BBC Radio Norfolk

Twice this week I've been into the BBC Radio Norfolk studios. On Tuesday evening I was invited in with Gareth Walker and Peter Chapman to tell our tale of Ironman Switzerland on Nicky Price's Drive Time show.
Today I was invited in with Norwich Triathlon organiser Simon Edye to pre-record a preview of Sunday's Norwich Triathlon. The interview will go out during the sports half hour between 6 and 6.30pm.

All Done

I am pleased to be able to report that all of the Swiss7 finished Ironman Switzerland yesterday.
Yours truely completing in 12h10m comprising a 61min swim, 6h30m bike ride and a 4h30m marathon.
The swim was manic and scary, especially at the start.
The bike was stuning and great fun. I still do not like the descent of "The Beast" I got to 34mph, my team mates got to 47mph and even they were getting overtaken.
The run was a bit of a chore.
Great sense of achievement upon completion.

1 Day to go

Just a couple of hours now until I need to go and rack my bike into transition. I will then get it to see it in the morning when I put the rest of my gear with it prior to the swim start.
At the race briefing and at the Welcome party yesterday we saw videos from last year. The swim start looks totally manic.
Rode yesterday over the bigger hill with the others from Tri-Anglia. It was wet wild and windy. Absolutely horrid in fact. But it has cleared up since. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Short spin this morning - do not like tram lines. I have a couple of grazes to testify that.
Thanks again for the sponsorship for Action Medical Research. A couple of anonymous 50 pound donations means that I should now raise over 2grand.
Will let you know what happens on the longest day tomorrow. We are all going through all of the emotions between fear and excitment.

Ironman Switzerland Online.

For those of you who are interested in following my progress at Ironman Switzerland next Sunday, all you have to do is visit http://www.ironman.com/ironmanlive/racedaycoverage/livetrackinginfo and select Ironman Switzerland. My race number is 1493.

Race numbers for all seven of us from Tri-Anglia at Switzerland, the Swiss7 are:

Gareth WALKER - 1612

Melvin WATERS - 1617

Peter CHAPMAN - 1359
Rob LINES - 1493

Tim CHEN - 1361

Sam KINGSTON - 1476

Stewart INGRAM - 1460

Ironman Nice

From the same link you can also following the progress of Tim Holliday at Ironman Nice, which is also on Sunday 24th June. Tim's number is 1092.

Apologies to my neighbours

My cat Tigger got himself shut in my car yesterday and managed to set the alarm off several times last yesterday evening whilst I was out. Sorry.

I twigged what was going on when the alarm disturbed me at 1am.

Parish 5k

Yes, I know I'm in taper mode. Yes, I know that races aren't conducive to tapering. But todays race was very low key and very social.
When I ran with the White Horse Terriers on Monday they asked if I'd like to run with them at the Parish 5k that was being organised as part of the Loddon Village Fate.
I thought that a short brisk run would do no harm - so long as I treated it as a tempo run at most. And I'm pleased to report that that was what I did.
The event attracted 18 runners, all bar 4 or which were associated with the White Horse Terriers. There was no entry fee. But despite being 'low key' the course was well signed with km markers along the way and several marshalls at key junctions (though I wish there'd been more as I managed to over-shoot one junction).
The course undulates slightly, covers various terrain (road, path, playing field and off road) and is very technical. It undulates only very slightly but there are numerous bends to negotiate.
I got round in 20:31 despite adding 50m so very pleased with that. It might be nearly a minute off a PB, but that was never the aim. The winner got round in under 19mins. My friends Darren and Rob from the Canoe Club were second and third with your's truly 4th. Gillian Bee was the third lady home.
Despite the lack of an entry fee all finishers got a medal and a piece of chocolate for their effort.
If you are able to take part in this low key event next year do. It's good fun.

Marvels of Technology

In 1986 I bought my first CD. It was the album by Genesis called Genesis. At the time CD's were the newest thing in music storage and walkman's the all the rage for portable music playing devices.
When I bought the CD I had no vision that 21 years later I'd be loading it along with 25 others onto my mobile phone.

