I'm not sure if I'm nervous or excited!

This week so far has given me some good news and some not so good news as far as my challenge prep goes.  Firstly the good news, the muscle in my ribs that I pulled has got better, Hurrahh!  This however leads to the bad news, I haven't really trained this week due to the healing process of that pulled muscle!  On top of that I have also lost my favourite sports bottle.  I know its only a bottle and I have about 5 others, but it was my favourite one.  I'm not superstitious but if I was this would have been classed as my lucky water bottle! Not happy.

I've taken this time to make sure I am prepared for the weekend ahead.  With 5 days to go I have packed my kit back twice (just in case I had forgotten to pack something the first time round!)  Sorted the logistics of how Team Lawrence will get to the venue as I have supporters coming, and read the instructions several times to make sure I know where I have to be and when, and checked my kit as I packed it.  Things were going well until Mrs L asked who I was going to get my bike to the race.  Off I went to buy a bike rack for the car and after 30 minutes of fighting with the rack, it finally fits the car!!

Its strange really, I'm nervous but also REALLY excited.  As with the half marathon, I'm not aiming to be fast round the course, just make it round in one piece. 

I'm off to repack my bag now, just in case I forgot something the second time I packed it!

Pre race nervous start a bit early - Like 2 weeks early!!!

Things this week have been a bit busy, with a swim session, bike session and a martial arts session during the week.  This was coupled with a huge push for sponsorship that has seen me raise my total to OVER £1200.  This is all thanks to every one that has sponsored me and to a company for matching my total raised.

In two weeks time I will have completed my triathlon and as such finished my gold challenge.

I was told with the triathlon that it would be normal to have some pre-race nerves - and having suffered with nerves before my half marathon I thought it would follow the same sort of time frame and I would get nervous two days before.  I have just checked the website http://www.rawenergypursuits.co.uk/events/arundel-triathlon/  and the race instructions are now there.  All of a sudden this has all become a little bit real, and I cant help but hope that I have done enough for this.  I have decided that I want to come in between 2 1/2 and 3 hours, but I am aiming for the lower end!  With 400m swim, 12 mile bike ride and 3 mile run I feel this is achievable - just got to control the nerves now for two weeks!!!!!

  Mrs L is in the process of arranging a post race meal with some Friends and family, but has threatened to cancel that unless I shut up about how nervous I am getting.  Kind of like parents threaten to cancel Christmas and birthdays if there children play up - or was that just my mum and dad that done that!!

A boost for sponsorship and a HUGE swimming mile stone

I now have less then a month until my triathlon.  The bike section is taking care of itself so I thought I would concentrate on my swimming and trying to raise the last £80 or so to reach my £600 sponsorship.

So, firstly I decided to try and create an incentive for people to sponsor me.  Having just gained a red belt in a martial art I thought it would be a novel idea to spar with the lead instructor at the club should I get to my £600 target AND VIDEO IT!!!!  All of a sudden people started to sponsor me as soon as I had emailed/facebooked this idea.  I don't know whether to be happy that I am being sponsored or slightly worried that even people I don't know are sponsoring me in an effort to see me get a bit of a shoeing!!!!

Today I also had another swimming lesson.  I have my triathlon swimming "tactical" plan drawn, essentially its going to be some front crawl and some breast stroke, but if I can do it all front crawl then that will be such a high.  Today for me gave me a taste of that high.  I was swimming along, nice and calm when the instructor made an observation about my swimming style and how tense it looked, just as a triathlete over took me.  I can only describe his swimming style as what I would imagine Flipper to look like if it had been electrocuted.  Now on my next length I relaxed and every thing just seamed to fall into place, and I left the other guy standing (or should that be floating!)  I'm not for one moment suggesting that I am the worlds best swimmer or that I can beat any triathlete, but this guy has done a triathlon or three and open water swims and I was faster then him!!!! 

So a red belt in a martial art doesn't make me a ninja, but it is a step closer!

I've made a slight change to my sports this week.  Over the past month or so I've started to do a martial art, which included elements of Judo that covered my Judo challenge.  On reviewing it, it also covered the wrestling element as well, so I swapped sailing for wrestling.

Today was grading day for someone else at the club who was going for their brown belt.  Never one to turn down the opportunity to do some training I went along to Spar with them.  What I didn't realise was that I was also being graded and now I am a Red belt!  Now although I am hugely chuffed with this I have learnt another one of my life lessons - namely it is possible for your elbows to ache!  After wrestling, grappling, stick work and boxing my elbows ache, but its a good ache! 

So, now whats left I hear you ask.  All I have now is my triathlon (3 weeks away!) and my cycling.  My plan is to have the cycling done within the next 3 weeks and to finish with the triathlon.  Photos will be following soon, and a full update on today when I can type a bit better without it feeling like my elbows will fall off!!!!!