Month completed: August 2010

Firstly, apologies for the extreme lack of posts recently. My only excuse is that I have been working on two particularly big goals recently.

The first I can’t tell you about just yet, but it will be worth the wait and I am very excited about it.

The second I can tell you about, as I completed it on Sunday, after four months of training.

I just completed the London triathlon!

The race was an Olympic distance event, which means:

• 1,500 metre swim, then
• 40km bike ride, then
• 10km run

The run I thought I would be OK with, but it was the swim that frightened me the most, having struggled to swim 50m without wearing myself out.

So, back in April I started training. 4 or 5 mornings a week I was up at 5.30 to swim, bike or ride, or a combination of all three. Sleep-ins have been a rare treat recently, and much savoured whenever I have had the chance of one.

Me, a few nervous hours before the race

Me, straight after the race (not a pretty sight!)

I needed a bike too, as my folding bike was really suitable for the job. So I bought a mountain bike for £55 from Gumtree. When I arrived on the day to see everyone else in my class had fancy £1,000 road bikes, I admit I felt a little intimidated, but it is fun to be the underdog. My bike’s tyres are proper chunky tyres, so at least I was confident I wouldn’t get a puncture (which I didn’t, thank goodness).

The week leading up to the event was nerve-wracking, and particularly the night before. I woke up at 5.30 on Sunday and despite best efforts, could not fall back asleep. So I watched lots of TV, just to distract myself. Annoyingly, I was in the last group of the day, at 3.40pm, so I had all day for the nervous energy to build up. It felt worse than the feeling I got going up in the plane just before my first skydive.

After the swim leg, getting out of a wetsuit is tricky business

Just before the race started, when we were in the water waiting for the gun, two competitors near me were talking. One, who had obviously done triathlons before, and one who hadn’t. The more experienced competitor was saying ‘You are actually quite lucky that this is your first one, because you don’t yet know how painful it is.’ Not what I want to hear just before we kick off!

Once the race was underway, it was actually not too bad. Naturally, it was difficult, especially the run at the end, but I think the training paid off. I even had enough energy left to ride my bike the 15km home again afterwards (not that I had much choice – bikes weren’t allowed on the train), and play football on Monday night. I am starting to feel some aches now though, so that will be it for me.

Nearly there! A few laps to go

I raced for Macmillan Cancer Support, and have so far raised £430 £665 for them, which is great. If you feel like making a donation, click here.

Oh, and my time. I did the race in 3 hours flat (3 hours, 13 seconds to be exact). I actually shocked myself, as I thought I would be between four and five hours if I did really well.

Would I do another one? Probably, but not for a very, very long time!

My one tip for the triathlon, for anyone game enough to try (or should that be, tri) one – focus on the swim. If you can do the swim without using much energy your race is set up for you.