Equipment
This week has been mostly training, eating, sleeping and working and not much else.
But I had a good couple of click moments….where it is all slowly clicking into place. Following on from the Worcester triathlon last week I went back to Chasewater on Saturday morning to see if my new found open water prowess would pay off. It was a perfect day for it, glorious sunshine, calm still lake.
Previously they had only set up a 400m circuit. For some reason, and I don’t know why, I had struggled to get round even a single 400m lap without having to stop, reset my breathing, do a bit of breast stroke and generally flounder about. I could do decent distances but not continuously (circa 2k)
So I was a little bit apprehensive when they had said that the 750m circuit was set up. Well in for a penny in for a pound, and off I set. Those that were paying attention at the start will guess what happened next but yep it clicked. I found a nice rhythm with my breathing and my stroke, and even when I left the comfort of the harbour into the lake proper I managed to maintain it. Turn left at the first buoy and I was on the extended loop feeling good. After 1500m straight off the bat (mixing my sport metaphors I know!) and I was feeling pretty good. Eventually finished up completing 3k in less than an hour, which I was very happy with. Followed that up with a cheeky 9mile run, which was tough – but also the furthest I have run since February so again another tick in the box.
After some dubious routes through deepest darkest Shropshire I think I have found a route that works for me, includes a fair number of hills, and one I would consider to be a proper climb. That was attempted, and completed on Sunday to rack up another 96 miles on the bike (gutted as I thought it was a nice round 100 so still needs a little tweaking!)
And so speak it quietly and softly but I might actually be able to pull this endeavour off…..but I am not counting my chickens and there are a fair few hard weeks ahead!
There is your training update on where we are.
So then I thought rather than tell you how many miles, and how great and fit I am ….blah blah blah I thought what would you actually like to know? Equipment I hear you say – oh okay I’ll tell you all about my equipment (erm that sounds a bit wrong).
As you all should know by know by now triathlon is a swim, a cycle and a run. The bare essentials then are swimming costume, a bike and some trainers. Then a marketing company got hold of it…….
For every item I am about to list there is a million versions that can cost ridiculous amounts!
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| All clothing and small equipment (can you spot what's missing - deliberate of course!) |
The Swim
· Wetsuit – mine is a bog standard swimming wet suit, long armed. Difference between a swimming wetsuit and a surfing/sailing one is the outer surface is a rubberised material for smoothness.
· Open water goggles – yep these are specific for openwater – bigger lenses for better peripheral vision. I do have two other pairs for training indoors – not that they are better.
· Swim Cap – I own one for training, a fetching yellow, but I will also be given one so they can spot me in the water and know what swim wave I went off in.
· Something under the wetsuit – trisuit, swim shorts, cycle shorts, anything that stops me being nekid when I strip off after the swim!
The cycle
After you have peeled yourself out of the wetsuit I will be putting on;
· A cycle shirt – if I am wearing my trisuit this won’t be needed, but I am undecided. Cycle top is lycra top with pockets in the back for food.
· Glasses – stops bugs flying into your eyes, and allows you to keep them open whilst flying down steep hills. Very importantly whilst I am commuting it means if a car flicks a stone up it might save my eyesight!
· Helmet – Plain and simple. No helmet no ride. These are British triathlon, Ironman and CDawson rules.
· Socks – I ain’t cycling 112 miles in bare feet.
· Cycle shoes – these have cleats on the base to allow to clip into the pedals. Technical reason for this is it vastly improves power to pedal transfer and you gain power on the uplift as well as the down stroke. In reality they are an evil device to make cyclists fall over at traffic lights.
· Bicycle – where oh where to start. When I signed up to the Ironman I decided I needed a good bike. Walked into a shop day after boxing day and asked for a good bike, at sale prices. And got a Cannondale – a pretty decent bike that I am happy with – half price!. The most expensive bike in the shop was £10,000. And that doesn’t even include pedals! Bike ranges now are vast and way too complicated for this blog, and me! I do have an older bike which I use for commuting and that comes with panniers , and then I use lights front and back to make sure I don’t get run over.
The run
· Shoes – Proper running shoes that match the gait of your running style.
That’s the bare basics - along with a watch if you want to check your timings and a timing chip round your left leg for official timings.
Optional Extras
The Swim
· Gloves and boots – IF the water temperature is really cold these help, but I find a nightmare to swim in.
· NOWCA band – this is a wrist band that they use during my training to tag you in and out of the lake so no one goes missing. Has all the m
edical info on it.
The Cycle
- Gloves – protect your hands, if you are such way inclined.
- Race wheels – Either solid or with a perimeter trim. More expense for more speed, but in windy conditions turn you into a sail boat! I will not be bothering.
- Tribars – extra handles to make you more aerodynamic
- Bike Computer – For vast amounts of data and routing.
- Bottles – Filled with water and special sports brews.
- Number belt – I actually have this one. Removes the requirement for safety pins. You put the number on some toggles and have in backwards on the bike. Then on the run you spin it round. Also has little clips for all them power gels.
- Spare inner tubes – Essential. If you get a puncture that could be your race done.
- Tyre levers – To change inner tube.
- Pump – To inflate tyre. You can know buy a little canister of CO2 to do this for you.
- Chain tool – Broken chain can also ruin your race so a little device to drop the broken link out.
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| Mines the blue one - racked and ready! |
The run
- Sun glasses – fairly obvious
- Hat – same reason.
Food
- So I will be using a combination of Malt Loaf, flap jacks, energy bar things. The more awkward stuff will be at transitions for a quick boost whilst getting changed, the rest will be with me on the bike. On the run I am anticipating just the food stations that will be around.
I am sure that there is a whole host of other stuff you can buy but I think money spent to time saved is a vastly diminishing ratio.
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| Ta da!! Thought I'd save the best for last. |
STATMAN
Stuff I have bought – Wetsuit, new bike, trisuit, openwater goggles, number belt, cycle shoes, running shoes, running socks, water bottles, more energy bars than I care to admit, panniers for cycling to work for training, bike lights and probably a load more than I can remember. In fairness all will be used afterwards.
Money I have spent on new stuff – More than I will ever hope to raise in sponsorship – or admit to the wife!!!
Number of items bought and returned – 1 – trisuit was too small
Number of items bought wrong – 1 – first pair of running shoes despite being assessed! Be warned make sure the assessor knows what they are doing.
Stuff I haven’t bought but could do with – A bigger bloody bag!
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