October in Switzerland is school holiday season. For many it’s the time when they head off to warmer and sunnier climes. Given that my wife is one of those people who feels the need to get away at any possible opportunity we booked an all-inclusive deal for 9 days on the island of Crete.
The main aim of the holiday was to spend time together as a family and relax a little. I though wanted to make the most of the warmer climate and planned on squeezing in a few unstructured training sessions. I wasn’t going to have a bike available but running along the coast or swimming in the still warm waters of the med were definitely on the cards.
For the running I was pretty happy. The route I took a few times was the classic sea-front promenade. It was also more or less flat so I had the chance to do some speed work. I’ve been doing more running of late and really enjoying it.
The swimming on the other hand was a little less successful. Apart from the first day when the sea was fairly calm, it was difficult to even get into the water for the waves and rocks. I banged my foot and was left with two purple toes. Thankfully this didn’t stop me from running but it bloody hurt.
The highlight of the holiday though was definitely the daily yoga sessions. These were much softer than my regular class, with the teacher having to cater to all levels. It was fantastic nonetheless. On a terrace overlooking the sea, this was a welcome change from the darkened basement where I can usually be found.
And now what. We’ve been back in Switzerland a couple of weeks and the Greek sun already seems a distant memory. It was though good to have a break from the daily routine and spend some time with the family. If you want to get a little idea for what it was like check out the video here.
My thoughts now though have turned to training and getting back into shape to be ready to tackle what I hope will be an exciting 2018. Living in Switzerland though I know that a lot of my bike training will be in the pain cave. I just need to optimise the cellar space.
whytri.ch 