Archive - Put the Kettle On

IM 70.3 ST POLTEN

Written by amanda on 4th June 2019. Posted in The Road to Ironman, Uncategorised. 3 Comments on IM 70.3 ST POLTEN

Let’s get the confessions out of the way first: it is going to be VERY difficult to stick to purely a ‘race’ report here, so if I go off track I apologise. It’s only because this was so much more than just about a race. The entire weekend was incredibly special – from the company, the environment, the people, supporters, food … to be honest I think all this together made the main event that much more memorable. I’ll try and stick to facts, though, I promise. First, however, it’s important to...

PERSONAL TRAINERS EAT CAKE TOO

Written by amanda on 3rd September 2018. Posted in Anything goes. No Comments on PERSONAL TRAINERS EAT CAKE TOO

With apologies to all the PTs out there who are close to perfect (in PT terms, that is (I know a few of you – am dead jealous)) I’m feeling the need today to rant a little. With health and wellbeing at the forefront of pretty much everything these days the personal training (PT) industry is booming – and with it the judgments, oh, the JUDGMENTS! Obviously it still remains to be said that personal trainers are, in the main, NOT PERFECT! **oh horror** Fairly confident most of you know that already,...

CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY TRI – OLYMPIC DISTANCE

Written by amanda on 31st August 2018. Posted in Race Reports. 1 Comment on CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY TRI – OLYMPIC DISTANCE

Sunday 26 August 2018 – Olympic Distance Triathlon 1500m swim 45 km bike 10 km run Another weekend, another 5.30 a.m. alarm, another skirmish with wetsuit awaits. It’s pitch black outside. I’m beginning to wonder if they’re going to floodlight the turn buoys. Never mind. By the time I get to the castle dawn has well and truly broken and my only quibble is that it could be a damn sight warmer, seeing as I’m in France and it’s August. Ah well, could be worse. Here I am in the most...

VITORIA GASTEIZ 70.3

Written by amanda on 15th July 2018. Posted in Race Reports. 1 Comment on VITORIA GASTEIZ 70.3

It’s that time again. The time when I find myself staring at the three race bags on my hotel bed, wondering if I’ve put the right kit into the right ones, what I’ve forgotten, what things need to be taken out in the morning, what still needs to be put in. Argh! No matter how many times I do this it never gets any less stressful. And rightly so. As I do my triple-check I realise my goggles are not in my pre-race bundle. In fact, my goggles are nowhere to be found. Rookie Error No. 1. Cue an extra...

BUT Management April – Putting ‘me’ first

Written by amanda on 10th April 2018. Posted in BUT Management. No Comments on BUT Management April – Putting ‘me’ first

Oh my! Easter! BUT Management took a bit of a hit, needless to say. I really did wimp out and fall for every trick in the book, but I’m BACK and I’ve taken steps in the right direction and those BUTs have been locked firmly into a cupboard (although at least one seems to squeeze out through the keyhole on a daily basis – oops). Two major changes since my last post have led to a much more positive-looking few months ahead. From mid-2017 up until January of this year my headspace was in an extremely...

BUT Management January #callthemidwife

Written by amanda on 30th January 2018. Posted in BUT Management. No Comments on BUT Management January #callthemidwife

It’s true. Some BUTs are more easily managed than others and this BUT management in January has been a challenge. Or is that me diving into Excuseland once again? January is drawing to a close and it hasn’t been a whole lot of fun. I came back from skiing and the Aussies picked on me big time, driving me to my bed with the brutality of their flu. Ugh! It’s been years since I was last bed-ridden with an illness like that. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time, so it was a bit of a...

BUT Management – 2018 Fitness Goals

Written by amanda on 16th January 2018. Posted in BUT Management. 1 Comment on BUT Management – 2018 Fitness Goals

But Management 101 Yes, it’s decided. 2018 is going to be The Year of the But. It’s taken me longer than usual to think about my fitness/sports focus for this year. I’m not a great believer in New Year’s resolutions for the same reason I never start anything on a Monday or the first of the month (too easy to quit), but I am a huge supporter of goal-setting and I’ve always had a few to reach for and keep me moving onwards and, hopefully, upwards. Until now, that is. It’s a very strange feeling...

The Cotswold Way 100 Mile Run

Written by amanda on 23rd June 2017. Posted in My Ultra Ego and Me. No Comments on The Cotswold Way 100 Mile Run

It wasn’t really in my plan to bore anyone to tears with yet another ‘race report’ that’s only really of interest to the person writing it, but I suppose that since the Cotswold Way 100 Mile Run is/was my ultrarunning swansong I should write a few notes. Now, for anyone contemplating a 100-mile race this is not for you. Much as I would have loved to have raced 100 miles I never had the courage and most certainly never had the self-belief that it would ever happen, hence I opted to tick the 100-mile...

thetrilife Masters Programme – Month 2

Written by amanda on 20th May 2016. Posted in Mastering tri life. No Comments on thetrilife Masters Programme – Month 2

It’s been a more intense four weeks and my goal has been to stick firmly to the plan and focus on running cadence, bike cadence (rather than pushing gears) and anything and everything to do with swimming. SWIMMING: Drills this month have focussed on hand placement. I feel fairly confident that I’m not too far off here. And remember I chickened out of finding ‘gears’ last month? Well, I really REALLY tried this time. Of course, finding 6 gears to swim 6 x 75m progressive meant that I was close...

MARATHON CHECKLIST FOR FIRST-TIMERS

Written by amanda on 10th April 2016. Posted in Just running. No Comments on MARATHON CHECKLIST FOR FIRST-TIMERS

It’s countdown time, your Facebook page is filled with running posts, injury posts and article upon article about what to do, what not to do, what you should have done, what it’s too late to do now and oh-my-god-you’ve-done-everything-wrong posts. Right? Yeah. ‘S’ok. Anyone who’s run a marathon has been there and heard most of it and I think I’m right in saying that you need to treat the advice in the same way that you treat all the suggestions about how to live your life, how to bring up your...