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Well folks.... timing to be verified but I did the race in roughly two and a half hours!. Swimming distance was extended to 750m from 500m and I was wondering why it seemed like forever..!  however I got there and out to the bike race only to find my gears had jammed inbetween 5 and 1 so I had an interesting ride with lovely sound effects. My time though was slow, but there we go- the course  was completed. The run was the most enjoyable down by the Dee with snatches of sunshine and I finished in respectable placing in the 'veterans' groupThe event was very well organised and I have to say a big big thank you to the coaches who were incredibly patient and supportive in the training and on the day. A lifetime ambition achieved and alot of money raised and I couldn't have done it without you- thanks again for your support. ..and now  as 'ripley' would say.. I'm signing off for a hyper deep sleep... Jude X   Only a few days now... and I reached my target and am absolutely THRILLED!! very many thanks to everyone..psychologically it also helps you know you have got to target and all you have to think about is the Tri.. Did some training last night- a duathlon -which is just running and cycling- I say' just' it was the hardest thing I have done so far.. 3 k run- 18 k bike followed by 2 k run- in the pouring north wales rain- in Rhyl. When I got off the bike my legs turned to jelly and I felt like I was in an altered state! ( which i probably was) but pushed though that now familiar energy barrier and made it around for 2 more laps. Great sense of satisfaction, even though I was wet through and very very cold! It can't be worse on Sunday I was thinking and .. I'll let you know if it was.. Catch you later Jude X A week to go ( just under)- instead of telling you all about training as I am sure you have probably had enough by now- I will tell you that I went to see the Foo Fighters in Milton Keynes on Saturday-it was beyond brilliant, with seventy thousand people in the MK bowl and I bopped like a teenager all night! Next day I drove to Wales to get the last training session in before the big day. Yes I was tired and yes I was late getting there and ended up with the super sprinter bike riders ( or so I think) as I was about half a mile behind and pedal as I might could not keep up with them- I just hope I am not in the midst of those folk for the race.. The swim was better though- managed the 500 meters straight with only a few pauses- so I'm on target...hoping too that I can make the thousand pounds before the weekend - so if you know anyone who hasn't donated yet- well.. give them a shout! Jude   Well... just under two weeks to go ... biked yesterday for an hour and last weekend did another open water swim in the river Dee which was beyond freezing... water from the Welsh mountains takes a few days to get down to the Cheshire plain and after a good rain the temperature literally takes your breath away ( which is not good when you are huffing and puffing in a wetsuit in anycase..). I have another £155 to go to make target but thanks again for your support- hopefully I 'll make the 1K!     .... and yet more! nearling reaching the £800 mark with £200 after that..!!! This week I have been swimming and biking. Biking coming along and working on strengthening my legs for those 25k by doing hills...if you past a sweaty cyclist peddling very fast up a big hill with a grim look on their face.. well that might be me.. Swimming was better, though keeping up distance is not too easy  but at least my technique is definitely improving now- the trick is getting into a rhythm that becomes automatic. Training with a coach tomorrow so more to learn..need to reach further, pull better and create less drag with my lower half!! Keep you posted- have a good weekend and continued thanks for your support X Just to say another big thank you to some very kind people out there- more updates today and nearly at £700! More blogging soon!   Jude’s training blog.. Woke up on a particularly beautiful welsh summer morning  and decided that I needed to get another long run in- it was 7.00am.. turned over and went back to sleep..  Woke at 9.00am running togs on and off I set.  The course I set for myself reminds me of pregnancy.  Difficult at the start - the most comfortable being in the middle and the big push at the end!  This, I think, is for all sorts of reasons- namely that your body needs a mile to get used to the fact that you are pushing it and every sinew is saying  ‘ NO’ then you drive through a wall ( it seems with me anyway) and it becomes a lot easier. Towards the end of a 5 mile run- your feet feel like lead balls that you have to put a conscious effort sometimes into making the next step- but the prize of the finish is near at hand and that is encouraging. I am really blessed to have some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK to run through- but it is ( as you would expect in Wales) HILLY. I start by taking the road up by the farm which climbs steadily  towards the mountains, passing as I run fields just turning an incredible emerald green with new corn- then up steadily climbing, passing a pair of ancient stocks near the church and then up to where I can see the road levelling out and then I know there is a flat run for a few miles. Cars and tractors pass- swish mud and grit, but this is the power bit and (as trainers encourage), I can sprint for ten mins before beginning my descent through  a curious sandstone cutting . At this point yesterday the heavens opened and there was a cloudburst . I was hot and sticky so this was a wonderful relief, though the people I passed on their weekend strolls weren’t as convinced… I pounded on through the rain realising that I had promised to be home to run some errands at 11am. Big woops- the jog turned into a sprint and I eventually made it back- past the residential home, the free range place, the steep hill before the village- the big snake bends and the last gentle gradient to make it back at 11.20am!  So one hour twenty to run roughly 8 k- bit slow but then I haven’t been out in a week. . Swimming tomorrow.         THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PERSON WHO GAVE THE ANONYMOUS DONATION OF £500 TODAY! I HOPE YOU ARE READING THIS... IF YOU ARE A BIG BIG THANK YOU! Hello folks ! I'm going to tell you a bit about my attempt to be a ‘Deva Diva’ and to finish my first everTriathlon but first about why I hope you will sponsor me.. Imagine what it must be like to be imprisoned in your home, afraid to eat, washing your skin until it is raw, checking and counting for hours at a time until you are mentally exhausted, suffering horrible repetitive unwanted thoughts, being about to lose your home your job because of the 'rituals' you have to perform to keep you and those you love “safe”,having your family disintegrate around you because they can no longer cope with your condition,being frightened of telling anyone that you need help because of the stigma of having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder- the ' secret illness' OCDA provides help and support to people who live with OCD which affects about a million people in the UK. Inspite of  its press as a ‘quirky’ thing to have, it is a horrible and sometimes very disabling condition, restricting the lives of those who are unfortunate enough to have it, but it can be treated. Our Advocacy service (for which I am raising funds) can offer real help and support to people who may be about to lose their job, or their home, or who can no longer function because they are so unwell. Some people tell us that it has been their ‘lifeline’. To keep the service going we need to raise funds and I am hoping that you will give what you can in sponsorship support, or maybe if you work for a big company or firm you would like to think about some corporate sponsorship! You can check out our services on our website <a href="http://www.ocdaction.org.uk/">www.ocdaction.org.uk</a> Here is what a few of the people we have recently helped have said:  “Frankly it has been the only help I have received for my OCD” “ I felt lost in the world- OCD Action and their advocacy service has improved my life, I feel at last that someone is listening to me” “Probably the best Advocacy Service available to anyone suffering mental health problems” “without this- I would still be suffering” Here’s what I’m doing.. On July 10th this year I am taking part in the Diva Deva's Tri in Chester. This involves a gruelling 500 meter swim down the river Dee, 25K bike ride followed by a 5 k run. Can I do it?? I don’t know but I  hope so!.. and in the process I am going to try to raise one thousand pounds for the OCD Action Advocacy Service… I’ll be updating my blog here on the final weeks of training… Thanks for your support. Jude

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