!

Anything is Possible!

The title of this latest update is the Ironman motto, it's just one source of motivation, one tool out of many memories, images, items and mantras that I use when I cant be arsed or feel like calling it a day. This last week I have used most of them as I strive to discover the physical limitations enforced on me by my injury.

When the Doctor confirmed my breaks and slapped me in a cast I did think my dream was about to disappear.  It would have been easy then to call it a day, to put the dream on hold for another year. This is where motivational tools came in handy, they will be different for each person and what forces one person off the settee may force another on it.

In a bid to assist readers in finding their own motivation I thought I would share some of mine. The first comes in the form of this Ironman Wales sun visor, I bought it last year to wear on the Marathon section. As I missed the cut off I did not get to wear it and have vowed that I wont until the Marathon leg of this years race.

Second is the memory of Leighton Williams, a fellow club member passing me on the bike during of last years race, I was about 70miles through the 112mile bike leg and he was about to start the run, 40miles in front although we had started the day at the same time! When in passing I mentioned that I might miss the cut off he turned and 'whispered' words of encouragement like a seasoned Army drill instructor!! Many of these words can not be repeated in this forum but the scene, replayed in my mind, often fuels me when things are getting tough. I should also mention that Leighton went on to have a cracking race, even though he came off his bike and broke bones he continued, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the World Ironman Championship in Hawaii in the process. An Ironman in every definition of the word.

The last tool I will mention today can not be underrated, it is without doubt my greatest source of inspiration and motivation, Friends and Family. Without their support there would be no point in registering for such an event, since my accident I have been inundated with words of encouragement and promising ideas. Fellow Tri'ers have reassured me that there will be plenty of time to be race fit and my wife has been immense in planning the family Summer holiday around the forced adjustment to my training program. Without her support and patience I would be lost.

It’s surprising the things you learn about yourself when the use of a limb becomes restricted.

• I can run 6mile without pain.
• But I can't tie my trainer laces properly to go out running.
• I can make and butter a piece of toast.
• But I can't open a tin of beans to put on it.
• I can wash my Left armpit.
• But I can't wash my Right.
• I can sit upright on a spinning bike.
• But I can't lean on the bars.
• I can wash my car.
• But I can't drive it.

As you can see from the above, I can still do quite a bit of physical preparation for the race, the domestic side of life is very frustrating though. I am however being very careful that I don't do anything that will hinder my recovery as I really need to get back on the bike and out on the roads (I am also losing a fortune in allowances in work and want to get back as soon as I can). Its also made me spare a thought for the Guys and Gals returning from conflict abroad with permanent disabilities.

Finally a big shout out to my Brother in-law Paul Seppman, completing his first open water Triathlon last weekend in Llanelli. 6 months ago he was struggling to swim in a pool yet he finished the race in a very respectable time and smashed the swim leg. Not wanting to be outdone by her brother my truly amazing wife went one step further, not only pipping him across the finish line but by winning a spot on the podium (3rd fastest Female in the over 40 category). Well done Both, very proud of you.

Thrills and Spills

Its been a couple of weeks since my last update, please accept my apologies.

In my last blog I mentioned about being back in training after my operation to have two varicose veins removed. My running was getting back up to speed, work on endurance saw me happily running 7 hilly miles and feeling ready for more once home.

Last weekend I took part in the Tour of Pembroke, the first of the hurdles I had set for myself on my road to upgrade my half Ironman status to full. This race takes in 75mile of some of the best countryside that Wales has to offer, truly fantastic on a sunny.  Fortunate for those taking part that it was just one of these days and armed with my new bike (which I have fallen in love with) about 12 Celtic tri'ers congregated in St Davids main car park, next to the race HQ.

Timing tag swiped and it was time for the off, I had chosen to ride with my ESW (see past Blogs) and my Sister in law, neither of whom had completed such a hilly ride before. The day for me was not about the distance as I knew this was not a problem. The problems and demons derive from hills, they are after all the main reason that I missed the cut off at Ironman Wales last year. This day at climbs I would leave the girls and give it my all to see if the weight loss and strength work would pay off. I am pleased to report that the hills (Some with 25deg incline) held no problem, in fact they were a massive confidence booster.....especially the last hill of the day (For me anyway!).

At the route 26 mile mark there is one of the steepest, longest climbs of the day, 838ft of climbing to be precise. I rounded the corner to be met by a friend who sadly could not race, wondering what words of wisdom he would hurl my way (And wondering if after 24 years in the Navy if I would hear any new ones!!!) I lost concentration and as the road became steeper I failed to react quick enough, I was too slow out of the saddle and too slow to select the correct gear, the result.......  a fractured elbow and wrist.

