Apologies for swift exit and not finishing AQR piece on Friday, Kelly didn’t get gold but ran brilliantly, well worth getting home in time to see it.
Was hoping to get back to it on Saturday but being the family taxi took over. Sunday was a blur but great fun and I now have a rather fabulous very black bruise on my knee the result of a rather spectacular off at a roller skating party.

Anyway….AQR.
After lunch we moved on to basic maintenance and bike set up. This was brilliant for me because I was a bit precious about my bike, a bit of techno phobia going on and the thought of taking something off lovely bike and putting it back on was kinda scary. I can now manage a bit of basic stuff myself and the mystique has gone - my bike is a very beautiful collection of bits, bits that can come off, go back on, be lost and replaced.
I did bond with my bike; we are developing a close relationship: my bike is a “she” and definitely has personality!
I would whole heartedly recommend these skills days to anybody, my riding has already benefited from Kate’s top tips, I can hear her as I ride, telling me to look further ahead, that speed is my friend, oh and going up hill that she cant see enough saddle! I am enjoying the bike a lot more and will definitely do more skills days soon.
A word of advice from newly wise me: Don’t struggle with your bike – learn from good people, you wouldn’t take your driving test without lessons first!


Tracy looking very smokey in her PI Gavia Tight and Gore Alpine Jacket, me concentrating and looking chubby in gorgeously warm Peak Windstopper Pile Jacket.

AQuickRelease
Photos:Mr Miles

Tis ages since I updated my blog and I have loads to tell you, but it has been a long day and I want to get home to watch Kelly Sutherton go for gold at 7.30pm. So I am quickly posting about the excellent AQR day at Sherwood Pines and I will come back tomorrow with highs and woes of life, running and biking. Photo has no relevance, I thought it was pretty and brightens things up a bit.

Big "Thanks" to Tracy who persuaded me to do the AQR Ladies day at Sherwood Pines. I was worried that my level of beginner was quite unlike anybody else’s and that I would be out of my depth. I would not have done it without Tracys persistence and with hind sight that would have been a real shame because it was great fun and I learnt some good stuff that I now need to get out and put into practice. Organized by Kate Potter and Ian Potter the day was broken down into riding and skills in the morning and some basic maintenance and bike set up in the afternoon. Everybody went on a short ride together and then split us into smaller groups according to ability, you could choose which level to go with and nobody had to do anything that they didn’t feel comfortable with.
I went with the beginner’s group there were 8 of us and it was fab, everyone was very lovely and very supportive. We covered the basics of ascending and descending and the best position to be in on the bike. Kate wanted us to form a relationship with our bikes and I definitely bonded with mine when in the best ascending position. My bike is very definitely mine now. It was great to see Joolze and Carol (Armstrong, once the champion of women’s MTB at Specialized) who both made knowing noises and winced when discussing the ascending position, they didn’t think to tell me about it a year ago when trying to get me on the bike though - did they!
Back tomorrow to finish AQR piece.......

There was not an awful lot of flexible muscle to be found in my shoulders during my massage last Wednesday, so when Neill suggested that after just 48 hours recovery I would be able to run – I wasn't convinced!
I also made the bold statement that I do not allow my self to feel stress anymore, this was followed by two intensely stressful farming days and by Friday my shoulders felt awful, I then messed up the Girls Run Too post resulting in a impromptu dash to the PO which meant that by the time I returned the children were home, it was dark and the opportunity to run was lost.
I did however do my allowed half n hour on my bike.
Saturday morning was spent dropping children at various clubs and the supermarket shop.
It was raining heavily in the afternoon, I nearly didn’t go out for a run because shoulders weren’t great and I thought it would make them worse, but I did go, ran 3mins run 1 min walk repeat 5 and rather remarkably shoulders improved and mobility was much better, it was really muddy and fabulous to get so dirty.
Did half n hour bike on Sunday
Ran 3mins run 1 min walk repeat 5 on Monday, still raining
Finishing work soon to take bike out…

I am so happy to be running……..

Happy New Year.
A tad late sorry, I have got to the 18th January and just caught up. Thank you for the emails with resolutions, goals and messages of good cheer.
I have not made any resolutions and any ideas of sporting goals have to be whispered just in case my not so sporty body plans a rebellion. 2007 was spent injured or getting it wrong, so my plan for January is to very gradually do a bit of running, learn some patience and listen to those that know better.

At the moment I am on 3 mins run 1min walk repeat of 5 with a good walk warm up. I have so far managed two weeks, it was not without bodily trauma but following a massage (please don’t imagine anything along the lines of a pampa day at a spa – you couldn’t be more wrong) I am going into my third week and as I approach my 39th birthday I think a bit of wisdom might be creeping into my life and that I am developing the patience for a slow but healthy fitness build.

Repeats of 3/1 might mean that I am not exposed to elements for long but in the interest of research and development I have treated myself to a pair of Gore’s extremely gorgeous Windstopper tights and I must say “I don’t know how I ever managed without them”.

