An agegroup win, and open water swimming.

June update.

Race day smiles

This month kicked off with a familiarisation day for the Cotswold 113 middle distance triathlon. These days do exactly what they say on the tin! It's basically a course familiarisation day, great for first timers and anyone who wants to recce the course. For me it was all about my first open water swim of the year. This went well as Jason Tait from South West Swimming leads the swim, stopping every now and then to give course tips.
The following week was the race...I took the age group win, but unfortunately I am still waiting the prize ! Graeme from 113 events assured us that the prizes would be sent by post. Please see separate blog post for the full race report

Rear mounted bottle cage

So I have started to think about race day nutrition for Ironman Wales. Its clear that I want to use Tailwind Nutrition so I needed to start practising how I was going to carry it all on the bike. I have been practising with a rear seat mounted bottle cage. This is going 'ok' ! I can do it..a little more practice needed to keep my pace up though ! However, a bigger problem has been the integral aero hydration system on my Liv Avow. It has a refillable bung on the top, but the fluid spurts out of it at a rate of knots, absolutely covering me in sticky drink. It's a real problem, and I was starting to think I was going to have to completely change my plans on re-fuelling. So, I took to twitter and soon realised that this was a major problem for anyone with an Avow or Trinity. Somebody had a little gadget that you fit inside to prevent splashback. I managed to get my hands on one and hey presto...! Refuelling on the fly is now a thing.

Flippin' freezin' 

So after my first OWS of the year at the familiarisation day it became clear that I was going to have to swim every Saturday morning now.  I can't get to any evening sessions at any of the local lakes due to work commitments. So, I've been going to The Lakeside Campus. The first session I did was Saturday the freezinth of June, sorry, Saturday the 15th June ! Wowzers that lake was cold ! I had face freeze, but somehow pushed on for 3 laps, 1800m or so. I got out, wet suit off, dry robe on, drove home for a hot shower, no hanging about !

I've been twice since in much nicer weather conditions, and today, I did my longest swim ever !! (I sipped on 500ml of Naked unflavoured Tailwind in the car on the way to the lake to fuel me for this). I swam Two and a half miles non stop, apart from a little goggle bother ! I'm so chuffed with myself. It's been a long time coming...4 years or so really. So yes, 6 laps of the lake at 600m a lap. I started a 7th lap but I had missed the cut off time for starting the last lap of the morning so got whistled at by the lifeguard to get out ...however, how good is it that I actually wanted to do a 7th lap? I'm finally becoming a swimmer. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Kerry Anne Payne but my confidence has definitely improved and so has my swimming.

Tri club curry night !

I no longer dread it and I need to stop saying that I'm not a swimmer. An awful lot of credit has to go to Malvern Tri club coaches at our Friday night sessions. We have just had the last of our Friday night sessions for this year until October and we celebrated with relay races in the pool and of course a Tri Club curry night !

What the flock?

As well as the focus being on open water swimming this month I have got some good cycling sessions in and been doing a mixture of speed and hill work on my TT bike. ....Sometimes there are a few hold ups.

Booty drop

The Tailwind Nutrition UK Trailblazers had a parcel drop this month. A great selection of nutrition, tote bag, polo shirts and neck warmer. Thank you Tailwind. It will all come to good use.

So as training months go I'd put June right up there. I feel progression has been made and I'm loving it. Fingers crossed that July brings similar gains.

This is my chuffed face.