Triathlon 2 - 52x52 Challenge

Triathlon number 2 done – Friday 7th January 20227am – 10am ish

Well that wasn’t as easy as I had hoped! The swim ended up being inside on my swim bench. It was too dark, cold and windy for the sea and my outside swim jet is set to 38 degrees for the family. I think I would sweat to death in that. So it was 1500 metres lying on the bench pulling the paddles until I got to the distance needed. On the plus side it is just upstairs so no preparation needed, but on the down side it is about 100% harder than actually swimming. Physically and mentally just lying there and working on the swim bench non-stop for 1.5k is no easy feat, but it does get the job done. I can not wait for the warmer summer months so I can do this distance in the sea rather than my current 400 metres.

So swim done and then straight onto the bike on the turbo – conveniently situated right next to the swim bench. Again, I would much rather be outside as 90 minutes cycling hard but going nowhere is a real mental battle. However, I am simply not going to risk cycling in the wind and pitch black and having an accident, which could end this challenge. So the bike on the turbo it was. I was ok for about 15 minutes, but then despite having the radio on I was losing focus. I needed something to occupy my mind. Previously, a few years ago things were really tough for me and I found that my only way of staying positive and pushing through was to really focus my mind on all the amazing things in my life and just being grateful for them. People call this practising gratitude I think? But whatever it was it really worked back then. So I took my mind there again today. I thought about everything good in my life, from the people I know, to where I live, my family, my business, the charity, the birds in the sky, the sea every morning, the sun coming up – literally everything. And lo and behold the 90 minutes flew by and also I found myself smiling a lot. I don’t know if this is going to be a weekly thing, but it’s good to know it’s there as a tool if I need it!

The bike all done and it was time to run. Shoes on and I was at last out of the gym and pounding the streets. As usual with me I didn’t think about the weather as I was already so hot from the cycling, so there I was suddenly in 2 degrees and rain and only in a pair of shorts and a thin running vest. I did get a few odd looks from people I passed! I ran a new route, one that took me past where Dad is buried, and that brought another smile as I thought about how he would think I am positively nuts doing this challenge. I could really imagine the look he would have given me! 

So Triathlon number 2 completed. The times were almost identical to last week, so clearly these are my times, which is good to know. Only 50 more to go now, so not too bad. See you next Friday!

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