No Monday run as it was absolutely hurling it down.
Aaah, Tuesday night swim. The night I usually do battle at the local leisure centre to get some clear swimming space (this is why I like open water so much - there's so much of it everyone has room! Unless you're doing those fancy racing turns round the buoys. Which I can sorta do). I was a bit late getting in tonight so didn't bother with the deep lap lanes, I'd only have had to switch pools five minutes later. The staff have very kindly noticed that there are several serious swimmers in the main pool after 9pm and they've been roping off a couple of lanes for us for the last few weeks. That's been very nice and made a huge difference to my times - and my mood! Tonight one of the lifeguards actually came and turfed three lads out of my lane for pissing about at the ends and getting in my way. They shot me the evils for about ten minutes but when it became obvious that I wasn't pissing about and was likely to be there for the whole last hour, they gave up. Muhahaha, etc. So I got a lane all to myself and it was a really good swim. I felt a bit sore in the upper arms for the first half-mile, fine for the second and that damn right shoulder started to play up towards 80 laps. I wish I knew what I was doing wrong and how to fix it. I definitely need a coach to take a look.
Um. Anyway.
I was late getting into the pool tonight because I was in the gym, chatting to one of the guys that works there. Registering for a triathlon.
Gulp.
It's nothing serious! ;-) The leisure centre is running an "indoor triathlon" event in September - the main day unfortunately clashes with Salford 5km but they're happy to arrange other times to do it, so I figure I can get it done towards the end of the month. No time to dither as the deadline for signups is Sunday, so it was sort of a snap decision...I'd never even been in the gym before today. It's a short tri - only half a mile to swim (32 laps, which going off tonight's times I can do in 20mins or thereabouts), 5km to run which should be easier on a treadmill (my outdoor benchmark is about 40mins at the moment), and a 10km stationary bike ride. I have no idea how I'll handle that and to be honest, I don't want to change anything until I get the race out of the way. My bike's ready to go, it just needs the lights on, so hopefully come mid-September I'll be able to have a pootle round and see how much it hurts.
Maybe it seems crazy so soon but I thought it would be a great way to benchmark where I'm at now with each discipline, and have something to look back on and compare next year. Plus it's only £10 to take part. I know I won't be fast and I've no chance of winning a prize, so all the heat is off.
Chap at the gym said there are serious-sounding rumours going around that the town may be putting on a proper triathlon next year. I dunno about that, though. A quick search tells me that in previous years the run has been up to the Tower and I am definitely not in any kind of shape to get up there yet. I've lived here seven years and still never walked up it!
In other news I have now tracked calories on My Fitness Pal for a whole two days - yaaaaaaaawn - and MFP told me off today for not eating enough. I can't wrap my head around it. I'm not snacking, sure, but I haven't really cut out all that much. I think my trouble is that I eat reasonably ok most of the time and then have silly binges. Oh well - we shall see what we shall see and I do think it's worth the experiment, dull as it is.
