On the Wednesday night I mentioned I went swimming and when I got back did my final packing and prep for the morning. At 9.30am on the Thursday my taxi with my dad inside arrived. I was ultra organised (probably because of my excitement) and had all my gear packed and ready by the door.
Dad, as a seasoned traveller had checked us in online and as we were in BA's 'club class' we zoomed through check in. I had noticed before leaving for the airport that my bike bag which inflated to protect the bike had deflated on one side so just before putting in the hold I pumped it up with the hand held pump - needless to say I got some odd looks. After that all I could do then was hope and pray it would be enough to support the bike during the flight. Once we had flown through security we both had a wander around the Heathrow's shops. Dad treated himself to some shorts and me to some sunglasses. After we had done that we headed to the BA lounge where Dad got a small hot breakfast and a glass of wine whilst I being good had sparkling water and muesli. This may not sound like a big deal but there was free champagne there and for me to resist the temptation to get a glass shows a huge sign of dedication to what I am aiming to achieve in the next two weeks. I even continued this form on the plane where we got the business class treatment and denied free bottles of champagne! I was proud to say the least.
On the first night there I had planned to fit a swim in on arrival but by the time we arrived, got our bags in the room and went to the supermarket, the Olympic pool was closed and as the sun was almost down wasn't sure if it was the right time to go in the lagoon and furthermore had no information as to lagoon etiquette. We went to dinner at the tapas restaurant at 8pm and I continued on the sparkling water whilst Dad got a bottle of wine - this was true detox! After dinner I went straight to bed and this form continued the whole week. I got a solid night sleep every night.
I'm going to continue this blog as a sort of diary as to what I did each day.
Friday;
I decided to get up at 8.15 and join some runners in an organised off road 8km run. I thought this would be a great way to start the week, possibly meet some people as well as get the full force of the rising sun whilst running. Running (and cycling of course) in the scorching heat was the thing I really came out here to try as I'll be doing exactly that in the heat of the midday sun come Ironman Lanzarote in May. I have never really run in the blazing sun except for the occasional scorcher in the UK. I remember the London Marathon being hot once but this is a whole other type of heat. I decided to go with the slower group at 6 minute per kilometre as opposed to 5. This was firstly as I didn't know how I would be in the heat, secondly because I wanted to take in my surroundings and take it easy, and thirdly and most importantly I would be kidding myself if I tried to go in that group as I really only hit 5min/Km when doing the shorter distance of 5k and even then it's a push. So off we went, my pace was good to start and I got comfortable. It was even hotter than I had expected at that time and it did begin to effect me which worried me a little. The route was uphill for 4k and then downhill on the way back. I slowed up on the way up as I was merely taking it easy and being a tourist and taking pictures of the stunning views. My pictures may not do the scenery much justice but it really was an almost breathtaking way to start the day and my training. I slipped above the 6minutes sometimes but managed to catch up with them and finished in 46 minutes - which averaged about 5.45 minutes per Km. The heat was exhausting but I managed to keep decent time splits and as always got chatting to someone.
After that Dad and I had a salad at the pool bar and then I chilled out by the main pool for 2 hours. It was in these short hours that I made the biggest mistake of the holiday which thankfully was resolved quickly. I got sunburnt. I know, I know, rookie error that could've effected the whole trip. I cursed myself for days for it and learnt my lesson. By that evening the back of my legs were agony and it hurt to walk, I was so worried I would be able to cycle as I struggled to bend my legs. By the Saturday the back of my legs were swollen but thankfully with some ibuprofen and liberal application of aftersun they died down and I was able to walk and cycle properly soon after. Phew - disaster just about averted. I just had to embarrassingly walking around like a lobster and looking like an amateur for the trip but I just said to myself you've made your own bed, now lay in it. That's what I did and accepted it.
Whilst sat at the pool on the first full day with dad I received the press releases for the Abu Dhabi triathlon which included mine and others 'inspire a nation' stories. I read my own short one which included my picture and smiled.
