The title of this post is 'monstrous' given how much I seem to have used it to describe the week.

The fact that the blog hasn't been updated since Tuesday speaks volumes. Despite more days off to look after Dora, it has been 100mph. But, am only 30 mins adrift on the planned training which was a run but probably not a bad thing as that stepper did monstrous things to my calves. It was in a totally different part of the calf from the niggle the other week but it was like the stiffness you get after running after a long lay-off.

Dora had her first sesh at the gym creche which went OK for her after she was reunited with bunny (bad Mummy left it in the bag). So, have done both my swims this week. First one was steady state 2.5k. Well timed out on doing it all but did about 2.1 in 37 mins which isn't too shabby. At Virgin that means 118 lengths (and a lot of tumble turns) but a London Irish player was pretty in awe so it can't be bad!

Mum came back from America yesterday and the ankle is in a pretty bad way. She's also getting used to crutches and being incapacited which isn't easy for her. As she was here though and Dora was in bed, I managed to escape for a run on the road without the baby jogger and felt strong.

As it's a recovery week this week, the Sat ride dropped back to 2 hours but I was determined that would be on the road this time. 2 monstrous Sat turbo sessions in a row are neither desirable nor fun. Fate was smiling on me, it seems, as the family offered to babysit and also woke up to blue skies and sunshine. The added bonus that an impromptu text to Alice meant I got a cycling buddy. Hooray!


We started off in Windsor and, even though neither of us could feel various extremities, we were bathed in sunshine.


I then managed to lead us onto a lovely dual carriageway towards Bagshot so we had our fair share of dealing with muppets devoid of spatial awareness.

1hr 20 in, I checked in with home and Mum was keen to get her ankle looked at the hospital so I headed back and Alice carried on for a bit. So, that left 2 options for the day: 1) Sack the planned training at 1hr 20 or 2)make up the time on the turbo after Dora's lights out. Being the model trainee that I am, I opted for 2) but lesson learned tonight, for God's sake give up 'Take Me Out'. It really is so painfully awful. I feel for all the people on there as the talent is absolutely pitiful. Most the blokes that are on it get their nails done (and wonder why they're single) and tonight some dude came on and did a Billy Elliot ballet number stumbling all over the place. Cringeworthy. So, DVD next week.

Right, monstrously long post and monstrously tired so time for hot powerbar drink, electric blanket and wondering which side of midnight I'll see my husband tonight. One more run to go and then rest day and SLEEP!!!!!!!!!