Kurnell triathlon - Sunday November 26

Forgot to post about the fantastic Kurnell sprint triathlon series which is series of four triathlons run in Kurnell every year in the Australian summer (Dec, Jan, Feb and March), which is at the bottom of Botany bay Sydney where Cook first came ashore - There's actually a memorial there but I was too busy running around the run leg of the course to take it in. A lot of people apparently think that Cook first landed in Sydney harbour (or Port Jackson as it's officially known) where there's the bridge, opera house etc. but of course this is incorrect.... :)

Back to the triathlon - People of all shapes and sizes do it and don't be fooled by age either. Here in Australia people take their exercise seriously and you'd be hard pressed to beat the top winner in the 50+ age group category and even 60+ I kid you not!!!! It's a good way to assess your fitness and try and improve throughout the summer. Well that's the theory....

The triathlon didn't go to plan from the start. It is a 750m swim, 20k cycle and 5k run. I actually did a time trial the day before and did some reasonable times for me in Centennial park and in the Bronte pool- Should have rested really especially since on the following race day, there was a heavy wind which was blowing the two swim race buoy's out to sea so the race became progressively longer as each age group wave set off. It was then I was wishing I was 20 again! Before we set off our coach was shouting that this was better for the old fat blokes who like to swim since the swim course was now full triathlon size of around 1.5km! I felt I was swimming to the other side of the bay. The wind was creating a chop which was killing me too since I am a one side swim breather. To cut a long story short, the swim took 10mins longer than I was planning and the extra effort expended had a knock on effect on my bike/run times. The good news is that the next one should see a big improvement for me!

Here's some photos of me taking by someone in the triathlon club before we set off....

ARGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment. All was going well in life - I have just finished my last exam and assignment last weekend. Even managed to squeeze in a triathlon on the previous weekend and I'm looking forward to the xmas break.

So, while working at home today, I decided to take advantage of the perfect Blue Sydney summer and in my lunch hour go for a quick 4Km run from Bronte to Bondi and then cool down with a few laps at the pool at the south side of the beach.

Well, while I was thinking how blue the sea was, how perfect the temperature (22C) , how great it was to be able to run with my super light Apple ipod shuffle (filled with exercise tracks), wham, bam yours truly is going down very painfully on the side of the path pretty much where the photo at the top of this article was taken. I wasn't looking where I was going and to the right of the path there was enough of something sticking out of the ground for me to catch my foot on and over my ankle goes, with a full set of cuts and grazes to match - Do I feel like a child again! Hobbling to the pool I do a bit of swimming to let the salt water wash away some of the dirt and I don't feel to bad. Anyways, after returning back to the home office and working away for a good few hours I decide I should eat around 7pm and find that I can hardly walk! My ankle has ballooned up so I spent the rest of the evening foot up with a plastic bag of ice cubes strapped to my ankle watching some crap Australian tv....

Not sure if I'm going to be able to make the office xmas party tomorrow at the Yacht club near Spit Bridge. I've organised a full weekend of entertainment. Saturday morning, run/bike training at Centennial Park, brunch at the Swell, Bronte, watching the new James Bond film in the afternoon, dinner at Restaurant Balzac and Sunday a wedding of Jean Manuel and Barbara at McKell park on Sunday. ARGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!