All 8 entries tagged Triathlon

Christmas gift ideas

Whispers.... minutes are ticking down for the year and we've reached December.... it must be nearly Christmas *boing* :) I can tell because the lovely family want me to produce a Christmas wish list... well they probably used the term "ideas for presents" but thought that was left wide open for creative interpretation ;-)

It's a bit of a work in progess but I'm sure it will be fun updating it!

Catherine Fenn : 01 Dec 2011 17:00 |  Tags: Christmas Cycling Fun Gifts Home Running Triathlon |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

2008

the year i discovered…

Anything is possible

found my challenge… UK Ironman... went for it… did it :o)

Had amazing support from family and friends, met so many fabulous new people on my journey and climbed a spectacularly steep learning curve… thanks to FETCH also managed to clock training miles along the way… totals for the year stand as follows:

• swimming (pool and open water) 98
• cycling (road and MTBing) 3521
• running (road/xc/fell) 570

So as someone who spent 2008 doing MORE stuff… especially eating lots to fuel the exercise!? this is my plea to anyone out there contemplating new year resolutions…

don’t resolve to give up stuff… instead resolve to do MORE good stuff :o)

Wishing everyone a fabulous and fun 2009! xx

Catherine Fenn : 31 Dec 2008 20:53 |  Tags: Life Sport Triathlon |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

…28 days later

Follow-up to Epic – part 3 from Cath's Blog

Not sure ‘what happens after’ bit really occured to me… focused for so long on the BIG day and now it’s done…

...recovery started with me bouncing around on a crazy mad high rush of adrenalin * boing * * boing * * boing *

...then after several days noticed a niggling pain in my left knee which turned into a big ouch! when I hopped back on the bike to commute to work << deep sigh >> so forced to use motor to get to work – yuk :(

...on the plus side am keeping up swimming sessions with tri club a couple of times a week, going out with running club once a week and riding the nag most days so it’s not total down time!

Had hoped to run Kenilworth half this morning but put my ‘sensible hat’ on for a change and spectated instead :o)

Godiva half in a couple of weeks, entered, so will just have to see how my legs feel on the day!?

Catherine Fenn : 05 Oct 2008 23:51 |  Tags: 2008 Ironman Life Sport Triathlon |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Epic – part 3

Follow-up to Epic – part 2 from Cath's Blog

Plod…

...after pause for piccie taking as i move into transition… more smiley volunteers… this time dressed in cadet uniforms… joke with them that they should be competing instead of standing on the sidelines!! :o) they kindly take my bike to the racks and i head on to collect my bag of running kit…

...so back in the little chamber that is ‘ladies changing’... peel off the layers of bike kit and pull on my run kit, touch more vaseline and talc, bike bits stuffed into bag… step out into main area of tent… touch bewildered by where to go next head towards edge of tent, daylight and another lovely smiley volunteer… fairly sure I muttered something appreciative (probably quite incomprehesible) as I handed over the bag and was guided out to start the run…

OK… errrrrr… run… yep… 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike both done and dusted… just small matter of another 26.2 mile by foot to go… a picture can sometimes paint a thousand words… LOL

Run course is 3 laps of ‘undulating’ terrain, a mix of grass, gravel track & Sherbourne town centre streets… have a sort of game plan for walking through each aid station… although reaching unknown territory here as it’s nearly 10 hours since entering the cold dark waters of the lake and have never asked/demanded anything like this of my body (or mind) before so just want to get it home within the 17 hour cut off… without destroying myself… knowing that my parents are standing in the town centre and I must look OK when I pass them on all 3 laps!?

lap 1… first mile or so undulating on grass with sponge/water point not far in… then onto gravel track uphill before turning down over cattle grid (covered by mats!) then up and over a hump backed bridge and a bit of a climb up to feed station… keep jogging on down long drag along the edge of woods to the back gates and another feed station at turn around point… should mention at this point that feed stations have odd mix water, gatorade, flat pepsi, gels, banannas and pretzels!? ...decide to stick to water, pepsi & pretzels …at this point feel the need for sugar, caffine and salt!? :p …long drag back down same stretch until reaching sharp right turn down quite steep bit of gravel track that then levels out to go around back wall of the castle grounds… not easy on the feet and this is only lap 1! ...finally emerge into crowds again ready to head out of the castle grounds towards the town… loads more supporters along this stretch and get the full benefit of having my name writ accross my front * grin *

to be continued… (got a bit more to fill in here when i get time!!!)