I will of course keep you posted regarding my motivational purchases.

Have a fabulous 2008 and please do let us know what you are up to.

Thank you - for your continued warmth and support during 2007.
We look forward to hearing your sporting goals and fitness resolutions in the New Year!
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Successful New Year.

Jo and Heather

Inspiration to get outside!….

It does amuse me logging on to the weblog with the user name “Sportswoman” it was created for me by a techy person that does not know me particularly well, I really should change it especially after my non-sporty year.

Everything I tried to do running wise this year, I just did wrong. My fitness has been fragile and frustrating for an embarrassing number of years, something I hadn’t realised until forced to think about it in order to fix it, my injury problems first started 7 years ago!! I wouldn’t run for weeks until my ankle felt better then I would go out and run too fast with out having done the basic work required to do that and end up not being able to run again, I also spent a lot of time at the chiropractor with associated neck and back problems.

Then Tracy introduced me to her friend/physio Neill and he soon discovered that my ankle wasn’t the problem, it was my foot and that he could fix it. He also could tell that I am lazy and impatient, just from the state of my calf muscles, Scary!

Within three weeks I was allowed to run but back to basics 5 minutes run 1 minute walk repeat of 3, all was going well and then….I bought a bike, had a bit of a mishap with pedals and shoes, broke a couple of ribs and have been out of action since. My ribs are now fixed and I can get back on the bike in the Christmas break then it is back to physio in the New Year to start again.

I am really looking forward to 2008 because now I know that running distance is achievable, also hoping to develop some bike skills, the burning question is - Can patience be learnt?

Our son has had a brilliant time taking part in this, his first experience of MTB racing. The event is well organised and friendly and there has been an awesome show of talent on display.
The final round is this Sunday and there are plans to do something similar next spring, we will keep you posted.
For more information check out www.fodca.org.uk/
For race report
www.britishcycling.org.uk

For the adults the Forest of Dean Enduro is Sunday 30th September, entries are still currently open but be quick they close 22nd September. There is a one lap beginner's category open to age 12+ for more information...www.rdfcc.org.uk

Apologies for the lack of posts leading up to the triathlon and the delay in getting around to posting news and gossip following the event, life got a bit crazy and the phrase “bit off more than we could chew” springs to mind.

Following a rather busy June and July, Team GRT were quite frankly “done in” mentally and physically exhausted, then came the news that Rosie are swimmer was unable to make the triathlon as she was also “done in”. Heather and I sat down to decide what to do, tears were spilt and we decided not to race this year. “All for one and one for all”. I would like to thank our local tri club and customers who offered to swim for us, you are all very kind, as you know the shop/stand was a lot bigger this year and to race as well was a step too far.

We will be back!

I notice that Tracy has listed Buff headwear in her list of must have kit and I totally agree, new to biking I set out last night 3 miles in, my poor ears were aching – should have worn a Buff but this is not what my warning is about, you see, Tracy has a thing for sheep, she finds them all cute and fluffy, Buff when displayed for purchase are mounted on to a cardboard head, at Mountain Mayhem Tracy saw a design of her favorite headwear displayed on a cardboard cut out of a cute sheep, she purchased immediately without paying much attention to the print on the Buff, assuming that it would be a cute cuddly woolly critter, anyway when she got home and laid the Buff out to see the lovely design she got a bit of a shock!
Only proceed to photograph if you are not easily offended and never purchase product based on its packaging!!

Sat on the grass in the sunshine(hoorah) last Sunday, kicking back eating junk food with my daughter and shouting “go on Tracy” as she went out for her last lap it suddenly hit me that none of us around her had any idea of how she was feeling physically or mentally.
Later on in the day at presentation time Tracy was called up first and awarded some pretty neat lights in special recognition of completing 3 x 24 solo in eight weeks. All around me were gasps of disbelief as it was announced exactly what Tracy had done- it then occurred to me that possibly no one else there knew how it feels to do 3 x 24 solo in eight weeks and I was surrounded by MTB super heroes.
Tracy’s achievement is MASSIVE!

I never underestimated how hard she worked, her courage or her physical and mental strength but not knowing the MTB world I had not appreciated just how unique her achievement is.

Girls Run Too supporting Tracy came about quite unexpectedly following a chance remark one morning when she was placing an order on the telephone. We were not actively seeking to sponsor anybody at that time but it was the best decision I made all year. Tracy has helped me rediscover my passion for sport and all of the fabulous reasons that Girls Run Too exists. When I first started running I was never concerned with speed my fascination was always “how far?” now I know that the answer to that is all mine. I am busy setting new running goals and even have an mtb event in mind providing that I am not a danger to anybody else!

I can’t wait to hear what Tracy has set herself for 2008 and just hope that she takes us along for the ride.

