I had a 20min easy bike penned in for Saturday morning. Everyone else the evening before had agreed to do ‘the HILL’. I had heard a lot of talk about ‘the HILL’ over the past few weeks; stories of fit looking guys walking their bikes up it, others ‘skiing up’. My confidence on hills isn’t good and on agreeing to do the hills with the guys Saturday morning and go over my 20minute meter I have to admit that I lost a lot of sleep on Friday night worrying about it. 
Up bright and early with my bed head still on. Sam and I sipped coffee looking out to the lagoon enjoying the serene tranquility of an early morning in paradise whilst waiting for Randy and Bee. We met Simon just outside the entrance to Laguna a little after 7am, and the five of us then set about for a leisurely ‘stretch the legs, warm up and then turn on the lactic ride’. Sam and Simon both kindly slowed down as we approached the HILLS and forewarned us again of the task we were about to tackle. I was visualizing falling off and not being able to turn the crank. Oh well, at least today wasn’t race day, screw up and there were less people to make an arse of myself in front of.
The hills Simon, Sam and Randy speak of are in 3 stages. Short steep inclines with a short break in-between, enough for you to bring the heart rate down a wee bit before the next attack hits you. Lucky for me the hills are short enough for you to climb out of the seat (my favorite style). So with Sam and Simon in front I just followed their lead. When they got out, I got out and when they got to the top, by George, I was there too just behind them. Not half as bad as I thought and I rode home happy, loving the fast surface of the road knowing that once the hills were out the way I would be letting rip on the tarmac.
An athletes breakfast was thrown together of Spanish omelets, fresh fruits and yoghurt once we returned. Great company, good food I was still feeling kind of calm – very odd!
We went over to registration for 11am and also checked out the competitor board. Never have I felt so little. There are expats everywhere and they all look really BIG & STRONG. My confidence was starting to take a steep nose dive and even with Randy telling me they probably just look good and have nice clothes and gear it still didn’t help. I thought I was fit and strong well if I was – what the hell were these tanned goddesses with 6packs on display? On seeing that last years winner in my age group was there some of the pressure went away. Unless there were any other dark horses or she had a bad day, I didn’t concede the race there and then, but she was an element out of my control so I just tried to forget about it. 
After registration a dip in the ocean and then the lake was the order. I got attacked by sea lice in the sea and then algae in the lake. Felt ok, not that pleasant but I have put up with worse things in life.
A little fun was had in the open air shower after the swim practice, S.S (aka Sean Connery) was in fine form.
Back to the house, out for Lunch, back to the house again for some faffing about and then out to the race briefing. I met Coach Vinnie for the first time. Afraid I didn’t have a lot to say; if not antsy before, now sitting in the briefing I was getting really wired. Straight after briefing we walked over to the carbo loading and although not really hungry the food was very appetizing and I managed a couple of plates. That however is a drop I the ocean compared with the 5 that Bee tucked away. I say tucked because after spending quite a lot of time with our very own Gadget girl this year I still to this day do not know where all that food goes. She eats like a horse and yet stays as slim as slim can be. AMAZING BEE. I am very jealous.
Back to the house AGAIN, final race preps were being made by Sam, Randy and Bee; I had already done mine and so bid everyone a rather quiet goodnight and snuck away.
It was about 9pm at this juncture and I thought no way on earth will I sleep. BUT I DID. AND LOTS OF IT. Woke at 3am, popped to the loo and then managed another couple of hour’s kip before I got up at 5ish.
Up bright and early with my bed head still on. Sam and I sipped coffee looking out to the lagoon enjoying the serene tranquility of an early morning in paradise whilst waiting for Randy and Bee. We met Simon just outside the entrance to Laguna a little after 7am, and the five of us then set about for a leisurely ‘stretch the legs, warm up and then turn on the lactic ride’. Sam and Simon both kindly slowed down as we approached the HILLS and forewarned us again of the task we were about to tackle. I was visualizing falling off and not being able to turn the crank. Oh well, at least today wasn’t race day, screw up and there were less people to make an arse of myself in front of.The hills Simon, Sam and Randy speak of are in 3 stages. Short steep inclines with a short break in-between, enough for you to bring the heart rate down a wee bit before the next attack hits you. Lucky for me the hills are short enough for you to climb out of the seat (my favorite style). So with Sam and Simon in front I just followed their lead. When they got out, I got out and when they got to the top, by George, I was there too just behind them. Not half as bad as I thought and I rode home happy, loving the fast surface of the road knowing that once the hills were out the way I would be letting rip on the tarmac.
An athletes breakfast was thrown together of Spanish omelets, fresh fruits and yoghurt once we returned. Great company, good food I was still feeling kind of calm – very odd!
We went over to registration for 11am and also checked out the competitor board. Never have I felt so little. There are expats everywhere and they all look really BIG & STRONG. My confidence was starting to take a steep nose dive and even with Randy telling me they probably just look good and have nice clothes and gear it still didn’t help. I thought I was fit and strong well if I was – what the hell were these tanned goddesses with 6packs on display? On seeing that last years winner in my age group was there some of the pressure went away. Unless there were any other dark horses or she had a bad day, I didn’t concede the race there and then, but she was an element out of my control so I just tried to forget about it. After registration a dip in the ocean and then the lake was the order. I got attacked by sea lice in the sea and then algae in the lake. Felt ok, not that pleasant but I have put up with worse things in life.A little fun was had in the open air shower after the swim practice, S.S (aka Sean Connery) was in fine form.
Back to the house, out for Lunch, back to the house again for some faffing about and then out to the race briefing. I met Coach Vinnie for the first time. Afraid I didn’t have a lot to say; if not antsy before, now sitting in the briefing I was getting really wired. Straight after briefing we walked over to the carbo loading and although not really hungry the food was very appetizing and I managed a couple of plates. That however is a drop I the ocean compared with the 5 that Bee tucked away. I say tucked because after spending quite a lot of time with our very own Gadget girl this year I still to this day do not know where all that food goes. She eats like a horse and yet stays as slim as slim can be. AMAZING BEE. I am very jealous.Back to the house AGAIN, final race preps were being made by Sam, Randy and Bee; I had already done mine and so bid everyone a rather quiet goodnight and snuck away.
It was about 9pm at this juncture and I thought no way on earth will I sleep. BUT I DID. AND LOTS OF IT. Woke at 3am, popped to the loo and then managed another couple of hour’s kip before I got up at 5ish.
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