Chapter 11 - Three's the magic number

3's the magic number.

3- 2- 1

At the start of May I still haven't done any of the 3 activities sequentially and consecutively and I decide now is probably the time to start cutting my distances down and attempt to combine the 3 disciplines. (oooo that sounds quite professional). I also consider actually recording my times and trying to improve upon them. My new saying is "What would Rita do ?" ( Rita was a girl at TriCamp who is a Triathlon queen and a real go getter. She's also Welsh, but some of my best friends are Welsh so we won't hold that against her).

1st of May - bish - bash - bus

Start as I mean to go on. Rita wouldn't be getting on the bus to the pool, NO she would be running to the pool. I decide it's time to practice Rule#5 - and man up. It's only taken 9 months to get to this stage. I'm going to run to the swimming pool and then swim. Oh yes I am. 

There are several downsides to this new approach:- 

1. I need to wear my running gear to work. I feel slightly self conscious in my running leggings, but don't want to carry a change of clothes as will have to run with them in my backpack. I'm doing a TriAthlon not joining the army......well not yet.2. I need to seriously cut down the after-swim beauty products taken to the pool See point number 1 re backpack. No more conditioner, face moisturiser and lip balm for me. OK it's lipstick, I like my lipstick. Probably no need for a hair brush either - too heavy.

3. If I run home as well it means I can't buy a latte from Carluccios after the swim. And lets be honest it's not just the latte I buy, I've also taken to buying various cakes for the journey home, because I am usually starving marvin after my swim.

Do It! Do It! Do It!

1. I ran in the rain - chuffed and puffed

2. I swam and put lipstick on !

3. Caught the bus had a latte

The first day I decide to do this it is absolutely tipping down with rain. I faff about the office delaying the inevitable. My colleagues get a perverse delight from the fact it's pissing down. Just go Catherine. I run quite fast - rain does that to you. I swim. I change back into my wet clothes. I nearly get arrested for taking selfies in the swimming pool changing cubicle. I run............across the road to Carluccios, get a latte and wait for the 281 bus. Well, you can't rush these things - it's a marathon not a sprint, and it is pissing down. Did I mention it was raining? 

Ran 3.19km then swam 1km. Got the 281 home. Feeling very virtuous! Various people take the piss about the last discipline in my Tri - Run-Swim-Bus.  My brother he's always on hand to take the piss and my lovely friend Sian - coincidently she's also Welsh. I haven't held it against her either - isn't it?

So as I continue through May I am running to the pool, swimming and then running home. Result. Well it feels like a result. Actually the logistics of practising doing the 3 disciplines is very tricky unless you have a swimming pool in your back garden. 

The Logistics of 3.

Unless you have a back up crew (which when I go pro and am sponsored by Bodyform, I obviously will) the logistics of practicing these 3 disciplines is quite tricky. Balancing this with the timings of the school pick up too. Bet the Brownlee brothers don't have to worry about the 3.15 pick up, except they are so young they are probably being picked up themselves. Anyway...

1. Run-Swim-Bike - this would require going to the swimming pool the night before to leave the bike there overnight. Likliehood of it being there in the morning nil.

2 Bike-Swim-Run - Bike to the pool with swimming kit, swim, change into running kit run home. Go back to the swimming pool later to pick up the bike. Again if the bike is still there.

3. Or.....Bus to the Pool - Run Home - get on the bike. That's it! going to try that in the next few weeks. I get there eventually.

All thoughts of recording a PB are out the window.  The day I tried to work out my 100m swim PB. I couldn't for the life of me work it out and as per  "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" I messaged a friend to do the calculations for me. I've always been the same with percentages I get a mental block on how to work them out. Couldn't tell the time either until I was about 10. Anyway... When I actually had my time worked out for me, I didn't like it, so I ignored it. I convinced myself it's not about PB's anyway it's all about the taking part. 

MapMy....

Stick men they get everywhere.