Gutted!

Adrenaline is a funny old thing however as I got back on the bike and made the climb. At the time I thought the pain would wear off, how wrong can a man be and the best tool to highlight this came in the form of a cattle grid. As I rumbled over the grid I think I screamed so load my teeth were going to come out as every rut caused my elbow to jar. The main reason for calling it a day was my inability to squeeze the rear brake and in hindsight, now knowing what damage I had done it was a great decision. I must admit I was terribly gutted at the time and even more so when the results of the x-ray were announced.

Its really thrown a spanner in the works for me, I refuse to let IMW beat me again and due to this a am trying to remain positive. I know with the support of friends and family it is still possible but it is hard at times to remain upbeat, especially as I know that I have a minimum of 6 weeks in a cast (I know of people who have had the same problem and its taken 12!!).

Making the most of a bad situation I have set myself some goals/targets:-

• Lose a minimum of 6lbs 
• Do what I can, when I can (Spinning, walking and not getting frustrated that I have to ask ESW to undo the lids on just about everything in the house!!)
• Have another article posted in Triathlon 220 magazine

As for Ever Suffering Wife and Sister in-law, well they were awesome. Both finished looking as fresh as daisies (Ok maybe not!) but both can hold their heads high for completing what was undoubtedly the hardest Sportive on the scene. Well done Ladies, very proud of you x x x 

Finally good luck to my spell checker JC (Where are you when I need you!!) who is about to tame the Lanzarote Ironman (Answers my last question!) and GD who will be kicking the famous Lance Armstrong's butt in Miami.........Smash it lads!!!

Miles in the bag

Hi all,

Chuffed to bit..........Over a Thousand people have now viewed my blog! Thanks all.

Its been over a week since my last update and much water, or should I say miles, have passed under the bridge. 103miles of swimming, cycling and running last week and totals for this week already total over 60.

My new bike arrived and I must say that I am very pleased with it. I am now the lucky owner of a CUBE Aerium Pro and its definitely quicker than my Boardman Team Carbon but suspect most of this is down to the tyres and wheels. Proof of this will be when I next do the club standard route and compare times with previous ones.

It comes with mostly Ultegra shifters, these have taken a bit to get use too and if I am honest I prefer the Rivals that are fitted on the Boardman. I also have some doubts about the Sella Italia perch that came with the CUBE, its very hard but as I have not done any serious mileage yet (Only been 30mile on it) I will keep an open mind.

I am now using the Boardman as my commuter. In a straight line its 6.4mile to work but I have made a vow never to cycle the same way twice in one week and if this weather had been a little better I am sure I would have many more miles under my belt. So far this week I have not had a single ride to work or run in dry conditions, this and the conditions on some of Wiltshire's country lanes and its slowly turning me into a better cyclist.

Getting my toes wet again has been fun, although I have not ventured into open water yet the pool swims I have had have been great........great to get back in that is! The first two dips were used to get the swim muscles acquainted to it again and I now appear to be where I was last September.

Onwards and upwards, in a months time I will be 40 and this cookie has no intentions of going quietly!!

Great expectations

What a difference a week can make.........
I had previously drafted an update that dwelt on my poor diet and how depressed I had been with recent performances when training (even though I had only just tentatively started back). Only four days after the initial draft and my morose thoughts have lifted, causing me to delete in total my previous depressive ramblings and place more positive words in there place.

Have started to ride too and from work, its only a 14 mile round trip but with the longer lighter days I am hoping to take detours and extend this figure. I have had a couple of soakings already but as another Celtic Tri member mentioned last week, I cant predict what the weather will be like on the fateful day so I might as well train in all weathers to ensure that all bases are covered.

Last ride out was with two club members, Anthony and Hayley, after only 9 miles I felt totally smashed! Its really evident that I need to work on my power to weight ratio as every incline I had to work really hard in order to keep up with them. Subsequenly I decided not to climb over the major hill on the planned route and opted to do an undulating 30 mile TT. Not pleased with my lack of 'oomph' but pleased with the 17.9mph average speed.

My running is slowly getting there, been struggling to do 3 mile but my last run the day before yesterday was quite comfortable(ish). Going to do this run twice more and then start, if I am ready, to add distance on. Plan is to run at least 4 times a week, three short efforts followed by one long one.