Sponsor ship total at £1,750

My fundraising total for Action Medical Research through doing Ironman Switzerland is coming along a pace. £681 already collected, a further £470 pledged and I should be able to get the maximum of £600 from my employer though their £+ scheme of matching staff fundraising efforts.
Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me.

CoNAC Run

Ran with City of Norwich Athletic Club this evening before my UEA swim session with East Anglian SwallowTails (EAST).
It was good to see so many members of Tri-Anglia there. The route was billed as 8.5 miles. Got round in 62mins, so figured I must have gone wrong as I doubt I run that fast. Turns out my route was 7.7 my excuse is that I was following them. Just as well it wasn't 8.5 as it wouldn't have given me much time to get ready for my swim.

4,000miles Year to Date

A 5.25 mile run with the Chedgrave White Horse Terriers following my bike to and from work yesterday was enough to take me to 4,000 miles total training miles for 2007.

Ironman Week 22 of 24

Into the taper now. All the big rides and runs are done and the mileage is starting to come down, though still maintaining the same intensity.
3 swims covering 5.3 miles, 74 on the bike and 35.4 miles running.
Takes the total for the year to 3,993 (very tempting to go back out on the bike for those additional 7 miles). Break down of the 3,993 is 87 swimming, 3,302 riding and 604 running.
Fund raising total for Action Medical Research is £1,075 of which £601 has already been donated with the remainder to collect upon successful completion of the Ironman - no pressure there then. I should then be able to get a further £600 from my employer taking the total well over £1,600.

Early Morning Lake Swim

Went to the end of the lake and back again this morning. This time with John Digby the chairman and acting head coach at East Anglian Swallow Tails (EAST), which is a masters swimming club. We pretty much paced each other stroke for stroke down the lake 1550m and a similar number of strokes. Had a minutes look around and natter then swam back. Round trip of 49mins 12seconds. That equates to around 60mins for the 3.8k of the Ironman swim, taking off the minutes rest and I might be looking at 58mins for the Ironman swim.
The swim was followed up with a meeting of the 'Swiss 7' to finalise a few details for our trip to Zurich.

Guy Fawkes 10k

I know it's not November. But as a spur of the moment thing I entered and ran this evenings Guy Fawkes 10k at Easton just outside Norwich. It was the 2nd running of this event, and I guess for whatever reason they moved the race from November to June.
Despite quite horrible weather this morning the evening was quite pleasent. Cloudy but warm. And dry despite the earlier ran. Pretty much ideal running conditions.
Plenty of other runners there from Tri-Anglia, CoNAC, Norwich Road Runners, WAC and from work. There were people there that knew me, although I couldn't put a name to all of them.
Despite a hilly course and legs still recovering from 22miles on Monday I got round in 44:11 and bagged a negative split, seasons best and a finishers medal. Incidently the medal said Guy Fawkes 10k. Perhaps that's why they didn't rename the race.

Received a medal today

My 4,045m swim in the One Hour Postal competition earlier in the year placed me 3rd in my age group. Received the medal this evening along with a cloth badge for having participated.

Was on 99.9 Radio Norwich

My picture with 99.9 Radio Norwich presenter has now appeared on their website following an interview with them on Monday. Click here to see it.

Swam ....

.... to the end of the lake and back this evening. Haven't done that in a while.

Swam with Sam Kingston, a fellow Swiss 7 member. He is definately quicker in a wetsuit.

19 days to go now...

... and all the long rides and long runs are "in the bank"

Just need to taper now before the big day.

Last week's training was interupted with an International Business trip taking me half way across the globe. Didn't get any training in during the week. Ate loads of nice food and drank some beer and wine. Does that count?

Covered some 3,900 miles now.

Wow, Fund Raising moves on a pace

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored me in my attempt at Ironman Switzerland.