From Surviving to Showing Up
I said in the last one that things were becoming routine.
Looking back over the past month, that might have been slightly optimistic.
Routine suggests structure and control. What this has actually been is a bit more uneven than that. More miles on the bike, more time in the pool, and, most importantly, more running. That was the one I had been quietly avoiding, the bit I kept telling myself I would get round to when everything else improved.
Instead, it has become the one I have finally started to face.
Including two Park Runs.
Park Run #1 – April 11th
The first one was on April 11th, the day before my 56th birthday.
That in itself felt like a bit of a marker. Not in any grand way, but just a moment where something that had been talked about for a long time actually happened.
Felixstowe Park Run, just over three miles, finishing 457th out of 489. That puts me firmly towards the back, which is absolutely fine, because not that long ago I would not have been on the list at all.
That first mile told its own story. I smashed my one-mile PB. More importantly, it was the first time I had run three quarters of a mile without stopping to walk.
That might not sound like much, but it felt like a breakthrough at the time. It did not feel comfortable, and I was probably hanging on a bit by the end of it, but it was a clear sign that something was starting to change.
What I do remember is how it felt.
There is a brief spell at the start where you think you might have this under control. That does not last long. Before you know it, breathing becomes harder, the legs start to complain, and your brain begins offering some very reasonable arguments for stopping early.
None of them were taken up, but they were definitely considered.
Despite that, I got round. And while it was not enjoyable at the time, there is something about finishing that makes it feel worthwhile afterwards. It is that strange combination where you can appreciate it and question why you decided to do it in the first place.
Birthday Weekend
The following day was my birthday, and we went to Liverpool for the week.
Which, as it turns out, is not an environment that supports disciplined triathlon training.
There was food. Plenty of it.
There were beers. More than strictly necessary (if there’s such a thing).
Any benefit gained from the Park Run was given a fair test over the next couple of days.
No regrets. But not exactly performance focused either.
The People
One thing that stood out from the first Park Run was the atmosphere.
You have people at all levels, all doing their own thing, but there is a shared understanding that everyone is there for a reason. Small things like nods, encouragement, and people who have already finished cheering others on make a difference.
It takes away that feeling of doing it on your own, especially when it starts to get tough.
Park Run #2 – April 25th
The second Park Run could not have been more different in terms of preparation.
This one came the morning after The Charlatans gig, which meant getting to bed at around 1am. For reasons that are still not entirely clear, I also decided to cycle about six miles before I started running.
So, a late night, extra effort on the bike, and then straight into a 5K.
Not exactly textbook.
And yet, somehow, the outcome made even less sense.
I finished 457th again, this time out of 488.
Same position, fewer runners, and to complete the set, I was 54 seconds slower than the first run.
So worse time, identical placing, and arguably more effort getting there.
What did feel different, though, was the run itself. There was less uncertainty this time. I knew what was coming, which helped mentally, even if it did not make it physically any easier. It still hurt, but it did not feel completely unfamiliar anymore.
Looking Back at the Month
When I look back over the last month, there has been a definite shift.
The bike miles are building, the swimming is improving, and the running, while still the weakest part, is now something I am actually doing rather than avoiding. More importantly, I have started putting myself in situations where I have to follow it through.
Training on your own is easy to control. Turning up to something like Park Run takes that away. There is no hiding, no shortcuts, just the decision to start and the need to finish.
Where This Leaves Me
I would not describe myself as a runner.
But I am someone who runs.
That feels like an important step forward.
There is still plenty to do before July. All three disciplines need work, and there is no sense of this being anywhere near complete. But it feels like I have moved from just getting through sessions to actually preparing for the event.
What Next?
Keep up with the swimming whilst putting in mile upon mile on the bike and I will be back at Park Run again.
Not because it is easy, and not because I particularly enjoy it while I am doing it, but because it feels like an important part of the process now.
And if nothing else, it is proving that progress does not always look how you expect it to.
Since the Last Update
The last set of numbers I shared ran up to April 1st.
Since then, even with a birthday weekend in Liverpool doing its best to undo any good work, there has still been steady progress.
Swim: 5.44 → 8.26 miles
Bike: 642.98 → 838.67 miles
Walk: 53.92 → 61.24 miles
Run: 4.60 → 14.44 miles
So, despite a short break and a fairly enthusiastic approach to food and drink, the training has still moved forward.
The running in particular has taken a step up. Not in elegance or speed, but in actually happening.
The Numbers So Far (Dec 14th – April 28th)
Swim: 8.26 miles
Bike: 838.67 miles
Walk: 61.24 miles
Run: 14.44 miles
Total Distance: 922.62 miles
838 miles on the bike. 14 miles running. We have identified the problem.
