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Jun. 30, 2010 7:13 PM -
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Hi everyone, it's that time of the year again & I still havent been on a bike or swum & it's already 1st of July. Run, forget that, I never run. I have a good excuse, I sprained my ankle back in Feb & it's still not 100% so just waiting for it to heal completely. Also the lake temp is still pretty cold & I dont like to swim in a wetsuit. Maybe next week I'll start. There will be 9 of us entering this year so plenty of us wearing VITAL tshirts making a big presence amongst the Italians & Germans & Swiss!! Please donate generously. Many thanks. xx
Sep. 7, 2009 1:16 AM -
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What can I say? I was absolutely dreading the actual event & even considered not doing it as the knee was still not 100% & I was only able to swim most of the summer with no cycling or running at all until about two weeks before the event where I tried to squeeze in as much training as possible. Swimming was no problem except for the boredom & the fish frightening me as they were not afraid of me & I managed about 160km of cycling over 10 days. I didnt feel ready to practise uphills since I dint feel the knee could handle it thought the actual race had quite a few steep hills.Since I dislike running I thought waterskiing could replace the run & I foolishly tried a few new moves to increase the rooster tail leaving me with aching pecs, shoulders & stomach muscles! The night before he big day there were heavy strong winds causing the lake temp to drop 4C down to 20C but I refuse to wear a wetsuit. The day turned out gorgeous & our late take off time at 5.45pm was a blessing as it would have been much too hot earlier on. As always the swim was a breeze which i always enjoy. The bike was difficult uphill with a slight wind. Coming down I had to put the brakes on at 44kph as I'm too frightened of the speed. I managed to shuffle the 5km run with a few walks to rest the knee. I was so pleased to complete it & even enjoyed it despite the extremely slow time which was even slower than last year with the wind & rain! It was great with Ed & Sheery along as well. Watch this space for 2010.
Sep. 7, 2009 12:07 AM -
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What a nightmare with people dropping out & finding last minute fill ins. Michelle cant make it so Jessica fills in. Sara doesnt make it so my team does not have a swimmer whilst I feel my knee has not recovered so Amy takes my place! Another runner pulls out 2 days before but Debbie fills in & Denise pulls out completely from the individual which luckily doesnt affect any teams. Despite all the drama EVERYONE enjoys themselves so much they all want to do it again next year - I dont know if I can handle the stress! In any case about £6500 was raised - great effort everyone & thank you all so much. Maybe we should all just do the Locarno one !!
Jun. 9, 2009 9:51 PM -
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After buying 10 spaces from IMG at £200 each, I had to really hustle to sell the places & hopefully the participants will be able to raise more than the £2000 I paid out. No use crying over spilt milk, the places are finally filled & the team is really looking good with 4 relay teams & 4 individuals of which two are doing the olympic distance. Jehan organised a Latino night & raised £500. We have Michelle flying in from Florida, Sara coming back from working on a yacht in the French Riviera & a couple of Aussies also, along with hubby who will do the run leg of the relay. He's saving himself for the Locarno Triathlon. Now the training begins. On my first day out since Oct last year, I dont cycle more than 3km before I take a tumble & my bruised swollen knee becomes infected a week later so training has been postponed for another couple of weeks - just looking for excuses not to train. if only the weather here in London will improve......Ok, we're off to Locarno to train !!
Sep. 19, 2008 9:51 PM -
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Here I am again, writing about the Locarno triathlon but this one is of a more positive nature so read on...........
The past 3 days before the event on Sat 6th Sept, it had poured non stop with rain & temperatures plummeted. The morning of the 6th I awoke to thunder, lightning & more rain. I honestly did not want to go through this all over again but once again, there was no way I could back out. I had raised another £1000/$2000 & the 4 guys from London who had also raised between them nearly £1000 were eagerly awaiting to participate in their first ever triathlon, amongst 459 competitors, of which very few spoke English !!
When we arrived to register, Adam nervously pointed out that everyone seemed so professional looking in their racing outfits on their fancy racing bikes, checking everyone else's fancy bikes out whilst we looked a sorry lot with the boys in their surfie board shorts with no seat padding.
Adam borrowed a 20 year old race bike but didnt have clip on shoes which hindered his hill climb whilst the other 3 picked up their rented, chunky looking road bikes. Not having time to check them out, poor Jav's bike would not pedal going downhill, so those two will definitely be doing faster times next year!!
