Archive for the ‘Life’ Category

Alongside the main event, IRONMAN Copenhagen run a 4-18-4 sprint triathlon and a children’s event named IRONKIDS.

The distance varies by age with under threes doing 300m (often carried by parents), 3-6-year-olds do 600m and the over 6s do 1k. It’s a pretty tame affair compared to the 2k Venla runs at junior parkrun but she was keen to take part.

Registration didn’t really work. We turned up at 10:30 for an 11:00 start and joined the queue. It didn’t move much and got longer and longer behind us. By 11, they gave up and just started spraying bib numbers and safety pins at everyone.

The event itself was a little more organised. They had a fun warm-up before the run started. The course was an out-and-back followed by a loop around the building to the finish arch. It was a nice touch having an inflatable IRONKIDS-branded finish line.

The pit-and-back went well but the loop of the building was carnage. There was a municipal maintainable vehicle parked on the course. One kid fell over and then half a dozen others tripped over him, going down like a pro peloton crash. Luckily, we were behind and managed to dodge it all.

Every child got a medal and a drawstring bag that Venla did not let go of for the rest of the holiday.

Elina and I spent a few days down in Penzance. It was a chance for a little getaway while Venla had a sleepover at the grandparents, albeit one where I went racing in the middle. It is a long drive but luckily we avoided any queues so we made it down there and back in about eight hours each way.

The weather was nice, too. We spent the first day on Porthminster Beach and did some standup paddleboarding and sea swimming. The lifeguards said the water was 13 degrees but it was a very warm 13: I was a little cold when I started swimming but warmed up within a few minutes. The water was super clear and I could see all of the crabs scuttling about below. It made the bottom look really close which was unnerving when paddleboarding, but it was much deeper than it seemed.

Day two was Man Vs Coast.

Day three started with us going back to the beach. The wind was stronger today and I struggled to get stood up on the paddleboard, but it was still fun. After that, we headed over to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary to see some seals, sea lions, penguins and goats.

My certificate has arrived. It turned up damaged unfortunately but not badly enough that it’s worth my time doing anything about.

Earlier this month, four of the coaches from our club headed over to Huddersfield for a triathlon first aid course.

The one-day courses are a mixed bag. They concentrate on life-saving conditions such as cardiac arrest and anaphylaxis, and it makes sense to do this because those are the things that will kill someone. At the same time, the things I run into as a coach is people falling over and small wounds, which get very little time.

The instructor was very knowledgeable and an engaging teacher so that made the day a whole lot more fun.

My certificate is here! In my next life, I’m going to train with a triathlon federation that either delivers coaching courses in the summer or is located in a warmer climate.

I can run again. Hurray!

I haven’t blogged all month which leads to the idea that nothing has happened in my life. This is partially true. I’ve been working and parenting and those things between them take a lot of time. But lots of exciting things are in progress, too:

I’ve taken my Bookkeeping Controls and Elements of Costings exams. A mere 95% on the BKCL but costing may be more in my future as I finally achieved a perfect score.

I’ve completed the first draft of my new book Triathlon For Beginners which will be out later this year.

I have been rehabbing my broken ankle. The boot came off in the middle of January and I can start running again in February.

I am doing some training with British Triathlon to progress to level 2 certification. That will be completed around March all things being well.

So, it’s been a fairly busy month, even if there has been very little to report.

Great to be partying again with these lovely people.

We started the year in the depths of the pandemic and saw out the new year and welcomed in January with a Zoom-based NYE party. I accidentally set a marathon PB of 3:55:33 when I realised three hours in that I was ahead of my previous PB pace. The vaccination programme build some momentum as my gran received her first jab. I completed my IRONMAN Coach certification and restorative yoga certification. The Humanist Chaplaincy Network launched its new Level 1 qualification.

I tried trail running in February and finally finished my 3,670 km cycle along Route 66. I launched my person-centred counselling course. Tom Brady won his 7th Super Bowl, giving him more titles than any other team, let alone any other player.

It was a work-heavy month in March as I launched two new courses. The first being Metacognitive Therapy and the second being Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. I also published my Running For Beginners book.

We got back to racing in April with the Yorkshire Duathlon (41:41 10k you say?!?) and the Wuthering Heights Wander trail race. I also completed some virtual challenges: running the Cabot Trail and cycling Iceland’s Ring Road. I also launched my Cognitive Behavioural Therapy course which is now one of my biggest sellers.

The start of May was a blur as I finished the 7in7 challenge (7 triathlons in 7 days). May also saw my first TT race and the first triathlon of the year in Tadcaster (fastest HPH run split you say?). I completed the English Channel virtual swim and Bogdan and I took on the Daffodils sportive. I finished the month by completing my third iron-distance race at the Evolve Truo. We partied for Eurovision and I launched my couples counselling course.

June was filled with sport, too. Jay and I took on the Evolve Sprint and we gathered as a club for World Triathlon Leeds which took place entirely in Roundhay Park. My mum, dad and sister also raced! I finished my level 3 in counselling and launched my life coaching course.

Venla “graduated” from daycare in July. I ran my first mile race at the Summer Mile, took on the White Rose Classic, completed my first adventure race and learnt to stand-up paddleboard. parkrun returned! I took 1:45 off my full distance triathlon time at Outlaw and launched my acceptance and commitment course. England reached the final of Euro 2020.

The long-awaited Tokyo Olympics took place in August and Team GB took the first ever mixed-team relay triathlon gold. Harriers also took five teams to the Evolve mixed team relay. But far more importantly, Katie & Simon’s long-awaited wedding took place, too! Toby organised the club’s first backyard ultra, I did the Evolve quarter and my third full distance triathlon in the year at Dalesman. I wasn’t the only one sporting: Venla completed her first junior parkrun. Chevin parkrun launched. The annual Finnish picnic returned and I launched my DBT course.

We took a family trip to Stonehenge in September so that I could take in another adventure race. Venla started school. I completed a few more virtual challenges including running the Camino de Santiago and swimming Mount Fuji. There was some canoeing at Leeds Dock and we broke the world record for most people doing a 5k in 24 hours. We raced at Ilkey Triathlon and Outlaw X where I went sub-6 at middle distance. I completed my longest ever swim (9k) at The Amphibian and launched my cognitive psychology course.

After an eighteen month wait I completed my 250th parkrun in October and finished cycling the Appalachian Trail virtual challenge. It was a family affair at Goole Triathlon and I completed my Leadership in Running Fitness with British Athletics. We celebrated Venla’s birthday at Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Dobbo’s stag do at Magic Rock. I teamed up with my friends Peter and Tracey to launch our interview skills course.

My dad was hot on my heels in November, completing his 250th parkrun. Luckily my new sub-20 PB should help me stay ahead. I also set a PB at the Hubble Bubble half marathon where I came third. We went climbing, F1 legend Frank Williams passed away and we launched our conducting interviews course. I completed my level 1 with Swim England.

Finally, in December, I saw The Offspring live at The Wardrobe. I came second at the Christmas Cracker 16k. That was it for running as I then fractured my ankle. I launched my Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.We wrapped up 2021 by celebrating with family and friends.

Whatever version of the solstice you are celebrating, we’re sending our love and wishing you a wonderful time. I hope you’ve found plenty of good stuff in 2021 and have an even better 2022.

We don’t take a holiday photo every year, but we did take one in 2016, just after Venla had arrived. Safe to say she looks a little different!