TTH Christmas Dinner

Pictures (unsensored) on the way and once again courtesy of our official Team pic taker Ivie but for the moment here are 2 from my phone a little hazy but rather interesting!!!!

A few weeks ago an email went out asking who would be interested in attending our 1st TTH Christmas dinner/party. Well the evening finally rolled round last night. A little early in the month, but we wanted to ensure those that wanted to attend could before office parties and overseas trips took precedence. Held at Jarrod & Rawlins in Bukit Damansara we were treated to a 3-course sit down traditional turkey (vege for some) dinner with free flow until it was no more and some people (no names mentioned) felt it appropriate to ‘swipe’ the dregs and left over bottles from another parties table. Well I never, what a cheek eh!!!!!!
Anyway, I shall not prattle on today, my head is still sore, my tummy very large and my internet connection has been cut-off so I better go out and pay the bill OR go have a cup of coffee in Starbucks and hook up for free so I can post this – that sounds more like it.
It was a fabulous night, plenty of laughter and the perfect way to wind down after Phuket before we start cranking it up again next week for the final phase of IM training.

Thanks to everyone for coming I hope you all had fun.

A BIG thank you to yummy mummy-to-be Julie for arranging, booking and liaising with Kumar at J&R’s and thanks Sam for paying – I am still holding the cash and have not yet skipped town!

Cheers Everyone and Merry Christmas!!
Emma

Here are a few snaps of the evening, I leave you to draw your own conclusions. The rest can be viewed on Ivie's site.

The Phuket Diaries

(Pictures courtesy of Ivie - they are on the way lahhhh)
I have decided to write the events of the race and the “holiday” in a diary of sorts. So bear with me. The race report will come but not before a brief summary of the events of Friday and Saturday.

Friday 5th December

I drove to the airport, much less hassle and actually cheaper. Picked Gadget girl up, sieved through a nasty Friday morning jam and got to the airport around the same time as Randy and Ivie. On checking in I was extremely pissed to learn that a BIKE is NOT sports equipment. Golf clubs however are!! I have paid the sports equipment surcharge on my bike twice this year; once for Langkawi and once in Miri. Now they have changed their ruling? WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU THINKING MR FERNANDEZ!!!!! This is simply not right and not fair. I had to pay RM85 excess, and gadget girl RM70. Sam and Randy got away Scot free as their luggage totals were bundled together with Carmen and Ivie respectively that meant they did not go over. ONCE AGAIN, NOT BLEEPING FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, now that is out of my system, on with the show...

After the checking in debacle everything else went plain sailing. On arrival in Phuket our designated driver was already there with mini bus and truck in tow to carry the bikes. Randy & Ivie had everything planned to perfection. This was probably the best kind of race prep I could have asked for. Nerves were creeping in but I was trying my best to keep them at bay for my benefit and the sake of my house-mates! An impromptu BBQ was held on Friday evening. Straight after dropping George off with Daniel at the TBB tent for a maintenance check we drove over TESCO’s for supplies and a spot of lunch. Once back at the house and once Sam, Carmen, Bee and I had bagged our rooms and taken in the gorgeous surroundings I set to work making a marinade and preparing the food for the evening with Carmen and Ivie. Known for my colorful language, Hell’s Kitchen is a scenario that came to mind! Sergeant Sam and Bee set up the bikes while Randy went over to the Laguna to pick up the Cross clan and bring them back for an evening of relaxation and indulgence.

Earning my keep doing the cooking

Saturday 6th December

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.

Sunday December 7th RACE DAY

Breakfast was not the usual somber affair. We seemed in good spirits in-between the yawns of course. I had a coffee, banana and peanut butter sandwich and did my morning rituals thrice, like clockwork.
Before putting on my shoes I had to shake my new lodger out. It seems whilst staying in the house a family of frogs had moved into my belongings and on race morning a huge frog had secured himself in the dank dark, cavity of my bike shoe. YES I know my shoes are smelly – tell me something I don’t know! Anyway I didn’t mind as once I ousted him I told the others it is supposed to be good luck and I would need all the luck I could muster!
We left the house at 5.45am to get to bike check-in for 6am. Other riders were on the road out as we left and there was an eerie silence. Dark, no chatter, no drafting, eh up this sounds like a Wednesday morning ride! Except it wasn’t. Once at the transition area the place was a-buzz of activity. My little old ticker started doing major flips and somersaults that could probably have gotten me into the GB gymnastics squad!
When I racked George I didn’t realize you were supposed to go odds and evens to create more space. My Neighbours kindly informed me of this, probably whilst looking at my expensive bike and aero helmet thinking amateur, got all the mod cons and she doesn’t know what she is doing! Did I give a shit? NO. I even admitted I only started riding last year and this was my first year in Tri. They couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces at that point!!!
Went off for numbering and then before we knew it, it was time to get the boat over to the start line. Once on board, that eerie silence returned coupled with a feeling of impending doom, it was like a boat load of prisoners being sent to the guilotine, not a boat load of fit individuals about to participate in one of the most well-organized fun triathlons on the yearly calendar.

