And they're off

It's late July, the race is on and the journeys are being made. After many months in the saddle, on the road and in the pool the Optician Triathlon Team is ready for action.

Our, now depleted, team of five is heading south for the Alpes for the Long (Wed) and short (Thurs) version of the Alpe d'Huez triathlon. The beautiful Lac du Verney beckons and the Alpe D looms. I prefer not to think about the hilly the half marathon at altitude.

I wish to personally thank all of the team members, all of those who have donated to the team's fund, BBGR, Essilor, Transitions and Rupp + Hubarch for their generous support.

All that is left is to wish the team luck and, err.........finish the race.

Bon chance.

Limping to the start line

We all recieved the shock news this week that Fiona has torn her achilles and will not make the start line for the Alpe d'Huez triathlon. This is a bitter blow for Fiona who was instrumental in getting the Optician team into the race and someone who has put in months and months of training to be on prime form for the event.

She is still deciding whether to come to France to cheer the team on or to rest up. I am sure you will all join me in wishing Fiona a speedy recovery........
Meanwhile Chris (me) has also been in the wars courtesy of his old nemesis, insects.




This is the current state of my ankle meaning my taper down to the event has been turned into a complete halt to any exercise at all. This comes on top of the dodgy knee I have developed after buying some new trainers a fortnight ago. Hopefully a week's rest will see off the reaction to the insect bite and give the knee chance to calm down. I will break out my old trainers for the event.


Needless to say I will be on that startline. I am already looking forward to the post-race rest and the rest of the triathlon-free summer. In the meantime I am still relishing the prospect of the ADH climb everytime I watch the Tour de France on the TV. I am sure the reality will cure my dreams of cycling's glamour.

A different kind of puncture

I'm used to getting punctures on the bike but I had a different experience this weekend.

A couple weeks ago I bought myself a shiny new pair of trainers. I've had a bit of a mixed start with these bad boys as they seem to make my left knee hurt. But being a fearless and foolish fellow I decided to go for a 12 mile hilly off road run at the weekend. It was about 31 degrees, sunny and humid. A real kill or cure special.
I noticed straight away that the knee was a bit uncomfy but pressed on regardless but when I hit a patch of rough groumnd a had a painful, sharp shooting pain in my toe. And I mean painful. As I went on this occured more and more over rough ground. I came to the conclusion that the trainers were faulty and had a dodgy sole and that's why I could feel sharp stones and why they made my knee hurt. When I finally got back home ( blisterless --hooray) but with a bleeding toe where the sharp pain had been I had a look at the sole and noticed something stuck in the tread. Once I had pulled it our with a pair of pliers the mystery was solved.




Still had a sore knee on Monday though so it looks like I will be back in the old trainers for the race.

Breakfast in Worthing

It's not long now until the Alpe d'Huez triathlon and the training is getting serious. This weekend I decided to have an early morning cycle down the A24 with son number 2 as he was desperate to cycle to the coast. The nearest point on the map was Worthing so that became our destination.


Despite setting off at 0530 it soon became clear that the scorching weather was going to make the day a busy one especially on the roads. There must have been a sports car rally somewhere near the coast and every boy racer in the home counties was seeing how fast they could go. After a few map-study stops we decided to press on and get to the sea. While getting to worthing proved easy finding the sea was a little harder! Eventually we tracked it down and sat at the waterfront and had a bite to eat before heading back. The gentile life of Worthing proved a big hit with many smiles and hello before we remounted the bikes and headed back.



Divine intervention was in evidence on the way back as the southerly wind whisked us back up the A24 at great speed. We met Mrs Optician where the A272 meets the A24 and I continued alone while the boy was driven back home. This gave me the opportunity to put the hammer down and also to stop worrying every time a lorry approached us!