Tri-training

I suppose that, for something as serious as a triathlon, I really ought to try and 'train'. None of that anti-training that seems to work for running. After all, you can't usually drown on a run can you? I signed up for the tri on 30 May and celebrated by going to the London Social, as you do! I started to copy the '10 week beginner's training plan' from Triathlete's World into my diary and then worked out that, basically, I needed to swim lots, think about borrowing some kit and work out transition strategies. Cycling and running would look after themselves. Why worry about 'swim drills' when you don't even know how far you can swim but you do know that it will be head-up-breast-stroke?

Sunday 01 June Poole 10k, not too hot, not too cold, not even too breezy which it can be sometimes, not too fast either. Mike and I ran together the whole way and we managed to avoid being lapped by the winner. Just. A momentous day as it also involved 'meeting the parents'. All parties survived, I'm glad to say.

Monday 02 June I went swimming. Didn't know what to expect, I just went to swim and see what happened. To my [slight] amazement, I managed 3x[10x25metres]=750metres and that is the distance I have to do in the event. Now, it wasn't pretty, nor fast nor efficient nor even continuous but I did it. I've never been one for huge numbers of lengths. I can pootle around in a hotel pool when trapped without other forms of exercise but this was a long swim in my book. It was good as it gave me confidence. At this point, I've also decided that cycling to work is now part of my training, so I can record it my training log! I reckon it's 14 miles each way.

Wednesday 04 June was club one mile championship and as it was at the track almost next door to my house, I decided I should do it. Perhaps cycling home just beforehand wasn't the best training, so my time was rubbish, although similarly rubbish to last year, I don't think I'd got any worse. On the other hand, Mike came along too and did sub-7!!!!!!! His first one mile 'race' and he did damn well.

Saturday 07 June repeated the swim session, before 9am for goodness sakes. I arranged for the miniwombles to meet me at the local leisure centre at 09.15. Crumbs.

Tuesday 10 June swim session but I had to go home first for technical [girly] reasons (grrr). But that turned out quite well, as civilised lane swimming didn't seem to start until 8pm. I decided to see if I could do more lengths and managed 4x[10x25m]=1km!! I should mention that my swims on the way home are without the benefit of a towel, I simply put my top and shorts back on, plus shoes and socks and pedal off home, dripping. I thought I should get into the spirit of it all......[Yes, I do put my hi vis and helmet on too]

Thursday 12 June was the Crisis Square Mile Run which involved being on my feet practically from 07.45 to 22.15 or so. My back was killing me. Mike gave me that look and said "You're not going swimming in the morning, are you". Strangely, I didn't disagree.

Friday, not training but we made our way to Padstow in Cornwall for a really rather good weekend.

Sunday 15 June, we ran a wonderful coastal path route, a tad hilly/undulating but with wonderful scenery and the weather, despite pishing down first thing, was glorious. About 6.5 miles. I'd not run for so long I'd forgotten how to start the garmin properly. Doh.

Monday 16 June, back to work and reality. My first swimming lesson in the evening. Instructor kindly suggested that we make the best of what we have. By which I think he meant "You're strong and aerobically fit but your swimming is crap". We concentrated on stretching the forward part of the arm movement and pausing before return, utilising the glide and saving energy. I apparently reduced my strokes per 25m from 25 to 17 in one fell swoop! Not bad. He also spotted that I can't put my head in the water. I'm not a fish, I'm a womble.

Wednesday 18 June, I took the scenic route to work, cycling from home to Blackheath (Miniwomble said "That's a long way" when I reminded her that is where FLM starts), thence to work. My cycling team were setting off for Paris (or Geneva for the one heroine/mad woman) so I thought I could at least wave them off. It's very hilly over there. In the evening I practised my stretch and glide and did another 750m.

Saturday 21 June I hit the pool again. Or did it hit me? I was trying the stretch and glide again but I was getting spooked by splashes and water going up my nose and generally not having a good time. I did 500m only and put it down to a bad day.

Sunday 22 June did some of that nasty gardening cross-training, the one where you end up with back-ache and no-one else can tell the difference in that patch of land behind the house!

Monday 23 June swim lesson #2. Did: a couple of lengths legs-only with a float; some 'fast' lengths; finally managed to push off from the shallow end and glide with my head in the water THREE TIMES; lengths with proper leg movement once it had been explained to me! I even felt like I was swimming for the first time rather than making progress in an ungainly way down a swimming pool. I was completely knackered by the end of the half hour (I'd done 8x25m warm-up before the lesson too). Cycled home to find dinner almost ready and smelling very good. I subsequently realised that I hadn't eaten since about midday. Another 'doh'.

So to summarise June so far: loads of swimming (in my mind)(3.75km plus two lessons), plenty of cycling (~>400 miles!) and a little light on running (~15 miles).

*splash pedal plod*