Paul May

Another great session with Aoife this morning, and while I can’t say I’m getting the hang of swimming, it certainly wasn’t the drown-fest of last week. This week I warmed up for 20 mintes following the routine we did at running yesterday, then stretching out my legs, arms and body before heading to the pool.

We worked on my upper-body strength using the pull-buoy and hand paddles. We successfully diagnosed that I’m dragging my ass when I swim - which isn’t really helping matters. Anyway, it was a good session - I’m not completely terrified of swimming with Piranha now; maybe I should be though.

I had my first Club Run with Piranha today in the Phoenix park. It was good fun, and everybody was very Friendly (cheers for the lift to Drumcondra, Feargal). It was great to see all the different levels of ability being catered for by the club; everything from the puny beginner like myself to those who have been doing the sport for years. Everybody was very careful to warm up properly, and the coach John Davis had some good tips on how not to kill myself on the first run - mainly by keeping my heart-rate at around 70% of my max, and slowing down if I wasn’t able to speak to the person running next to me. It sounds simple, but it was good to hear.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to the session on Monday in Irishtown stadium, and then the dreaded swimming on Tuesday morning. Onwards and upwards.

* Tiny potholes become big problems when your wheels are an inch wide
* Motorists don’t see you, or care about you
* There’s broken glass everywhere
* Walking when you get off a bike is tricky enough, running should loads of fun
* If you’ve never cycled in clipless cycling shoes (the ones that lock to the pedals) practice before you go out in traffic

Anyway, a good spin out on the bike, onwards and upwards. Total distance covered was 13.6 miles = 21.9 kilometers.

Day 2, and I thought I’d stretch my legs around our fair capital city. Walking up Parnell Street quickly, I turned the corner and then jogged up Gardiner Street nice and gently - then across the road to Mountjoy Square. I figured it’d be hard to judge distance or pace without some sort of guide - so the square was my guide. I walked the first lap and then ran the second, walked the third lap and then ran the 4th lap a little bit faster.

I kept upping the pace of the running until the 7th lap when I stepped up the pace on each side of the square, finishing flat out and then down to a fast walk and then some stretching. My heart-lung capacity is woeful, but at least I know that starting slowly I can keep running for a little while. Anyway, enough for today. More stretching and a chicken dinner.

The membership for the Triathlon club I’ll be training with has been sent off, and I pick up my bike today, I’ve even bought a heart-rate monitor. Buying gear is easy, training really really isn’t. My lovely housemate Aoife (a lifeguard and all-round swimming expert) took me to a pool today for some pointers before I start training properly next week.

Embarrassing isn’t usually a word I like to use when describing myself; but it’s appropriate in this case. I huffed and puffed my way up and down the lane, pausing every 25 metres or so to plead for mercy. I have an awful lot of work to do; building my fitness, endurance, technique…trying not to breathe underwater etc. I did a bit of running after fleeing the pool, probably about 4k slowly (very slowly).

I feel good though. I know I have a long way to go, but it’s started now and there’s no going back! I’m just focussing on what is a *very* worthy cause and ignoring the heavy legs. Please be generous, donate some cash, save some children’s lives and give me even more reason to keep going.