Innertubes in the pool!

After getting my legs back from feeling like they were made of lead, again they may as well have been today! Put an innertube around my ankles and swim - 'band only' and I quickly sink! Another of those 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger'!!! What I was saying a few weeks ago on some long wet and some days very windy rides! Always smiling though :-)

and here's a pic of my pride and joy!

still working on my other pride and joy... to be! my bike! will post some photos when sorted...

I love driving in my car! :-)

Back at home in the UK and the first job to get ticked off my ‘to do’ list was to wash my car! My pride and joy! Puts a smile on my face every little outing :-) and even more so with the first few drives of the year with the roof down – Happy days!!! My brother’s dog loves it too! Someone suggested this morning ‘he needs a flat cap’!

So, i’d planned a swim/run focus for this 2 weeks of being at home, good job i think! My first swim session with my home squad and wow! my legs were like lead! All that great biking in the Spanish mountains for the last 4 weeks was sinking in and that was pretty much what I was doing in the pool – sinking!!! A few more sessions and by the end of the week, i’m feeling a lot more myself again! Running wise again, my legs were feeling pretty heavy and sore – if only I could give as good massage to myself as I can to other people, I reckon that would help me a lot! It didn’t hurt me yesterday though, I managed to find my legs for a local 10mile cross country race and finish 3rd with a big smile on my face all the way (well maybe not all the way round, but I was smiling from within!). A great mix of muddy mud, hills and rivers to run through made for a great fun race. And the sun was shining, so happy days! :-)

Q... Where are the Andes?...

A... On the end of your Armies!!!!! :-) :-) :-)

Where am I and what am I up to now?!!!

Well, its about time I start my blog and so for my friends and family and those who are just interested to hear what I'm up to, where I'm at, here's a place to check me out! I'll try to keep you updated regularly and hopefully keep you interested in hearing from me!...

So, I'm in (not so sunny) Spain right now and even though the sun hasn't shined on us here too much as yet this year, i'm loving every minute! I'm based in a little village not too far from Malaga, working for some great friends Andy and Tracey who run Idlebreaks, a swim, bike, run, relax training camp venue - take a look at www.idlebreaks.com for more info... I'm getting to ride my bike and live the outdoor life i've always dreamed of and earn some pennies at the same time, Happy days!!!

Cycling around here is awesome, I don't think i'll ever be bored of the rides, running too, i'm discovering more and more off road tracks leading into the mountains, around the olive groves etc, i really am in my element.

I've been out here since the beginning of February and time has been flying by. We have had two 9 day camps come and go already, i've met some great people in this time and now we are about to start over with the new camp of cyclists that arrived today.

Training wise for me, I've been really keen to just get the miles in my legs, particularly on the bike. My winter hadn't been ideal until coming out here, much like a lot of people being hit with snow etc and for a few other reasons I really hadn't been able to train as much as i'd liked. I did get a good swim block in before heading over, so another reason to get some good miles in on the bike for now. I have to head back to the UK for a few weeks soon so that will probably be a good swim/run block again and then when I get back here at the begining of April I plan to really get myself into some properly structured training (with the help and guidance and possible reigning in from my good friend and coach David). For now though, i'm just getting good miles in and as I say, loving every minute! :-)

So thats a little update for now, i'll be back soon and may even attempt to post photos as and when too!...