New Coach!

After a very successful year with Rich it was time to move on and take things to the next level in terms of my training programme. Terence Collins has agreed to coach me which is fabulous news.

Terry has a wealth of training and racing experience as well as MSc Sport Sciences, BTF Level 3 Coach, YMCA Fit Personal Trainer Level 3, ASA Level 2 so I think I will be in good hands. We spoke on the phone about 2 weeks ago for about 45 mins running through my targets for this year with everything building towards ironman Austria and Ironman Arizona, problems that I am currently having with my training, upcoming races and what he thought he could do for me. We then met up last week for a coffee, mind you I am lucky he didn't walkout on me. I was standing behind him in the queue at Nero's reading emails on my blackberry and had read a particularly bad one just as he turned to look at me and I gave him the filthiest look. Not directed at him at all, he just caught me at a bad moment! Anyway, we had a great chat and ran through my strengths and weaknesses and how to address them. I immediately felt at ease with him, he is very open which I like and already feel like I can trust him. The most important thing to me in a coach is someone I can talk to and I have a relationship with. It was part of the reason why Rich and I worked so well together as I knew I could call or email him at any time if I was having issues.

It was hard telling Rich I was leaving him, almost felt like a break-up! He took it pretty well and by his own admission his heart isn't in the sport any more. He is talking about cutting it back next year and focusing on some other things. I definitely need someone coaching me who is passionate about triathlon, so it was the right choice, no matter how hard it was. I will still see him every week for my 'Thumbs or Doom' session (sports massage!).

So Terry has sent me a brilliant schedule for week 1, its almost 17 hours so he is certainly cracking the whip. This morning I was on the track, it has been YEARS since doing any track work, in fact it would have been at school when I was running 5km cross country. I went down to Barn Elms to the track there which is out of the way and not busy at all. There were 2 other girls out and some geese :) It is going to be a challenge given my hectic work and travel schedule, but got to put in the hard yards. This week I am in Paris, Dublin next week. I do enjoy Paris but it is a tiring few days.

Things are going well with The Flying Dutchman (TFD), and doesn't he fly. We went out cycling in the beautiful sunshine on Saturday in Richmond Park, he was doing intervals and I was trying to save my legs for my 1/2 marathon the following day. He is like lightening when he gets going. He came along to the IronHead Racing drinks on Friday night so he got to meet some of my tri buddies. I remembered what I missed most about not drinking and it is the lovely cold beer standing outside a pub on a warm Friday night. A diet coke doesn't quite cut it. No one is more surprised than me that I am still totally into TFD, I think it is because he is as busy as me so he doesn't demand or dominate my time which is guaranteed to annoy me. I love the time we spend together, he totally cracks me up. What is even more funny is Corinna trying to rip off his accent. It is Sean Connery but she insists it is from the Grolsch ad. Very amusing.

On the 'no drinking' there is of course the champagne exception which my friends have cottoned onto pretty quickly. I had the TWAG's over for dinner last night, that being the Triathlon Wives and Girlfriends :) Leanne kindly bought over a bottle of champagne which simply had to be had! I do try and be good and limit myself to 1 glass though. I just keep telling myself how sweet it will taste when I cross that finish line at Ironman Austria! Leanne as always had us in stitches over her cycling and triathlon stories. One of my particular favourites is her 1st bike which had a stand and a bell, which she put to good use in the transition area and out on the course much to the humiliation of her husband Dan. I love the story of in one of her first races she managed to overtake someone and to show them courtesy she rang her bell as she went passed them and gave them a little wave. Very funny.

Sunday was the Ranelagh 1/2 marathon, I didn't hit my target of 1:35, I managed a 1:37:34 which got me a 16th place overall and a 9th in age category, that being 'senior women', that is not good for the ego!! Next race is 25 May for the For Goodness Shakes Legs of Steel Tri. Just easing into the season with an Olympic distance, not holding out much hope as to how I will do but ideally I will be home in around 2:20.

Take care!
Carolyn x