REAL LIFE TRIATHLON
So, what do you do when you can’t swim and your idea of a bike ride is a pootle round the park on this…?
You enter a triathlon of course! In six weeks time! Six weeks is plenty of time to learn how to swim, ride a road bike and link it all up with running right? …right?
I’ll rewind. A couple of weeks ago the very lovely John at Chobani contacted me saying he had a challenge for me. He told me that Chobani are sponsoring this years Jenson Button Trust Triathlon and did I fancy getting involved and blogging the journey? Now then. Never in a bazillion years did I ever think I could do a triathlon but my instant thought was “yes!”. Because I truly believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. You’re only made stronger but the things that challenge you and I am always up for a challenge. And I’d been meaning to learn how to swim for ages anyway, so it’s the perfect thing to kick start my journey to all-time life ambition to be a professional surfer babe (it is NOT too late).
I did hesitate. Was this a seriously retarded thing to do? Will I come dead last? Will I actually drown? What if I crash my bike and break myself? All this and more went through my head. I sent Dayve (currently in Alaska) a big message explaining the opportunity Chobani had offered and explaining my concerns but also my overwhelming urge to say yes and he came back simply saying “I think in the last two years you’ve proved that anything is possible. Go for it. x“. Well, I had to do it now.
So I said yes. Chobani have been very generous in helping me out with gear and are also offering expert training and nutrition advice throughout the process. I am SO excited about this project over the next six weeks and cannot wait to get stuck in to the swimming and biking. The triathlon is a super sprint so the distances are very manageable:
300m swim (open water)
9km bike ride
2.5km run.
The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon takes place in the ground of Luton Hoo estate and it looks like an absolutely beautiful setting. I checked out the times for last year and I reckon the swim will definitely put me at the back of the pack but hopefully not in actual last place number one loser spot. But, I don’t even think I’d mind that much even if I was the number one loser. I’d be a bloody triathlete! Bit gutted that it’s probably the only time I’ll ever meet Jenson Button and I’ll look like a drowned rat in a skintight onesie though.
I spoke to my friend (and real life triathlete) Chris and he reassured me that triathlons are only as competitive as you make them and plenty of people just do breaststroke. Two massive fears dealt with already. I’m ready to give it my best shot and get to the end. At least I know there’ll be some super yum yoghurt at the end (make mine a blood orange).
Very very big thank you to Chobani for having me along for the ride. I am SO excited about the training process over the next six weeks and will be posting plenty of updates on learning to swim, tackling a road bike, practising transitions and posing in a super hot tri suit (key skill). Lets get cracking!
Amazing - good for you. I think it’s all about challenging yourself and pushing the boundaries (at least that what I told myself when I signed up for Tough Mudder…). You’ll be ace, and even if you are last (which I very much doubt) you’ll have taken on and conquered a triathlon in just 6 weeks. You officially rock!
Thank you! Exactly, even last will be a massive achievement. So excited!
Ha! Just twittered you and now when I click on ‘Triathlon’ your blog appears top of the list! It’s a small world wide web!
Where do you click on triathlon, is it a wordpress thing?!
Yeah, when you click on the ‘Reader’ tab on WordPress.
Then on the right, under where it says ‘Topics’ you can enter a topic in the search box and it saves it in the topic list.
Awesome..you go girl..enjoy the yoghurt xox
ALL the yoghurt!
Omg this is so wierd, since completing the marathon i have decided to be kind to my legs, set myself a new challenge and am 4 weeks into training for a triathlon! Have joined a tri club and it is soooooo hard but really pushing me and has been so good for my fitness already. I have knocked nearly a minute of my 5k time in 4 weeks!!! As a fellow runner the swimming and cycling is a real challenge but there is no better thing to do than to challenge yourself. Havent got roumd to blogging about it yet but will be interesting to compare journeys! X
Ah wow! That’s so weird! Which one are you doing? You are a total badman and will do a much better job of it than me, I am sure! Will definitely be interesting to see how we get on! Have you done much swimming/cycling before?
I am going to do my first one at Bewl water in August on my birthday and possible one in Brighton in September. Have another marathon planned in October in Sweden then have sort of agreed to do a half iron man with my friend in celebration of her 40th next year… Talk about going in at the deep end!!! As for cycling i have done a lot of recreational plodding around the UK but nothing at the intensity i am doing on the velodrome with my tri club. Triathletes are flippin machines!! I am currently trying to get to grips with cleat shoes and falling sideways is always a possibility every time i hit the brakes! As for swimming i am the worst swimmer in the world so this is my biggest challenge. I struggle to breath, one length and i feel lile i am going to die and generally hate it! But after 4 weeks of coached swimming sessions i feel as if i have mildly improved! My swimming style i wiuld originally have described as “dying penguin” but have progressed to “arthritic mermaid” which is definitely progress! Haha. How are you with swimming and are you getting coaching?
Good for you - what a great challenge it will be. I’m a member of a Tri club but still haven’t braved doing one yet - one day :-)
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So, I just joined the Chobani ranks for this triathlon thingie and am really glad to know that I won’t be the only ‘newbie’ there. I’m terrified of the swim, or rather, of coming in last!!!!
OK…rest at ease as I will definitely be behind you and very likely in ‘last place loser at the back’ position…and I also won’t have any ‘Chobani’ snacks at the end…just a couple of smushed custard creams that the kids didn’t find in my bag yet!! See you there, best of luck! PS…my training also only just starting NOW with 5 wks to go #scary
Your first one too? I’ll challenge you to number 1 loser spot! Chobani are the fuel sponsors so do not fear, there’ll be Chobani snacks for all! How’s your training going? I just got my bike and I am so awful! Lots of practise needed.