Competition

My blog has let you down lately, entries have been perfunctory and insights short sighted. My apologies.

This lunchtime I went for a run on the local common and had a jolly wet and slippery time. Leaving the house I was a bit achy and stiff from previous beastings and sitting still in front of a laptop all morning but by the time I had fallen over for the first time I was feeling joyful. Podcast of choice was The Bugle which entertained me but mid way I switched to  nothing to enjoy some solitude and reflect on the content of today's blog. Here goes.

I have always enjoyed triathlon as a test of my own ability to push myself and whilst I do hope to not disgrace myself I've never thought of myself as a serious competitor. Looking around in transition and being told the average cost of bike is much higher than mine, seeing the sleek look of wetsuit clad competitors lining up besides me pre swim and knowing the lengths a lot of triathletes go to gain seconds over the race, I am used to feeling a sense of barely contained trepidation pre race. Through experience I've learnt to ignore the fat jokes, the guys with all the gear and the bravado tales of training derring do. I hold my own on the swim, overtake pointy people on the bike then stagger around the run in an asthmatic and sciatic cloud of self pity. 

I set myself targets for timings but I must be honest and say that knowing I have friends doing Ironman Wales I am starting to feel an edge of competiveness creeping in. I hear the mention of one of their training sessions whether it be hilly bike, long swim including fight with lady over lane discipline (snap) or day of multiple sessions and start comparing it to my own efforts. I have to trust myself that following a rough schedule based on a training plan previously created for me by @pinkcycling (follow her please, a great personal trainer) and being diligent in stretching and back strengthening (lesson learnt from the half iron) I will do myself justice. And smash the competition. I mean humiliate my friends and colleagues against whom I'm racing. I mean enjoy the race for its own sake (and get into the top 50%??). 

I'm not willing to make the lifestyle changes that would be needed to really compete, I enjoy my job so much partly because of its varied patterns of working, I love spending time with family and I am too genetically borderline alcoholic to reduce my fine wine waistline dramatically. Volunteering with the air cadets, socialising and being a grown up (taking bins out, dealing with financial advisors, gardening etc) fiercely compete for spare time. Sometimes I use this as an excuse to myself then I man up and use it as a spur to make the most of the opportunities I do get to train.

In conclusion I'm happy with my progress. Somewhere, someone is training harder than I am and I can live with that. That's not to say I shouldn't keep pushing myself though and you are all invited to help so next time you see a cake heading towards my face tell me off or slap it out my hands. If you want to socialise with me invite me out for a run or bike ride. Next time you buy me a drink go for white wine or G&T. Ask me how my training is going. Complement me if progress is seen. Ridicule me remorselessly if not. Play to my spirit of competitiveness as it is 75% against myself that I compete. Watch out fellow triathletes, I might be fat, but I'm slow. And determined. Like an obese Duracell bunny.

Here is a picture of my legs today shortly after I had cleaned in a puddle.