Garden centres and gin and tonics

Well there's just over a week to go....my heart rate has just risen 50 beats whilst just typing that fact....it feels so close after all the months of training and kind of surreal that in a weeks time I will be actually doing an iron distance triathlon...not just any iron distance triathlon but Outlaw, Britains race of the year for the last three years. I'm not in as greater shape as I would have liked to have been, the last few weeks have been tough due to a variety of family health issues and a bereavement which has rightly meant that training has taken a back seat but also that I've not been looking after other aspects of my plan, like nutrition, hydration etc. But, I've been fortunate to have had a good long block of injury free training and I'm confident my endurance is there, this next week will be about eating clean, hydrating well and getting my mind strong for the day. It won't help to be thinking about the little bits I've missed and I'm greatful that I'm fit enough to get to the start line and sending best wishes to a couple of friends how have broken bones in the last couple of weeks and unable to race as planned....I would be a nightmare if that happened to me! I'm already avoiding kerbs whilst going about my daily business and driving everywhere at 10 miles an hour to keep myself injury free at this stage!

So, this journey has always been an experiment, to see what changes during the training, to see what if anything I learnt about myself and the things that matter to me. The whole process has definitely reaffirmed some of my values and beliefs especially... That we all can do anything we want to...if we train for it. I genuinely believe that the thing that stops us doing things is our minds...our bodies are amazing things and can be prepared and organised to take on most physical challenges...if our minds believe we can do it....so I'd like to pass that on to you all....if you want to, you genuinely can... So just do it....don't sit there wishing you could, because you can! I hope I will be following lots of you training or preparing for your amazing thing, whatever that is in the future, ironman, marathon, parachute jump, trip around the world alone...whatever yours is, make a plan start working towards it and just do it.

There are two other things that I've come to value so much more during my training and I've chosen two charities to support that link to these:

My Sight

I've been to so many places and seen so many wonderful things during my training that I never would have done, like ride up mountains in Cyprus, the most amazing sunrises in valley near my house and
some days I've felt like I've been on the set of a Disney movie whilst out on my morning runs and
rides as I've been surrounded by rabbits, birds, squirrels and even on two occasions wild deer. These things that I've seen and the places I've been have given me so much pleasure I can't imagine what it
would be like to not be able to see them and how devastating it must be to not have your sight. I've
chosen to support a local support group called Glossop VIP which is for people with visual impairments, to help them access social opportunities, reduce isolation and improve confidence. They have also developed a resource for people who have newly acquired visual impairments. I have a good old fashioned sponsoring form for this group and if anybody does wish to donate they can send me a message and I will put you on the form and then chase you for the money at a later date.

Time

"Is merely a fourth dimension that some people choose to measure in an artibtary way" is what I always say to myself whenever I wasn't that pleased with a race result or was late for something!

During the training I have come to recognise and value the importance of time so much more...mainly as I've felt like I've not had nearly enough of it. I've had lots of times where I've had to make difficult decisions about how to use the time I have had and too frequently felt like me and those around me have had to make sacrifices to fit in the training....... Until this last couple of weeks I felt like I'd not
really spent much quality time with John since February...oops!

I've also chosen to support The Karen Green Foundation who are a small charity that provide caravan accomodation for people and their families who are coping with illness. The caravan gives them that opportunity to enjoy some time together, whatever time they have. It's really import at to me to
understand that serious illness doesn't just damage physical and emotional recourses but it actually
causes real financial hardship for some families and some time away, a holiday, time to enjoy each other, say the things that need to be said and have the space to say them, can be out of reach for some families. The Karen Green Foundation helps with that, here's the address of my just giving page if you'd like to donate

www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Leah



So 6 am next Sunday morning my day will begin, 2.4 mile swim in the weed ridden duck poo
smelling water of Holme Pier Point lake....sounds awful doesn't it...but the truth be known whatever
the smell, whatever the weather, I won't want to be anywhere else next Sunday...



It's sure to be a great day..if you fancy watching, cheering me on or just having a sneaky peek as it might be in your plan for your future then come along. The parking at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham is free, there are free buses out to the bike course and back to the run which goes around the lake and the Trent, bring your picnics, chairs and children and give them free reign to shout and scream for hours on end!

After next Sunday my weekends will be spent sipping Gin and Tonic's and visiting Garden centres......
 xx