Proper training?

Having realised that the Ice Breaker is now only ten weeks away (EEEEK!) I've decided some Proper Training was called for. So on Monday I ran 5k, cycled 10k and swam half a mile... On Tuesday I did a mega-day at work (13 hours) and on Wednesday I did a 12 hour day. On Thursday I slept.... So much for pushing stamina to the limits then....

By Friday I was back on course (sort of) and swam and ran... then on Saturday I swam a mile and went out with Guy on the bikes. This is either going to get me super fit or finish me off...

Today was Beagle Nic's birthday (a big birthday with a '0' at the end of it...) and obviously all a girl wants to do on her big birthday is run in mud so we hoofed up to the top of Rudry Common with New Running Dog via some seriously good mud... What Beagle Nic didn't know was that I had hidden a half bottle of champagne (oh, ok - prosecco) in my backpack together with a couple of plastic wine glasses. Half way up the last bit of hill there was a 'phut' noise from the backpack and I thought the cork had popped with all the jigging around... I was waiting for the fizz to start seeping out but luckily it never did... Did you know if you pour fizz too quickly on top of a large hill in a strong wind all the froth gets blown to the next mountain? Eventually we managed to get some in the glasses and stood admiring the view while we sipped.

And do you know, running back down fortified by fizz was just lovely? Slightly giggly, there was a fair bit of puddle jumping going on and absolutely no pain whatsoever. Marvellous idea. Am going to replace isotonic sports drink in backpack with gin forthwith.

By this time next week I'll have completed (in some fashion) the Christmas Pudding Race. I've received my race number (something in the 700s) so there are going to be LOTS of runners. I do hope I don't come last... Apparently there is mulled wine and a mince pie at the halfway point (yay - alcohol and running!) and a Christmas Pudding at the finish. And I've sort of finished my hat. It'll be finished when I sew the top bits on and take the pins out. Probably a good idea... You will tell me if I look ridiculous, won't you?

And at a party this week Guy was chatting to somebody about mountain bikes and triathlons and mud running - the 'somebody' thought Guy did all this stuff. When Guy pointed out it was me the chap said 'blimey - hardcore!' How cool is that? Somebody thinks I'm 'hardcore'!! No, he hasn't met me...

And my challenge for this week is: Riding my bike on a plank six inches above the ground. It's a long plank. We have it in the garden for New Running Dog's agility training. Fit Mark has seen it and bet me I can't get more than a quarter of the way along it without falling off...

Honestly, how hard can it be?