The last week of training for the discombobulated

[spoonierunning]

So I have decided on my day - I shall be doing my discombobulated next Thursday (I will have to delay my donation to my chosen charity though, donation will happen when I get my first pay check for my new job).

So the running bit is ok, the cycling bit is going ok but I haven't been able to fit in a bike ride this week - yes I know there is technically still time but it all depends on if I pop home to Essex for a couple of days to see my Dad (he is baffled by the notion of clothes shopping and wants some help, obviously that something he never had to think about before as my Mum did it).

Anyway so the one I have been having trouble with is the swimming, or rather my chlorine allergy. I already wear goggles and I got ear plugs a few years ago and never really got used to them. Last week after some google research it suggested that a nose clip could really help - one problem with that I have my nose pierced not just once but twice. Anyway I popped to decathlon to look at the options and came home with a nose torture deivice. And with a bit of wiggling I can wear it with my piercings.

Today was my first swim all plugged up, it felt really weird at first, you can't do proper swim breathing but I started to get into my stride and adapt, there was some on going fiddling but all ok, I think I could get used to it.

I did 50 lengths today (worked out to 1km) and the best bit I am not feeling total bunged up, snotty and generally rubbish - hurrah, oh and I managed to swim half a length (10m under water) not bad, need to practice my technique some more and maybe be I will be back up to about 20m underwater.

[poppypug Graduate]

Fab ! That's great Spoonie !

Well done on your swim today, that's brilliant ! I flippin' detest swimming, I cant stand the getting changed and feeling a twit in my cossie, I hate getting water up my nose, I hate getting out of the water trying to hold everything up and in said cossie, and I hate getting dried and back into my clothes cos I always end up either dropping my knickers on the wet floor or a sock and plus I am absolutely crap at it ! So massive respect to you for doing 50 lengths , that's serious hardcore

Saying that , I am doing my swim and bike part of the discombulated challenge after work tonight . Am I looking forward to it ? - Am I heckers ' like ! I am going to feel soooooo smug after though , it will be 2 down 1 to go . Then I can just heckle Dozzer till he does his , ha ha xxx

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to poppypug]

I used to struggle with swimming cossies and erm boob malfunction - never totally exposed myself but there were always issues, so used to be constantly fiddling and a little nervous about what might happen - now I buy special (by that I mean hideously expensive) swimming cossies from bravissimo (and always proper sports ones they fit better).

Nose clip stops water up your nose issue.

I've always been a water baby, my mum had me swimming right from a baby so I've always been happy splashing - or rather gliding - about

[poppypug Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

Ah, the dreaded boob malfunction - awkward I haven't had my bikini on for nearly 3 years, Jeez, I hope it still fits

This will probably and hopefully be the last time I go swimming , but I am willing to give it a go see how I go on , I might even shock myself- and everyone else if I lose my bikini in the water ha ha xxx

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Which are you doing first poppy? The bike ride? I don't really fancy cycling with damp legs!!!

You'll be fine you know, it's only water! Dozzer said we could bobble about in the shallow end .... And just like we tell everyone re: running .... nobody else cares two hoots what anyone else is doing or looking like!!!! True story???

Do It as they say on the adverts and be super-smug!

If you go commando and in sandals you can't have any "dropping little bits of cotton into wet water" problems!

Good luck, you're going to love it

[poppypug Graduate in reply to BoPeep9009]

Hi Bo, Cheers ! Yep Im doing the bike first , then the swim ( if Im still alive ) Im doing it at a gym not on the open road, I would be a flippin' nervous wreck otherwise .....

I will have my bikini on under my gear and I will be very ladylike in my approach in discarding one set of clothing for the other , rather than my usual " WTF , wheres me bra ??? "

My main priority is completing the challenge injury free and still conscious, anything else is a Brucie Bonus ! xxx

[AncientMum Graduate]

Oh dear, I'm feeling seriously inadequate now!! Glug, glug, splutter, splash eek!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

I have always been a swimmer, just got more and more allergic over the years which kinda made it far less enjoyable

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Careful there AM! Just do your "swim" in the bath, it's allowed in the rules!!!

