Cotswolds Triathlete

Posted on 5 September 2010 by k

I’ve come a long way.

This morning, I competed in my first-ever triathlon, the Cotswolds Triathlon. And I survived! It was a great experience.

The Highs

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    The Run and Bike Legs: Though it rained just about the entire time I was cycling and running, both went quickly! And I beat my target time for both of these legs.

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    Staying at the Bathurst Arms: This is a Pub located in Cerney. I was a bit hesitant to book the room initially because Pubs are generally loud and smelly places–not necessarily the perfect place for a quiet night before race day. Upon booking it, I was justifiably nervous, but in desperate need of a room. But, I am now sincerely happy that every other inn, pub and hotel within 5 miles of the race was fully booked! With a setting so serene and picturesque that my gawking made us miss the turn! Its front lawn features a babbling brook, the staff are friendly and helpful, there’s lovely food, a bed made in heaven, updated baths and soundproofed rooms. A nice serendipity, I’d say!

  • My time! I set out aiming for a finish at 1 hour and 20 minutes. Despite my panic on the swim,  the pelting rain and a 3 minute transition (because I insist on wearing socks…), I hit my target time of 1 hour 20 minutes. YAY!
  • The race marshalls. We all know that I never ventured to be the first and fastest in this race. My goal has always been to finish. Good thing because the ‘novice triathletes’ like myself were released in the last wave, we were the last to do everything. And because I lost time on the swim, I was really very late in the game. But, while other triathletes (mainly uber competitive males) said unsupportive things like ‘push harder, pick it up ladies, etc’, the race marshalls along the course always knew exactly the right thing to say. Note to others…’nice effort’ is not an appropriate cheer 🙂

Lows

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    The Rain: Pelting down so hard that the marshals asked me to slow down during the cycling bit as the roads were extremely slippery. Not the greatest thing for my time, good thing I wasn’t too bothered about my time anyhow 🙂

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    The Swim Leg: Now I know how salmon must feel… With 50ish people in each wave for the swim, it’s a bit of a mad dash at the start. Arms and legs are flailing about and it’s all you can do to keep from getting kicked! Add to this that this was my first competitive open water swim AND my first time wearing a wetsuit and perhaps you can understand the scene. If not, witness the madness in our video. Being a bit uncertain and unable to take a full breath in my wet suit, I decided to hang back from the crowd and take my time.

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    The huge magic marker tattoo of ‘608’ emblazoned on the back of my leg for a week or more 🙂 To keep everyone straight, they write your race number on the back of your leg with a huge sharpie. Thankfully, the lady who wrote mine had neat handwriting.

Over the last couple months, I’ve been training a lot–integrating heavy amounts of swimming, cycling and running into my workout routine. Today, I glanced at my workout schedule over the upcoming month as G and I continue training for the Royal Parks Half Marathon (10 October). I was sad to see only running on the agenda…I’ll miss my POOL swims and cycling about Regents. Oh well, onward and upward…

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Girly Triathlete: 1 Week to Go

Posted on 30 August 2010 by k

Next Sunday, I’ll compete in the Cotswolds Triathlon, my first. And over the last few weeks, I’ve kept to a challenging workout routine:

  • 10am Saturday mornings: 20 minutes cardio, 1 hour weights and abs (as per usual)
  • Sunday afternoon: long distance run with G (yesterday we did 10 miles around Regents and Hyde Parks!)
  • Tuesdays: 1 hour of cycling at race pace around Regent’s Park
  • Wednesdays: 40 minutes intervals (alternating running fast and slow) + 30 minutes weights and abs
  • Fridays: running to the pool 1 mile away + 400 meters in the pool, and back

But through this challenge, I’ve found a few silver linings, as well. Though my Cupcake Parade posts may lead you to believe otherwise, I generally try to limit our consumption of carbohydrates. But taking massive cardio makes our cupcake parades, toast breakfasts and pizza breaks ok. In moderation, of course…

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So, this morning I decided we should make our own, copying our favourites from Broadway Market. They turned out really well, actually. The trick is to make a standard yellow cake base. Then, combine butter and confectioners sugar adding fresh pulped fruit juice as the liquid (instead of milk in the standard buttercream frosting). Here you’ll note coconut (with canned coconut milk), blueberry (with fresh blueberries and blackberries) and strawberry (with fresh strawberry pulp). I think the strawberry ones were our favourites. Now, out for a sunny picnic!

