From Fat Slob To Fit Triathlete

"Success comes in cans, not cant's. "

                                               ~Author Unknown


Had a really awful week last week! Really achy hips at the beginning of the week and calf pains at the end plus awful weather. Don't mind wind or rain but gales and snow do put me off.

Can't knock my 1 on 1 swim teacher whose suggested because my back stroke's strongest to do that and if I get tired to do some skulling.  I’ve been told that neither is  ethically accepted because of bumping into others.

I’ve been dealt the body blow that my elder two kids will be in Cumbria the weekend of my triathlon. To say I’m gutted is understatement of the year!

What I’ve learned though is that triathlon training gives you not only a strength of body but a strength of mind so onwards and upwards we go.

I had my kids ebay mountain bike which was left out in all weathers and I had no problems.

On my new super doper machine on Monday my chain came off.

Not a problem me thinks I’ve been told to anticipate this problem and been taught how to put it back on. Problem  was it was stuck between the frame and the gears so I  had to walk back 2 miles. When I got by the sports centre I thought about turning it upside down but as I was so close to home didn't bother.

Smart arsed husband turned it over and as if by magic! Well I was just glad that it happened on a training ride and not in Chirk.

Yesterday, chain came off again. Not a problem me thinks. put it back on rode off. Came off again. I put it back on. Rode off. almighty clicking and clacking. Well the derailleur was up in the air wedged in the spokes. 

Phoned that wonderful man I'm married to who told me to free it! I was furious and cried carrying the bike all the way home. My shoulders are killing me. I was ready to throw it over a fence and throw the towel in but… as you say mental stamina comes in again.

Even darling husband couldn't sort this one. The gear cog on the derailleur  had snapped and pushed it totally out of line. Well, off to the lovely  Keith in  Graham Weigh who replaced everything.

I have learned so much in two days!

Was out at 6.45 this morning loving the wind and rain and no chain problems however.... broke my front brake! I'm not fit to be let loose with a bike, not a decent one anyway!

There were two hills that were beating me. Now there's only one. And I've put a stick down to show how far I'm getting and every day the stick get moved further up.

I think I've conquered my brick wall with the running too. I am still the slowest of the slow but my stamina has improve dramatically. OK I may still be doing a Darth Vadar at the end of my road but I'm no worse after 5k and it was beating that 5K barrier I had a problem with. I have a problem with hills - just the next thing to tick off my list, like getting out of the pool without the steps and open water swimming then it's only going to be a question of distance. I have no inspiration whatsoever to race against other people - just myself.

When I've told people I'm doing a triathlon their first reaction, and I get this all the time, it's very funny, they look me up and down as if to say, fat cow you'll never do it. Then when I tell them how my training's going their attitude changes completely.

In JJB yesterday I was looking at a pair of XL cycling pants which were hanging high up. I asked the assistant if  they were men’s and he said yes sorry we don't stock any junior cycling gear. I was furious. How dare he assume they were for Jim (my 12 year old). Then Jim said to me "Mum be honest how many other 44 year old, 15 stone women would need cycling pants." He's right obviously. He's also convinced that all these things that are going wrong are just a way to test my mental stamina. Who am I to argue with a 12 year old?

I'm definitely going to Chirk on Friday as long as it doesn't snow or we have gales to do the bike.

I had a dream last week which I think was quite prophetic. I was in a really bad film set in medieval times, obviously I was the star! It was the end and I was staring into a chalice of red wine. The commentary was she looked into the chalice and was horrified to see… her own worst enemy. Obviously it was my own reflection. I know I am my own worst enemy, closely followed by red wine. I haven’t touched a drop since I had the dream and I feel much better. We’ll see.

Oh and by the way for someone who works with figures… I need shooting. Totally miscalculated how many weeks I’ve got left and have gained a week!

I'm doing this in aid of Hope House Hospice. Please, please donate

www.justgiving.com/lynneevans 

I dare you to look at this web site and NOT be able to donate - it's heartbreaking

http://www.hopehouse.org.uk  

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• #2 Comment from lynneevans19Entry Author 
  27/03/08 15:56 | Permalink

  Thanks for the comment. I did take loads of advice before I bought my bike and was directed to LBS (Local Bike Shop) Graham Weigh who not only took the time to measure me but talked about what I wanted the bike for, how often it would get used, what kind of terrain I would be covering and what my aspirations were for the future. Their after sales service has been excellent.
• #1 Comment from phbstephen 
  27/03/08 15:50 | Permalink

  Please see our friends, Phil or Julian at CycleFit.co.uk for proper Bike Fit.  Not having a proper fit done could mean that the bike portion of your training and racing could be horribly dreadful.  Taking care of that will make the effort more enjoyable and allow you to progress more quickly.
  
  Best of luck on your journey.
  
  Cheers,
  -Bilko
  aka phil@bikefit.com