The accidental triathlete

This morning I thought I'd take advantage of the clean, clear streets around Publika shopping centre and go for a barefoot run. I walked up to the mall, stashed my shoes under a convenient flight of steps (watched by some bemused security guards over the road) and did a lap of the centre.

I ran almost 1 1/2 km, which I'm pretty happy with given the heat, my mild hangover and the lack of exercise. It did get some odd looks from the staff as the crazy mat salleh jogged past but nobody seemed to mind, the surface was pretty smooth and best of all my shoes were still there when I got back.

As it was Wheelie Sunday I was also able to hire a bike and so I gave myself a 'half hour of power'. You'll be sad to hear that this time they didn't give me a pink girls bike, but on todays bike the rear brake didn't work & the tyres were half flat. Never mind - braking is for wimps and the resistance from semi-flat tyres just mean I get a better workout. I put the bike into the biggest gear and went for broke.

Hillclimb corner is two ramps that take you up to the top level - tough work in the sun. Then there's a  sprinted along the top driveway, attempting to bunnyhop the speedbumps on the way (hard with cheap flat pedals and trainers on!). A few downhill corners test body positioning and cornering technique and then there's a cruise along wobbly child alley - partly to recuperate and partly because the 5 yr olds don't seem to hold their line however loudly you shout 'track right!'. I managed 6 circuits this time around, something to aim for next weekend.

After dropping the bike off and having breakfast I wandered back to the apartment, picking up some shopping on the way. By the time I got home it was 11.30 and humid, so I went for a dip in the hotel pool to cool off and to stretch my calves out. It was then that it struck me - a ride, a run, a swim....my god, I'd accidentally become a triathlete! Fortunately it doesn't seem to be a serious case as I still have the ability to smile, I haven't timed myself putting my shoes on and I haven't suddenly found a pair of budgie smugglers in my suitcase. I think I was saved because one of my transition stages included eggs Benedict and a long black.  The true test will be next weekend - will I still be able to ride a bike within 4m of another person without randomly veering in their way?