week 39

"if you can get through this week without crashing then i think you'll have a good season", says scott last weekend - i wasn't sure what he meant at first; why is THIS week significant? think i get it now. I'd planned a few fun, social events into my calendar and Scot didn't want to compromise too much on the work that he'd set to accommodate them.

so, week the week went like this:

monday - solo ride from london to taunton. 160 miles 10.5hr with 2 hrs total stoppage time (3 x 'meal' stops, 3 x pee stop, 2 x garage/pub water fill, 2 or 3 map checks and all the traffic light/junctions along the way)
tuesday - easy day with heavy 2hr gym and 20 min jog each way to /from gym late in the day
wed - 12mi run incl. 6 x 1 mile reps on track. 5km swim . train back to london
thursday- midsummer regents park night ride - 100 miles around regents park starting at 1:30 am. average pace 21mph - though i was on a wheel for virtually all of this, and took an easy lap every 90 min or so. the boys rode 100 miles in 4:45 - my time for the ton was 5hr. 3km easy swim, then 4km leg of the London Bridges Relay that evening. With 3hrs sleep in 24 hrs i'm feeling pretty mashed by the end of the day.
fri am - hard club swim ( aided by Lidl 'stimulation' drink) main set was 6 x 4 x 100m reducing, we were knocking out 1:24's ! couldn't believe it. pm: Gym - upping the load, but lasted about 45 min before the desire to sit in the sun and drink beer overcame me.
sat - with hangover! 4hr hard ride, hanging on Gabriel's wheel ( again) in Surrey. 30 min run off bike with 2 km at LT
sun - Bishop' s Stortford 10 mile multi-terrain race. felt like death barely even warmed up for this, but was surprised to find myself running at good pace. Won in 68 min - not blistering time for 10 miles, but a hot day and hilly off road course certainly gave me a workout! suffered for the rest of the day from the heat ( its about 28 degrees and stuffy).

However, I'm not quite sure if i qualify as having survived it, having cut that gym session and my scheduled swim today (sunday) due to combination of bad timing, heat/dehydration induced headaches and no desire to move more than necessary!

the telling will be how next week goes, i guess. Either way i believe that its necessary to have a bit of fun and challenge yourself with a mission every now an then, to keep the motivation up.