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Triathlon Beginner, The Making of a [Girly] Triathlete

Posted on 13 August 2010 by k

I’m a bit of a girly girl.

I don’t like to do ‘hard’ cardio because I don’t particularly like to sweat. I don’t like to run or cycle in the rain because I’m afraid I’ll fall and break a tooth. I don’t like racing bikes because at heart, I really just want a big basket on the front of a hybrid so that I can fill it with flowers and race day and throw them to the [imaginary] crowd waiting at the finish. I don’t like to ride cycles on London’s busy streets because I value my life (and nearly callous-free hands). I don’t like changing sans dressing rooms in the cold morning air because I value my modesty. And I don’t like to lift ‘big’ weights because I don’t want ‘big’ muscles.

These are my ‘barriers’.

Triathlon training has forced me to step over most of these barriers. In fact, I’ve overcome most within the last week! But no matter how far I’ve come, I still have a long way to go. And this was made painfully apparent during a cycle-care workshop I attended Tuesday evening.

A local cycle store runs evening workshops for girl-only sport shopping and consultation. It’s really a great idea. They serve cupcakes and champagne (can you think of anything more perfectly targeted to a Kimberly???) and you wander about asking all the all-female employees silly questions.

So. I showed up wearing my silk shirt dress [that makes me feel like Peter Pan], leggings and my patent boots [it was raining] in order to have cupcakes, sip champagne and buy a bike lock 🙂 In the process, I learned how to change a tire properly, how to service my own brakes and gears, which running shoes would correct my slight pronation. Perfect! The only non-perfect bit of the experience is that I’ve now identified more barriers:

  • Female staffers at these types of shops aren’t very ‘girly’ and snear a bit when you ask questions like ‘do you have gloves that match my bike and helmet?’ OR ‘These shoes are a bit too plummy for me, do you have other colours?’
  • After changing your own tire and servicing your own brakes & gears, you’re filthy! [with this in mind, instead of a second pair of gloves and a spare tube, I will now plan to carry taxi fare for use in case of a flat tire :)]
  • ‘Real’ cyclists don’t like baskets–they wear backpacks and sporty jerseys in bright colours with funny looking pockets across the back (which are filled with ugly bulky stuff!)
  • The £50 lock that they recommend can’t be bracketed to the bike–you have to carry it in your boyish backpack and/or jersey pockets 🙁
  • ‘Real’ cyclists don’t like bells on their cycles

I am painfully aware that I am currently consciously incompetent at sport–and I’m ok with that. On the bright side, my muscles are way more defined. Regardless of how silly I look to ‘enthusiasts’ in my ‘girly’ attire and accoutrements along the way, I’m ok so long as I’m more toned in the end…so far, so good.  🙂

Which barriers are you working against? Any pointers for mounting a basket to a racing bike? 🙂

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Apple in Covent Garden: My Apple Store Opens

Posted on 7 August 2010 by g

The long awaited day is here. ‘My’ Apple Store is opening this morning — the largest one in the world. I have joined the queue early guaranteeing myself a free t-shirt and a front row view of the opening of the doors.

My office overlooks the new store and I have watched for almost one and a half years as they restored the historic building right on the piazza of Covent Garden. It looks beautiful. After watching and waiting for so long, I couldn’t miss the opening day. I am not sure the t-shirt will be worth it, but how many people can say they were at the opening of the world’s largest Apple Store.

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Language Frustration: Spanish Verb Conjugation

Posted on 4 August 2010 by k

It’s been a rough day.

An admitted perfectionist by nature, I have long realised that I subliminally decide which of my various interests, hobbies, tasks, etc are worth ‘competing in’ and which are not.

Those who have seen my artwork will know that this skill fits squarely in the ‘ok to be mediocre’ category. As does my running 🙂

And at first, when we started taking Spanish lessons it fit squarely in the ‘it’s ok to be mediocre’ category, as well. But, as we’ve progressed, it’s somehow transitioned to become something I actually care about and want to do well with. Great!

But tonight, I experienced the downside of actually caring. We were meant to translate a few tricky paragraphs from English, requiring that we use and properly conjugate for all three past tenses within a single passage. Absolute disaster. Every word spoken–incorrect. Not a great thing for a perfectionist.

