monkey

just over week back in the uk now, and fortunatly it has taken that long for the weather to sort itself out and resume it's proper, wet grey british behaviour! Up until yesterday it has been glorious glorious in a cold way, of course - but really only 2 pairs of socks + over-shoes cold. I'm joking to all my friends here that have been complaining about how terribly cold and icy the winter has been that it doesn't seem so bad to me, but the shocking state of the roads is evodence enough that it has been very harsh. twice i have punctred trying to leap pot-holes bigger than a bike length and the lotte's brand-new Claud Butler training bike that Lotte is loaning me has certainly been throuh the rattle test! She picked it up on friday evening ( teh day that i returned) and kindly offered it to me to ride for teh week. It's kinda heavy, 7 speed, but a bit more versatile than my fixie for social riding. Its done +500miles with me since then - reckon its already due for the '6-week tune up' that Evans offer!

i've really enjoyed being back in london - as usual it's all go trying to catch-up with as many people as possible - friends, teh tri club, massage and chiro appointments, interviews and meeting up with a couple of new athletes that i've been coaching . Training does tend to be a bit random during these periods - partially through access to facilies, but mostly that these engagemnets take priority before i dissapear to the peace and quite of somerset and it can be difficut to fit everything in .That said, many of my friends train in london, before of after work hours, so i get to kill two birds with the same stone :o) It is really refereshing to train with these guys again -in paticular its great to get out and ride with Gabriel - so competative, but charming with it, he is always up for a hard ride. And to swim with stephen T - same thing the guy is fit and super keen. For runing motivation i have my sister Lotte is in great running shape and we had a great cruise inteval session thursady lunchtime - she was certainly pushing me (and i her) and it was quite interesting that during those LT efforts, we found our stride, breathing and even heartrate (yes, really) fell into sync.

The week has been slightly marred by putting my opposing thumb out of action having used it to stop a car on monday night. david bro' kindly pointed out that i had reverted to a more lowly primate status as he whatched me struggling to chop onions single handed, before reverting to just eating the whole damn thing in one lump. and now i understand why monkeys dont wear cloths with zip fastenings...and never hasten to assist with punture repairs, either! As i rolled over the bonnet of her car, the season ahead of me flashed through my mind. 'shit. how long am i gonna be in plaster because of this???' i was asking myself - am i writing off lanzarote?... and 'why has she got so many cushions in the car ? - no wonder she cant f*ckin' see where she' going!!' (i think it was probably her airbag, on reflection!). luckily i landed on a rucksack full of dirty kit ....and that thumb took the full load. swimming, riding and gym with sore and rigid thumb is pretty ridiculous, but i gave it a go and it wasn't so bad - jsut easy swims and use the fixed (trying to avoid pot holes) fortunatly i'm pretty sure it is not broken because its feeling better each day and hasn't hampered me as much as i'd feared it would.

so, with 50 (!!! - i just added that up. oh my god) hours of training in the last 7 day period, kipping on a sofa plus a good deal of early mornings/late evenings and rushing about town in between...i'm pretty shelled and looking forward to getting outta this crazy city!!

I know it woudl be nice to spend a little longer here and ctahcup properly with more folk, but at the same time the chaotic nature is unsustainable whilst trying to train through - usually i visit during periods of post race down time and can relax a little more- and the 'freshness' of training with these guys again would soon wear off.

AND i cant wait to get to mum's because she has my new QR bike and a whole stash of Powerbar goodies waiting for me there.