The Summer of 2014
Well hello there! What an incredible summer it has been. I’m keeping everything crossed that it’s not over just yet and hoping this cool, windy & wet spell is a little lull to freshen up the dusty fields and dry lawns! An Indian summer in September would be perfect please!
I’ve got lots to shout about since I last wrote at the end of June. Congratulations to Robin, Charlotte, Ian Symonds, Phil, Kathryn, Ian, Philippa and Mark who completed the 14 km Bridge to Bridge swim in hurricane conditions! Also to Sara for battling against the howling winds and rain to complete the Cotswold Long Course Triathlon…her first time at that distance! You Irongirl! Also to Gemma, a very pregnant Emily and everyone who took part in the Ride London event that weekend…not the weather the organisers were hoping for!
It’s been a joy to receive photos of everyone before, during and after your races / events. Here’s a jolly one of Terry (wearing shades) having done the Kintetica Gower Sprint earlier this month!
Hats off to Nick Edwards for swimming the Box End 5k this month too, having only begun open water swimming this year! He has since signed up for the 10 km Jubilee River Swim 2015 and has been challenged by Keith to swim it non-wetsuit! Keith is also challenging himself to swim it non-wetsuit in 2015…any more takers??!! We have quite a posse of Sheddies signed up for that swim already.
Ironman 2014…congrats to Paulina and Paula on their fantastic races in Ironman Sweden and to Louise for completing Ironman Copenhagen!
Ironman 2015…I am staggered by the amount of Sheddies who have already eagerly signed up for Ironman next year! So far there are 21 Sheddies aiming to be on the start line of Ironman Zurich in 2015 and another 5 of you signed up for Ironman Nice, Austria and Frankfurt races! Austria is now sold out…but the others are still open if you fancy a days sightseeing in a beautiful country next summer?! Come and join us all…
The award winning middle distance race – The Vitruvian – takes place tomorrow in Rutland Water, Leicestershire. This race sells out year after year, it is a beautiful race & so well organised and therefore very popular. Shed loads of luck to Nick who was lucky enough to get in this year!
Next Saturday 6th September sees our Canadian cousin, Mark, take on his middle distance race in preparation for his first Ironman next year in Zurich!
…but the biggest gig of them all kicks off next Friday evening at Wolverton Swimming Pool…YES the Friday night swim is back…8-9 pm Friday 5th September!!
There will be 14 weeks of swimming, no half term breaks – taking us up to Friday 5th December. If you have never been before come and watch or take the plunge and join in. You will be made extremely welcome, I promise.
Last weekend a bunch of us Sheddies camped in a’back-to-basics’ idyllic, deserted field on the outskirts of Weymouth (great choice Clare). With 2 weeks to go before the inaugural Challenge Weymouth we managed to squeeze in a spot of sea swimming, cycling and a coastal fell run together to reccy the area…and of course fish & chips! We had a lorra late night laughs around the campfire (thanks Phil) exchanging tips and techniques!
I wanted to share a fab piece of clobba that I saw super-runner Clare wearing and which I’ve just taken delivery of myself…It’s called a Flip Belt and it’s the answer for every sporting situation (bar swimming!!) when you need to be hands-free. You can stash nibbles, cash, phones and even liquids in the secret pouches…then to secure it against your body, you just flip it over! It’s very soft, durable material and stays in place without rubbing.
It’s probably common knowledge that Michael Phelps has come out of retirement and returned to racing. What is not common knowledge however, is that his rival, The Fin, has begun his training with The Swim God at The Shed! Yes, our 3 month old grandson, Fin, has taken to the pool!!
Right, have a fabulous weekend and remember…
See you at Box End Wednesday or at Wolverton next Friday.
Jane x
