Just about a week after getting back and I'm finally up to writing something. I think it took this long for my brain to re-engage after the brutal final days training/ drinking.
Was a great trip, brilliant location(Club La Santa) and awesome company (special mention to Team 55B!).
Thanks for organising everything so well Jo, although I am a bit disappointed about the fact you can actually sing!
All the bike rides done over the week are logged below if you want to see the details.
Early Ryanair flight from Prestwick got off to a good start when the baggage guys let all our bikes through without weighing them, then turned not so good as we sat on the tarmac for an hour waiting to go. Eventually we were off and myself, Kendo and Vicky squashed in and read shitty magazines etc for the 4 hour trip out. Mental note, avoid Ryanair flight in future if you value any level of comfort.
Off flight and met up with most of the rest of the Glasgow Tri Club members that had flown out from Glasgow International, bit of chat, collect luggage and then outside to start the skin frying process. Load the luggage on to our awaiting buses, slather on the factor 50 and 30 mins later we arrived at La Santa.
I was allocated apartment 55b with fellow studs Ken, Bruce, Brian and Neil- the Gentlemens apartment. Reassuringly, the banter and ginger abuse started flowing straight away.
Got the bikes together and headed out for a test ride, back tyre popped within 5 minutes, big rip down it, so a rather unglamorous clip clop walk back to la Santa in bike shoes for new tyre. Checked out a pros Argon bike being built while I was there, looked rapid. Absorbed the rays.
As luck would have it Neil, a friend from Uni, had just arrived from London, so we went back out on the bikes for a canter and then convened with the rest of the guys for a bit of dinner and early to bed in readiness for an early start the next day.
Alarm clock...6.30am????...on holiday! Not a good feeling. Much moaning and groaning, cereal bars, bananas, squeeze into the old wettie, then down to the pool. We were a bit late so told off by Maisie then in to the water for a steady 1hr swim set, bout 2.5k. Pool was excellent 50m open air, swimming as the sun came up. Hanging on to Ele and Jo's feet for most of the session, most of the week actually, much to their unamusement! (was cheating a bit in the wetsuit mid you). The swim sets built up over the week, early rise each day and culminated in a 1.5k time trial. I came in around 22mins something which is a pb.
Breakfast was usually at the Buffet or apartment before we all got together for bike rides. First day was a steady affair, about 60k i think, only real climb being up Timanfaya then the awesome descent down it.
Rest of the week saw a gradual increase in bike ride lengths and intensity, up to 6.5 hours on the final day for the (slightly short of) Ironman Lanzarote bike route, still nearly killed me. Was great to get so many miles in on brilliant roads and with excellent company along the way. Definitely the hardest climb for me was Femes, it didn't take long compared to something like Tabayesco but it gets super steep- up to 22%. Heart rate was going crazy and it took me about an hour to stop shaking in the cafe we stopped at at the top.
Afternoons post bike were spent with a dip in the pool to cool the legs off, a lie down in the sun by the pool then a Burger and milkshake at the pool bar. The burger fillings never stayed the same twice but they tasted good. Always a bit of good banter, catching up with the other groups stories from the day and perving at the pro athletes dotted about.
Chilled out evenings were the order of the day, although we had a little blow out midway through to celebrate David and Elizabeths engagement, congrats, hope you enjoyed the lollipop.
The last night was an experience to say the least! I was completely spent from the bike ride plus numerous nurofens. With the help of my team mates though I managed to pull through and down plenty of beers, sing a beautiful duet in my skins with Jo, throw some horrific shapes on the dance floor and assist in carrying a rather heavy, inebriated Irish man back to 55b where he proceeded to....no, thats for another blog.
Great holiday! Bring on the Ironman.
