live from PE, South Africa

Hi all

I arrived in Port Elizabeth yeasdterday after un uneventful flight via Jo'burg. I had the bike in a Cannondale cardboard box(they are the biggest and you leave the back wheel on) and my suitcase wrapped in selophane at Heathrow for 5 pounds each.
A porter offered to help with the bike at Jo'burg as the lift was out of order....hmmm...,it was but there are others and walkways to the other floors.
went for a 4-5 mile run yesterday to the bike shop then built the bike. Was in bed by 2100 and woke at 0700 to look out the window for the sun position and sea state then back to bed for another 2 1/2 hours
breakfast was adequate for under 2 pounds.

going for a lap of the bike this afternoon and a lap of the run.

Swimming in a group tomorrow morning

bfn

the time is nearly here to leave England and venture back to the world of Trimania...gulp! Ironman South Africa ready or not here I come.

I have my worthy steed packaged with numerous other items to utilise the weight allowance of 23kg and my suitcase is filling nicely.

My new Helix wetsuit came today from my sponsor Blueseventy and very nice it is too. It fits where it touches. Really quick to get out of. Also got some great looking goggles with mirrored lenses. Cant wait to try them out. Will put a link to them when I get back.

I went for a massage tonight to iron out the lumps left over from last weeks Half marathon. Sore but worth every minute.... and penny! Thanks Hannah

In 2 days time i'll be somewhere over Africa heading to Port Elizabeth heading to the sun and warmth.

Hoping to get online and update while i'm there but otherwise you can hear from me when i get back. I'll be thinking about everyone watching with interest on www.ironmanlive.com and this will spur me on.

BFN
Mat

I could barely walk Monday and Tuesday but fortunately I had a massage booked for Tuesday night. Painful but bliss afterwards.

I went along to training with the BRAT club tonight whish is usually the efforts night. And it was.
I ran to the meeting place, about 2.5 miles away at a slow jog to warm my legs up and did some stretching before everyone arrived.
The session consisted of a jog to a lake in the University area then 30 min run involving two loops. One hilly loop at 10km pace with about 25metres ! of recovery then a shorter hilly loop at 5km pace.
I met Dale there so we completed the sets together.
My legs are now hurting again!! Needless to say it was a slow jog home.
Self massage it is then.

The racing started today with the Fleet Half Marathon!

Hi all

this is my first attempt at the blog

I went to the Fleet half marathon today and scored a pb!! not bad for a 40 year old. I just keep getting faster with age.
I scared myself early on with a 5:25 for the 1st mile but knew it would get slower....and it did. I seemed to run around the 5:40 - 5:50 mark and finished in 1:15:41 taking a whole minute of my previous best. Well chuffed.
Let's hope it's a good sign of things to come in Ironman South Africa. 3 weeks today!
You can follow my race at ironmanlive.com on 5 April 09. I'll try to make it worth it watching.