do a triathlon

Yesterday I paid my fee and entered a beginners triathlon for 22nd November. I’ve started doing 2 swims (in a swimming pool) a week, and riding my bike 3 times a week (this week I did 2 big rides and 1 small one) and continue going to the gym 3 times a week. I think having the physical goal is helping with doing my PhD and marking, and just general living.

Self Magazine has try a triathlon as one of its “reach your goal” goals. There aren’t any sprint triathlons coming up in my area, and I’m not really interested in competing right now (plus my bike is a tank and probably wouldn’t be allowed in the race because it’s liable to shiver apart at any moment), but I like the idea of training for a triathlon. I’m going to set a “race” date of October 11.

First workout is Monday, Sept. 14. I was going to start next week, but the pool is closed Labour Day. I’ll spend the next week planning out my routes.

Just booked on to a middle distance tri – only given myself 5 weeks to train for it – I will be happy as long as I finish!

I finally persuaded my two brothers to do a mini triathlon with me for charity. However, having done a bit of research on the web, the only events near us (Milton Keynes) are for those who want to do a triathlon by themselves (not as a team). So….. I’m thinking, am I up to doing it by myself? My swimming isn’t great (can only really do a slow breast stroke or a very splashy front crawl). I’ve not been on a bike for years, let alone a road bike. I’m pretty sure I can run the 5k as I work out six times a week so I’m fairly fit. Mmmm… decisions decisions.

So i’ve actually found a friend at work who has agreed to tackle my first triathlon with me! And after YEARS of procrastinating this goal, i’m planning on competing in my first this summer. I am very excited, and hope that my training will go as planned, if not better! I am hoping that after this first sprint-tri, i’ll keep training and pursue bigger badder tri’s in the near future. this is a lifestyle that i dream of adapting, and wonder if it’s possible for me..

Today, I did my first ever competitive athletic event! I completed a 5K! =D

I did way better than I thought I would, I finished in 42 minutes. I was expecting 55-60 based on trial runs on the treadmill.

Next up: triathlon training! :) 4 months until the big day!

I’m as unready as I’m going to be. About to load up the car and head to Galveston to pick up the packet and check in to the hotel… I think I’ve got it all together; the weather looks at least okay. I have to admit, I’m dreading the run at the end, so if I have to abandon the goal slightly and default to walking, I’m going to do it, but I’m going to finish, damn it! And I’m going to have a good time! I promise to laugh at myself.

I just did a mini-mini tri this morning on my own. I think I swam about half the distance (felt good), I biked about a third of the distance (felt GREAT), and then I shuffled for a third of the distance! And I felt like HELL!

I know the swim will be a bit of a challenge, and I imagine the bike (due to the ocean winds) will be a bit of a challenge, but I feel okay about both of those. The run is going to be a very, very rough thing…

I fully acknowledge that I am undertrained, but my goal is two-fold:
Goal #!: To Finish!
Goal #2: To swim the swim, bike the bike, and actually run the run.

Running the run is going to be a challenge… And by run, I mean hobble faster than a walk. Seriously, that’s all I’m setting as my goal. No idiotic aspirations of winning my wave or even finishing ahead of anyone in the wave AFTER me. I’m a fool, but I’m not stupid.

I’m doing the Lone Start Triathlon sprint in Galveston TX on Saturday April 4, 2009. I’m definitely undertrained, but I’m looking forward to just surviving. My goal is to: not drown, bike the whole way (the least of my worries) and run for the entire run (rather than walk). My secondary goal is to simply finish however I have to do that. My Primary Goal: To have a good time!

Quite fancy the London Triathlon 2010