MY
TRIATHLON
D
DAY: Friday 10th June
7am up lots of butterflies in my tummy, down stairs for porridge
BIG bowl, check bag with change of clothes and swimming gear, Ali is going to
look after that till I get there for swim, then off at 8am to drop bag off at
leisure centre.
Bike checked packed with water, snack bars and sweets.
Graham has to go and pick up Martin from Station, so on my
own, now I really want to get going but have half hours to wait as I can’t swim
till 11.45 as swimming lessons in pool till then.
9.10am I’m ready, loo again, Graham home, check list again! Phone,
metre to tell me distance, last text to friends to say I am on my way. Ocean
Stars here we go!
We are off and I am feeling really good, I’m flying, nice
and quiet on the roads, feeling very upbeat,( which was very different from
when I did my canal walk in 2014, the first hour my head was full of though, thinking
about people, that were no longer alive even a bit tearful), but this time I am
buzzing, cruising along and enjoying it, chatting to myself (a bit worrying) I see people thinking “you just think I’m a
middle aged women out for a little bit of exercise” little did they know this
was a woman on a mission. I arrive at a
sort of half way point and look at watch 9.30 wow I’m speeding along, so in my head I am thinking if I get there earlier could I do a bit more,
brave words thinks she.
On I go then we get to cricket hill and I find myself going
DOWN FAST, no cars. “Go for it Sandra”, middle of the road, feet of the peddles
and I am singing out loud “Rains Drop are falling on my head” and grinning from
ear to ear!! Wow watch out missy
remember the next bit it goes up up up, get those peddles going and I zooming
along. Then that long long drag starts, get into that low gear, try not to run
out of gears too soon,(only 5 working) bums off the saddle and legs feeling
strong, then here it is the road from hell and the hill that just keeps going
up and up the road to Alton. Lots of lorries and cars and I keep going and
going, in gear 3 for about 2 minutes and then I find myself on my lowest gear ,
no more gears too help m! The lorries come snugly close to me but love it or
not they have to crawl behind me ,the old bum is off the saddle and the pressure
is on I am determined to show them I can get up this hill without getting off
and I am a women possessed . I hope they can’t hear me as I am really shouting
at myself to get up this hill, “come on you can do it, get those legs going
come on nearly there” I can see the brow of the hill I can feel it getting
easier YES YES, what a relief, ok now get some speed up for the next bit, and I
am there zooming down to off up the high street, along over the canal, now that
brings back memories. I was wet, soaked but I did complete 38 miles in 11 hrs
in the rain so if I can do that, this is a breeze. Today it is cool and the sun
is just breaking through. Still doing good time almost at leisure centre, 1hr
15, yes, check in with Ali, then off I go for the Run. Music in my ear, its day
dream time, and as I walk I eat my banana and snack bar, then I am ready to
run, legs a bit heavy but ok better than I thought, then ooops I need the loo
and not a wee, so can’t run but luckily I have made good time, so call in at
the leisure centre (break loo seat tee hee) then off I go again to finish in
55mins. I am now early. I got 25mins
before I can swim, Ali checks the distant gizmo and says “you have only done 19miles”,my heart
sinks” I told everyone it was a 22mile ride each time”, my face drops, Ali say it’s
ok it doesn’t matter. She tries to convince me that people won’t ask and if
they do they won’t mind, “NO NO I made a promise so I have to do it”, Ali I looks at me and says, “I hear you, so what can we do”, so I know I can
do 90 lengths in and an hour so that
means I can make a mile up, and I did a 4mile run so two of them that’s another mile so I have to make up 2 miles, so
I decide to add a section onto the end of bike ride. I feel happier now.
Ok off for swim, Ali is swimming as well so that’s really
nice that makes me happy, 1hr later and 90 lengths, I am feeling good legs ok and arms not too tired. I change, cover
myself in talc and the clothes go on easier, then like a bullet from the sky: where’s my key to the padlock on my bike,
panic, bag emptied on floor, drop the metre on floor that shows distance, and yes it breaks open, fingers and thumbs,
panic, start looking, see if it’s outside on the bike “Ali I really need you” back to Crèche not in
there I am going crackers, right phone
Graham tell him to come and cut the lock off, Ali outside checking if someone
can cut it in the centre. I look at her
she looks at me then she says to me “ok Sandra as there are no kids in the room
go on you are allowed to say what you want!” (I rarely swear) so I look at her
and out it comes “F######k” she looks at me” feel better?” “Yes” then we look
up and there hanging up on my helmet is the key, we laugh, so wasted 20mins,
time to go.
Run, here we go I am pumped and I run like the wind, only
walk 3 times for the count of 100, then 50 minutes later and I am coming across
the car park and there are 2 angels coming out of the centre they see me and my
heart sings. Big hugs photos chat then off for my swim its now 3.05. Dilanee
and Maureen are on pool side big smiles and off I go, now did the 90 lengths
feeling tired and still positive, Grahams was waiting for me stuffed food in
mouth feeling a wobbly so sit for a couple minutes then off we go 4.25pm, and
the legs really don’t belong to me, so this is now about endurance. Steady
steady but the road is busy, mind is
thinking negative thoughts , tick myself off keep going Sandra, however I did sing down cricket hill, and I
didn’t get of that bike and walk up the long long hill from hell to Alton, slow but steady,
bit of shouting at myself to get up this hill, then this car came so close
serious wobble ,then how the black thoughts creep in, News Flash women knocked
of bike while doing a charity triathlon! Then the positive thoughts flow in,
now in day dreaming mode, reflecting on the fact that as I am doing this people
are sending money to Ocean Stars Trust
“to raise funds for new dormitory for a
small orphanage .
All worthwhile, I think to myself. Off we go did ok now and then I hit the wall
mentally and physically and knees are really hurting and head ache and so so so
saddle sore (on fire is a better word) tee hee.
So the extra two miles are coming up and I so want to just
go home, “no one will know” but I will, so get going Stokes, and I did, pulled
in the drive at 5.15 8hrs 15 mins, the garage door open and Graham the knight
in shining armour waiting......I think he could see the pain on my face and
tiredness, well done, go sit down go sit down and have a drink
<I DID IT>
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