This injury-hit triathlete is starting to smile again.
Not only have two recent treatments to my injured foot gone well, but come Monday I'm ditching this wintry weather for some Florida sun.
Yep, that's right, winter training ahead of the 2007 season is going to be kickstarted with a week in Clearwater, Florida, where the sun is shining, the water is warm and the temperature is currently 30 degrees C. Nice.
I've not followed a structured training programme since returning from the World Championships. I've taken more of a laissez-faire approach to my swim-bike-run life instead to allow my body and mind to have a break, but I'm thinking the Florida sun will inspire me to get back into it all again.
Although I'm unable to run, I'll be doing the next best thing - deep water running (where you run in the pool and, yes, look like a prat). I'll also be putting in the miles on the bike and diving into the Atlantic to keep my swimming up to speed. I do have an irrational fear about being eaten by sharks (even when swimming in Cornwall) so if the next you hear of me is on the evening news or splashed across the front of the Oxford Mail in bits, you'll know my worst fears have been realised. But, all being well, I'll be back blogging again in a fortnight - tanned, toned and ready to begin winter training in cold, dark Oxford. Brrrrrrr...