Though we’ve been taking Spanish classes in London and meeting with a friend from Spain for a language exchange since returning from our various adventures this Spring, the past tenses just aren’t sticking. Why is this so hard?!?!? Actually, I think I know why, but that’s another story.

The whole experience made me crave a bubble bath and a good cry. Welcome back to life as a 5 year old. Maybe it’s time not to care about Spanish…

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England in Summer

Posted on 1 August 2010 by k

I know what you’re thinking…surely, you must think this headline is sensationalistic 🙂

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But for the first time since we arrived in England, we’ve experienced what a good summer in London has to offer! Sunny days, mild nights, little to no rainfall…it’s been absolutely gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that I haven’t been carrying an umbrella–that’s unheard of! 🙂

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We’ve stayed domestic this summer for lots of varied reasons and have done what we can to take advantage. There have been loads of balmy drinks al fresco, park days and runs through the borough. So nice! It rained on my birthday. But that’s one of only two rainy days that I remember since returning from the US in May.

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Speaking of my birthday, G treated me to a domestic day away this year–in Kent (by the Channel). We spent a rainy day at the beach in Broadstairs and then headed to Read’s…a Michelin Star restaurant with rooms. It was so cozy. And the french macaroons and fun games made the rain romantic rather than wretched. [photos of the beach, Read’s and our Room at right]

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Getting back on the travel bus, we’re planning to travel to the Cotswolds for my triathlon 5 September, for a dose of Mediterranean sun in late September (and our first yet unvisited country of 2010…) and to see G’s parents in Barcelona come November. We’re also hoping to see the Gorillas in Uganda/Rwanda this year…but that’s all contingent on the political situation come November/December…we’ll see…

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Though we certainly enjoy traveling, it’s been nice reinvesting in ‘Life in London’ this summer. It’s been a definite change of pace to our usual rapid fire travel appetite, but certainly a more sustainable pattern for the longer term. Maybe it is possible for us to stay in one place for longer than 4 weeks at a time, afterall.

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In other news, G and I purchased a racing bike for my first triathlon last weekend. It’s a used Giant SCR 2.0. City roads kind of freak me out a bit, but I must soon get over my fears and take to the road. I have a helmet…and G’s old iPhone in tow…fingers crossed that the sunshine will hold! 🙂

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Yesterday, we ventured over to the East of London for the Broadway Street Market and have decided that we’ll ride bikes down the canal from Camden next time we visit. It’s such a lovely little part of London–AND they have the absolute best cupcakes in London! Though two fit inside the palm of my hand, they’re packed with more punch than their full size counterparts. [Currently rushing our to buy fairy cake cups, a star tip and metallic beads to recreate these :)]

Oh. And for anyone who has an ice cream maker…try Basil!!! It’s my favourite (had it at Arzak in San Sebastian). There are loads of recipes online, but since we don’t have a way to make it, G found a quirky ice cream place that makes it with liquid nitrogen within walking distance of our flat! Heaven!

[I’m still loving the Graffiti about London…the additional snaps here were taken along the Canal near Camden and Victoria Park]

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Celebrating Open Air in London

Posted on 9 July 2010 by k
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Over the last month, we’ve had LOVELY weather in London. Knock wood, this has been the best summer of all since we moved here 4 years ago. So, over the last month we’ve made good use of the weather with:

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  • Picnics in the park (though most end up like the photo at right…poor G!)
  • Theatre in Regent’s Park (the Crucible was a good show, I think)
  • Running in the park
  • …hmmm…perhaps we should just LIVE in the park : )
  • Outdoor barbeques
  • Seeing the Henley Regatta (photo at right…where I think we were the only people actually watching the competition :))
  • Drinks on the terrace rather than indoors
  • Wimbledon, of course…

And, of course, my favoured ‘work setting’ is the Balcony (when I’m not at the British Library). But we’ve also had plenty World Cup events and craziness. It’s just such a phenomenon, it’s hard not to get stuck in.

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Oh, and one last thing! G and I attended an event at Cass on Wednesday and then headed to a pub to watch the game (De vs Es). On our way to the Tube from the Pub, we saw another Banksy! I love Banksy…or most graffiti for that matter. Life just so much more fun with an unexpected splash of colour.

We hope you’re having a lovely Summer wherever you are…

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