Ironman demands more resistance

The plan was for the Cape Crusaders to head for the hills this afternoon. The Ironman was all for a three circuit route over Mont Veknockhill, back over the north face of Col du Cleish climb back up to the Knockhill crossroads and repeat three times.

The weather had a different opinion. At 10:00 this morning the sleet and rain was blasting the windows in Dunfermline. With temperatures in Cape Town currently 37 degrees, there felt limited value in 'acclimatisation' training in Fife this morning ............ or even this afternoon. Bigman wimped out and said he was off to the gym instead. And in a nanosecond, the Ironman was supportive of the decision.

And so it was. Off to Cowdenbeath to take in the second half of the FA League cup final whilst trotting out the miles on the step machine and then onto the bikes for the closing 10 minutes of the game.

The Ironman was on iron form. At one point he was complaining because the bike resistance only went up to level 25! He was awesome. Even at this tempo, with his head resembling a blonde brit who forgot to put on sun block in Costa Lot resort - beacon red - he could not replicate the swimming pool proportions of the Bigman's perspiration rate. He commented on concerns that the locals in south Africa might mistake the torrents in the drains as flash floods from the hills as opposed to the Bigman merely climbing a few mountain passes!

Bigman opted for keeping 'low tide' and sticking with a Witches Hat routine of level 15 and 60+ revs per minute.

And then to the mats for the obligatory 220 sit ups before moving on to the weights .

After The Ironman left there was 10 minutes back on the step maching whilst watching the biathlon cross country skiing. after the 10 minutes watching the activity on screen, Bigman felt he had taken the lead. If only footie fives had not called, he may have taken virtual gold in Vancouver, but it was not to be.

A final hour of fives, completed the three hours training regime for a Sunday afternoon and we are back into the week.

The Victory send off party is next Saturday evening with over a hundred friends and fellow cyclists coming to make sure we go. It is going to be a crackin night as everyone wants to have a cracking night.

The Posse Ecosse will all be there and the Cape Crusaders may break from their 'strictly low alcohol' consumption training regime.