Loads Going on in and Around Aberystwyth
Phew, it may be Wednesday already, but after a long weekend, it feels as though we’ve only just started back properly this week.
There was loads going on in this part of the world over the weekend. The coast path was officially opened with a ceremony in Aberystwyth at which the band that Anna plays in were performing. It was the weekend of the Dyfi Enduro in Machynlleth. I didn’t ride it this year but I was in Machynlleth on Sunday morning for a run and a swim so got a bit of feel for the usual carnival atmosphere that surrounds the event.
The Celtic Challenge rowing race was on. This year 22 teams took part in what is the World’s longest true rowing race. The teams race from Arklow in County Wicklow, Ireland to Aberystwyth, a distance of about 90 nautical miles.
Anna and Morgan spent most of the weekend with the Scouts marshalling and manning water stations for the runners at the Red Kite Challenge. They had a pretty cold day stood in the wind on Saturday but Sunday was a little better, despite the fact that they had some flurries of snow whilst stood in the hills at one point. Yep, snow in May!
I had a day to myself on Saturday and managed to fit in a cycle and a run, did some work in the garden and managed to do some work mowing a neighbours garden as well. The cycle involved some pretty hard flat out efforts and the run was the first time for months that I’ve ran at a pace that is faster than race pace.
Sunday was a good day for some training as well, with a hill rep run and a swim in the morning. We then had some friend (Dennis & Sophie) coming for dinner so with a nice tidy house and cupboards full of food, I had some time to myself in the afternoon. The sun was shining, the garden was looking lovely so I actually got to spend an hour or so just sitting in the garden relaxing, and soaking up the atmosphere.
It was good to catch up with Dennis and Sophie on Sunday evening and it provided a good opportunity for us to have a nice dinner, lots of wine and even some whisky as we chatted into the evening.
Monday was a good day too, with a decent breakfast for all of us, then coffee and cakes! This was followed by hill reps on the bike for me once Dennis and Sophie had left for home. The hills reps do make pretty elevation charts.
Elevation Data from Hill Reps
We then all headed into Aberyswyth where I went for a swim in the sea with the triathlon club. The weather broke whilst we were swimming and absolutely poured down so we all retreated to a cafe where we had dinner and hot chocolate before heading home to get ready for school and work the next day. The end of a busy, long bank holiday weekend. It was particularly long for Morgan as he was off school on Thursday as his school was being used as a polling station and he was then off ill on Friday as well. It’s never nice going back after a bit of a break.
Roll on the next long weekend.
