Happy New Year

Happy New Year to one and all. I hope your celebrations went well last night. Fairly tame hear in Centre Parks with a meal and then impressive fireworks with my wife and kids but all good fun.

I can't quite believe its 2010. It seems only yesterday I was sipping champagne and saying how shocked I was that it had changed century but that was a decade again and a lot has changed.

Looking back I achieved a long in 2009. I took up cycling again, covered nearly 4000 miles and completed the Etape. I still managed 570 miles of running and finished a very tough marathon. But that is all in the past and like a shark, I need to keep moving, focus on new goals and make plans (does a shark make plans). And that of course, is the marathon and the ironman.

With this in mind, I really want to start training. Its been over two weeks since the operation and its all going well. I had my stitches out on Tuesday and all my wounds are closed. I still have a bit of pain where I am bruised but nothing too bad.

After leaving my Mum's in Devon, we went to Longleat for four days in Centre Parks. I went swimming with the girls and just had a mess about and a little swim to see how I felt. I had been told by different doctors to wait between 3 and 6 weeks before exercising but I felt completely fine after the swim. No pain, no discomfort, no issues as far as I could see and feel. Foolishly or not, I declared myself fit.

So yesterday I went for my first proper swim in about 8 years. There is no dedicated swimming pool in Centre Parks but given the number of wave pools, slides, rapids and outdoor heated pools, the main pool area is not that busy. I'm guessing its about 20 meters across and I started doing laps. My aim was between 30 and 45 minutes. I think I did about 40 mins with a small wait for the wave machine half way through. I tried to concentrate on some of the technique I had seen in a swim DVD that came with a Tri220 mag. I also listened to things my daughter had told me about pointing your elbow (she is an excellent swimmer). I was fine at times but struggled to breathe when turning to my left. Got a few mouthfuls of water and had a few panics. I did 28 widths and was pleased but know I have a long way to go.

I have also done a bit of cycling with my daughter on a tag-along. She is getting big and there are a lot of hills so its hard cycling. I might have overdone it a little yesterday so I'm taking it easy today. Then back in the pool tomorrow as I want to get as confident as possible before my lessons start on the 16th.

I wish you all well with whatever plans you have for 2010. Special thoughts to Ed who is still struggling with his chest. Get well soon.