It is always fun at the beginning of the year to set new goals and look at adventures, challenges or goals you would like to complete.
After a 2018 sport season cut short due to injury (a sprained ankle in June that spiralled into tendon inflammation and took months to heal), I am excited to leave the past behind and try new things, as well as doing more of the things are like.
This is what I have in the calendar for now:
Red Bull Neptune Steps, swim obstacle race, Glasgow (Scotland) – March 23rd
I had my eyes set on this event since last year but didn’t sign-up as I realised I needed proper training. The race is a short swim sprint in cold water (you swim in a canal in Scotland on the first week-end of Spring after all). It is only 450m but the catch is that you have to pass a serie of ladders, ropes and climbing walls. Oh and the water will probably be somewhere between 3C and 7C
It is all about cold water training as well as upper body strength, definitely an event to challenge me – I am not even fully sure I can complete it!
Objective: cross the finish line! 🙂 COMPLETED
Cycle London to Paris via Dover, 455km of cycling in 3 days – April 21st-23rd
Living in London and being from France, this one seems like an no brainer. The plan is to cycle via Dover and to pass my home town of Saint-Omer in the north of France.
- Day 1: London (UK) – Dover (UK) – Saint-Omer (FR), 200km
- Day 2: Saint-Omer – Amiens, 140km
- Day 3: Amiens – Paris, 115km
I am excited about making it from Big Ben to the Eiffel Tower just by the power of my legs. The real test is to be able to ride more than 6h day after day but still being able to enjoy it! Needless to say, we are taking the Eurostar back! 😀
Objective: Making it to Paris! You can read all about this adventure here (spoiler: I made it Paris!).
Half Ironman, Staffordshire (UK) – June 2019
Half Ironman – Swim 1.9km, Bike 90km and Run 21km.
My first half ironman completed last year left me with an unachieved taste. Yes, I did finish but I was unable to run and had to walk the full half marathon due to a sprained ankle just 3 weeks before the event.
Total finish time in 2018: 7h24min.
This year’s objective: run the half marathon… and come back with a PB (Personal Best) and maybe even a sub 6h finish!
First Swim Run, Authieman (France) – June 2019
Excited to try out the swimrun discipline with a race on the coast of the English Channel, in the north of France. In total, we will be expected to run a total of 15km and swim 3km but with alternating run-swim-run-swim. You swim in your running shoes and run in your wetsuit. Excited to share this with my sister and enjoy the nice backdrop of the beaches of the north of France!
Objective: Have fun!
And… that’s it… ! well at least for now ;-D
