With sadness and regret

Well after downloading the suggested training plan from the Guernsey Tri club, I've spent a lot of time thinking about where I am, and what I need to do, and I've had to make a very hard and difficult choice, it is therefore with much sadness and regret that I must apologise to everyone who is supporting the 40 / 40 challenge and inform you that I have made the difficult decision to abandon the suggested plan and do it my own way! Oh come on, you honestly didn't think I'd dump this? This is the one which spawned the 40 / 40 and this (and the castle swim) are probably the only one's I'm taking seriously everything else is fun. I am following the plan to a degree but modified in such a way so that I can train for the Triathlon, continue the strength work, carry on climbing and fit in Kayak pool training as well. Shall we just say the next 8 weeks are going to be "tri"-ing (did you see what I did there, did you, did you?).

Quick update

Although the Mud run left me with a stinking cold, the good news is........the total for Cancer Research currently sits at £155. Thanks to everyone who has donated.

I also downloaded the "suggested" training schedule for the Triathlon for the Guernsey Tri Club and putting it bluntly I'm screwed!! Oh well the challenge must go on.

Mud 'n' Fun Run

Well yesterday (13th) was the day of the Mud 'n' Fun run. So off I trotted at 1330 upto the start, not knowing what to expect. When I got there I was amazed, so many people had turned up to run (the highest number I saw was 523), many in fancy dress, there were at least 2 "wedding" parties there, complete with wedding dress and suits. Anyway, whilst waiting for the start it started to snow, but only for a few moments but enough to start thinking why am I doing this? :-)
1400 the hooter was set off and away we went. 1st obstacle nothing special, just a jump down and over a small stream. Looking back it was quite funny as nearly everyone was trying not to get wet! Over the stream across the field then bang.. a nice 2 minute stroll through another stream, not to bad the water was only ankle deep! Across a road, through a few more fields (each getting progressively deeper with mud), then the next thing I can remember is the "reed beds", started off OK the water / mud / cow field run off was about mid calf-on me, until we hit the bend. Bearing in mind I'm 6'4" the water / mud / cow field run off was just below my waist and we had this for about 5 minutes! After that things just got worse! More fields, hill climbs, mud, water it was relentless just has you got warm again after leaving one stream or pond, you hit another. Cargo nets over to Ivy Castle, mud tunnels to crawl through, then the "deep" one. The water over to the wall of Ivy Castle, remember I'm 6'4" tall the water was freezing cold and well over my waist, I did see some people who could hardly stand up in it! Out of the water and scramble up the side of the castle, then onto the "swamp trek" again knee deep water / mud, but having to climb over tree stumps, duck under branches, round bends, the floor was uneven and a couple of deep holes to catch you out.
After the "swamp trek" across open fields again, then I heard the sweetest thing I'd heard for the past hour, "You're heading back now, only anothe mile left" but that last mile included another couple of streams to wade through and then back onto the rugby club fields. Under the cargo net, then a mud crawl. As I was under the fence on the mud crawl I heard someone say "You need to connect the red one to make it live", I laughed thinking there were just messing around, until I saw the batteries and realised it WAS an electric fence!! Once through the mud crawl, across the tyre run, then into the last 2 water hazards, a couple of skips!! But a great place for a "Kodak" moment. All in all I had a great time and did enjoy myself. Would I do it again? Hell yes, bring on 2011!!

Update

As you will have noticed not much in the way of updates recently, this is primarily due to the fact that there is nothing to report! I really don't think you would be interested to in reading about my training, every day. However next Saturday (13th) is the "Mud n fun" run. So expect some pics soon.

Also a couple more challenges have been added to the list. Still short but still pleanty of time left.

Thanks for stopping by.