I prefaced the title with “if that exists” as to most our, team benben’s normality is far from most people’s idea of normal! Don’t they say self-realization is the first sign of madness!! Hey ho to heck with it! I was not sure if I was going to continue with the blog once we arrived home but due to the success, over 5,000 hits on our blog spot to date and enjoying documenting our tri tales the decision was easy to continue and keep on tapping.
I am still acclimatizing, what I have become very aware of, 12 months in the sun has made me soft or yes a woos, wuss (not sure on spelling)!! I have often claimed its freezing and we are no where near minus numbers, yet! It’s my toes, they are like ice blocks most of the time, 2 pairs of socks with 1 being a ski sock still does not seem to remedy my issue. Upon “googling it”, Viagra was suggested as a solution, enough said, I will leave that there and move swiftly on!
Ben, ( bless him) being on a sabbatical from work was straight back into it 5 days after we arrived. I on the other hand was unemployed, pushing those stats ever higher, I say that in jest as of course I did not “sign on”, I think they use the term “actively seeking”! Which for me was having coffee’s and catch ups with all my contacts from the retail and recruitment world. An old boss came to my rescue and offered me a month’s work in her “famous floral print emporium”, Liberty. Week 1 is already over and I am really enjoying it, please all join me in praying I can stay longer than a month.
Monday was not only the start of life back in the world of employment but we were also back in the game, back in the saddle. Yep training started again, or sorry Ben’s Boot camp kicked off again with a twice a day, every day regime! Again week 1 nearly over and I’m still standing. He has eased us into the swim, bike and run stuff but we are smashing up the all body, 90 mins, conditioning sessions. I am tearing and toning parts of my body I have never knew existed or knew they could hurt so much. My ab’s / 6 pack in the making hurts to touch. Jess Ennis: I may be able to body double for you, JOKE!!!
Catching up with friends and family has of course been high on the agenda and so much less of a chore than getting up in the pitch black when the alarm rings at 5.15am! My gorgeous nephew Ethan is sooo much fun to hang out with, and the new lady in my brother’s life Zara, my scrummy niece is such a cutey and soo good for mummy and daddy, ok when we have seen her!
I cannot even remember what I have been up to since I started this blog entry it was so long ago. This training, working, living in London gig is tough isn’t it. I am definitely not spending so much time in lycra instead more time in Lasenby House my temp home for a few more weeks, yes I got my contract exyended. Keep praying please it is extended yet further. I am loving being back to my retail chick roots working for Liberty , this time round I am behind the scenes instead of pounding the shop floor, working in the HR dept supporting the team with recruitment. I have even had a few stints as the face of Liberty head office! OK so I am bigging myself up!! What I actually mean is I was covering the front reception desk! Manned with my post it notes, a pen and my friendly telephone manner I was ready!
I have been religiously sticking to my training programme, I hope the boss has noted that and happy! It has been a twice a day, every day regime, so yes I do go through more lycra than under-wear!! I am sure it will come as no surprise the local gym we signed up to a few weeks ago has been mailing us advising we are amongst the most visited clients.
Training on the bike has been inside, we are still waiting for our boxes which include the road bikes to dock. The vessel is due next week, fingers crossed customs does not take forever! Inside training on the bikes consists of using our race bikes on turbo trainers, static stands that allow us to pedal until our hearts are content or legs screaming or boredom or all 3! The bikes are set up in front of the plasma, cue a dvd, my Blockbuster membership has started to be used more frequently.
Swimming is giving us brain ache! We had a lesson / session a few weekends ago with an expert. Although doing some things right we are very aware we have lots to work on to nail this discipline which is the Achilles heel for the two of us. Ben has been soooo patient with me, he remains so calm when I just can’t quite get how I lift my bum a few mm’s higher in the water or breathe from a different part of my lungs to shift the buoyancy! I have no idea what the life guards must think we are doing as we “torpedo” up and down the slow lane, lying flat on the water one minute then boom on the bottom of the pool and so the process goes on. Torpedoing, submarining, yo yo ing, call it what you like it takes both physical and mental strength.
Running is chilly or freezing would be no exaggeration! Leggings, hat, gloves are a must, head torch should be added to the dress code as it’s still dark at 7am and you cannot see those nasty icy patches.
What else is different vs. our "reduced responsibility" life in the sun…….calorie consumption has reduced a little, phew, although the combined food bill for Ben and I is a tad higher than what I forked out for when living on my own and living off a diet of what my friends referred to as bird food! Caffeine consumption I reckon is on a par.
Tis of the course the season to be jolly with xmas parties on the agenda, Ben’s work one this week and one for me the week before Christmas. A girl’s get together is in the diary for next weekend which I cannot wait for, the whole crew will be back together!
On that note, cheers to good health and fun times x
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