I guess that’s case closed. I don’t mind too much. My new bike has been excellent (another thanks to Teresa and Raymond for my new wheels!), and the training keeps advancing. We’re now running more than 15 km/week, and my training log says I’ve clocked nearly 200 cycling miles in the past two months.

I’m most excited about the swimming. This quadrathlon training has been like going from zero to sixty. Two months ago I could not swim. The past two weeks, I’ve managed a half mile in the pool. I still gasp at the end of my laps. I still occasionally gulp down water inexplicably. But I could almost certainly pass a basic swim test for scuba diving or whitewater rafting. And that’s never been true before.

We’re still waiting to see whether we’ll be remotely fit enough to attempt the Kindrochit Quadrathlon next July, but to me, this athletic escapade has already been worth it.

Image credit: jayhem

There are a couple of hurdles to overcome. I need to learn how to swim. That’s probably the largest one. Beyond that, we have to become less afraid of the weather. Earlier this week we were caught out on our bicycles during a 15-minute torrential downpour, complete with thunder, lightning and hailstones. I had standing water in my shoes as we cycled home. It’s all part of the conditioning.

In case anyone wants to join in on our fun, here’s the link to our (remedial) running programme: Couch to 5K. I think it’s fabulous. Plus, it has such a catchy, inspirational name.

We’ve also developed a tentative training schedule:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday – Morning run

Tuesday – Evening swim

Thursday – Evening cycle

Saturday – Longer cycle or hill-walk

Does anyone have experience training for a grueling fitness event? I am looking for tips on where to get good gear in Edinburgh, what gear is good (especially in the rain), and how to train better.

Image credit: Timtak