Off season 2012

[Sweder]

Glad the op went well. The marathon takes so much out, mentally as well as physically, it's hard to imagine running on through the year. Moyleman used to, but I've always taken a break of sorts. This getting back into it lark is tedious, yet it also feels like a right of passage, a pre-trial before the real training begins. In a perverse way I quite like it. As my legs and lungs get reacquainted with seemingly unreasonable demands my hopes and aspirations rise, enthusiasm rekindled as legs loosen and thoughts of races swim up from the deep.

Wise words on the triathlon front. I met an old pal at the recent Brighton v Lewes ladies match. He'd just completed his first Iron Man (a week ago) and complained of 'fatigue'. I laughed in his face, then pondered what he'd achieved. The 2.4 mile swim alone would see me done, floating face down in a pool of tears. He trained by swimming between the piers in Brighton, and swimming from the piers to the Marina and back. In the ocean. Christ.

If I'm to go down this route - it's an unthinkable 'if' at the moment - your 'back to basics' reference will be to the fore. Tom Roper has been taking lessons to improve (develop a) technique in the water. Seems like a very good idea to me.