oh dear..! Computers take over...

As far as getting round Helvellyn's concerned, this week's been a step in the opposite direction - I've discovered internet dating!! I'm sure the novelty will quickly wear off, which'll be good as I might actually do a bit more training..for a total - whatever the opposite of computer nerd is, I'm now doing a blog and the dating thing - my son is so impressed - though I draw the line at writing 'lol', whatever that means - which he says is essential.

On the plus side:

• did a modified wk 1 of coachAls Tri training off season intermediate-advanced. (not that I'm anywhere near 'advanced' or even 'intermediate', but the blurb advised this one if you were training for longer events..) Sussing how it best fits into my routines - eg I really like running in Thrunton Woods on Sunday afternoons, whilst my older son mountain bikes - so I try and make that one of Coach Als longer run days - so , all the days get switched round.
  

• I eventually got a borrowed turbo trainer to work better - realised the back wheel wasn't up tight enough against the spinny thing - so the wheels went round more evenly and made a nicer sound..quite useful really, since I'm trying to learn to pedal the whole circle evenly! Quite enjoyed my first proper turbo session after that..though needs a ton of work!

• made a decision not to carry on with our tri clubs spin bike sessions for now - doesn't really fit in with the plan for now as not enough on pedalling technique, which I can do better at home on my own bike - might be useful in the new year? eg for hills..not sure - don't know enough about spin biking ..Also, I was going out too many evenings, and my youngest was getting understandably cross..

• starting to think a bit more about nutrition again, having had a few weeks off! Doesn't help having a new supermarket, with a cafe, handily placed on route home from dropping son at school - cappucinno and cream cakes way too tempting! Am back to muesli with chopped apple and raspberries for breakfast - rather than sugary rubbish; and toast, salad and one of hummous/egg/tinned salmon/ham - for lunch. Hate the thought of trying a 'Fat loss week' again! (as in CycloFuel programme) - have tried a couple of times - useful for trying to cut sugar addiction, but haven't actually managed to lose weight on it..have gradually lost weight over last two years though, and it's good for encouraging/motivating healthier eating style - so that's the main thing. ps how do you know what weight you should be?
  

• useful hour of enforced stroke-counting drills at tri-club pool training!! Did feel smoother after though.

• liked new trail shoes - salamon XA pro 3D gortex-lined - got them as they were only ones I could find with support for over-pronators - though I could've got a non-gortex version! But I do spend alot of time up to my ankles in mud, so might help avoid blisters..that's my excuse for spending extra anyway!
  

Downers:

• runner-core dvd hasn't arrived yet - s'pose it does have to come from USA..maybe I was supposed to download it - hope not - like the 'official' DVDs better - I obey them more - they seem more in charge!
  

• my swimming seems to improve so much more slowly than everyone around me! Must remember where I started from. Having moaned about it, I haven't actually been putting in regular time at the pool for a few months, as my aim was to manage 1500m open water - which I did - hooray! And I'm not doing pool-based events next year, apart from maybe one early on (just to compare times to last year) - so don't have to worry about not being able to turn at the end of lengths.

• periods - does anyone else stop running during their periods? I seem very prone to muscle problems at this time, so just stop.

• thinking about how I'm ever going to manage to get a bike that'll go up 1:4 hills - apart from the whole technical side of bikes being daunting, so is the cost - was originally going to go for it in Sept gone - but Kielder tri cost loads by time I'd camped, hired a bike for 2 days (it was a mountain bike event), paid petrol, and of course the fees..and I was told that new wetsuits are most cheaply got in Sept, so got one. Maybe after Xmas...
  

Ha ha..

• coach Al, in the Tri training plan, states that triathletes should be running about 85-95 strides a minute - I counted mine to realise with horror that I was doing 160+. I knew my legs were short, but... however - I have just re-read this, and was only s'posed to be counting how many times one leg strikes the ground. I'll have to count again now...

• umm - trying to answer phone when on turbo trainer! - My feet get stuck..not as funny as before I had the clipless bike shoes and I tried tying my feet to the pedals though...

• chatted to a few triathletes in the course of newly discovered internet dating!! One was even doing the same events next year