Tag Archives: shoes

Your First Triathlon

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Mum and me

Yes, she can.  So can you.

I feel like a bit of a fraudster, passing on my advice for ‘your first triathlon’.

I mean, I’ve done precisely one triathlon.

But if you’re looking for advice like I was/am, maybe learning from somebody who is as new as you is the best option.  When you’ve done a few, I imagine that certain things become obvious, and you might assume they’re obvious to everyone.

So this guide to ‘your first triathlon’ is for the real beginner, and the one who is Type-A, needing to know every detail they possibly can, including the obvious.  This is for you, my friend (although the rest of you may read if you want to)

I have split the post into sections, because it is long – there is a lot of information.  If you’re OK with some sections of your triathlon journey, you can skip the parts of this post that cover those sections.  I’ve also made a special page on my blog where this post will live permanently, if you need to refer back to it – here.

Let us begin. Continue reading →

Soggy Mash

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Wet

A bit wet.  IE Soggy.

Yesterday was Australia Day – a special public holiday here in Oz, when we passionately celebrate our beautiful land and the wonderful Aussie lifestyle, whilst simultaneously feeling guilty and ashamed of celebrating and partying on the anniversary of the first landing (aka the first invasion)

We are a complicated nation.  And we’re not super good at picking dates for national parties.

Anyway, once again the gym was shut for most of the day, opening only between 9 and 12. Before commencing triathlon, this would have meant either working out in the heat of the day or swapping my workout entirely for a simple walk with the dog.

Now that I can run and cycle, I no longer need four walls and equipment to get hot and sweaty! And I had an excellent plan. Continue reading →

Physio Session 2

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Emergency! Emergency! Buy New Shoes!

Emergency! Emergency! Buy New Shoes!

Just over a week ago my new Physio, Jake, banned me from running but promised he’d have me ready to run at Bribie.

So when I turned up for my second physio session on Friday, I was fully prepared for more needles, more pressure points and more running ban.  We’ve still got 3 weeks until the mini Bribie Triathlon.

Indeed, an hour of the same physio talk and tests ensued – there was jumping, hopping and twisting of my legs.  Jake got his extra-thick needles out and did some more dry-needling – actually, a lot more.  And it was really painful.  I wished he would switch to acupuncture instead.  Dry-needling is more of an archaeological dig for injury fossils inside me than just a few strategic pin pricks like you get with acupuncture.  There is a lot of ‘rummaging’ with the needle tip once it’s inside and boy is it painful.  Especially when he hits a nerve (yes that happened)

But then, as a magical surprise just as I was about to leave and make my next appointment, Jake announced that he was happy for me to go for a run.  Well he called it a jog, but we all know that sounds much less serious than a run and what is the technical difference? I don’t know so I always claim a run, never a jog. Jogs are for wimps.

Anyway, I stared at him.  Really?  Yes, just take it easy, wait for at least 24 hours from now and don’t do more than 4km.  Stop if you get any pain, but if you just feel a bit tight then you can keep running, he said.

I took this to mean that I am the best physio patient he’s ever had and I have healed at a speed that even Superman would be proud of.  I patted myself on the back and hurried out of the office to plan my first Recovery Run. Continue reading →

My Wallet Hates Triathlon

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internet shopping

Goodies bought on the internet, delivered by the postman

So far, my favourite thing about triathlon is the shopping.  Even buying a hideous lycra suit has been a joyous experience, particularly in comparison to my futile attempts to improve the triathlon vehicle I am building (that is, my body).

Subscribers to this blog may remember that I mentioned a few weeks back that Google had lied to me insofar as it promised me that having a functioning human body and being prepared to spend 50 bucks on a triathlon entry fee were all the attributes I needed to qualify myself as a bona-fide triathlete.  If you missed it, I proved this to be Google-branded lies and deception here, here and here (well, everywhere really)

Unfortunately today it is my sad duty to inform you that another great lie is circulating on Google regarding triathlons.  Continue reading →

The Camping Triathlete

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my packing

Yes I am taking a suitcase camping

The only time I ever think to buy magazines is when we’re going on some kind of a holiday.  It has become a kind of tradition and these days, no matter how long or short, it just doesn’t feel like a holiday without a few magazines to flick idly through as I sip a beer and stretch out in the sun.

We’re taking the dog camping for a couple of days this weekend and as I walked into the newsagents last night to get my magazine haul, the one that caught my eye was, of course, Triathlon Magazine.  I’ve never read or bought this magazine before and I was quite excited to spot it in my local newsagent.  There is even a story about the Noosa Triathlon course!  I don’t know what secrets I may find out from this article but I am pretty sure it will make all the difference to my race, so thank you in advance, Triathlon Magazine. Continue reading →

Time To Run

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She Can Try running

The third-cousin-twice-removed of Usain Bolt and a short white chick

With my road to swimming excellence mapped out in front of me, it was time to check on the other two skills I’d be requiring for my first triathlon. I’d started with my worst skill, so I thought that next I’d boost my confidence with my best skill of the three: running.

Technically, I think I could survive the running portion of any triathlon without fixing my knee and hip pain. I have survived a 10km race before, although I couldn’t walk for 3 days afterwards.

However, it’s possible I have the physical fitness to actually be GOOD at the running component; it should be my strength. It would also be nice to know that at least one part of the triathlon would be enjoyable (I laugh at this joke as I type)

I started to have visions of myself making up some of the lost time from swimming with a super-quick sprint to the finish line. Think Usain Bolt crossed with a short white chick. Or that person’s slightly slower third cousin twice removed. Continue reading →