Epic camp day 3 - Grinder by name, Grinder by nature

Well, today dawned bright and early at 4am after a sporadic sleep, similar to that post Ironman feeling.
Quads, glutes and hamstrings felt like someone had taken to them with a baseball bat overnight, rather unpleasant really. No kettle in the room either so couldn't even console myself with a pre run coffee :-(

First up was a run, we were driven part way back up the Peyresourde and dropped off, at small road to run ~ 7km into the start of a small trail which leads to Lac d'Oo. The road in started down hill then was progressively uphill, a treat for stiff sore quads. Some of the group chose to do 20km, I stuck with 10km and avoided the trail as had no contact lenses in and was so tired and immobile I thought prudent to avoid risk of twisting ankles etc.

Once that ordeal was over it was back for a shower, decent brekky, regroup at 11am to ride to the lake for a swim which was ~ 26km away. Sadly had been unable to locate a sheepskin cover for my saddle so had to suck it up. Took a 800mg Brufen instead :-)
It was so warm most of us swam sans wetsuit, which I actually like ( despite being a crap swimmer). We did around 30 mins of swimming then had to state our guesstimate time for 2 laps of the lake ( each lap ~ 500m approx ) Then we all set off to do our two laps ( timed ) and then had tomato it up to 3km of swimming. I could have stayed in there all day, the first time I've been cool for about 30 hours and the soothing feeling of the water lapping my sore muscles.
We had a picnic lunch by the lake and then it was back on the bike home...... toasty toasty! It was 36 degrees up the valley, possibly more with a slight very warm breeze. Altho a lot more loosened off than i was this morning, I was pretty trashed to be honest between the heat and 16h30 of biking with 7260m asc over 2 days.

However, its been nice to have a couple of hours of downtime, rest a bit and have a wee wander around Bagneres de Luchon, its beautiful wee town.

On a brighter note, John informed me that i have the KOm jersey for tomorrow; KOM points worked out on a % of your uphill ftp submitted prior to camp. I was just pipped by 0.1% for the Marie Balnque on Sunday but won the Tourmalet yesterday and was possibly drawn for the Peyresourde. So sorry George Gray to have taken it off you, I don't intend to give it up too easily.........*** think it helps that I am the only person not to have a compact... I run a 52/36 with a 28/11 at the rear. So I have no option but to grind it out........haha.

Secondly I guessed my swim time to within one second so won that one too, apparently my prize is furthest out person cleans my bike. Yes Glenn O, that may be a job for you tomorrow.....!!!


Right enough of that. Its nearly wine o clock here.