Just finished my last long day of training. Only extended session left will be a bike course recce on Kona sometime middle of next week. Got out early and headed down to Surrey. Did a big flat loop before heading to Cycles Dauphin where I had a coffee and chatted with Rohan. He’s going to look into Oval clip on aero bars and drops for me to try on my P3 through the winter. Then headed to Cranleigh for a pork scratching and biltong lunch – delicious. Finally did some hills and headed home. 116 gentle miles in about 7.5 hours. What a great sign that when I got back I had to force myself not (yes not) to go out for a run! Clearly I’ve managed to get the run off the bike habit sorted! I looked at my taper plan and the run miles I’ve already done this week and decided that I shouldn’t head out running.

For the weekend Jo and I headed up to my mums in North Yorkshire. On Saturday we got out for a hilly 52 miles. This included heading up Rosedale Chimney, which is claimed to be the steepest tarmac road in Britain. I can believe it. Pleased to say it felt easier this time round. Probably some combination of lower gearing, lighter bike and being fitter! We followed the bike with a long run. I took Jo on one of my favourite routes over Roseberry Topping and Captain Cooks Monument. Probably in the region of 14 miles which we completed in 2h19.  By far the longest run I’ve done since Ironman Switzerland at the end of June. I felt great and pushed it along and built the pace towards the end. Really chuffed with it.

On Sunday we headed for a long ‘touristy’ ride. Started out along the coast going through Saltburn and Brotton to Whitby. Showing Jo the places my mum grew up. Coffee in Whitby and then headed inland and along the Roman Road over the moors to Stape. That was hard work into a stiff headwind. We stopped at Hutton Le Hole for tea and Yorkshire Curd Tart before a long meandering route back. Cover 102 miles in 7h35 – yes the terrain was very tough indeed. We followed this with a 20-minute run before a monster dinner.

Monday morning I headed to the pool to try out the new BlueSeventy pointzero3 swim suit. It felt great swimming in it. Normally on Monday mornings I struggle to make sets based on 1.30 100s but in this suit I was cruising. We did Wayne’s “3 peaks challenge”: (100m, 200m, 100m) min rest (100m, 200m, 300m, 200m, 100m,) min rest (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m). I cruised the whole set based 1.30. Very pleased. I felt strong and feel the suit is helping. I ran to and from swimming and felt strong. The rest of the day was relaxing – had a massage at lunchtime and watched a movie in the afternoon.