I’ve probably dropped this into several blogs by now so most of you know that I’m doing my first ever Triathlon. I think that ticks off the “partake in a new sport” challenge in the list of challenges that Joy and I have been working through.

But don’t panic too much just yet because I’ve signed up for what they call an Enticer Triathlon. A lot of serious triathletes will scorn at my concern (absolute panic!) for doing a measley 400m swim, followed by 15km bike ride then a 4km run. But what you have to remember is that it is summer. In Brisbane. And we have hills. But all that doesn’t matter because…

I’m going to ‘Think like a Bumblebee’.

I’ve been reading the book ‘The Triathlete’s Training Bible’ by Joe Friel. Apparently, this guy knows a bit about the sport. He’s trained many elite athletes in his time. Even though I’m at the opposite side of the spectrum to an elite athlete, the snippets that I have read of his book have still taught me quite a lot. But it was the bit about thinking like a bumblebee that really stuck.

You may know this already but Bumblebee’s can’t fly. Ok, so we all know that they actually can, but when NASA scientists did a study on them to gain some knowledge about their flying abilities, they concluded that there was no way that they should be able to fly. Obviously no one told the bumblebees that. So, I’m going to be more like a bumblebee. Don’t worry, I know that I can’t actually fly, but what I am going to do is throw away all those thoughts like: ‘There’s no way I can do a triathlon’, ‘I’m never going to be able to finish’, and ‘I’m not just good enough’. I CAN do it and I’m going to DO IT. Full stop.

The next bit of the saying is ‘Train like a Horse’.

And not in a plough horse kind of way but in a sleek, athletic racehorse kind of way. When race horses line up for the start of the race, they get nervous like us but you don’t see them checking out their competition and thinking to themselves ‘oh that mare came first last year at the Melbourne Cup, there’s no way I can beat her’. Or ‘Oh wow, look at the muscles on that stallion, he’s going to be tough to beat.’ No. They just focus on their own performance and train and run the best that they can. After all, they have put in the training and they know their own abilities.

So, I’m going to keep puffing and panting (and occasionally walking) up those hills, doing crazy rides like last week’s 55km cycle on my lovely (borrowed) hybrid bike and swim like there’s no tomorrow, avoiding the crowds at the local pool.

It’s three weeks to go and you know what BRING IT ON! But saying that, if anyone has any other good advice for me let me know. Like for example, how to look amazing and run at the same time.

Eva x

Challenges

1. Creativity – Make something that you can wear.

2. Friends – Make a new friend.

3. Finance – set a goal to save for something and make it a Christmas present to yourself.

4. Community – Volunteer.

5. Health – Partake in a new sport.

6. Learning – Get a certificate for learning something new.

7. Travel – Visit a new country.

8. Family – Do something unexpected for your family just because.

9. Love – Show your appreciation in little ways without expecting anything in return.

Related posts:

Sport: Ironman Challenges: Update from Joy Get: A brand spanking new exercise outfit