I think I'm falling...

Since Upton Tri I have been enjoying a period of 'free training' ie not yet started my new structured program. That was until... I fell. Yep, head over heels, ar$e over t!t, ...Call it what you like. All morning I was thinking about my run, when can I squeeze it in? Mondays are busy. 1pm I get up the Malvern's, one of my favourite routes, around north hill, up to the top of the Beacon, back down.. It's around 45 mins. I decided to run my route in reverse, never done this one  that way round  before.
Top of the beacon.. There's always someone else there! Always! A family taking photos and enjoying the view, they laugh when I just touch the top and immediately start running back down! ( if you don't touch the viewfinder on the top then you haven't been to the top - but I'm not obsessive).  I'm feeling invincible and nimble with my 'Brooks Pure Grits' on my feet, the tiniest shorts I own and my tri club über lightweight vest. It's a good day. Nearing the end of the run I remember thinking 'hmm, I'd forgotten north hill had quite a steep descent towards the car park' I'm also loving the dappled patterns the trees make on such a beautiful sunny day, and then how you run out of the tree covered area into the bright sunshine and it's difficult to see!... Wow I'm flying down here today, just around the corner on this bend an I'm back at the car park, what shall I eat when I get in? Something quick as I've got shopping to do, then I will be off to work, then I .....'TRIP! Thud, skid.' Noooooo! I soared through the air, and landed on the left side of my body. It hurt. I got up, phew, no one saw me, my hands hurt. I look down at my grazed hands but then 'whaa' what's all that blood down my legs, on my clothes? My elbow hurts. I lifted my arm and saw what appeared to be a huge skin flap hanging off my elbow with blood pumping from it. I stopped running, turned off my Garmin (I'm really not obsessive) and realised I had to stop the flow. I held the flap in place and blood oozes through my fingers for a while. It soon settled and I rang Ron.. 'I've fallen on the hills, I'm covered in blood, I'm going straight to the hospital' is all I could say. Even over the phone in a moment of panic he took control of the situation #myhero. I drove to the hospital, (how?) it was only 5 mins away. Ron was coming to meet me there, which he did. I ran in, was seen immediately! Guess they didn't want my blood contaminating the other patients. Or possibly it was my tiny shorts. Or maybe the fact that I was filthy. Blood, sweat, grit, and probably something that rhymes with grit. From sheep. And dogs.  'You're going to have to shower her' is what I heard. The nurse had to evacuate the unused shower cubicle of all the spare wheel chairs. She cut off my sports bra. She showered me. Oh god. She's crouching down washing the back of my legs 'I'm so sorry sob sob' I blubbed. 'As long as you don't break wind while I'm down here we'll be fine' says the comedienne.. Sorry, nurse. 'Don't make me laugh whilst I'm crying' says me! She dries me off and dresses me in one of the NHS' backless robes. No knickers. Puts me in a wheel chair. I need an X-ray. Here come the shakes. And my feet take on a dance routine of their own that Michael Flatley would be proud of. Hmm, maybe I could teach Zumba after all... Clearly delirious too.    Ron has been home to get me clean clothes, a floral dress and knickers! Hooray. 'Please can I put my pants on?' Ron can do that for you, says the nurse, I look at a confused Ron. ....... 'put them ON you? this feels so wrong'. What is this, comedy hour at Malvern hospital?  X-ray done, no broken elbow, phew but stitches needed..I shall spare the gory details on how the nurse had to clean under the 'birds mouth' flap of skin on my elbow, and how the student nurse helping her was loving every second of removing most of north hill from under the wounds on my hands and knee.  Antibiotics prescribed as there was a very high risk of infection.  I thought I would be teaching exercise classes that night!  Haha! Now I'm the joker. This knocked me for 6. Delayed reaction over the next few days had me falling asleep. Aching all over. The odd little cry. But I was lucky. This could've been so much worse. Yes, I felt like I had been kicked by a horse, yes I have a very sore stitched up elbow. But, it will heal, nothing's broken, no one died. A couple of days in and I get the dressings changed. A couple of days after that and my hand and arm are very swollen. Another visit to minor injuries and the dressings changed again. The nurse also changes my antibiotics and gives me a sling. I thought I would be running again Monday. I'm not used to this, resting and giving the body time to heal. Time. Ron was telling me this from day one. I should've listened. I was naive. I won't be starting my new schedule yet or running on Monday, but if I rest now, my body will heal, and I will run and bike and spin and pump strong again.
Lessons I have learned....Concentrate to the absolute end of the run., especially looking out for tree routes and raised stones.  I am not invincible.  Listen to others when they tell you its going to take time,  not only for the wound but the whole body, to heal and recover after a hefty fall, rest is the only cure. There is no point in trying to train a body that is trying to repair itself. Got out of doing the washing up though....result.