However, when I received the second big press release by Tri247 (http://www.tri247.com/article_12586_Abu+Dhabi+Inspire+winners+announced.html?region_id=&category=) which included other stories of successful applicants I began to get emotional. Not everyone who won had their stories in this one but mine was a massive chunk of it which included some quotes from myself and a picture. I was reading as if they were someone's else's words not my own and the tragedy and hurt of my own story choked me. I was taken out of my bubble. It suddenly came real and reading my words again brought the pain of losing Rose back as if it were yesterday. The sunglasses covered my teary eyes but I decided, after dad brought me surprise white chocolate Ice Cream, that I would go swimming to remain focussed on what I am doing FOR Rosie rather than let this bring me down. So I did a 3km swim in the lovely Olympic La Santa pool (definitely going to miss having a 50m pool at home now). I did a 400m warm up and then 26 x 100m on 1m55. It was tough and kept me occupied - I loved it. After that I went to a heart rate monitored spin session which again kept my brain occupied on the task in hand as I focussed on my heart rate. I confirmed what I already knew about my heart rate being naturally quite high but also relished in the fact my recovery was quicker than most (I can't help compare myself to others as it was on a huge screen in front of us). In simple terms this means that my fitness is high as broadly speaking the quicker you recover the fitter you are. After dinner I flopped to bed as you would expect.
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| Olympic swimming pool at La Santa |
Saturday;
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| A shameful selfie mid-run |
I basically just decided to explore. Although I enjoyed getting out it was hard to do so. I had felt a distinct lack of energy today and I linked this up with not being able to hold any food down. My stomach is sensitive and instantly suspected that it may the water in which they wash their salad so decided to not get salads anymore. This said I continued to have this problem until the Monday. Training as intensely as I was intending to did not make this issue easier as without the energy training is obviously difficult.
After my run I had some lunch (which was gone soon after) and then met up with a work colleagues friend, Colin. He had moved out here in November after quitting his job in the city and moved out to Lanzarote to train full time and try and become a pro triathlete. By this point I was already loving the lifestyle here and truly admired his guts to do such a thing. He had the 'look' of a triathlete and a runner and had the results and sponsors to prove it. I merely wished I was good enough naturally to be able have the guts to do the same. After a good chat about all things triathlon (of course) we parted and he kindly offered to lend me his sectioned wheels in May. We agreed that with the increasing expense of triathlon and kit that can seemingly offer you the world, the only thing you can do is help eachother out to achieve better results, so thank you :).
Dad and I decided to venture out of Club La Santa that night for dinner and went to La Santa village (me as designated driver of course). We went to a lovely restaurant called Amendoa. The food was 10 times nicer than at the resort and a lot cheaper, a little gem :). This was the first meal I kept down so thankfully I was beginning to get better.
Sunday;
This was the first time I was really going to get some miles in on the bike. I had booked to go on a 60km bike tour which said to be pacing around 25-26km/h. Not particularly fast but enough to get used to the Lanzarote landscape which is known to be predominantly up or down. I let all the ones who wanted to fight for front position go for it and just settled myself into a rhythm by drafting off others. I felt that I could've pushed the pace more but just remained patient. Within 15kms I had moved up the ranks a little. I know it's not a competition when cycling as a big group like this but it's a little incentive and I'm sure I wasn't the only one doing it. By 35kms I was at the front which probably vexed a lot of the men in Lycra of which were the majority. The pace was tougher at the front obviously but I used my saying of, you've made your bed now lay in it and I did just that. I pushed through to the end. I had a little falter when climbing one particular mountain that I timed completely wrong and a few overtook me but I regained my place soon enough. We ended up finishing the 60km in just under 2 hours which actually meant we averaged 29km/h, that's 18mph for those who work in miles. Considering it was me setting/keeping the pace and as it wasn't an easy route and it was my first real cycle in the baking sun I was over the moon with that. The downhills really do counteract the tough climbs.
