Highs and the moany Lows

First thing last Saturday I did my first ever X-bike class, Spinning to you and me, and I was the only first timer. As I walked in, the instuctor clearly thought to himself 'Aye aye, we've got a fat one here' and came over to show me how the bike worked etc. He was friendly enough, but clearly did not think much of my chances at staying the course during the class. When he asked me how my general fitness was, I really had no clue what to say, so truthfully told him that I cycle and do a bit of running and swimming. Well, he said, do the best you can. DO THE BEST I CAN? OMG I thought, as I got on the bike and began to fear for my safety. I've been destroyed in the welsh mountains mate, I can bloody do this, I thought. Ahem. And do it I did. Not only did I do it, I BLOODY SMASHED IT!! I was sweating profusely within a couple of minutes and I adored it. I did everything that was asked of me, in the hardest possible setting and my thighs turned to jelly and it was hard and I LOVED IT. It was such a thrill I can't describe it. I adored the sense of achievement, the adrenaline at the end and how great I felt for the rest of the day. After we had finished the class, the instructor came over and grudgingly said I'd done a good job. Good job indeed?? I SMASHED IT!! Oh yes, I’ve said that already :-)

Saturday finished on a high when I went to Holly’s for a craft afternoon and it was good to re-connect.

On Sunday my parents came to visit so Paul and I could go and do a 35 miler in prep for the sportif, but the rain soon became snow so we headed to Pauls gym where I was given a free taster session and we did 9.5 miles on the indoor bikes, I ran 3k and then swam 40 lengths and felt great.  By Sunday evening I had taken some co-codamol and joked that I’d over done it.   On Monday morning I had clearly caught a fluey virus thing and if I’m honest I don’t remember much of the day, other than having to go and collect Lochie at lunch time, ringing Lucy in a mad state (so sorry Lucy!) and then crying all the way there and back before spending the afternoon a shivering wreck on the sofa trying to stay awake to stop Niamh eating the fire bricks..!! It was a tough lesson in extreme parenting on Tuesday, and one of those days when you wished you lived closer to your Mum and could ask for help so you can go to bed and hope you don’t die.  But, 4 days on I am feeling so so much better, very chesty but physically ok all in all – and the children survived so clearly I didn’t do anything too drastically mad!!

Mentally its really affected me actually, I think of the high of Saturday and then the low of this week and wonder if I can really do 50 miles in just over 3 weeks time?!  Am I fit enough, do I have enough positive mental attitude?!

I am having a last rest day today, and then shall do a swim tomorrow night as a sort of MOT, before getting back on my bike over the weekend - in all senses on the word!