At long last my wound is now healed enough to go swimming, even surprised myself by giving it an extra couple of days to ensure it was OK. It felt so good to be back in the pool this morning for my return swim, it was only 1400meters (Zoggs Predator goggles are the biz! Will review them properly after a couple more swims) and wanted to go further but as I plan do to quite a bit of swimming this week, did not want to trash  muscles that had not been used for a while.

So this is it, four weeks more recuperation than I thought but I am now able to do everything I had been doing prior to the operation, just not as quick or as long. Challenge is now not to go out there and do too much too soon while managing my personal expectations and continuing to push myself.

Getting back on track

Question, how can you go from running 6mile in under an hour to struggling to complete 3? Answer is, you have an operation and be 'immobilised' for 5, very frustrating weeks. Getting back into the swing has not been as bad as I though it would however and I know its a marathon and not a sprint. Pretty sure in fact that within a month I will be back to running 6mile easy.

One positive is that my cycling does not appear to have taken too much of a backward step, I can happily cover 30mile without pain or feeling as if I want to be sick. The latter is more down to me taking it easy and slowly building things back up, getting my 'sit bones' used to a race saddle again and not wanting to do something silly and risk the chance of more time off training. 

My previously reported open wound is now almost healed; hoping that it will be good enough for me to start swimming again by the weekend and am flirting with the idea of my come back swim being an open water one this Friday, I will not risk infection though if my wound is not healed fully.

Letters have been sent to prospective sponsors, will do my best to reward them with as much publicity as possible if positive results are achieved.

Thanks to those that read my blog and provide feedback in order for me to improve it.

Until next time............

Spike, his part in my downfall

Hi folks,

I have one hell of a cheeky grin on my face at the moment. Am I still pleased that Wales are Grand Slam winners again....yes but that's not it. Am I pleased that Jack my son is playing rugby really well and relishes tackling other kids, especially ones bigger than him?.......yes but that's not it either. Is it because I HAVE JUST HAD A RUN!!!!!! YEH BABY YEH!!!!

To run after four weeks off felt really good........ok, lets revisit that last sentence. To run after four weeks off was really hard. It hurt, it was not pretty, quick or long. I did however have the aforementioned cheesy grin for the whole two mile along the very scenic river path in Chippenham (Moved into digs today, which I stay in while at work)

My biggest worry was chaffing, I still have an open wound in the crotch and I did not want to do anything that would set my recovery back, especially as I know its very important that I get back on the bike as soon as possible. Pleased to report though that I did not do any damage at all. I will be still taking it easy though and easing myself back into things slowly.

During this last week I have once again discovered the delights of squashed, fermented, apple juice. I know this is not good, especially as my diet has not been the best. Some of this I put down to comfort eating, I just hope next time that I jump on the scales they don't scream at me that only one person should be stood on the scale at any one time.

I have discovered that there are only so many times that a person can ask themselves why do people go on the Jeremy Kyle show to be talked to like idiots, be belittled and highlight just what 'Numpties' there are out there. It does show where such a large amount of our taxes are going!!!

In order to avoid this car crash TV I have started reading all my old Triathlon mags, once most of these had been well thumbed I read 'Spike, an intimate memoir' by Norma Farnes. A book about the legendary Spike Milligan from the heart of the woman that started as a 'Temp' and eventually became his manager and most probably his best and most trusted friend.

If you have read any of Spike's books you will know just how funny they are. In reality though Spike, like so many other talented funny guys, was a troubled and tormented soul. Suffering greatly from bouts of depression he would often lock himself away for days and even spent time in institutions. A roller coaster ride of emotions its a fantastic read and very, very funny in parts.

Volunteered to marshall at the Mumbles Duathlon this weekend, good luck to all readers taking part, especially Amy and Andrew as its their first time doing such a thing.

Temptation, Dog do do roulette and my poor old Tally Whacker

Hi folks!

Pleased to report that I am feeling much more upbeat about my recovery, the majority of the swelling has gone but the haematoma remains on my right leg, it is however decreasing in size so good news. Not wanting to leave anything to chance I am ensuring, for the first time in my life, that I complete taking the course of antibiotics even though I am sure its not required any more.

Its not anywhere near as painful as it was just a couple of days ago and the temptation now is to try and be more active. As you can see from the photo of my left leg there is still quite a bit of bruising even after two weeks, I also still have a hole which is packed to ensure that it heals from the inside out rather than close up and an abscess form. Cant even to begin to imagine how painful cycling would be with one in the crotch, ouch!

