I Can Swim

Things are going on in the background here all the time but I thought I'd best update the situation. Firstly I have been in the sea and can confirm that I am able to move myself forward meaning I probably won't drown. I didn't have a reliable gauge of distance but have recently worked out that I swam around 0.3 miles very comfortably and believe I could do a mile for sure. This makes me want to do the Serpentine Swim this year, although accommodation would still be an issue. 

I lost my wedding ring while I was swimming but fortunately it was a back up ring as I was worried about losing it while I was running due to a significant amount of weight loss. I have ordered another back up ring with a back up back up ring on the way too.

I've also been back to the bike shop to hand over more money, though I'm still a short amount away from owning a bike. I did remember to get a picture of it this morning, though. Isn't it pretty...(and more importantly, appropriate)?

The Bike

I've managed to save £200 for a bike. I went on places like Gumtree and eBay and can confirm that there are bikes out there for less than £200. I did not buy any of these.

My big plan with running London Marathon was to show it is accessible to all and it really is, however if you want to do it cheaply then you've got to be willing to work for it. I took a charity place and had to raise £1,625 to run. I could buy a £200 bike but would have to service it myself or ride with issues, something that would affect my ability to even finish as well as my overall time (though the latter doesn't really matter).

With this in mind I put a deposit on a bike, a Specialized Allez from a few seasons ago that probably highlights me as an amateur. This is not a problem in the slightest - the less people think I can ride quickly, the less they'll be expecting me to. I've seen a lot of bikes today and even test rode a £1,000 Giant, 1/9 of the cost of the bike the guy who works in the stores own, suggesting cost will definitely affect performance. However, 'get you round' end of season bikes are still around £350-£400. 

Also this is the right time of year to be buying. A good friend of mine has been cycling for a while and told me that people are looking to upgrade their bikes or get rid of them over winter as no fool wants to ride when it's cold and wet. Only me.

So £200 down with a £150 bill and no bike, today was insightful but came good in the end as I have a £60 pair of Sauconys to break in ready for the Half Marathon in October.  A five mile run is a great way to remember those crisp, purple notes you used to own.

The Plan

After signing up for another half marathon this October I decided that risking a two mile open water swim this September with no training was probably a bad idea. This means I will be riding in July and swimming in September 2018 which gives me plenty of time to get the miles in properly. I've done an event with very little training before and it was as much fun as rolling down an electrified hedgehog covered hill.

A good friend (you could say my new best friend) has given me some hints and tips on getting selected for RideLondon so there's a chance I won't have to ride for a charity. This will save everyone time, effort and money.

I also went for a ten mile bike ride today which turned in to a twelve mile bike ride due to a diversion followed by a three mile bike ride later on as I hadn't made it home initially. I also cut the grass. If my wife is reading this I'm not expecting a hero's welcome but a 'well done' will suffice.

It's on. 2018 is going to be my year. Hopefully.

Options

For those who don't know me, I first started blogging when I was training for the London Marathon between 2012 and 2013. I went from zero running to the marathon in eleven short months and achieved something I never thought I was capable of, putting my experience online so I couldn't back out. Since then I've always considered riding 100 miles to be a good next goal, filling the interim with the Amsterdam and Brighton marathons after a few halfs that left me feeling a little unfulfilled. Fortunately the London Marathon Charitable Trust have been putting together triathlon style challenges to complement the marathon and are now offering RideLondon 100 and the Serpentine Swim, a 2 mile open water event. Those completing all three are now eligible for a London Classics Medal which would look just right next to my others and so I am going for it.

For those who do know me...Hello again. Business as usual.

My email was alight last night with a picture of the medal and a caption that suggested the first medals would go out after this year's Serpentine Swim. I was offered a place at the 2 miler in September and I was massively tempted as, although I've never done RideLondon, I could do so in July next year and get my medal then. Finances aside it seemed a good plan, however money is money and so I decided to make this a goal for next year. As ever preparations are incredibly important and I've recently learned that the ballot for the ride is as difficult as for the marathon and so I've emailed a charity to go straight for a charity place. I'm expecting to have to raise around £500, a breeze in comparison to the £1,625 needed for the marathon, but will find out for certain very soon.

I'm still mildly tempted by this year's swim and if I can sort cash out I will jump straight in. I was due to hit the pool tomorrow to see if I can swim the distance however there's no point if I need to wait until next year anyway. As ever I will update you all on my progress as I go, try to keep it interesting and to the point as well as informative, and by September next year I'll have something else to stick on the wall. I figure if I train for the cycling in the first half of 2018 and the swimming in the second half it should all go to plan.

Thank you for reading, your support is what kept me going the first time round and will no doubt be needed during winter training. Brrrrrr.