With the five of us wearing our VITAL tshirts, we looked more like a football team than triathletes but we were a team, connected in spirit, to raise money & hopefully raise awareness around us, of the plight of millions of children around the world, suffering in conditions that we, in the west, take for granted - clean drinking water, education or basic health care .
We decided to inspect the route from the swim to the bike,& to the exit where we were able to commence the cycle leg. We could not believe the 6 inches of mud we had to run through. There was no way you could run through mud that deep without your shoes sticking in the mud like quick sand & who wants to cycle & run in shoes filled with mud??
Mithra always knew I was crazy but this time he thought I had really flipped! All summer long I would, much to his embarassment, wear a wetsuit, whilst swimming in the lake. Come the end of summer, 3 days of heavy rain with the lake rising 2m/6 feet from cold mountain water feeding into the lake, I decided to do the swim without a wetsuit. Surely I could put up with 12 minutes of freezing water. There was no way I was going to suffer another panic attack in a wetsuit!!
I was pleased with my swim, concentrating on a good strong swim rather than feeling sorry for myself in such cold water. Tom was opposite me in transition & threw me a much appreciated warm smile (he's such a cutie) as I raced off with my bike. Meanwhile Adam was hopping around on one leg trying to put on his bike shorts whilst the pro next to him whipped off her outfit in a quick orderly manner & was gone like lightning.
I decided to clip my shoes onto the pedals & run barefoot through the mud carrying my lightweight bike. I then wiped the mud off my feet on where ever I could find grass, unclip the shoes & wear them without socks! As I pedalled out, I missed the clip & scraped a 4 inch long scratch down my shin, which drew blood. The open wound was then splattered with mud. I hoped it would not get infected. Oh dear, when did I last have a tetanus shot? I ignored the pain & fear of lockjaw as there were more gloomy things to think of ahead of me! (Incidently, at the end of the event I noticed the pain was more than the achy sore muscles!!)
It was not long before the guys whizzed past me. I was accused of going on a sightseeing tour I was so slow!! Once again I froze with fear as a new challenge lay ahead of me - the strong wind blew in sideways rather than head on, tilting my bike at times to 30 degrees (well at least that's what it felt like but probably more like 15 !!) I actually thought the bike would slide sideways underneath me like motorbikes do in the movies but I pedalled on, once again in the rain.
Then came the uphill climb that I was aware of & dreaded. The wind changed & was now head on. I thought I would have to walk the bike as I ran out of gears, when what seemed like a never ending hill, finally plateau-ed out. How does one do a U turn without stopping??
Now the return down the hill in the rain. I stopped pedalling at 48kph/30mph as that was plenty fast enough for me. I have no hesitation at driving 120mph/192kph in either a pruis or a porsche but on a bicycle, I'm afraid of speed.
The first km of the run all I could think of was - I'm getting too old for this. The 2nd km I thought - I really mustnt force Mithra into doing this next year for fear of him suffering a heart attack!! At the halfway mark I was offered an energy bar. Concentrating on chewing this disgusting tasting bar over the last 2.5km made the run so much more bearable. Must remember to carry one next year as Adam said he was never offered one!!
So, thank you cheer squad for enduring the rain, the wind & the cold to cheer us on - you guys are the greatest. Thank you friends & family for your support & generous donations.
Please take a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfAOVKjmDfg & KNOW that your donation WILL HELP hundreds of children like that little girl, receive an education, & remove her from the cycle of poverty. If you wish to donate again & help many more like her, you can still do so at www.mycharitypage.com/YvonneNeuman
See you all at the House of Parliament black tie dinner next year ok??
God bless you all & those children
Yvonne
xx
The past 3 days before the event on Sat 6th Sept, it had poured non stop with rain & temperatures plummeted. The morning of the 6th I awoke to thunder, lightning & more rain. I honestly did not want to go through this all over again but once again, there was no way I could back out. I had raised another £1000/$2000 & the 4 guys from London who had also raised between them nearly £1000 were eagerly awaiting to participate in their first ever triathlon, amongst 459 competitors, of which very few spoke English !!
When we arrived to register, Adam nervously pointed out that everyone seemed so professional looking in their racing outfits on their fancy racing bikes, checking everyone else's fancy bikes out whilst we looked a sorry lot with the boys in their surfie board shorts with no seat padding.
