Things I remember....

In years to come when I am old (er) and wrinkly (er) I want to remember the training for the Forestman...because one thing I have discovered is that it is definitely about the training not about the day! Anyway just wanted to remember a few things from my training that have stuck with me....

• Getting dropped 10 miles in to a minus 2 degree ride in January and drafting an e-mail in my head quitting the whole thing
• 25 miles in having something to eat and feeling better, 65 miles and 4 hours done turned the whole thing around for me
• Doing my long run to Fordingbridge and just feeling plain good, finished on 14.5 miles but it was the best run ever and the fastest at that time
• Finishing a 20 mile race averaging 8.45 min/miles thinking "so what"....given I'd never ran more than 14.5 before....this was an acheivement
• Running my first sub nine minute mile accidently, when we started running I tried to average 10 m/m and one day it turned out I could run faster
• During the London Marathon, in pain, nausea and suffering - passing people collapsed and having medical treatment thinking that it wouldn't be me even though I couldn't keep running all the time
• Running my first (and only 1/2 marathon) going out too fast and rather than slowing down....just carrying on and holding on for as long as possible despite the hills
• Ride home from work in Chilworth averaging over 20 mph the whole way...what a change training makes
• Conquering Dartmoor Classic feeling good (for most of it)
• Walking 350metres halfway to swimming and being so tired I turned around
• The first time I ran slowly and long (7 miles at the time but the point was pacing)
• Getting in to swim 3*1k and ending up swimming 3k straight up, I just couldn't be bothered to stop...that's a good feeling!
• Riding the rattler and getting to 64 miles averaging 19.9mph and remembering how tired I was...
• Running London Marathon......the whole thing, painful and amazing!

And thats some bits and pieces that I remember.........