As I should be doing so much walking I thought it would be good to have a little company, queue Madi, my brother in laws Malamute dog. Now even though I have been brought up with dogs and have picked up loads of excriment in one shape or form over the years its still not a pleasant thing to do. I have a feeling however that Madi is not as daft as she looks, for the three mile that I walked her every time she stopped she would look at me as if to say 'Get them bags ready big boy!' and each time it was a false alarm. That is until I got less than 100yds from home when Madi left me a present. Not sure what she is getting fed but I think there needs to be much less of it, black bags would have been more suitable to the task than the little things I was inappropriately given! On a serious note it is quite sad and evident how many irresponsible dog owners there are.

Before I start to talk about my poor old Tally Whacker I must tell you all that due to the operation the area around him has had a hiding. Its been slashed, its been bashed, its bruised, its very tender and everything other than my old boy is swollen! It would appear that my John Thomas has reacted in the complete opposite of his surroundings and I can't say I blame him to be honest..........I just was not expecting the wife to point it out! Its ok though, he's just keeping his head down (no pun intended!) just in case he's next!!!

Many will now be wondering why I would want to share such information with you and the answer is quite simple, Your MONEY! If I have made you laugh or smile even once during this read why not show your appreciation by sponsoring me £1 (more if you feel generous) in my bid to become an Ironman. All money raised will go the the RNLI and the link to my fundraising page can be found to the right of this blog.

Many thanks in advance.

Rob.

Frustration........ humph!

Its not been the best of weeks for this wanabe Ironman, I may have mentioned in previous blogs that I was due to go under the surgeons knife. This has now been done but unfortunately its not gone as well as I would have liked. I had an operation to remove two varicose veins, it was all quite straight forward and I was only actually in the hospital for 7 hours, two of them were waiting for the Op.

Quite disappointed to have been told prior to the operation that there was no reason to shave my toilet parts, especially after a trip to the Hospital today has revealed that I have clotting (not venal....phew!!!) and an infection where they have gone in to cut and tie the vein in the crotch. Now due to the privet being trimmed I am going to have to be a very brave boy when removing the extra sticky plaster that the 'kind' nurse applied. It also explains why I have been getting hot flushes and weak spells. I've some cracking photo's but they are not for the weak hearted hence they have not made an appearance here.

My poor, ever suffering wife has not killed me...... yet, I think its only a matter of time however as my frustration over my inactivity, lack of sleep (waking up for an 'old mans' 3/4 time a night is not good, think its caused by the swelling) and the lack human contact through the day means my mouth can go into 'Belt fed' mode. She definitely needs a medal and I don't know where I would be without her ever supportive shoulder. I was hoping to be running by the end of this week but it now looks like two weeks away at the earliest.

Shocked to read in the South Wales Evening post about another driver using their vehicle as a weapon against a cyclist. I really do hope an example is made of her when the court reconvenes for sentencing, its only a matter of time before someone looses their life. Suppose this is a good medium for me to ask all my non cyclist friends to have a little bit of patience if they come across one. It shocks me the amount of respect that we give a horse and rider by not a cyclist when we don't take up as much room, we don't leave 'presents' on the road and you can pass us far quicker (Please ensure that your wing mirror is more than 6inches from my elbow please!)

And finally before I dart back to my sickbed, DIETS! I hate this word and am amazed why people set themselves up for a fall by sticking to daft eating regimes. Surely its simple, eat a well balanced and varied diet, carbs are not your enemy, exercise more and ensure that you burn more than you put in.......Simples!

P.S. Did you know that if you click on any of the adverts in this blog I get money? All the money raised will go towards my fundraising total for the RNLI and the only adverts shown should be connected with things I think you will be interested in (Wiggle, Evan Cycles, CRC etc etc)

Inspirational People

Since my last post I have managed to add another 52miles to my training. A day off work on Monday meant I was able to head out on my trusty stead for a 37mile ride with a fellow Celtictri member. My legs felt quite tired  from the previous weeks exploits but I surprised myself by climbing much quicker than I normally do. I even felt reasonably OK by the time I reached the summit. The last 5 mile or so were not great however and as such I took full heed of the message my body was trying to get through to my thick skull and decided upon a rest day on Tuesday.

I find rest days frustrating, even though I felt great I know that a day off was much needed. Normally on these days I like to still go to the gym and have a relaxing swim, Sauna etc etc but as I was away with work this was not possible. Settling for a film about some guy making his own tri suit I was disappointed to learn that Ironman with Robert Downey Jr has nothing to do with triathlon, pretty glad actually as I was starting to think that the dodgy florescent colours witness on many a tri suit in the 80's were making a come back!