We met up with Carmen and Ivie and John on the beach, they snapped photos and gave out good wishes, I tried to stay calm but really at this point I was not doing well. I went off on my own for a dip, collected my thoughts and then went and stood in the pen. Sam wished me good luck as we stood waiting for the gun. Just as well my goggles were on otherwise he would have seen me tearing up!!! YES I was emotional, on tenterhooks and basically just trying to keep it all together and focus in the job in hand. I walked away and stood on my own. Ivie actually got a few pictures of me at this point and I think they perfectly show how I go into my own little world. Thanks Ivie.

The SWIM – 0:38:07
The first Litmus test of my swim, I had spoken to Coach Vinnie at the carbo loading about my reservations regarding how to approach this. "Stay left, hang back a bit, and get them in the bike," he said. I probably didn’t stay as left as I should have but as each race has passed I have noticed I panic less and less about been knocked about. I felt strong in the swim and sighted ok. Exiting going up the mound and ducking into the lake was not pleasant and there was a traffic jam on entry. Once swimming I took probably the straightest line I have taken all year. It was that straight that as I kept sighting the sailboat. Yup, there it is, stroke , stroke, look up, yup there it is and repeat and repeat until I looked up and was about to hit the bloody thing smack centre – opps. I could have swum underneath (haha) but decided to go left and round!

On approaching the finish of the swim the algae and slimy weeds were everywhere. I kept swimming as long as I could whilst stroking through the muck. When I finally exited up the ramp I probably resembled some sort of green sea monster. DID I CARE? NO. Did I stay and wash it off under the shower like all the other wusses? Do you really need to ask that question? I actually finished the race with seaweed still attached and stones inside my suit – don’t mind the seaweed but how the stones got there I do not know!
T1: Into transition and out again. It is never going to be great until I sort out the shoes on pedals thing. So let’s leave it at that for now.
The BIKE – 1:42:47
The hills are all done and dusted by kilometer14. My dilemma was, do I take it easy out and up to the hills making sure the legs have plenty of power?, OR, do I warm up a bit and then just get in my stride and go and not think about it?? Hmmmn, well once I got on to the road George stayed in the small chain ring for all of 2minutes. I didn’t kill my legs at all, on the contrary I am so used to pushing big gears now and having a slower turn over I just don’t think about it. This style allows you to naturally go faster on the flats and rolling stuff. When I got to the hills I dropped the ring went into the smallest gear and over took a bunch of women and fit looking guys. It was fantastic, I am pleased to report NO ONE overtook me except for the last k coming into transition where I start to slow down and think about the next leg.

I lost a whole bottle of hydration on one nasty bump that someone with a load speaker was supposed to be warning us about it. He though was having a nice chat and forgot to warn me. Over the bump and out pops my Gatorade in my nice hammer drinks bottle! This was at K 15 or 16. Luckily it was a cool day and already very well hydrated I knew if I just kept calm I would be picking up two replacements in less than 10minutes. At the time I wondered if the mishap was going to be the start of some nasty bad luck to come but I am pleased to report it wasn’t. The bike leg went beautifully. Coach Vinnie sought me out on the airport road with motivational shouts, (thank YOU). I loved it, the road was fast and I felt fast. And my legs felt fresh as a daisy. My heart rate was the lowest it has ever been when pushing hard and my cadence was very low….Avg 79!!!! It worked for me.

T2: Into transition again never great but I am getting there. And out onto the run.
The RUN – 0:54:07

As mentioned already the weather was very kind to the athletes. The heat doesn’t really bother me; searing heat would slow me down but not as badly as others. I saw Simon, Sam and Randy on the run. And only Sam I thought was in chasing distance. Covering mixed terrain of tarmac, trail and a golf course the run was scenic but personally not something my legs enjoyed. I DO NOT like running on grass. The first one k stung a fair bit but once into my stride I realized after so many weeks of running with no knowledge of distance that I was punching out a pretty good pace. On target for 51mins at the half way point I have no clue where I slowed. As I say – not liking the grass. I overtook one more lady in my group on the run – did not realize this at the time until coach Vinnie informed me after crossing the line.

