THRIVE TO SURVIVE!!

FIRST DOUBLE CUDDLE

Before I start on this weeks training, lets mention again why I am writing this blog. Two of the most important people in my life were born very prematurely, my twins. It was touch and go with both of them if they would survive. I just couldn't imagine my life without them and if it wasn't for the special care baby unit at the RVI in Newcastle, it may well of been the case. I am fund raising for 'Tiny Lives' a charity which helps contributes to the enormous costs in caring for premature and sick babies. No amount of money is too small and I am hoping at the end of my Ironman I will have raised enough to buy a new CPAP machine. A machine that can help keep a baby alive in those first few critical hours,days and even weeks.

Back to this week and what a week I have had. Firstly my asthma started to get a lot worse. So on Sunday I made the decision to go onto the drugs, which I wasn't keen about but I really couldn't risk a full blown asthma attack so close to my Ironman. So the start of the week was a quite one, however under my coaches instructions I needed to  do what is called and Endurance block. This apparently will set me up for the Ironman and its distances. So Kay (who is also going to Germany) and I teamed up to tackle this together.

Thursday Day 1 of the endurance block. Kay and I went out on what was meant to be a 5 hour easy bike ride. Ummmm Kay had other idea's and decided to show me the lovely moors and hills around her neck of the woods. They were spectacular but I wouldn't say easy. However we made the judgement call that 3 1/2 hilly is the same as 5 hours easy. Then that evening I teamed up with the lovely Laura as I needed to do a hill session. This involved sprinting up a hill 8 times, which was then generally followed by lots of wheezing and puffing on my inhaler!!

The easy ride.......NOT!!!

Friday Day 2 - I met up with Kay again to do a quick hour hill climbing on the bikes. ( to be honest it was pretty tame compared to what she had me doing the previous day). Then we got ourselves to the pool where we need to swim 2 1/2 miles (4000m). We both really enjoyed this session. Then that evening I did another hour on the bike with a 20 minute time trial in the middle.

Saturday Day 3 - Today I only had to compete in my first ever half Ironman.  This race is known as the Steelman. I loved it, the weather was amazing, my asthma was really starting to turn the corner, the only downside was that I was feeling a little stiff from the previous 2 days.

The Swim - this proved to be a proper wrestling match pretty much from start to finish, I actually ended up giving a few shoves, mind you I was receiving quite a few knocks. I came out of the water 2nd (in the ladies 27th overall) in a time of 33.38 minutes. (also we all ended up swimming an extra 400m by accident)

The bike - 58 miles this took me 02:57:16. I averaged 19mph so really happy with this. It was pretty uneventful really, managed a few nice chats and ate some snickers bars (yum yum).

The run - Today I loved the run, I was amazed. I think the run was approx 12miles and I came in with a time of 01:33:13. Which I am amazed with.

Overall I came third, I can't tell you how chuffed I am, my total time was 05:06:59, I really wasn't expecting it. To end the blog this week  here are some photo's of today.

MY PRIZE

:

COLLECTING IT - :-)

THE LAKE BEFORE KICK OFF

DREW & KAY - LOVING THE THUMBS UP!!

UMMM.... I THINK THIS IS DREW TRYING TO LOOK FIERCE

KAY LITERALLY AS SHE FINISHED - YOU GO GIRL

KAY CHILLING OFF IN THE LAKE (ICE BATH)

SOME OF THE CREW FOR GERMANY

ME WITH THE HAT ON

PHIL COULSON OF OUR TRI CLUB WHO CAME FIRST TODAY WITH A TIME OF 4 HOURS 13, AWESOME!!

CELEBRATIONS WITH MY THREE BIGGEST FANS AT HOME

 Here once again is my just giving page. I have nearly raised a third of the amount I am trying to reach. No amount is too small it all adds up. Thank you.

Just Giving Page: http://www.justgiving.com/Joanna-Reed0