I’m tired. I’ve been up since ten past five (again). But this morning I squeezed in a 90 minute blast around Wharfedale, North West of Leeds. I even passed the Brownlee brothers (we were headed in opposite directions, obvs). That’ll do me.

 

That’s pretty much how it goes these days - always trying to fit training in around real life. I suppose I’m typical of many fairly new triathletes - 35, two young kids, a demanding job and (thankfully) an understanding other half who lets me get away with it. 2015 will be my second season of racing, having completed my first couple of Olympic distance tris last year.

 

I was rubbish at sport at school, but I enjoyed mountain biking and a bit of rugby league before discovering wine, women and song. After uni I was a fat, chain-smoking, beer monster who could barely climb the stairs without stopping for a rest. I realised I needed to make a change, so I quit the cigs, took up martial arts and running, and rediscovered mountain biking, which I carried on throughout my 20s.

 

By my early 30s, I’d got my 10k run PB down to around 45 mins but I’d been struggling with what I thought was a calf injury for a couple of years. Fed up of prolonged periods of rest and calf stretches followed by an immediate recurrence of the problem, I finally resolved to go see a physio. She asked a couple of questions, looked at the way I was sitting, and pretty much immediately diagnosed the problem. A week or so of hip and lower back stretches later and I was running with no pain. It felt like a miracle. 

 

That meant I could train consistently for the first time in maybe four years, which opened the door to triathlon. I’d always fancied it, but I was one of those people who just thought: “I could never do that.” Or maybe I could...

 

And then I moved house. And then my younger son was born.

 

But I kept at it - squeezing in sessions around family and work - early mornings and late nights. It meant making sacrifices, but I was willing and eager to make them. I started drinking less (a hangover with a screaming newborn in the house isn’t much fun anyway) and we all started eating better. I trained little and often - with only one or two sessions over an hour each week - using Training Peaks’ virtual coach to point me in the right direction.

 

My cycling was strong. My running was coming back. My swimming? Well...I could just about knock out 400m freestyle without drowning.

 

So in April 2014 I took on the Skipton Triathlon, a lovely little pool-based sprint race in the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales. I exceeded my expectations with bike and run splits that weren’t too shabby. Just don’t mention the swim...

 

Next up was the Shropshire Triathlon - my first Olympic distance test. For several reasons it ended up being my first ever open water swim. It was tough - the algae, the cold, the distance. I nearly keeled over getting out of the water but made it onto the bike and started to feel OK. In fact, I may even have actually overtaken some people! The run was harder - cramping hamstrings hurt like hell. But when I finished I was amazed that my run time (on an undulating course after a nightmare swim and a lumpy 40k bike) wasn’t far off my (very flat) standalone 10k PB.

 

Buoyed by that result, my consistency wobbled a bit until mid-May when (on my 35th birthday) I resolved to quit booze until the London Triathlon. I joined Leeds & Bradford Triathlon Club (LBT) to make use of their open water swim training sessions in Otley, which I quickly grew to love.

 

On August 3, I found myself treading water in the dock outside the Excel centre. I’d made it that far, and I felt ready. The OW training had definitely made me more comfortable with the swim, but I went off too hard and ended up exhausted by 1,000m. The bike was amazing -  I felt like I was really flying. The run was hot, but I felt OK. On lap three I gave it everything and finished, surprisingly feeling fresh as a daisy, in 2hrs 25 mins. Knock 10 mins of each discipline and I’d give the ITU lot something to worry about!

 

So this year, after some long chats with my wife, I'm resisting the temptation to push on too much so I’ll be keeping my training volume to a realistic level. I’ve resolved to be a bit more relaxed and also more specific. Last year I got stressed if I missed a session; this time round I’m going to be flexible. If I can’t swim, I’ll run. If I can’t do an hour, I’ll do 45 mins. And if I have to miss a session, well I’ll either shuffle things around or I’ll just deal with it. Last year taught me that over a season, it’s more about the consistency than the detail. Just keep doing something.

 

At the same time, I’ve resolved to focus much more on swimming - it’s where I stand to gain most. To that end, I’ve done three sessions most weeks since mid November and I can really tell the difference already - I can’t wait to get the wetsuit back on! I’ve added strength work too - just a couple of 20 mins every week - to boost my power. There will be more intensity too - eventually. Towards the end of last season I took two minutes off my 10k PB (now 41:39) with just a few weeks of really hard sessions. LBT’s track sessions are definitely on the cards to get me under that 40 minute mark. I’m using Training Peaks again too because it’s super handy for spoon-feeding me the right kind of sessions each week without me having to think too hard.

 

I've entered Skipton again in April, and I’m doing Ripon Olympic distance in July. There are a few 10ks in the mix too and then in September I’ll take on either LBT’s Ilkley Triathlon or the London Duathlon in Richmond Park which a couple of mates have entered. And maybe there’s room for another Olympic distance in August...

 

I feel on track already.

 

With two little kids and a new job in the offing, life isn’t going to get less hectic any time soon. But that’s fine. I’ll keep squeezing training around real life as best I can. I’m never going to trouble any podiums, but that’s fine too - the only person I’m really racing is me. I’ll keep pushing and keep improving as much as I can. Thanks to triathlon, I'm stronger, fitter, slimmer and happier than ever. 

 

If and when I start to slow down...well, there’s always a 70.3...