Adam borrowed a 20 year old race bike but didnt have clip on shoes which hindered his hill climb whilst the other 3 picked up their rented, chunky looking road bikes. Not having time to check them out, poor Jav's bike would not pedal going downhill, so those two will definitely be doing faster times next year!!
With the five of us wearing our VITAL tshirts, we looked more like a football team than triathletes but we were a team, connected in spirit, to raise money & hopefully raise awareness around us, of the plight of millions of children around the world, suffering in conditions that we, in the west, take for granted - clean drinking water, education or basic health care .
We decided to inspect the route from the swim to the bike,& to the exit where we were able to commence the cycle leg. We could not believe the 6 inches of mud we had to run through. There was no way you could run through mud that deep without your shoes sticking in the mud like quick sand & who wants to cycle & run in shoes filled with mud??
Mithra always knew I was crazy but this time he thought I had really flipped! All summer long I would, much to his embarassment, wear a wetsuit, whilst swimming in the lake. Come the end of summer, 3 days of heavy rain with the lake rising 2m/6 feet from cold mountain water feeding into the lake, I decided to do the swim without a wetsuit. Surely I could put up with 12 minutes of freezing water. There was no way I was going to suffer another panic attack in a wetsuit!!
I was pleased with my swim, concentrating on a good strong swim rather than feeling sorry for myself in such cold water. Tom was opposite me in transition & threw me a much appreciated warm smile (he's such a cutie) as I raced off with my bike. Meanwhile Adam was hopping around on one leg trying to put on his bike shorts whilst the pro next to him whipped off her outfit in a quick orderly manner & was gone like lightning.
I decided to clip my shoes onto the pedals & run barefoot through the mud carrying my lightweight bike. I then wiped the mud off my feet on where ever I could find grass, unclip the shoes & wear them without socks! As I pedalled out, I missed the clip & scraped a 4 inch long scratch down my shin, which drew blood. The open wound was then splattered with mud. I hoped it would not get infected. Oh dear, when did I last have a tetanus shot? I ignored the pain & fear of lockjaw as there were more gloomy things to think of ahead of me! (Incidently, at the end of the event I noticed the pain was more than the achy sore muscles!!)
It was not long before the guys whizzed past me. I was accused of going on a sightseeing tour I was so slow!! Once again I froze with fear as a new challenge lay ahead of me - the strong wind blew in sideways rather than head on, tilting my bike at times to 30 degrees (well at least that's what it felt like but probably more like 15 !!) I actually thought the bike would slide sideways underneath me like motorbikes do in the movies but I pedalled on, once again in the rain.
Then came the uphill climb that I was aware of & dreaded. The wind changed & was now head on. I thought I would have to walk the bike as I ran out of gears, when what seemed like a never ending hill, finally plateau-ed out. How does one do a U turn without stopping??
Now the return down the hill in the rain. I stopped pedalling at 48kph/30mph as that was plenty fast enough for me. I have no hesitation at driving 120mph/192kph in either a pruis or a porsche but on a bicycle, I'm afraid of speed.
The first km of the run all I could think of was - I'm getting too old for this. The 2nd km I thought - I really mustnt force Mithra into doing this next year for fear of him suffering a heart attack!! At the halfway mark I was offered an energy bar. Concentrating on chewing this disgusting tasting bar over the last 2.5km made the run so much more bearable. Must remember to carry one next year as Adam said he was never offered one!!
So, thank you cheer squad for enduring the rain, the wind & the cold to cheer us on - you guys are the greatest. Thank you friends & family for your support & generous donations.
Please take a look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfAOVKjmDfg & KNOW that your donation WILL HELP hundreds of children like that little girl, receive an education, & remove her from the cycle of poverty. If you wish to donate again & help many more like her, you can still do so at www.mycharitypage.com/YvonneNeuman
See you all at the House of Parliament black tie dinner next year ok??
God bless you all & those children
Yvonne
xx
Sep. 19, 2008 9:50 PM -
0 comments
Just a short note to tell you about the London Triathlon on Sat Aug 9th in which most of you have so generously donated.
Having cycled over 250km over the last 2 months & swimming half a dozen times in my new wetsuit, I was feeling quite prepared to tackle my latest challenge. Despite my confidence, the sleepless nights before the big day were filled with butterflies in my stomach or my heart pounding away furiously.
The agonisingly slow drive of 10km to the Excel Centre on my own took nearly an hour in pouring rain. It was difficult to concentrate on anything let alone the traffic.
