Getting Ideas Above My Station
Today I had to visit three customer sites - one in Walker, one in Sunderland, and one just up the road from home. Unfortunately, our car’s suspension went ‘pop’ at the weekend, so the car was in the garage . . .
So I had to go by bike!
To prove that this evening I have more time on my hands than is good for me, I’ve re-traced the route I took on the Gmaps Pedometer. It’s quite a chore to trace curves on this, so the mileage came in a little light at 33.65 miles, compared with my (verified) cyclecomputer’s 34.56 miles, but you can see the route here anyway.
The weather was pretty good - slightly overcast, and not too windy. Which was a relief considering the way I’d loaded the bike up. Laptop - check! Assorted cables - check! Power adapter - check! Camera - check! Notepad - check! Full change of clothes - check! Shoes - check! 
Fluids - check! Fluorescent waterproof jacket - check! Digital projector - check! No, really - digital projector.
By the time I’d got home, minus the projector which I’d handed over to Business Partner at Checkpoint Charlie Sunderland, I felt a little tired . . . but basically like Tony the Frosties Tiger. (In case you missed that as a kid, Tony always feels GRRRRRrrrreat!)
So then I started thinking . . . and thinking . . . and while I was out walking Huge Dalmation with my Daughter this evening (she was on her bike - no stabilisers - well over a mile - soooo proud!) I thought,
“So here we go then. This year I’ve just got to go up to Olympic distance. Olympic?! That’s for BIG GIRLS BLOUSES - I CAN GO MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT! HALF IRON-MAN HERE I COME. NO, WAIT! WHY STOP AT HALF!!!!!!!!!!!!!?“
You’ll note the ranting, strident style; the use of bold and capital letters in my head; and the excessive exclamation marks. Clearly I’d not rehydrated too well during the day, and I was starting to get delusional.
Time to come back down to earth - I don’t think I’m ready to be playing either of the Two Ronnies’ parts to any real triathletes out there who’d care to take on John Cleese’s role!
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again and again and again… to anyone willing to listen to me.
Ironman is not that big of a deal. I mean, yes, I am “special”… in that I have no common sense, and I do things that average people would not attempt to do. But I am by no means gifted physically… my “special abilities” are all in my head.
So by all means, I don’t think this is beyond your station at all… I think long distance is totally doable… for pretty much anyone.
The only things I think one has to “worry about”… are two fold… 1) can you make the cut-off times? 2) do you care if you are at the back of the pack.
When I set out on my Ironman adventure, I decided #2 was no problem… hell, it seemed to me that finishing an ironman was amazing, so I didn’t care how long it took me. Check!
#1 had me a little worried. At least the swim cut-off. 2.4 miles in 2 hours 20 min… It turns out, that is pretty slow… and so I just had to convinced myself I could do it. Eventually in the middle of the summer about 2 months before my ironman, I did do an open water swim of 2.4 miles. It took me 1:45, and I had done it really slow, so I was convinced I could make the cutoff.
After getting through concerns #1 and #2, all you have to do is keep going… don’t stop. If you keep going, you will finish.
Thanks - how did you know it was the swim that was worrying me!
I’m now starting to have those worryingly optimistic thoughts again though . . . .
Everyone fears the swim. Even the best of the worlds best. They may be able to manage it, and swim a lot faster than you or I, but they still fear it.
Oh, I found this quote while reading the archives of another blog I hit every now and again…
“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.”
–Steven Wright
In general, I love Steven Wright’s comedy… but this one is even better because it’s topical to your idea of going for ultra-long distance.
Three local routes
1) cullercoats to washington and back - this used to be a work commute - only for a few weeks, the highpoint was being asked by a Scandinavian emerging from the Tyne Tunnel - south side “Is this the way to Scotland”?
2) Cullercoats to Team Valley and back - another old work commute - never did it more than twice a week. Most memorable moment seeing neighbours talk to each other on 11th September 2001
3) Newcastle Airport to Cullercoats or vice versa and get metro home (when running)
An epic journey I still do regularly, let me know if you want the route.
High point seeing a wild Deer behind the Holystone Pub
Hi Richard - Those are all great routes. I do the run down to Team Valley about once or twice a month, and apart from the ‘London style’ driving on The Valley, it’s one of my favourites - mainly because of the hill down from the top of the Redheugh Bridge . . . which is also great fun on the way back up!
You’re obvioulsy pretty local to me, so look me up in the phone book if you fancy a ride out some time. . . . like this Saturday morning to the tank factory in Scotswood if you’re up for it.