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to BoPeep9009]

Hummmm now there's a thought! Heading off to the pool next week. Have just had me highlights done, so need to leave it a few days so the chlorine doesn't turn 'em green Lol

[poppypug Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Ah , if it does , you need a bottle of tomato ketchup on your head , this is supposed to work , not sure if it does though so maybe best not . You can always wear the crocheted tea cosy/swimming cap I made for you complete with spout xxx

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Cheers Poppy, didn't realise you'd had time to finish it, what with fitting the Lycra panels and go faster stripes to Dozzer's onesie. The tea cosy/swimming cap with fully functional spout is definitely the way forward. Swimming pool, here I come! (soonish)

[poppypug Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Oh yes, no problem . Dozzers is coming back for a re-fitting, I need to crochet further go faster further stripes and re-fit the Lycra to accommodate his buns of steel with all this training hes been doing xxx

[dozzer19 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Oh yeah!!!

[poppypug Graduate in reply to dozzer19]

Huzzah ! xxx

[dozzer19 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Yup!

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

LOL! "Complete with spout" made me LOL!!!

Yes it's true, the bottle of ketchup will work BUT not balanced on the top of your head, i don't think. You have to open it and rub the sauce in your hair!!! Ewwwwww .... just stay out the pool i say!

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to BoPeep9009]

I've always fancied being a redhead

[poppypug Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

No hair , just a red head ha ha xxx

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Hahahahahahaha and breathe Hahahahahahaha

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

LOL LOL LOL

[Lovefood1984 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

After witnessing a green streak after a dyeing malfunction (mums hair not mine) I can confirm ketchup works!

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to Lovefood1984]

That's me sorted then. If the tea cosy/swimming hat leaks down the spout, I can remedy the situation with ketchup. What a brilliant forum this is- running advice and hairdressing tips

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

I wish I'd been told about that when I was younger, being natuarally blonde and in the pool a lot my hair was tinged green, it wasn't really noticeable unless you knew about it. I used to use a protective hair cream stuff

[AncientMum Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

Protective hair cream! Great idea. Amazing what you learn on here

[BoPeep9009 Graduate]

Gosh Spoonie that's a long way to swim! All that turning! It would drive me bananas ... can you do tumble turns? Did you do all that in half an hour?

Maybe we could give PoppyPug and AM a few minutes towards their swims cos they don't like it!

I LOVE swimming tho i'm not particularly talented i can stay alive out there and keep moving! Because it's warm now i've been pulling breaststroke for 30 mins every other eve in the sea since enrolling in the Discombobulated, it fell just right for the season! Soooo lucky not to have to cope with horrid chlorine and verucas!!!

I'm seriously hoping that on Wednesday next week i'll do all 3 disciplines one after the other - tho quite where i'd pull a 30 minute run from after the other 2 i'm not sure -

Have a good time shopping with your Dad!

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to BoPeep9009]

I kinda do my own variation of the open turn, I can't do the flip turn cause of water up nose issue, so gave up learning it.

I was swimming for 35 minutes today - it is only a 20m pool.

I like swimming in the sea but don't have the sea near by anymore, but mostly I just used to bob about as I need goggles to put my head under the water.

I won't be doing each bit one straight after the other but will all be on the same day

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to spoonierunning]

Seriously Sporty Spoonie i say!

[Lovefood1984 Graduate]

Not related to discombulated but I've just done my first zombie run and how on earth do you do it spoonie?!? Those zoms move pretty fast I'm dead! (2/4 chases evaded and stitch after zom chase 1) the speed difference between run and sprint to evade seems a bit too much (perhaps as I get fitter this will improve) on the plus side the moaning from the zoms didn't frighten me too much so I look forward to using it for interval training and hopefully my speed will increase

[spoonierunning Graduate in reply to Lovefood1984]

I can't always evade them, the first one is always the real killer