I use the MapMyRide app to record my endevours. She's a bit annoying the American voiceover who patronisingly states "Start Workout". And I think she's beginning to have a twisted sense of humour at my expense. In the spirit of PB's I have been trying to up the pace on my running and cycling. So on my Friday 25k+ bike rides, the American is shoved in my pocket set to "Start Workout".  I peddle like fury thinking this week darn it I'm going to be Sprint Queen, Peddle Princess, King of Spin or whatever their nicknames are.  As I pull up outside my house and reach eagerly in my pocket to see how far and fast I've done, I realise the battery has run out half way around.  BASTARD BASTARD BASTARD. So I have to put justifying comments on each workout "Actually it was 84k Bitch". It has done the same thing when I've run my fastest time ever. I think they should rename the app MapMyRideSometimesWhenIFeelLikeIt. Catchy. I'd use my Garmin watch but I've never really got past the "Searching for Satellite" "Use indoors?" stage. Looks professional though - like I might be a diver or something. So shallow.

Equipment Tips

Now I know I am an amateur at all this and so I have become a Triathlon geek and subscribe to Triathlon 220 magazine. I've gotten over "The perils that can be sustained from Triathlon" article and the fact there are no horoscopes at the back. And  I love their helpful advise on equipment you may require. But I'm beginning to think I could write this section myself.....

1. Choosing Goggles - when selecting goggles fit comfort and visibility are the watchwords.  Really ? Visibility you say ? and presumably make sure they are waterproof?
2. Tri-Suit - the priority is comfort and it needs to be supportive....and skin tight. 
3. Road Run Shoes - Comfort and durability are key. Good so don't get uncomfortable running shoes then - top tip and in the right shoe size.
4. Helmets - Fit is hugely important - wow a revelation. Presumably on the head. And without a visor obviously. Lesson learnt.

Intimate Hygiene Areas and Sport

Never seen the appeal of watching ballet !

Wearing of Underwear when doing sport and what type of underwear to wear? Very sore subject amongst cyclists. I was alarmed to hear cyclists don't wear pants under cycling shorts. Hence why they have no VPL I guess. Male ballerina's the same thing I would imagine. But I still can't say I feel comfortable not wearing some kind of undergarment underneath cycling shorts. Didn't your mother always tell you to wear clean underwear in case you got run over.  I'm most likely to crash on my bike so need to be prepared. 
And of course the whole Chamoix cream conversation. I was convinced that really this only applied to males because of moving parts. I didn't suffer any of this whilst in Mallorca at TriCamp. But then perhaps my whole body was in pain and so I hadn't noticed a blistering arse. However, whilst cycling with my brother and Bert on a very stunning 84k ride around Sussex on a hot sunny day the subject arose again. I'd never met Bert before, lovely chap, he offered me half his banana (no euphenism intended) and in the same breath he asked if I used Chamoix cream . Very quickly I said "Oh No! not sure girls need that stuff". This was early days to be getting into this sort of conversation - and surely this type of cream isn't something you need to be sharing with others, just for personal use. Having just offered me his banana, I thought he was going to produce a pot and expect me to dip my finger in and apply in front of the assembled coffee shop. What is the etiquette for this sort of thing. I'd already been offered lube on the beach at TriCamp. These athletes were sooooo keen to share. Anyway I've concluded that girls DO in fact need Chamoix cream.  That crease just under your buttock and above your thigh - yes ? I felt that someone had dragged that particular area across some sandpaper. Ouch. Chaffed is a word that best describes it. I won't ever again laugh at such injuries, but with. Oh yes and IMightMapYourRideIMightNot told me I'd cycled 64k that day and then ran out. It wasn't it was a very respectable 84k and there were proper hills and everything.

Baby Number 3

My new baby - resting

This arrived on my birthday.  Bailey. My bike from Mallorca was delivered by freight. Weighing not very much.  Mother and new baby getting on really well. So lovely to be reunited with an old friend. This bike and I are going to go on many adventures methinks and maybe some uphill struggles.

Not long now......

Blenheim Palace Sprint Saturday 7th June.

All content strictly copyright Catherine Jevans 2014.