Facts and Figures

Overall Position 934
Gdr Pos 88
Cat Pos 17
Swim 1:14:11
T1 14:22
Bike 7:54:48
T2 9:55
Run 4:45:16
Total: 14:18:30

Catherine Fenn : 18 Sep 2008 22:49 |  Tags: 2008 Ironman Life Sport Triathlon |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Epic – part 2

Follow-up to Epic – part 1 from Cath's Blog

Wobble?

08:00 (ish) take my first steps away from the water… daylight now although weather not looking great…i breath slowly and evenly adjusting to getting vertical again… take it easy as i wander up to transition tent… with many many hours and miles to go couldn’t see any point in rushing….. almost surprised when several guys run past… guess, unlike me, they were going for a time!!! LOL

...at transition lots more shiney smiley volunteers to help with bags etc. :o) took my kit bag into the changing tent… greeted by naked male flesh in every line of vision…. duck through to female changing area (compact screened off bit) pull off wetsuit/swimsuit, dry off/rub warm as much as possible… pull on full bike gear – shorts, top, zip top, arm warmers, waterproof, helmet, mitts, socks and shoes… bit of vaseline and talc strategically placed for comfort… then packed swim gear into bag ready to hand to yet another smiley volunteer before heading off towards the bike racks…

Unhook my Trek 2.1 from the rack… pat the saddle and jog a little to shake my legs out on the way to the road… jog on and swing onto the bike… nothing flash just keeping the forward motion… surprised by some of the rather clumsy attempts being make by those around me!?!?

Select easy gear to spin into action… course starts with a slight rise and then quickly turns into a bit of a climb… keep to steady spin and start getting some water down me… gotta get hydrated with legs comfy… going to be a long ride… going down through villages and past pubs great to have enthusiastic supporters smiling and cheering… reaching first proper climb tuck in and spin easy gear feeling very strong… have to remind myself to ease off… must mention the lady stood at top of one of the lesser hills stood holding a bright yellow cushion with a smiley face on grin.... lots of really fabulous smiley people (lots of children too) at feed station…. take on more water… now start to get some food stuff down me too… stomach seems to be coping…. reach turn at bottom end of course and a short sharp climb… gradient eases but the side wind kicks in… weather really damp, cold and miserable :( need the arms warmers and waterproof… next some serious long climbs… easy gears and spin… feeling strong but really not wanting to push it… long way to go… of course what goes up….. goes down….. WOW now i had been briefed on the downhill bit but WOW tucked down took hands away from brakes and let rip… max speed 42.6mph wooooohooooo… still got overtaken by a couple of big guys on rather smart looking bikes, close proximity scary enough in itself at those speeds!?

Still buzzin from the downhill turn out to tackle the far section of the course, some narrow lanes another feed station and more climbs… great supporters roadside… had top grin at the alpine sounding bells on some of the steeper sections… few more twists, turns, ups, downs….

onto lap 2…. keeping steady still so getting overtaken quite a lot… but hill climbing still strong… keeping up regular eating and drinking… reward myself with comfort break at next feed station (the one with lots of children) ...lush… head onwards and upwards…. rewarded again by the zip downhill wooooooohooooo ….onwards up, down , twist, turn… starting to feel the effort a bit now… spirits lifted by the sight of Bella (lead lady) overtaking me in a flash of pink towards end of 2nd lap… 2 reasons for this, 1. she was making the guy on her tail work! 2. it meant that only a very small handful in the field had managed to lap steady old me!?

onto lap 3… still keeping steady uptake of food and water…. climbs starting to feel like work even in easy gear… still overtaking some peeps on the uphills though :o) pass the lady with the smiley cushion for the last time grin ...take another comfort break at feed station and really need the stretch… head onwards and upwards… really feeling the big climb this time… kept going by the reward of the final zip downhill… woooooohooooooo grin ...dig in for the final 20 miles… seems like so much further… field has really thinned out now… still some lovely supporters roadside… try to keep a couple of guys up ahead in my sights which comes in handy when reaching then turn back to castle… could soooo easily have missed that and started on a 4th lap !?!?!?!

... heading down to the castle take on more water, breath deep, soooo tired… pretty close to tears… the gates come into sight… ease of the spin… unclip from pedals… swing leg and jog gently down to walk… oooooooooooo aaaahhhhhh… 112 miles done and dusted grin

Catherine Fenn : 13 Sep 2008 23:31 |  Tags: 2008 Ironman Life Sport Triathlon |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem