In most things you tend to get more out of them the more you put in – when you study, relationship and definitely Ironman. It’s what draws me to it. The other side of throwing yourself in to Ironman is all the people you meet along the way. Over the years this number increases, many people you only meet at races. It makes the events even more fun. This year I’m not even racing Lanzarote but I’m thoroughly enjoying the build up. A couple of days ago I bumped into Rafael on the bike. I “chatted” with him at work in 2007 and met him at Ironman Lanzarote that year when I crossed the finish line 2 minutes after him. That year he went on to Kona and won his age group finishing some 50 minutes ahead of me ! He’s racing Pro this year trying for a Kona slot. Fingers crossed – he’s keen on the daily swim from the pier so must be a decent guy ! He’s looking fit and ready to go. I bumped into Tara yesterday – another racer looking lean and ready to go.

Our morning swims are becoming quite a gathering. This morning we had 5 of us on the beach talking rather than swimming. By tomorrow that could be up to 8 or 9. I’m into the rhythm of morning swims now and as I get my swimming back to a decent state I’m enjoying it more. The shoals of fish are pretty incredible.

I’m slowly pushing my training on. Managed 2.5 hours of aqua jogging this week and am hoping for an hour plus this afternoon. Yesterday I pushed the bike on a bit with a big circuit of the Island going from bottom to top into a pretty stiff wind:

The last ninety minutes were tough. I scoffed a load of food but it wasn’t a fuel issue… it was lack of fitness. I pootled up Tabeyesco and then back with teh tail wind. Pretty exhausted but pleased I’d managed to tough it out. Going easy now today and this next week I’m keeping all the riding short. I feel I need to give my feet a chance. It’s probably to be expected but I’m hyper sensitive about my feet, I feel that I getting pains in the ball of my other foot. My rational self is clear that it’s not the same pain, it’s definitely right on the sesamoid and is probably due to my lack of cycling, I will ease off though and ask my consultant about it when I get back.

The photo above is Famara during yesterdays ride. I ended up riding with this Belgium Pro for the best part of an hour just after taking this shot. Turns out he comes from the same village as one of the best guys in my age group: Jim Busseulick (not sure of the spelling) – he won my age group in my first ever Ironman back at Sherborne in 2005. I find connections like that kind of interesting. I guess I need to get out more.