65 days to go

1375 swim before work 33mins

Work

Closed up the allotment 

Ran 5.3km in 44.40

Made a pasta bake

Bed juat before midnight 

66 days to go, a bit of Joni Mitchell

Love my HB outside cycle to work.

Then Joni Mitchell songbook this evening with Abel & Karyn. 

But no S&C.

66 days to go 

I need to say no to stuff so I make sure I don’t miss a training session.

Rest day 20/5 - 67 days to go

Chilled in the allotment before work 

Chilled after work at home watching Netflix 

Realised I do need to sort out getting more sleep 

68 days to go - lovely run

Cycled to the leisure centre

Locked up my bike and headed off for a run - within 5mins I’m in the countryside! Just glorious 

(7km, 55mins) 

Nipped to Phil’s for tea & homemade flapjack / shortbread plus admired the garden. 

Ran back to the leisure centre then cycled back to mum’s via debs to drop a happy surgery day card for her for tomorrow 🥰

Now back in Southampton getting sorted for my next 4 days at work 

 

69 days to go.

The clock juat keeps on ticking!

9 weeks of training then a week of tapering. 

I will be done in 10 weeks 

This time in 10 weeks I think I’ll be quite broken but will feel epic x

S&C 

Stretching

Taking everything gently after yesterdays 109k bike ride

Will run & HB tomorrow before back to work on Wednesday 

Tired yet also feeling a mixture of terror, excitement and determination. 

I now need to sort out my just giving page for Sibs and buy some new bike shoes - my feet were sore on Sunday. 

Plus today Debs checked out Mum’s new toy 🤣

109km Hampshire Hilly Hundred

So much fun!

Sue got a puncture, decided 100km was plenty so we spent ages at the aid station eating 🤣 plus it meant no cycling in the rain xx

Sue eats / drinks every 15min when on a big ride

It worked so well 

I will be replicating this from now on.

The bike course for the Outlaw is flat.

My km per hour will be way higher than 18.8km & it has to be otherwise I won’t make the cutoff 🤔😬

In fact 23km per hour will make the cutoff 

I reckon it’ll be at least 25km per hour 🥳

71 days to go - stc swim & wedding party

Fabulous to make a Saturday morning STC swim session at the Quays. 1600m approx 57mins 

Then tea.

Tried to have a nap as off to Winchester in the evening for Linda & Louise’s wedding party. It was fabulous 

72 days to go

I’m loving the extra bike ride either before or after work - feels like a moving Hurtbox session 🥰

Work has been ridiculous 

Utterly shattered 

Very excited for my 4 day mini break 

73 days to go - need more sleep

Oaklands tomorrow cancelled and alarm set for 6:45am. Which is nearly 2 hours extra sleep. I’m going to swimming Saturday and I swam on Monday. I do need to up it to x3 a week which I’ll be doing soon.

Bedtime 

Work is tiring 

Staff sickness, staff dealing with personal issues, staff left via voluntary severance. We just need to keep going till w/c Monday 6th July when we’re all together, Mon-Fri 8am-8pm 

To do :

1. Sibs just giving page

2. Order new bike shoes for the bike fit with dave hooper 

3. Get used to High5 nutrition 

4. Learn how to make flapjack 

74 days to go

Rest day 

Closed up the allotment this evening 

Starting to get nervous about the Outlaw

Need to focus on the HHH and then fact Sue and I could be cyclibg 100miles on Sunday xx

75 days to go

OMG swam 1900m and cycled 50mins all before 9:30am 🥳

Am quite tired!

This month and next are my two huge, key training months. 

The Outlaw is getting closer and closer 

Monday 11th May - long run

I so very nearly didn’t go for a run

Had been raining, WIngs that evening, Deb’s and I had done lots of mum admin, it would have been so easy to just not go running.

But then I thought.

The long run is vital

76 days to go

When I make the swim / bike cutoff I’ll have at least 7 hours to do the marathon. That’s doable as long as I’m able to keep going quicker than a painful slow walk 🤣 Hence the importance of the long run.

So I did it.

Delighted xxx

77 days to go - beast from the east

68km today

So many hills.

So many amazing views 

The Outlaw bike course is not lumpy 

Today’s course was lumpy 

I could not have done another 110km today!!!

Sue and I are doing the Hampshire Hilly Hundred next Sunday. 

I wonder how long that will take and if I’m broken at the end. 

Still plenty of time till I go long. 

I am nervous though.

78 days to go

I need to nail some more long bike ride but today has been fun

79 days to the Outlaw

Today started strong 

Off to Jenny’s the Oaklands for STC 6-7am swim session 1850m

Breakfast at Jenny's then home 

Lidls before the allotment to meet Jenny & Sue

Loved showing to off

Ate a radish - so hot.

We had lunch in Mettricks

Art gallery juat about to close - 3pm so we did hugging and I went home

Hair cut

Tidied

Didn’t go for a 5 hour bike ride

I am very tired. 

Off to shower then bed 

80 days to go

S&C at home before work

Voted

Cycled to work the scenic route so past the allotment and along the boardwalk

Work

Then the Cowherds with Vik, A, K&S

Cycled home

Had some pasta 

Bedtime 

End of another 4 days at work

Start of my latest 5 day mini break (have taken Tuesday off) 

Alarm set for 4:55am as swimming at Oaklands 6-7am. 

82 days to go

Recovery from Sundays half marathon going well

Approx 20k / 75mins of cycling to and from work and the allotment today so def feel like I had a couple of HB outside sessions 🤗

Starting to focus some attention on what I’m eating which is good. I must sort out what I’ll be eating on the bike and then practice it 

Still tired but liking that I’m able to continue training 

Rest day 🥰

So tired!!!

Loved the half marathon though xx

Southampton half marathon 3/4/26 = 2:49.36

Loved it

Ran with Anabel the whole way

Felt strong, felt great

So many friends cheering & bumped into quite a few who were also running.

Did a few intervals - ran ahead to get pics of me, A & Chrissy running through the stadium, caught up with the girls when i had a quick comfort break at Bitterne Station - caught them by Riverside park. 

I didn't pop into work for a cuppa and a biscuit this year! But i did see the gang outside #37 which was wonderful 

Loved the finishing chute

Felt quite emotional - nearly an hour quicker than last year

Walked A to bottom of London Road then decided to head home

OMG my calves were in agony, i could barely stretch!!

Said hi to Zoe at UoS tent, grabbed my event tshirt then headed home

So hungry - made the mistake of ordering Thrive which was delicious but 40min wait. By the time i'd eaten i was done for the day, I had a nap, but no going to the allotment and was in bed by 10pm

I did think to myself, there is no way i could run a marathon but then realised i don't have to run one for another 12 weeks. 

Plenty of time to get stronger. 

I just have to trust the process. 

86 days to go - 1600m swim at L’head Leisure Centre

Felt more positive about today’s training 

Up and out of the house by 8am to swim at the leisure centre 

1600m done

Nice and smooth

2:20 per 100m average = approx 1:40 for 3.8k 

Currently I’m thinking 1:45 for the swim so any quicker will be a bonus 

Cycled back to mums for breakfast 🤗

Coffee and shopping in the village

Big lunch 

Chilled afternoon 

6:13pm train to Soton, home by 8:30pm

Douche for the last 11 weeks has to be the long bike rides, runs and swimming plus I must figure out my fuelling.

Fun!!!!!

Very excited for Sunday’s half marathon

Tomorrow is parkrun then Matt&Tom’s 50th bday celebrations part one up in London. I won’t be doing anymore as I need to get back so I’m not knackered for the half x