When I say ‘safe one’, what I mean is the discipline that novice triathletes feel confident of completing without having to make any major changes.
A colleague asked me last week, what is my safe one? To which I replied: “transition!”
Upon reflection, I think I undersold my abilities, as cycling I believe probably has a considerable edge over the swimming and running. After spending the last ten months rehabilitating from a third ACL rupture, cycling was one of the few activities apart from endless lunges and standing on one leg that the doctors allowed me to do on a regular basis, in fact they positively encourage it!
So I began to love the bike, so much so that the leisurely bike to the shops evolved into a rigorous commute to work during the summer months. The 18-mile roundtrip proved not only great for the fitness - and of course the knee - but also a lesson in bike handling skills riding along a bike route that is more like a winter mogul course.
As winter approached and the nights grew shorter, the bike sadly went back in the shed. However, following the New Year break, the weekend rides have fought their way back onto the agenda, inspired by the idea and now reality that I need to ‘get back on the bike’ to complete my triathlon challenge. Only the other week, I completed a 30km ride, which was a real pleasure and great excuse to enjoy coffee and cake, at the local cafe. Is this a common activity amongst the cycling fraternity?
Training to date
A friend of mine has completed a number of triathlon events, and suggested aiming for at least two sessions a week of each discipline. Having scoured the websites and reading the magazines, this didn’t seem like being too far from a decent plan.
As I attempted to organise my schedules, it was becoming apparent that to achieve what I originally thought would be fairly realistic and achievable, I was going to need to implement some lunchtime sessions. I remember reading a while back about a triathlete (not elite) who biked to work, swam at lunch and ran home. I have swiftly dismissed this level of activity.
The run seemed like a suitable activity to start delivering, so I joined forces with the many runners that the team has here at British Triathlon and embarked on what I said would be a short 20-minutes round the block. Happily, I managed to extend this by an extra ten minutes and still felt pretty good.
I followed that with an evening bike in the gym, battling with my fellow gym users as they tried to rid me of the turbo trainer. A 30-minute interval session did the trick.
Another two runs last week, with the addition of a good swim in the local pool proved all that I could deliver. Despite not being what I intended, I still feel that the foundations are being laid and confident that I will get to the two sessions a week!
A final reminder
I ended the week in the capital, taking some time out with the wife. Despite being a tourist for two days, one site was rather inspiring for the week ahead! As I visited the Olympic countdown clock in Trafalgar square, it was great to see more people having their picture taken with the clock, than Nelsons Column - no offence Nelson, but it is an Olympic year!
Notes from a novice will be published on the Triathlon England website, as I plan to tap into the expertise amongst the Home Nations to help me achieve my triathlon challenge!
Notes from a novice by Tom Goldspink, British Triathlon