Entering the Thames with 450 female competitors at 5pm, I felt good. I was surprised by the slightly salty taste of the water. At take off, I sprinted 30m then I started to panic. I couldn't believe what was happening. I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air & couldn't swim. I wanted to quit. I started pulling myself along the rope in between trying to swim a few strokes. I was amazed at all the strong swimmers passing me. I wanted to end this fear & call out for help but then I thought of all you people who believed in me – there was absolutely no way I could let you all down.
Towards the end of the swim I could hear & see my cheer squad urging me on, giving me the extra oomph needed. Thank you cheer squad!!
As I exited the centre on my bike it was pouring with rain, & strong head winds – once again I was gripped with fear as I had never cycled in the rain before, let alone battle strong winds that made cycling on flat ground like cycling uphill !!
It was cold at 15C. I was drenched after the first lap. My shoes were heavy. I was glad to change into running shoes. The rain stopped but the wind was still strong. The run was more a shuffle. Stitches appeared on both sides or was it stomach upset from swallowing too much Thames water? The knees started to ache. Had my torn knee ligament last year not healed completely? Why am I putting myself through 2 hours of torture? I lead such a wonderful cushy life, doing as I please with no worries or stress…this is absolutely crazy!!
At the finish line I was not buzzed up as I had anticipated. I remembered to drink my glass of coke to kill the Thames bugs!!
Do you remember how you felt when you received your first pay check? That is how I felt. I felt I really earned the £3000/$6000 you all so generously donated. I really would like to thank you all but more than this, I am grateful to you all for your support & belief in me, and most importantly, in VITAL.
TOGETHER WE WILL make a difference in the lives of thousands of children.
For those of you who still haven't donated & those of you who would like to donate again, I've decided to do it again – a triathlon in Locarno on Sept 6th (didn't I mention somewhere above the words…never again??) I promise no more this year after this
Here is the link www.mycharitypage.com/YvonneNeuman
With much love & gratitude
Yvonne xxx
Having cycled over 250km over the last 2 months & swimming half a dozen times in my new wetsuit, I was feeling quite prepared to tackle my latest challenge. Despite my confidence, the sleepless nights before the big day were filled with butterflies in my stomach or my heart pounding away furiously.
The agonisingly slow drive of 10km to the Excel Centre on my own took nearly an hour in pouring rain. It was difficult to concentrate on anything let alone the traffic.
Entering the Thames with 450 female competitors at 5pm, I felt good. I was surprised by the slightly salty taste of the water. At take off, I sprinted 30m then I started to panic. I couldn't believe what was happening. I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air & couldn't swim. I wanted to quit. I started pulling myself along the rope in between trying to swim a few strokes. I was amazed at all the strong swimmers passing me. I wanted to end this fear & call out for help but then I thought of all you people who believed in me – there was absolutely no way I could let you all down.
Towards the end of the swim I could hear & see my cheer squad urging me on, giving me the extra oomph needed. Thank you cheer squad!!
As I exited the centre on my bike it was pouring with rain, & strong head winds – once again I was gripped with fear as I had never cycled in the rain before, let alone battle strong winds that made cycling on flat ground like cycling uphill !!
It was cold at 15C. I was drenched after the first lap. My shoes were heavy. I was glad to change into running shoes. The rain stopped but the wind was still strong. The run was more a shuffle. Stitches appeared on both sides or was it stomach upset from swallowing too much Thames water? The knees started to ache. Had my torn knee ligament last year not healed completely? Why am I putting myself through 2 hours of torture? I lead such a wonderful cushy life, doing as I please with no worries or stress…this is absolutely crazy!!
At the finish line I was not buzzed up as I had anticipated. I remembered to drink my glass of coke to kill the Thames bugs!!
Do you remember how you felt when you received your first pay check? That is how I felt. I felt I really earned the £3000/$6000 you all so generously donated. I really would like to thank you all but more than this, I am grateful to you all for your support & belief in me, and most importantly, in VITAL.
TOGETHER WE WILL make a difference in the lives of thousands of children.
For those of you who still haven't donated & those of you who would like to donate again, I've decided to do it again – a triathlon in Locarno on Sept 6th (didn't I mention somewhere above the words…never again??) I promise no more this year after this
Here is the link www.mycharitypage.com/YvonneNeuman
With much love & gratitude
Yvonne xxx