Results:
Simon’s race, an amazing blinder: 3:01:05 as Swim 0:33:43, (1:34) Bike 1:35:37, (1:13) Run 0:48:59

The all too familiar Simon Cross post race finish pose - is he an attention seeker or did he TRI-HARD!

Randy’s race, absolutely fantastic – I could not catch him today: 3.15:46 as Swim 0:30:36, (2:03) Bike 1:45:35, (1:19) Run 0:56:15

Sam’s race, blitzed his field and took his 4th LPT title in 3:16:33 as Swim 0:35:16, (2:00) Bike 1:42:11, (1:38) Run 0:55:30

1st place Sam looking fresh as a daisy!

Emma’s race, 3rd place in 3:18:49 as Swim 0:38:26, (2:03) Bike 1:42:37, (1:36) Run 0:54:07

Podium was the target and I have ended the year with podium 1, 2 or 3 in all of my triathlon/duathlon races so I cannot argue with the stats.
Bee’s Race, always with a BIG smile on her face as 3:56:45 as Swim 0:53:26, (3:09) Bike 1:55:44, (3:07) Run 1:01:22
BIG THANKS to everyone who yelled out my name and cheered for me. I know I don't acknowledge it on the race but I do hear you and it helps! Thanks also to Ironguides and Coach Vinnie for his support over the weekend. Didn't get his picture but he is real and his instructions DO WORK! Also to TBB for sorting George out and teamTBB for there ongoing support. Cheers, GUYS. 80days to GO.

Awards Dinner

Both Sam and Simon had mentioned that the Awards dinner was probably one of the best around. They didn’t get it wrong. Beer was flowing (note the table sagging under the weight of Singah beer bottles), food was a plenty – Bee and Carmen were in Heaven and you could get to rub shoulders with the pro’s – I was happy!

Me and my NBF Winner of Womens Elite, Belinda Granger. She started the year winning IM Langkawi and ended it winning her 1st LPT. At 38 years of age...is there some hope for me yet ;)
On collecting my trophy, a beautiful elephant mounted on a plaque, the voice of IM himself Mr Whit Raymond once again informed everyone of my first triathlon experience.(Hey I didn't say anything!) In the the beginning of this year I really did not think much of doing Langkawi as a first tri but it seems it is a big thing in some people eyes and has probably been one of the factors that has got me noticed and gained some sponsorship support along the way. I can now as the year finely rolls to an end say I am very proud of what I have achieved this year. I may not always show it and sometimes I think I probably don’t enjoy these moments like I should. But even though the year is ending I am still only half way through my ultimate journey, if the second leg is anything like the first I know I am going to have a blast and hopefully God willing, strong body and mind intact, keep surprising you all!
To sum up, waaaay too much food and drink - I have put weight on, not lost it! But it is a small price to pay for a weekend in the company of great friends, beautiful accommodation (thank you & thank you, once again Randy & Ivie). I loved it, a fantastic experience. Will I come back next year? I plan to, but these days I really am not sure where I will be and what I will be doing so we shall just wait and see…

GoooooooD LUCK!

We all know what race I am doing this weekend, and I shall as always endeavour to try my best to do my best and give it my all. The first real litmus test of the renewed swim I don't mind admitting Emma is a TAD nervous (thats putting it VERY lightly).

Let's not forget the 2 other races going on this weekend that numerous friends are taking part in.

A big shout out of GOOD LUCK to you all!

Hello Tilly

My apologies for YET another pussy cat picture but my brother has just joined the ranks and become a proud parent. OR, perhaps it was the consistent nagging and pleading from his beloved Niki that finally broke his steely stance on owning a one of these ferocious beasties.

Tilly is her name, I keep trying to remember where that name comes from I know it is significant somehow. He MMS'd this picture to me last night, awakening me from my dreamy slumber - I was merrily smiling whilst doing the first 10k of an IM marathon in dreamland last night - but that's another story :)

Anyway, all together now...Ahhhhhhhhh!

Motivation

Some days when training you wonder how on earth you will ever reach that finish line.

Don't let the devil get the better of you...

..Once you cross that finish line you can look forward to a post tri-relax - this is what I am planning in Phuket, as soon as I find a willing masseuse that is. Then again it's Thailand - how hard can it be!!!!!!