Chapter 12 - The final countdown to losing tri-virginity

1 week to go.......

Les Miserables Number 2133 not 666 as my brother told me !

So all roads lead to Blenheim ! It's been a long journey, but a very productive one and I've thoroughly enjoyed the process.  And all the lovely people I've encountered along the way. My final hurdle was to overcome the open water swimming in a wet suit. My last attempt had rather spectacularly failed in Mallorca - as witnessed by most of my family and good friends. Luckily not my brother who would have taken great delight in mocking me. Always laugh with, not at.

FIRST UK SEA SWIM MAY 26th 2014

Yes that is me.

So when a visit to Seaford for the last week in May for a sea swim was suggested it sounded very jolly. I imagined picnic rugs on the beach and sunscreen...... But No! my first UK sea swim was on a very miserable grey wet day. I bullied my brother's friend Andrew into coming along too. Well I figured with the 3 of us 1 of us at least would be able to call the coastguard. We asked the kids if they wanted to come and watch - they didn't even look up from their Ipods.  And my sister-in-law turned the kettle back on and retired to the sofa with a magazine. Just the 3 of us then. And quite literally we were the only 3 on the beach. Apart from 1 dog walker.

But it was fab - Andrew and my brother were great - very patronising - I mean reassuring and encouraging.  I actually really enjoyed it. Brown murk in front of your eyes - no lines to guide you. Slight issue with guiding - I kept ending up on the beach. Like Sammy the seal from Cromer beach we saw one New Year. But it was definitely doable. I've come a long way.

Sammy the battered seal rather like me after the open water swim 

TRANSITION

What I didn't enjoy was the getting out of the wetsuit and changing on the beach.  I had to borrow my 15 year old niece's swim suit as I had accidently packed my running shorts by mistake. No selfies available of that one not pretty. Topless swimming very continental but not in Seaford and not with siblings.  So getting my wetsuit and then my teeny teenage swimsuit off in the cold was tricky. And I'd been a stranger to the Immac so was feeling quite shy! It's a very stoney beach at Seaford, so I was hopping around like a lepracorn trying to maintain my dignity. The boys very politely turned away. And then when I was finally fully clothed my brother very simply said "You may need to work on your transition!" Very funny.This is the man who said to me that at his first Tri at Blenheim he took 15 minutes in transition, but as he said "I may have taken 15 minutes but I looked sharp". I'm definitely applying lipstick in transition 
then.

HAPPY SEA SWIM NO.2 31ST MAY 2014

DIVE DIVE DIVE

My second swim of May half term was on lovely Mothercombe beach near the village where I grew up in Devon.  The conditions were ideal - the sun was shining, the beach is sandy and soft.  Perfect conditions but alas I forgot my goggles and hat this time (probably too busy putting on lipstick). So I could swim but didn't have the courage to swim with my eyes open. So I swam blind but not for very long, and my mother was shouting at me from the shoreline to come back in! She thinks all this exercise lark is dangerous. She once asked me if I should be running whilst I had my period! Had she not seen the Bodyform adverts you can rollerskate and everything with a period these days! She has also pointed out very usefully that there is a full moon when I do my Triathlon. I haven't asked.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FINAL WEEK ?

Nutrition very important in the final week.

After several sleepless nights, I really wasn't sure what I should be doing the week leading upto the Triathlon so I asked Nick at TriCamp and he gave me a daily routine. Thanks for that Nick you're a star. My main concern now was how I was going to get from one activity to the next. Then my lovely encouraging brother rang and goes through it with me. Thanks Mat. Not sure if he's really helping me or this is just some really big piss take on his behalf. Anyway.....


Brother:- What about Nutrition ? You know there is no cake stop on the bike ride ? Or Latte ?  
Me:- I'm thinking "gels, carb loading and an energy drink" - No idea what any of that means, except I have rather embraced the carb loading bit in the run up. Going to look like Tweedledum in my Trisuit. I now can't decide whether on night's out I should wear my wetsuit or my Trisuit. Anyway.... 

We've decided that I should wear a fin on my back for the open water swim. And Steve the Ironman Knitter from TriCamp  and I decide false nails were not a good idea.Chris Scott my boss gave me the top tip of "don't chew a toffee when you're swimming Catherine, you can't breathe" how does he know? He tried it at the local swimming pool! - he's very good at wine tasting though.

Then after much debate there is universal agreement that it's definitely worth wearing socks for run and bike, rather than risk blisters. Rather defeated when I go out on Wednesday night with my girlfriends in new shoes and get blisters.....Ho Hum. Never mind. They were the only thing that matched my wetsuit! 

Bikini line done to save any transition embarassment.  Hairdresser booked for the photographer from Outdoor Fitness that's being sent to follow me. Those photo's are not going to be good are they? Lets hope he's good at retouching as well!

So I'm ready, only a few more sleeps.....Wish me luck and I'll be sure to report back.

Ducks nearly all in a row.

PS No ducks or seals were harmed in the writing of this blog.


All content strictly copyright Catherine Jevans 2014.