Pages

Saturday 28 April 2012

Eastleigh: The Place to be on a Saturday Morning

This morning was a little (and very necessary) reminder for me that it doesn't always have to be about pace, effort, distance, "miles in the legs", average heart-rate or getting in the top ten.

I managed to gather a car-full of friends to go and check out the newly opened swimming spot at Lakeside Country Park, in Eastleigh. I used to swim there regularly in 2010 but sadly it wasn't opened up last year so I was very pleased to hear that it was back open for business. If anybody wasn't entirely sure (and some weren't), the idea of following it up with a recce of the new Eastleigh Parkrun course had them convinced.

Thursday 26 April 2012

A Training Lull

I am always very amused when I sit down after a big race or event to write a blog. When I’m relaxing on the sofa in my slippers with a cup of something (chocolatey and) warm and a (large) plate of something (chocolatey and very) naughty I struggle to even remember the myriad of emotions I’ve been through.

Sunday 22 April 2012

The Inaugral Exmoor Beauty

Whilst 38,000 runners headed into the Big Smoke and readied themselves for a very long, crowded marathon around London, about 800 cyclists headed to deepest Exmoor for a new event on the cyclosportive calendar. In fact, possibly the most poorly named sportive ever: The Exmoor Beauty. Deep down I knew it would be hilly; there isn't a flat way through any part of Exmoor, but I thought, and hoped that this contrasting event to the very aptly named Exmoor Beast might just be a little easier. How wrong I was.

Wednesday 4 April 2012

Early Season Swim

Wetsuit: Check

Five swimming caps: Check

Neoprene socks and gloves: Check

Large, steaming flask of hot chocolate: Check

Quick questioning to self: Do you definitely want to do this? Check

Monday 2 April 2012

Lazy or Normal?

Busted having another afternoon nap in
the Chair of Recovery
It's been a funny few weeks. The training weekend in Exmoor a few weeks ago was tough going but, whilst we trained very hard, we also rested hard too.

A seriously comfortable, oversized armchair became "the chair of recovery" and I subscribed to daily post-training power naps where I'd usually be sneaking to the gym for an extra strength session.

A lovely, long weekend away in a very sunny Dartmoor followed and was a welcome break from the usual routine. Whilst it was an active holiday with a spot of cycling and a lot of walking up hills, I felt enormously relaxed and physically recharged.