10 down. Only 52 days to go!

As is my wont, I have thrown myself, two feet first, into the triathlon training, and I have not wilted just yet.

Actually starting training did not put the fear of God into me, more the amount of training. Six days a week is a serious commitment. And while it would not be remiss to describe my level of fitness as below average, with ten sessions completed, my body has not totally rejected the work it has been put through. Indeed after only a week and a half’s training I have already noticed a change in my level of fitness. And before you ask, it’s moving in the right direction!

A training program was available on the event’s website and I am trying to follow it to the best of my ability. The program clearly outlined how to approach a triathlon from three months out. The only problem was I only had two months! So two swims, two runs and two cycles a week is how it works and the aim is to build up to the race distance in that time. 750 metre swim. 20km cycle and 5km run.

Each as an individual discipline is not that challenging, but as a triumvirate of one event; now that presents a real test. The swim is the one that is causing me the more trepidation. While I can swim, I was never the one to simply crunch out the laps in a pool. The triathlon isn’t in a pool. So that lifeguard need not be too far away, just in case!

I am moving steadily towards the actual race distance of each, but as stated above, as I started from a rather low level of fitness, the push to get there is going to be steady rather than bring on the quickest ever triathlete burnout known to man.

To quote that well over-used cliché kindly brought to us a number of years ago by Fianna Fail: A lot done. A (hell of) lot more to do.