My period of recovery is almost over. I feel I’m doing well at this because I’ve got to the point I don’t feel hungry a lot of the time. I’m waking up not wanting breakfast, finishing dinner not wanting dessert and walking past bakeries and not having to resist going in. My body is back to a weight thats right and discovering this feeling of not being constantly hungry is a relief. It shows that the constant hunger pangs I have to resist to get to race weight are merely because I am under weight. Like a tough training session you have to battle through to be in optimum shape to race. Now to remember that as I start training again.

I’ve not weighed myself or taken my resting HR for a couple of weeks now. It’s been quite a release to just not be worried about it. I’ve done the odd bit of training but not a lot. This morning I was awake to go swimming but didn’t go. The reason why ? I think it was purely because this was my last chance for a while not to go. So why did I not go ? Because I could (if you see what I mean).

Next year is getting mapped out now. Look pretty much 100% sure I’ll be doing Epic Camp New Zealand ! I can’t wait. Being in that environment again able to see just how long and hard I can go will be great. Will I be gunning for the Yellow Jersey ? Of course not ;o0 Entries have been paid for for IM New Zealand, IM Lanzarote and IM Hawaii. We’ve even booked flights for Lanza ! Only one other race I would really like to do next year but not entered yet. The West Highland Ultra. Not entered yet because it requires a support crew and the guys that supported us for the Mid Wales Ultra this year aren’t available. So… any readers fancy a great weekend in Scotland watching me hurt get in touch ! Funny, this is the race i most want to do of them all. I’ve been thinking about why and come to the conclusion that it’s because it’s not that competitive. With races that long anyone finishing has won. With Ironman it feels that completing isn’t really the challenge and thus there’s a pressure to perform. With these Ultras I’d be happy just getting round. In fact, it takes me back to the pleasure I used to get Fell Running. Alan and I used to just head off and try the longest runs we could manage. God knows how many times we ran all day, or did routes that walkers would take 3 or 4 days to complete. The pleasure was in completing it. It didn’t matter whether anyone else knew what we were doing, there was intrinsic satisfaction in doing it. The Ultras have that feeling as well. I’ve pondered whether I would still do Ironman and compete hard if the only people ever to know your time or result were the people in the race itself. I know this is not a realistic scenario but it’s interesting to ponder. What if no one knew your result other than yourself ? For me I think I would do one and then try something else. If there was only me knowing how I did I would push myself to go further rather than faster. I think this is reflected in my fell running days and in my training. I get immense satisfaction in proving to myself I can do more than I thought … I get intrinsic pleasure and contentment from that even if no one else knew at all. So … next year I must manage the 250 miler !

My plans for getting going with training are pretty relaxed. The first two weeks will rather be influenced by my being on a Bike Mechanic course. This will mean no biking during the week and my swimming will be pretty restricted. I’m kicking off from Sunday with an attempt at 60 runs in 60 days which will take me to the end of the year. Keeping it easy by having 40 minutes as a run. The aim is a long bike ride each weekend, with luck, two and whatever swimming I can get done. Once the course is over I will be doing my usual steady increase in volume aiming at at least one 100 mile run week before Christmas. The other aim is to get my swimming right up there ahead of Epic Camp. Gunning for the win at the 400IM !!