Upton upon Severn Sprint Triathlon.

This event is very local to me, so, it has to be done, even if only once! Lots from my Tri club (Malvern Triathlon Club) were doing either the Sprint or Standard distance. Along with many other locals who fancy it as a one off or as part of a works relay etc.
Sprint..750m River swim, 23k Bike, 5k Run. Standard 1500 river swim then 2 laps of the bike/run.
This race sells out very quickly. Entries usually open on the 1st January, and its a bit of a mad rush to get a place. At the time it seemed a great idea to do a local event. I was forgetting about the river swim the day I entered. #iwillbefine.
Since Pontevedra I have eased back a little on training, feeling the need for a little easier time,  with the hope of picking things up again after Upton in preparation for trying out some qualifying events for standard distance duathlon later in October.
So, 'do this for fun' 'do it because the tri club are doing it', 'just go out there and enjoy it'....I said all this to myself over and over,...and I believed it! #Joke.
The morning of the race the nerves set in...7, yes 7 visits to the bathroom!! thank god it was an afternoon race as this took some time! Thank god I bought a 2 piece club tri suit and not an all in one ;-)
So, clearly I was now taking this thing seriously.  Registration, racking, briefing, all done. Just the small matter of 750m swimming in the river severn and I will be fine.
Swim Oh god, I hated it. The water was not cold, not too murky, no weed. SARA were there for emergencies. I tried to stay close to the middle hoping that the current would take me, as promised by everyone from the tri club who I am now going to sue, the water level was quite low and the current slow flowing. I soon moved towards the back of the pack and somehow kept drifting to the bank. 'Where's the bridge?' I knew we would be hauled out by burly men just before the bridge, 'where's the bridge'. At last, 'there's the bridge' how can I swim to it? Front crawl, breast stroke, on the back of Keith the seal,? (You need to be a local for that one) please get me there. There seemed to be no other point of reference on this swim other than the bridge. The river bank seemed to look the same all the way. Sigh, I knew I was going to hate it. I felt really dejected, tired, heavy, daunted. Exhausted already. Please burly men GET ME OUT I WANT TO RIDE MY BIKE AND I WANT TO RIDE IT NOW #unleashme.
Bike, I had recced this route the week before at pace so I knew what to expect. It's great. TT bars most of the way with some long flatish sections on quiet B roads. A fast A road for a bit and a cat 4 climb for about half a mile.  I flew, fastest female bike split for the sprint. I loved it, great to see Malvern tri member Steve on his second lap of the standard, I think we boosted each other on.  A long transition to the run.
Run. Farm tracks and stony paths, flat.Traffic free. Two water stations.
The finish is one of those where you can see the finish gantry, but you have to run up and around a cone before you can double back to it.....oooof! 'They think it's all over'...it is........not quite yet, hang on ...Now!
I finished Second lady, 1st in age. Brilliant. I was totally exhausted. Today was hot. The river swim was hard, I hammered the bike, I gave what was left on the run. ......'Just go and enjoy it'....Huh, who said that?
Finish photo.

Malvern tri did exceptionally well, with prizes picked up for 'First female novice' in the standard and 3 second in agegroup. Well done Anne-Marie, Lesley, Lisa and George.
This is a great event. Organisation, marshalls, camping, after food and party, atmosphere. They nail it. I highly recommend it, but be quick ! Entries open 1st of January. 

Southport marine lake

Ok, so I entered this some time ago with the intention to qualify for the sprint distance European triathlon 2015 which is to be held in Geneva. However, my ability to swim in open water, um, actually my ability to swim.. .was not as good as I would like it to be. As a kind person told me, I try to use brute force over technique when I swim! This, gets me nowhere fast and I end up exhausted. But, the lake was warm and shallow so I went ahead with the race but had decided not to register my intent to qualify with the BTF. Pressure off. I swam probably just about as well as I could. Well, I wasn't last out of the water, Trying to leave the brute force behind me.

The bike route needed no recce'ing, it was flat, fast and along the sea front. Sounds like a TT dream, great, which it was, but a real grind trying to keep concentration and maintain a strong pace on a route with no turns or undulations. First time I have encountered this on a bike course.

The run was a lap of the lake. Again, first time I have seen 5k stretched out before me, what a long way it looked, how the hell am I going to run that in 20 mins? I biked well, I ran well, I finished third in age...I would've qualified.

Southport marine lake triathlon organised extremely well by vitalevents.co.uk 

I would definitely recommend this race.