Two weeks to Outlaw my main event this year and I’ve spent the last week laid up with a summer cold which slipped down into my chest. So I’ve been fighting off the chest  infection, working my abs with coughing and making my throat red raw. Feeling down I have been cheered up some with  wall to wall viewing of the Tour de France, Wimbledon and the British F1 Grand Prix and plenty of British success. 

The week started with two rest days and as soon as my foot was off the gas from training I suffered – like a teacher at end of term or a rider at end of a multi week cycle event. My body obviously needed the rest but I could have done without the infection that followed. On the rest days I just thought it was delayed hayfever kicking in but soon realised it was more than than. In addition on a dog walk I got a number of horse fly bites and also rope burn from baling twine all of which were tender, sore open wounds so would be no open water swimming for a few days.

Without getting into Brexit politics the week before I was laid up I was back in Brussels at the European Parliament for work. Maybe this is where I picked up the virus ?! The French made it difficult to get across the tunnel as the e-passport machines were pulled out of service. So good old fashioned British queing to cross European boarders has been reinstated. 

The mood in the Brussels was of shock, confusion, chaos but mainly a huge unknown future ahead for all 28 European countries. Expect the unexpected seems to be the view for daily news updates. The weather matched to mood – cold, grey, wet and miserable ! ☔️

My gas safety work will continue in the new European landscape whatever that brings us.  We will adapt our working practices and work with many more countries MEP’s as the UK takes a step back. British travellers will still go to Europe for holidays & work so want to make sure they stay safe when traveling. I’m not renewing my Jamaican passport yet and running off to a tropical island forever – but it is tempting especially with the poor summer weather ! 😃🌴☀️

This weekend I was due to return to Bournemouth for the British Heart Foundation Pier to Pier swim although high winds and waves saw the event stopped for a second year for safety. Great British weather this summer ! I can’t make the new date in August so will have to look for another sea swim opportunity before ironman Weymouth 70.3 in September. 

As I write this on Sunday I’m hoping to get back into light training next week before I taper. Although it might be a two week rest/taper before race day ?