2-31 days to go (or are there)

Tonight was the first run of the season. For me in any case. I had done this run last year as well and nearly had to be pushed to the finish by my friend. So, this year's goal was: beat last year's time! 

I started jogging as soon as we crossed the starting line. Of course I couldn't keep that up, but still, the first few seconds had been won. I jogged again a bit later and immediately noticed a problem. I need a knee brace and the one I have now is too small (it was the largest they had) and came apart at the seams. No knee brace means problems in my calf. That was it for the jogging. 

Or was it? Because I tried again a bit later going downhill and it didn't bother me that much. From then on we jogged as much as we could when going downhill. 

During the fourth kilometer it started to rain. Not heavily, but enough to get wet. I had to take my glasses off to be able to see anything. In the fifth kilometer my friend left me. She wanted to take a photo of me crossing the finish line. I kept going on my own, which was a lot harder than with my friend who will spur me on each time. But finally there was the finish line!

The big question of course is: did I beat last year's time? Well, you will have to come back tomorrow... just kidding. I did. I beat last year's time. By about 9 minutes I reckon and I am chuffed to bits. Now I just need a better knee brace!

In other news: I have decided not to participate in the triathlon. At least not the one in June. I am a fair weather athlete (using that term very loosely here) and I don't like gyms and such, so my training so far has been mainly jogging in the last few weeks. My friend and I will continue doing that twice a week, but that is not enough for a triathlon. I also need to swim and cycle. There is bound to be another triathlon sometime in August/September, which would suit me much better, because I do want to beat last year's time there as well!

2-33 days to go

Being Dutch I am used to riding a bike. But since moving to Norway I have not ridden a bike that often. At first because I didn't have one and once I had one (very old), I hardly rode it because of the terrain. Humpy, bumpy, hilly. And always that wind! 

For last year's triathlon I got a bike. But it's not like any of the bikes I grew up with. For starters, I have to lean forward. Which wouldn't be a problem with a normal chest and belly, but with a chest like mine (we're nearing the halfway point in the alphabet) and a belly like mine, it's a bit harder. Even with the strap-them-in torture devices used!

Tonight I had a spinning class and basically I have the same problem. The handlebars are too far away from my bum, meaning I have to lean over. That also means that because of the leaning, I tense my shoulders. Tense shoulders equals tense neck equals guess what! I stopped before it became an issue (I felt it coming). 

During the spinning we are also supposed to stand up on our pedals. Yeah, as if that is going to happen. I loose all control that way and am afraid I will fall off. So, I stayed seated the whole time, just upping the resistance when the others were doing their bit for King and country. So to say. 

I did manage about 40-45 minutes today, after which I got off the bike and started moving to the music. Swinging my arms, stretching my shoulders, doing whatever. I am pleased with the work I did. Even if it wasn't as much as all the others did. 

2-34 days to go

After a weekend of snacking, apple pie, cakes, fries and other not so good food, I was out today again to run. My friend had found a perfect spot to do just that: between two bridges. Basically the goal was to run from one bridge to the other (about 600 meters) and then walk back. 

I didn't manage it. Basically it was a bridge too far. What I did do however, was trying to run further at each try (which I managed) and then instead of walking back, running back again to whatever point was possible and walk the rest of the way. Again, trying to run further at each try. 

According to my friend my breathing is becoming better, so that is something. There are only a few days left to the first trial of the year: the five kilometer run I did in just over an hour last year. I do hope I will do better this year.

As for the triathlon, I am seriously wondering about that. Last year's triathlon was in August, giving me plenty of summer (read nice weather) to train, both on my feet, on my wheels and in the wet. This year's is in just under five weeks from now and the outside water is still too cold to swim in. I've only just started the walking/running bit and as for the cycling....

But, we'll see. 

2-40 days to go

Air! That was the main thing today. Air! Or lack thereof really. For the first time since last September I took out my bike and oh my GSD! it was hard. Unlike the tires which weren't hard at all and lacked a severe amount of air. 

That lack showed itself quite soon, as I was trying to get my chocolate filled body up a hill. I was soon gasping and gasping. I did manage to get to the training center though, because we were going spinning. 

Which (for the uninitiated amongst you) means a stationary bike and then cycle on it. No distance or calories shown, nothing fancy. Just cycle until you drop of. It was to be an hour's lesson, but after only half an hour, I was done. After all, I had that hill climb in my legs already. 

Fortunately I didn't have to cycle home, one of my colleagues had a big van and drove both me and the bike back. I will get the tires filled tomorrow I think and then I can go out and do some proper training again. Although I do think this was quite a proper hard training as well. Just saying...

2-44 days to go

Last night was my second time out in my jogging shoes. This time the weather was a bit better: less wind for a start. Still not warm by any stretch of the imagination though.

Fortunately the walking helped get me warm and I even managed to get a few running sessions in as well. From this tree to the next and then I ran until at least the next tree, but tried for a bit more. It showed in the final tally. Where I managed to get 3,75 kilometers in on Monday, last night I managed a whole half kilometer extra in the same time of 45 minutes. 

Of course I'm nowhere near good, but I moving forward. The Hydro Rundt run (62 minutes last year) in two weeks' time will be mostly walking with some running, but I am aiming for a triathlon that is mostly running with some walking. 

2. 48 days to go

It was windy, it was cold, but I did go outside tonight to do my first training in a long time. A running training, although not a lot of actual running was done. Mostly it was walking and speed walking, but I did do some running. Over the next few weeks I will have to keep that up and progress, but I am happy with tonight. 

After all, I have to start somewhere don't I?

2: 137 days to go

After a very wet walking training that was interminably long and a lovely sunny walking training that was quite short, last night I went for another wet training. This time by choice though. Because I had my first swimming training.

During last year's triathlon, I swam breast stroke. I am not fast at the best of times and breast stroke is the slowest of all the swimming strokes, so it took some time to complete the two laps. One of my aims this year is to be faster on the swimming and one way of doing that is learning the crawl: the fastest of the swimming strokes.

Last night was my first training. First a bit of warm-up by swimming several laps. Then some breathing and floating exercises. And finally trying to do some sort of crawl. I think I did fine. The crawling bit was somewhat there, but I still breathe as I would when doing the breast stroke, ie, head up facing forward, so that needs to be changed. Of course I need more technique, better breathing, faster swimming, better endurance, but the beginning is there!

My main question of the evening though: why oh why was the swimming pool filled with salty water? Yergh!