Thoughts before Worthing (think Worthers Originals).

Worthers Originals

I can't remember the name of this race I'm going to next week.  It's not a place I know anything about.  I had to look up where it is.  I might have been once, but can't quite be sure.

I have to think of the delicious childhood sweets, to recall the name of the place.  Sometimes "Worthing" gets a "ton" on the end of it but Worthington is in Leicestershire so I'm not going there... at least I hope I'm not going there as I'm staying in Brighton.

Worthing is the only qualifying race I can make for the Europeans next year - Liverpool having been filled before I was ready to enter and the Ellesmere race clashing with this year's Europeans.  So I have one shot at it.

I haven't put nearly as much specific effort into this race as I did when I qualified last year at Bala.  I've done a lot of running but none of it short and fast.  I've done a lot of cycling now to get ready for Torino Nice - but none of it fast and flat.  I've done a bit of very pleasant swimming but I'm not sure how that will see me perform in the sea swim at Worthing.  All I can hope is I fare better than a few others because I am less prone to wobbles of confidence in the waves and more likely to take anti-sickness pills on the basis that I can feel ill on a flat lake in August.  And the yoga!  Let's not forget the yoga which I've done with reasonable regularity, either in classes or at home / work.

I seem to have a brick wall outside my front and back doors today.  I've dressed like a runner but so far have failed to exit the doors.  Possibly I am too lightly dressed like a runner and need my leggings to combat the wind and rain squalls which seem to be abiding.  According to my records, I last ran on Friday last week - 8 days ago - when I achieved only 6.3 miles per hour and it hurt.  I thought the lunchtime run was back.  It has continued to evade me all of this week and so I will be no faster. I may not even qualify.  There's no excuses about resting up.  I'm just going to be slow, but dammit, I'll do my best.

But what can I say about this year other than it has been an absolute blast?  A mixed bundle of insignificant results.  23rd in the European tri champs, 13th in an Ironman - and last, 11th in a half Ironman which I enjoyed immensely.  

Since the Legend Half, I have been working on my cycling.  For once, my bike ride was the slowest - 58th in the swim, 60th on the bike and 52nd in the run.  With a 700km mountain cycle ride for my holidays I decided it was time to get ready for the mountain bike and have ridden no other bike since.  

So what can I do to give my fitness a kick in the proverbial for next week?  I've been sneakily dreaming of turbo sessions.  Something that many of my team mates are currently celebrating completing prior to their Ironman races.  Me?  I can't bring myself to get on the thing whilst the weather is good.  Something to do with being a bit old school and considering myself a real cyclist who rides to work regardless and is therefore too tired for turbo at the end of the day.  Something to do with having to tidy up the kitchen before I do turbo.  So I wonder if I'll manage it today.  Whilst I'm sitting on the sofa covered in cat at the moment, it doesn't seem likely but with autumnal weather and those walls outside the back door and the womens' Olympic triathlon on the TV, who knows what might happen.