Saturday 14 February 2009

Snot Been a Good Week

This week has been a rather snotty one. It all started last Sunday out on the bike.

It was a nice ride around the old Ironman UK route. In the lower lying areas around Sherborne it was very pleasant, green with the odd patch of snow left here and there. Once I was up over Lyons Gate there was far more snow on the ground, though the roads were still clear. As I climbed back along the top over Cerne Abbas, the highest part of the loop, there was loads of snow and virtually no green patches. Along the left-hand side of the road the snow had formed into ridges where it had been blown though the gaps in the rather sparse hedge. In places the road was restricted to the single lane that had been cleared of snow and the other lane was still piled deep.

It was strange at the top of Revell's Hill, surrounded by snow, looking down into the valley below which was lovely and green. You don't generally think of there being a snow line on the mountains of Dorset. But that doesn't explain the snottiness. Despite wrapping up well for the ride and not feeling at all cold my nose was running the whole time. To be frank, I was shooting snot rockets the whole way round.

Things have not been much better all week. I have been sat at my desk slowly working my way through a box of tissues all week. My wife and children claim they have had colds as well but obviously mine has been an order of magnitude snottier and more miserable. In fact the only time my nose has stopped running was when the rest of me went running. Since it was a head cold and not on my chest I did my long run and my nose was fine during the run and for the rest of the night. For a while I was convinced I had found a cure for the common cold, a 26k run followed by a cold bath. When I woke up on Thursday it was evident I had not.

I am feeling a bit better this morning and think I might go for a run later, then I need to convince my wife to let me watch the rugby this evening. She did mention something about a romantic meal but I don't know what that is all about.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nothing like a good dose of manflu to knock training on the head!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mikey

Stumbled upon your blog and have just finished reading every entry from start to finish. I too have an ambition to take part in and complete an ironman but for now is on hold.

I live in Shepton Mallet, Somerset and have in-laws in Yeovil so have enjoyed reading about familiar places. I have recently taken up running after 'retirement' from team sports to try and stave off my sedentary lifestyle and have completed in various half marathons and two full marathons. The next big race is the 2010 London marathon (deferred entry). Once I have completed this I hope to turn my attention to triathlon time permitting - I have two very demanding children of 1 and 3.

I too was disappointed to hear that IMUK was moving to Bolton after watching the event at Sherborne on several occasions. I would like to build up to ironman via some duathlons (completed London Duathlon 2007) and Sprint/Olympic triathlons rather than dive head first into Ironman. I saw the 70.3 Half Ironman at Wimbleball Lake and would like to attempt this (also saw this when it was held at Longleat).

Interested to hear about your Weymouth swims - is this a group of friends or with a club? (Somerset RC Tri/Wessex Wizards).

Will continue to read your blog with interest and wish you all the best with Ironman 2009.

Barry

MikeyB said...

I have seen some of the Wessex Wizards down at Weymouth on a Friday evening, though I don't know whether that is an official organised thing.

I go there with a friend of mine and we often meet up with some people he knows, who I think may be linked to Cannons Gym (or whatever it is called now) in Yeovil.

Reminds me I must get back in the sea again soon.