Many may have seen on social media that it was the 6month anniversary of Rosie's death on the Sunday. I'm not one to really be struck by dates, days or times but this one actually affected me and had my dad not mentioned it on the Friday I would never have thought about it. I couldn't get my head around how quick the time seemed to have gone and it was a horrible thought to think I had gone half a year without hearing Rose's, albeit mostly loud, voice. Although I do not go a day without thinking about Rosie's death this was just another reminder of the tragedy me and my family suffered on what was supposed to be a weekend of family time and celebration - the day that I became an Ironman. With this in mind I wanted to do some of the toughest climbs on the island to honour Rosie. So I decided on Mirador Del Rio and Tabeysco. Mirador is on the Ironman course so also was a beneficial climb to do. With it already being past lunch I couldn't do the whole 80km to alone so Dad kindly decided to skip the rugby and ferry me around. This was a really beneficial trip, much like I did in Wales we drove the Ironman course which was a huge advantage to have. The road to Mirador was bloody tough. Climbing Los Vallos looked like an impossible feat and I was only sat in the car looking up at it. However after we had dropped back down the other side with hairpin after hairpin bend I got off and started the actual climb to Mirador. Although a very tough climb the view even half way up was absolutely breathtaking so much so I had to get off to take a picture.
After my run I had some lunch (which was gone soon after) and then met up with a work colleagues friend, Colin. He had moved out here in November after quitting his job in the city and moved out to Lanzarote to train full time and try and become a pro triathlete. By this point I was already loving the lifestyle here and truly admired his guts to do such a thing. He had the 'look' of a triathlete and a runner and had the results and sponsors to prove it. I merely wished I was good enough naturally to be able have the guts to do the same. After a good chat about all things triathlon (of course) we parted and he kindly offered to lend me his sectioned wheels in May. We agreed that with the increasing expense of triathlon and kit that can seemingly offer you the world, the only thing you can do is help eachother out to achieve better results, so thank you :).
Dad and I decided to venture out of Club La Santa that night for dinner and went to La Santa village (me as designated driver of course). We went to a lovely restaurant called Amendoa. The food was 10 times nicer than at the resort and a lot cheaper, a little gem :). This was the first meal I kept down so thankfully I was beginning to get better.
Sunday;
This was the first time I was really going to get some miles in on the bike. I had booked to go on a 60km bike tour which said to be pacing around 25-26km/h. Not particularly fast but enough to get used to the Lanzarote landscape which is known to be predominantly up or down. I let all the ones who wanted to fight for front position go for it and just settled myself into a rhythm by drafting off others. I felt that I could've pushed the pace more but just remained patient. Within 15kms I had moved up the ranks a little. I know it's not a competition when cycling as a big group like this but it's a little incentive and I'm sure I wasn't the only one doing it. By 35kms I was at the front which probably vexed a lot of the men in Lycra of which were the majority. The pace was tougher at the front obviously but I used my saying of, you've made your bed now lay in it and I did just that. I pushed through to the end. I had a little falter when climbing one particular mountain that I timed completely wrong and a few overtook me but I regained my place soon enough. We ended up finishing the 60km in just under 2 hours which actually meant we averaged 29km/h, that's 18mph for those who work in miles. Considering it was me setting/keeping the pace and as it wasn't an easy route and it was my first real cycle in the baking sun I was over the moon with that. The downhills really do counteract the tough climbs.
