Injury forces me into Triathlon!! How did that happen!

The mileage and races have paid off and my improved speed has meant I'm able to keep up...just..with the faster group on a Monday night club run....WRONG! Two sessions including speeding it up a mile long hill at 7.30 pace and I suffer a debilitating calf strain. After 3 weeks of leaving it a couple of days and trying to run again, I decide I need a complete week of no running....so I jumped on my bike for the week. Well over a hundred miles later I realise, its quite enjoyable. A Duathlon maybe? But my mate Richard keeps harping on about his triathlon escapades and my constant whimpering about hating swimming and chlorine and kids piss is battled off with the suggestion of an open water swim instead maybe.....

.....after some consideration I decided...screw that! But then as I logged onto my clubs website there it was...an opportunity to borrow a wetsuit and try an open water swim with some coaching....it must be a sign. After attending the morning session and swimming through jelly fish in a man made lake, I was impressed to learn I'd probably swam 750m straight off, without having swam in years!

So....if I'm to make it to Snowdon start line, non injured but fit enough to complete the challenge, I decided cross training with a triathlon goal would be the answer! I bravely (with the aid of my mate Shiraz), entered a supersprint tri in August (Southampton Fast Twitch). Disgusted that I'd entered a pool tri, Richard somehow convince me to also enter an open water sprint tri up in Cirencester on 6 Sept (two weeks later.....I need my head checking).

So marathon training has officially begun, and my 3 run a week programme is supported by 3 bike rides and 1 swim session a week. This does however involve my braving the breaststroking geriatric soup that is Flemming Park Leisure Centre once a week and cycling to work and back one day a week.

Bring on the training!