Well done top chick Miles – with much love, pride and admiration - Team GRT

It is most unlike me to be stuck for words, but I have struggled for nearly a week desperately searching my limited vocabulary for words to adequately describe to you the events of last weekend and still nothing lives up to the reality of 24 hour solo. Yet again I was deeply moved by Tracy’s strength and courage, deeply envious of her genuine “nice-ness” even when she has been awake all night riding a bike in atrocious conditions with her pit crew lying to her, that it is not raining and it is getting lighter - she is lovely and I am deeply honoured and proud to have been part of her crew.

I must confess that Neil was the star of the pit crew, without him I would have been useless, he told me what to do and what to say to help Tracy. I learnt a lot and am now pit-crew hardened.

For fab photo's that say far more than words continure reading...

for more ofJoolze Dymond’s photographs.

Ever wonder how life would be if we travelled in ways that benefited our health and our environment? We'd have safer roads, cleaner air and a better quality of life.
It's easier to do than you think. Change Your World is asking you to swap just one car trip from 1-7 July and choose something that's better for the planet instead.

We have signed up to swap a journey to the gym aprox.10 miles, but you can sign up to swap any trip you like. Check it out www.changeyourworld.org.uk

We have experienced some pretty good storms lately but the one that rolled in last night was an absolute stunner the darkness arrived quickly bringing some amazing displays of lightening and house shaking thunder.
All very exiting, just not the weather that we would have chosen for National Bike Week, Glastonbury and the 10th Anniversary of Mountain Mayhem.

I have my fingers crossed that the weather will be kind to all campers, sportsmen and women and Glasto revellers this weekend.

photograph taken in our garden last night 7.00pm ish

When you are training well you should never say so out loud! Last Thursday I stepped out for a run, 2 miles very hilly hoping to go fast (for me) I didn’t feel right on the first hill at the steady jog stage, my calves felt tight and I should have changed to an easy, but I carried on with my plan ran okay, didn’t feel too bad until 10.00pm-ish when it became obvious that my butt was not happy, by morning it was agony. Three sessions with the chiropractor and over a week off, I have been cleared to run as of Saturday.
So I am going to do gym session tomorrow bike and weights (pure vanity trying to reduce flappiness of bingo wings) and I will try a nice easy 3 miles over the weekend. I am just not built for speed.

One week later and the weather had totally changed it was now cold and very wet. This time we were out supporting Fiona running in the Crocodile 8 a race that is tough, includes over 100 very vertical steps and is made doubly extreme by rain. Once again I was desperate to run it myself and did seriously consider it, however I said that I was not going to risk fragile fitness by doing anything stupid, running this race in the rain would definitely fall in to the stupid camp, so I entered the children into the fun run a tough 1.5 miles with serious hill in the pouring rain, they had a great time!
Fiona had a really good run; she said that it is very tough but a lot of fun. There is something so magical about getting muddy!

St Michaels Hospice Hereford Half Marathon.
I didn’t run, I was there in support of my sister Fiona who was running and the Hospice. The sun was shining and the children had a lovely run in the 1.5miles fun run around the outside of the racecourse. They were particularly chuffed with their medals and certificates.
It was tough watching, I really wanted to run the half marathon course but I am just not that fit at the moment. My running is going well, which I am usually reluctant to say as such optimism tends to result in a one way ticket to the chiropractor. Fingers crossed I will be able to run this event next year it’s a tough one but a good one!

Could be the start of something new!

I had a brilliant time at Catton. The setting was gorgeous, the company fun and entertaining and the weather was kind!

Accompanied by Tracy I set off to do one lap of the course that was to be used for Sunday’s race, the course was beautiful but to be truthful…I found it hard and deeply frustrating, I struggled up grassy hills that I know I would have ran up with ease, I had to get off the bike on three occasions and push, on one occasion I had to get off to go down, a very sweet army cadet asked me if I would like him to take the bike down the section for me, I said that I was fine and could manage and was promptly dragged down by the bike…but I LOVED it! I loved the whole outdoors-ness of it, the bluebells, the naughty twigs and roots, the little puddle and even the gravel!

Will I do anything like it again? Most definitely YES!

Tracy has been very kind about my efforts, I had the posture of a person made from cardboard, and “relaxed” is not a word you would use to describe me. My chiropractor would have had his head in his hands crying.

Big thanks to Tracy.

DOB: 31/01/1969

Work: Girls Run Too M.D.

Lives: Rural Herefordshire with family.

Runs: Slowly.

Running likes: hills, the balance running brings to my mental health.

Running dislikes: the flat, traffic, hurting.

Wishes: that it didn’t take so long to regain fitness after even a short timeout.

Dreams of: Running faster and having a tidy house with ironed laundry that is neatly put away.

Food likes: Just about everything, which is the reason I started running.

First food after a hard run: Ready salted crisps and a cup of tea with a sugar.

Most famed for saying: “The fabric is everything”

Least likely to say: “Let’s go for a bike ride”

Sporting goal 2007: To run regularly and to significantly improve my time for the run leg at the London Triathlon.