First raceitis

It was the Icebuster yesterday and it/I was rubbish. I don't have the times yet but I think the swim was my worst ever, I can never see the first buoy or landmarks at the far end and I get disorientated and lose huge amounts of time. But once around the first buoy (which is just under half way) I could relax and let my new stroke takeover. It was my first time in the old panther wetsuit (bought from my friend Barry) I don't get to practice in it because of the extra time it would take to get there and I don't want to do an extra because it would take time away from family.

Although I train on my race bike on the indoor trainer it isn't the sames as a race and I forget how to race. I forget how get in a bigger gear and work hard get used to it in a race situation even though I do hard stuff in training. I tried convincing myself that I was pacing myself and decided to run hard from the off. The run being my strongest discipline and even despite lack of run miles I went out faster than usual and my legs felt good. Compared to the people around me I was running as opposed to jogging. But then the wheels came off it wasn't my legs, it started with a tightness in my stomach and then chest, I couldn't breathe, I stopped and sat down (I have only 2dnf in 17years). Gillie shouted at me not to give up and when my friend Julie came by (she was just running for her husband) I joined her at a very sedate pace but it got me home and I hope she didn't mind my verbal ramblings.

So all in all a pretty poor race. Although a part from the run (I think I have just breathed a bit and then carried instead of pulling the plug) I have a history of first raceitis and tend to race myself into the season and that is why I like to race alot.




After I finsihed the race we were going to a school picnic but because of my delay Teresa and the children had gone looking for me which delayed us even more. The picnic was nice, weather was hot , although it highlighted to us that Emily is starting to behave like a spoilt brat. This partly because Teresa and I work at the school everybody knows her and makes a fuss and she is becoming a bit of a princess. We are going to start a behaviour chart, I have to stop raising my voice and pointing the finger and Teresa has to adopt a firmer tone and be more strict.