So, anyone wondering about my title for this blog? Well first let me tell you about my spinning session tonight. I am willing to wager that every single one of you reading this has gone for a workout and within Ten minutes have wanted to rap it all in. This happened to me today, I just could not get going, legs felt like lead, could not find any music to excite me and lift the moment, it was terrible. I will now refer you back to Monday's ride and the fellow Triathlon Club member who accompanied me.

This is Mike and I after our ride on Monday (I am the good looking one on the left!). Mike has a form of Muscular Dystrophy, he has also signed up for this years Ironman Wales, I have never heard him moan about his condition, he just cracks on and gets on with it. Taking Mike's lead that's what I did today, I put my head down and cracked on.

Mike does not like a fuss, I don't think he is that type of guy, he has kindly give me permission to tell you all about his condition, some of you may be inspired to go for a bike ride this weekend, some the gym, some will don their trainers and hit the roads for a run. I challenge anyone to say they are not inspired at all though.

Cake, flatulence and old man injuries!

Its been a good couple of days for training, a trip to the gym yesterday saw an hour on the spinning machine followed by a half hour run. A total of five Celtictri'ers in there at one stage meant there was no loafing, guaranteed that if I had one of them would have caught me and at the end of the day I would have only been cheating myself.

I have however a little confession and an apology to make. Before I do however a question; have you noticed that when there is a 'bad smell' in the Gym everyone looks at the fattest person within sniffing range? It is now that I should hold my hand up and say that it was I that was responsible for the foul smell. I was having such a good run that I did not want to stop, get off and go to the toilet and thought that no one would notice a sneaky 'love puff'. So, if you are over weight and were in the gym yesterday with loads of people looking at you in disgust, I am sorry :-/

Today's run with Paul my brother-in-law was a bag of mixed emotions. I have a circulatory problem in my legs and am due to go under the surgeons knife on the 28th February to rectify. The Nike running tights I have are a bit too tight around the ankles if the zip is pulled tight. This strangulation caused my left 'Cankle' to swell and the first corner I went around I experienced a sharp pain in that area and had to pull up. Leaving my running partner continue with his run I turned for home but after 100m of walking the pain subsided and I was able to run again. Like a game of Fox and Hounds I ran like the clappers (for me anyway!) for a mile and a half in a bid to catch up with Paul. I had him in my sights after Ten minutes but my lungs could not continue, the good ideas club held a quick meeting inside my head and decided I should take a short cut in a bid to meet him.

In hindsight the boggy field was not such a great idea and the 200 meter sprint through the Gipsy camp even less of one. I don't suppose its often that a middle aged, slightly overweight.........ok, ok, heavily overweight man in Lycra runs though Gipsy camp and the look of one female inhabitant suggested I could expect to have cats and curses hurled at me at any minute. It did however get my heart rate up and keep my pace at a high threshold. Just over 4 miles with a average pace of 9m 30s per mile, no pain in my knee and no back pain = Happy bunny.

Never been a big fan of cake, always preferred to eat takeaway as a treat after a good workout but I realise that this is wrong. Mothers home made fruit cake topped with almonds was just the boy after today's run, washed down with a strong coffee, problem is trying to stop my youngest son from eating it all.

Not lost any weight this week, can't say that I am depressed though as it is the first time in 7 weeks that I have not (Taking protein in the form of KFC and eating half my body weight in Chinese does not help). My logic is that if you lose weight every week then the body will suffer, after all, we all need something bad in our lives to keep us going, life would be pretty boring otherwise eh!

Well the 30 mile ride went right out of the window within 5 minutes of meeting the mad South African that is Wayne. I almost doubled the distance that I wanted to do but I am really pleased with how it went.

As a fat bloke its always quite scary cycling with guys that are really good at it. The minute a hill appears I normally struggle but the weight that I have lost coupled with amount of spinning I have been doing in the last couple of months paid off today.

Todays ride profile

I am also happy with my average speed even though busy streets at times slowed our pace. I must thank Wayne for the tips as we went around, I wont however thank him for my aching legs tonight........

is Chinese food good for recovery?

Ticking over

Right, hopefully the first of many posts. Hope you will enjoy my blog, I will endevour to inject some humour along the way.

Off out on the bike for a 35 miler, from Swansea to Glynneath, up over the inter valley road and back home. Weather is not great and its the first time I will be using my SPD pedals rather than my Looks.