The best inspiration is not to outdo others, but to outdo ourselves

After some very nervous waiting, my Vitruvian experience began in earnest on Friday afternoon. We took the kids to Daniel's Dad's as we knew they'd be bored stupid waiting around for long enough for me to complete a race of this magnitude - they get bored during a sprint! Anyway, with them successfully delivered we set off for Rutland Water, I wanted to get myself registered and my bike racked on the Friday night so I'd have less to worry about on the Saturday morning.

I headed off to Trentham with great enthusiasm. I have done this race quite a few times before and have always enjoyed it. Also, it's a good excuse for a pleasant family weekend away. We book early and get ourselves into the Premier Inn on the site, therefore allowing another fall out of the room and wander to the start. A nice unstressful way to begin a race day, no worrying about getting there - good plan. Because we were there for the weekend it also meant I was able to go and register on the Saturday afternoon, taking even more pressure off the Sunday morning.

Cycling Out

Waiting for the start

Run

It was with more than a little trepidation that I approached this race. So much so that I was surprised at myself. I mean, okay, so it was a race that I hadn't done before, and okay, it has been a while since I completed an Olympic distance course, but even so. In the preceding week I'd been looking forward to it, having heard good things about it from others braving the waters at Pugneys early on weekend mornings. But all of a sudden on the Saturday night I was not a happy bunny.

Today was a day for standing by and watching, cheering very loudly and willing them on. The kids were out there competing again. They both really enjoyed these events last year and were very keen to take part in them again - even when faced with another dip in the lake! Once again we took a good sized cheering committee down to the Rother Valley to support them in their efforts, not quite as big a one as last year, but still. Daniel and I were there (of course), but also my Mum and Dad, so they were suitably yelled for as they raced.

This was another new race for me, but one that I was expecting to enjoy as it is run by a group whose races I have enjoyed in the past. This race is another one organised by Freebird Events. I went just hoping to enjoy the race, clearly after what I was saying about last weekend, I hadn't done enough training (seems like the story of my life at the moment), so I just wanted to get out there and enjoy racing.

I was really looking forward to taking part in this race. My training had been going pretty well, I'd been doing quite a lot of running with a view to the Half Marathon in a few weeks time and I actually felt relatively well prepared. Mind you, I was still feeling nervous, especially as it's a race that I hadn't done before. My day prior to the race probably wasn't ideal pre-race stuff, I was out all day long shopping with my Mum and my sister - but hey! It was fun.

Running

Cycling

In the Pool

My Mum had been telling me for a couple of years now that this race existed, right on their doorstep, and I'd been thinking I'd like to give it a go.  It turns out that I did so just in time as this year saw the last running of the Balerno Ladies Triathlon.  I have to say it's a shame too, the race was great - small but perfectly formed as they say.  The race was set up for a maximum of 64 ladies to take part, 62 doing so on the day.  I really enjoyed the race, was very impressed with the organisation that would put some bigger events to shame and would have been keen to

This was probably my last trip to Stratford for this race in the forseeable future.  Not because of the race itself, which I really enjoy doing, but because of it's distance from home.  We're trying to find races rather nearer here for next year, trying to cut down on the fuel and accommodation bills that go with racing.  It can become a very expensive business, especially with prices rising as they are doing at the moment.  And what a trip it was!  We made a bit of a thing of it this time and stayed down near Stratford, after all, we've generally just blasted in an

This year saw my seventh running of the Derby Triathlon, a run that I'd like to keep up.  I enjoy this race and certainly wouldn't want to miss it.  I can't quite believe that I've been doing triathlon long enough to have done anything seven times, but it would seem that I have.  This is always a good race, a beginner friendly one which is probably why it was the first race that I ever really enjoyed.  The first time I raced there was my make or break for triathlon, was I going to keep doing it or was I going to decide that it really wasn't for me after all.  All th

Busy Road

Waiting for the Start

Finishing Line

This was my second and final olympic distance race for this year and I approached it feeling pretty hopeful.  My preparation had been okay, better than the run up to the last one, that's for sure.  I never do quite as much in the summer holidays but it had been working out so that I was still getting a fair amount of training fitted in.  That really, was why I started making sure I had an August race, to stop from me from downing tools for six weeks, losing loads of condition and fitness while putting on weight - not a good combination, especially as I then always wanted to r

Allerthorpe Country Park