This last week has been getting back to many of my other loves and interests outside of marathon training. After all I am a reluctant runner and whilst I call myself a triathlete even after completing 3 marathons I don’t consider or call myself as a runner.

Back to it since the marathon:
Back in the saddle.
Back on the trails.
Back swimming in the lake.
Back into triathlon training with a new coach.

The was also a number of firsts:
First lake swim.
First time trials
First spin around Castle Combe race track on my bike.
First time with my own triathlon coach
Working towards my first 70.3 middle distance triathlon.

Now four months of training across three disciplines to get to the start line of Challenge Henley Half lay ahead.

The first two weeks set by coach Neil are to ease me back into training and get some bench mark times.

The first lake swim of the season was more to get acclimatised to the lake water cold and getting on and out of a wetsuit. Initial brain freeze and cold ears but lovely once I got out into the lake. Went the long way round and ended up in the rowing lanes. Luckily swimmers only so no lost heads by oars !

Castle Combe track night for cyclist was a barging and fun all for £3. Sign in pay up and spin around the track. It’s wide, uncrowned, free of motor traffic and smooth Tarmac. There was everything from pink baskets, couples, kids on stabilisers with parents guiding hands on their back to 70+ chain gangs flying around like a Tour de France peloton. Last time I was on my bike was Bristol tri 2012 and good to be back in the saddle, not even any saddle sore after !

Set my five laps at 29:30, 15km in total.

As I don’t have anything to compare my cycle track speed to I was ok with the results. However I was really disappointed when I got in the pool for my 400m and 200m time trials.

Having not been swimming in the lake since September I shouldn’t have expected too much, but with a 400m best of 6:20 and usually bring sprint triathlons in around the 7 minutes I was shocked, annoyed and disappointed that I recorded a 7:50 today 😦 A whole minute off my planned race time.

Well that’s the benchmarks set so hopefully I can only improve.

Coach Neil says we will work on both and improvements will come with planned training.

A midweek massage helped ease tired legs and lift my mood post swim.