Many may have seen on social media that it was the 6month anniversary of Rosie's death on the Sunday. I'm not one to really be struck by dates, days or times but this one actually affected me and had my dad not mentioned it on the Friday I would never have thought about it. I couldn't get my head around how quick the time seemed to have gone and it was a horrible thought to think I had gone half a year without hearing Rose's, albeit mostly loud, voice. Although I do not go a day without thinking about Rosie's death this was just another reminder of the tragedy me and my family suffered on what was supposed to be a weekend of family time and celebration - the day that I became an Ironman. With this in mind I wanted to do some of the toughest climbs on the island to honour Rosie. So I decided on Mirador Del Rio and Tabeysco. Mirador is on the Ironman course so also was a beneficial climb to do. With it already being past lunch I couldn't do the whole 80km to alone so Dad kindly decided to skip the rugby and ferry me around. This was a really beneficial trip, much like I did in Wales we drove the Ironman course which was a huge advantage to have. The road to Mirador was bloody tough. Climbing Los Vallos looked like an impossible feat and I was only sat in the car looking up at it. However after we had dropped back down the other side with hairpin after hairpin bend I got off and started the actual climb to Mirador. Although a very tough climb the view even half way up was absolutely breathtaking so much so I had to get off to take a picture.
It was here that I made a prayer to Rosie. At the top I found my dad who drove up another route and we walked around the top and had a coffee - what a tribute to the beautiful girl we lost 6 months ago.
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| At the top of Mirador Del Rio |
After that I wanted to conquer Tabeysco - this was a climb that started at sea level and took in 550m+ of steep climbing over hairpin bends in just 5km. Only the gradient of this can truly show the severity of this. With this said although I just grinded my way up, almost feeling like I wasn't moving, I managed to get to the top in 31minutes and was rewarded with a view of the valley of the 1000 palm trees (even if it does look like the trees have been cut down). Another fitting tribute to Rosie.
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| The valley of the 1000 palm trees |
That night we ate at a fish restaurant in La Santa village and I had a cocktail, non alcoholic of course!
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| Non-alcoholic cocktail |
Monday;
This was my final full day in Lanzarote and I was desperate to get another day of cycling in. The woman I had spoken to during my first 8km run on Friday morning had a friend who would be happy to cycle with me in the morning. I met up with Cary (sorry if I have spelt your name wrong) at 9.30 and bumped into another 2 cyclists who were also planning to get out. It was agreed that would cycle with them and as they were heading east of the island where I hadn't explored yet. The aim was to climb fire mountain, otherwise known as Timanfaya. The ride was more of a recovery ride to me but I was happy to be in other peoples company. At the top we saw the camels that drudge people up the lava volcano every day hundreds of times and then had a well deserved ice cream. Cary has assured me that I'll get loads more readers of my blog because of this reward.
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| Fire mountain |
I did not find this climb as hard as I expected at all or maybe that was just in comparison to the climbs I had conquered the day before. In fact I found the 400m climb into Tinajo from La Santa the toughest of that day which I actually did twice as after lunch I rode to Puerto Del Carmen. Whilst eating lunch however at the pool bar I had a man approach me who put his hand on the book I was reading 'Iron War' and asked whether it was good. This is a book about the rivalry between six time reigning Ironman world champion Dave Scott and Mark Allen's attempt to knock him of his title. This book details their relationship towards one another as well as the ultimate Ironman race in 1989 that saw them race side by side for just over 8 hours - Mark Allen only just clinching the lead by 58secs in the final 2 miles of the marathon. The man who came over to me explained he was there racing on that epic day even if he wasn't mentioned in the book. He then went on to tell me he brought Ironman to Lanzarote and has been the race director ever since. I chatted for a little and explained I was competing in May and have vowed to email him to explain my story and willingness to help and express my gratitude for taking the time to coming over and talking to me.
After my encounter with Ironman Lanza's race director I cycled alone to Puerto Del Carmen to meet up with Dad when he finished golf so I could go for a sea swim and do the Ironman course. The ride there was tough - it was steadily climbing the whole way and I got the full force of the feared island crosswinds. However, in terms of training it was a great ride to experience. After my favourite combination of mint choc chip and pistachio Italian ice cream for a bit of recovery and energy (well that's my excuse) I got in the sea, wetsuitless of course as wetsuits are for wimps (Gill you will be pleased!). I did 1km of the course without going too far out as my dad was naturally worried but although short enjoyed the experience of getting in the sea. I even managed to spy on some lovely looking and colourful fish as the sea is crystal clear!
