My 2.6 Challenge-Save the Charities

My 2.6 Challenge-Save the Charities

Well the big push was today, we had got to the end of our 260 minute ride on our turbo trainers in our little box room upstairs. A ride of four hours 20 minutes would be quite far enough for a young person, in fact I would venture to say that it would be impossible for some of the less fit youngsters

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For those who are reading my diary for the first time I should state my age. Children like too claim every month of their little lives and will say that they are five and a half or six and a quarter years old. In that case, I am very nearly eighty and three quarters, since my birthday is in mid August. My husband Steve is considerably younger at 69 and three quarters. So we are pretty near to 150 if you add us together.

We kept up a good pace and sweated buckets during our 260 minutes, with just a couple of quick toilet breaks. In the last hour, we were both muttering about how much our quads were burning and now that it is all over both of us are feeling a little achy in the knees and our sit bones know we have been sitting on a saddle.

Yet we feel pretty pleased with our effort and actually think it is worth the few hundred pounds that have been donated so far, mostly from friends on FaceBook where there is an easy link to my charity page on Justgiving.com in combination with my name Daphne Belt and the My 2.6 Challenge. The idea was that since today would have been the day this year when thousands and thousands would gather to do the London Marathon. The Challenge is about any effort in any sport or dance with 2 or 6 connected. Hula hooping, or up and down the stairs or hopping for 2 kilometers! Or six laps on the bikes around the estate.

What we did for ourselves to keep focused, was that we dug out a box set of West Wing that we were given as a gift years ago and really enjoyed, so this morning we watched five episodes on the trot as we sat on our bikes spinning our legs around for well over four hours.

During the time we also had an eye of the posts of encouraging messages coming in on Instagram, FB and email so there was plenty to keep us occupied as we did our workout.

I did have a bit of a headache by the time we finished and that was probably due to dehydration because I don’t drink enough when I am exercising. Never have in truth. That was ever a problem with me. In the past it had caused me to end up with DNF next to my name on the result sheets (Did Not Finish) for long events like Ironman where there was a 112 mile bike ride, often while riding in the sun. Before the marathon after that.

The worst occasion was when we had gone to the USA for Lake Placid Ironman. On the second loop of the bike ride, I actually fell asleep on my bike and woke with a start when I had gone into an almighty wobble that I only just managed to catch before I fell off. Unfortunately the incident was seen by a pair of race marshals who pulled me out of the race and called an ambulance.

 In the ambulance the medical pair, were in race contact with the doctor at the race base medical tent. They had realised that I was suffering from dehydration and on being instructed to put me on a saline drip, they reported that they could not find a vein… anywhere.

They cut my brand new tri-suit off straight up the front and eventually with the help of the radio instruction found a vein in my chest. Then they were able to start the saline drip as we travelled back to base where I was taken into the medical tent.

I was kept in the tent until I looked and tested better. But still held there until I had started to drink, and they measured the amount. When I asked how long it would be until I could leave when I was feeling better they told me that I would have to pee first and somebody would have to see that happen! No door closing. After that I was still held there until I had eaten something as well. 

The thing that was worrying me by that time was that Steve would wonder where I was and why he had not seen me out on the run which was also two laps. It was evening before I was allowed to go and I then went to find and pick up my bike from where it had been placed the transition. I had a hospital robe on until I got to my transition bag that had the clothes I had worn to the race in the morning before I could ride out to find Steve so he could finish his race and not worry any further about me.

So to conclude with today’s challenge ride, I did try to drink as much as I could whilst sweating like a shower head but I didn’t manage to drink enough until we had stopped and I have now had several glasses of water. 

A wallow in the bath was a great help to recovery and since there was not much else to do but write this page in my diary. I have taken more trouble than I felt like and dressed half decently and done my hair. My cat Birdy gave me a very strange look with the big scarf wrapped around my head while my hair dried. A sight she had not seen before because I don’t bother with rollers that often.

This poem by national treasure Pam Ayres is priceless and was sent to me by one of our poetry group. Do read it; it is so true for many of us.

Time for us girls

I'm normally a social girl
I love to meet my mates
But lately with the virus here
We can't go out the gates.
You see, we are the 'oldies' now
We need to stay inside
If they haven't seen us for a while
They'll think we've upped and died.
They'll never know the things we did
Before we got this old
There wasn't any Facebook
So not everything was told.
We may seem sweet old ladies
Who would never be uncouth
But we grew up in the 60s -
If you only knew the truth!
There was sex and drugs and rock 'n roll
The pill and miniskirts
We smoked, we drank, we partied
And were quite outrageous flirts.
Then we settled down, got married
And turned into someone's mum,
Somebody's wife, then nana,
Who on earth did we become?
We didn't mind the change of pace
Because our lives were full
But to bury us before we're dead
Is like a red rag to a bull!
So here you find me stuck inside
For 4 weeks, maybe more
I finally found myself again
Then I had to close the door!
It didnt really bother me
I'd while away the hour
I'd bake for all the family
But I've got no flaming flour!
Now Netflix is just wonderful
I like a gutsy thriller
I'm swooning over Idris
Or some random sexy killer.
At least I've got a stash of booze
For when I'm being idle
There's wine and whiskey, even gin
If I'm feeling suicidal!
So let's all drink to lockdown
To recovery and health
And hope this awful virus
Doesn't decimate our wealth.
We'll all get through the crisis
And be back to join our mates
Just hoping I'm not far too wide
To fit through the flaming gates!

Give this Pam Ayres a read, worth it.