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| Lovely swim location in Puerto Del Carmen |
I had fallen in love with every aspect of Lanzarote! I even loved the cheesy and touristy Puerto Del Carmen, a place where people watching is at it's best. Dad and I both imagined that it'll be an amazing place to run during the Ironman due to the sheer support you receive along the strip. Excitement began building inside of me. By this point I had completed some tough rides and faced the elements of heat and wind that Lanzarote can throw at you amd was ready for the challenge. My run is improving and with my love of sea swimming growing I could already start to imagine the enjoyment I will get out of this Ironman, whether I qualify or not. Obviously I need to take hydration seriously otherwise it will not be an event I will enjoy or possibly even remember but let's not scare my family too much here! With my love of Lanzarote already deep rooted this will be MY race!
Tuesday;
So my last day. I decided to get up early and compete in a timed run. This was a half marathon consisting of 3 laps but you could chose to do as little or many as you wanted. I wanted to do the full half marathon but knew that Mark, my coach, would've probably gone potty with me so decided to just do the 2 laps which was 14km in total. Mark had said that doing Reading half marathon so close to Abu Dhabi could tire me out especially as I was working and then flying. Therefore, if I did one 5 days before in the heat I would've had some headshakes coming my way. I started the the first 7k lap with the woman I had run with on the first day. We were hitting solid 6min/Km which I was happy with and of course I was chatting nonstop. Rather than punish myself I just wanted to get experience and exposure in the sun and raise my body temperature so I just stayed comfortable. After the first lap she needed the toilet and I decided to plod along. All I had wanted to do during this was get my 10k in an hour which I did, just. This shows that my comfortable pace at home isn't jeopardised when in the heat - if I could keep that up that's a 4h20 marathon time which I wouldn't be displeased with. The course was just an out and back lap so everyone involved were supporting one another. With 12km down I felt strong and had picked up the pace. I was so tempted to go for the final lap but a voice in my head said, 'you don't have to punish yourself to exhaustion during every workout - you're feeling strong, take that to Abu Dhabi'. I completed my 14km in 1h18, the fastest half marathon runner completed 8minutes after me in 1h25. That is just madness in my eyes especially considering the heat but he did admit to only doing team triathlons as he is a crap cyclist so I suppose you can't be good at everything!
After my run it was time to get ready, pack and say goodbye, for now, to Club La Santa. Dad and I went to Puerto Del Carmen for lunch before going to the airport and I played it safe with a pizza - it was a tourist town after all I wasn't expecting anything like we had in the traditional town of La Santa.
My flight left Lanzarote at 6.25pm to Dublin where I had a 10 hour stopover before getting a flight in the early morning direct to Abu Dhabi. It was a pain and definitely not the most viable way to get there but as it was not me organising or paying I couldn't really change it or complain about it. It had however managed to get a hotel arranged for me in Dublin so I could get some rest overnight. Although a pain Mark did point out that the good thing about this long haul journey was that at least I will get some much needed rest before Saturday rather than beast myself in training and travelling and risking exhaustion.
When saying goodbye to my dad in Lanzarote I began getting emotional even though I didn't think showed it. I had a lovely time with my dad and really love the tradition of going away together every year, it really is special time. Dad wished me good luck and said he was proud of me which made me begin to well up. We hugged a lot and then waved and blew kisses to one another until we could see eachother no more. Within 10 minutes he had text me saying he missed his chaffeur!
As I sat in Lanzarote terminal I began to reflect on the holiday I had just experienced. I had an amazing time and felt really comfortable training and staying there. I don't know whether it was the mutual triathlete atmosphere or just the freedom but I felt almost at home in Lanzarote. The roads are a cyclist's dream, the sea is crystal clear and running in such a striking landscape is truly breathtaking. I'll be back in May but I'm definite I'll be back for more even after that. But now it's on to Abu Dhabi! The next time I write I'll be an international triathlete!
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