When I first began thinking about how to train for a triathlon, and how to fit cycling and swimming into my life, I thought that swimming would be the most inconvenient and problematic element. But now that I've found a swimming pool and actually got myself into the water (ok, only once so far), swimming seems fairly simple. You find out when the pool is open, go there, change into suit, remember to take money for the locker (I didn't), remember to wear your goggles (I didn't) and a hat (again, didn't). You get into the water and swim up and down, and then you get out and go home. It's not as convenient as running, and the pool near to my office does have the most rare and inconvenient opening hours in the world, but once I'm there I know what to do.
Cycling, on the other hand, is way more difficult. I don't have an indoor bike or stationary trainer (yet!), so I have to find a way to get out on the road for at least half an hour. And in half an hour on a bike, I'm discovering, you go quite a long way! So I have to look for routes without hideous traffic or scary junctions, where I can actually get up a bit of speed and work my legs, but without insane hills (for now), which is a challenge living at the top of the Bruderholz. And without getting lost!
And then there's the problem of what to wear. I know what to wear for running, and I know what to wear for swimming, but I have no clue what to wear for cycling and I don't own any of the correct gear. I looked at cycling leggings in the sports shop yesterday and they cost 119 CHF!!! Hello!!! So I went out in my tracksuit trousers again, with some old trainers and a fleece. I did not look the part! I do at least own a helmet and would not go out without it - I like to go very fast, and I'm kind of scared of cars. Ho hum. I only saw a few cyclists out yesterday evening, but the ones I did see were dressed to the nines in their 100 Frank leggings and 200 Frank cycling jackets but NO HELMET!!! Apparently you need to look the part, but your brain is not worth protecting.
Anyway, I'm on a mission this weekend to find some cheap cycling shorts (cheap in Switzerland being a relative term), at least to wear under my trackie bottoms until the weather improves.
RANT ALERT!
For anyone who is not familiar with Switzerland: No one here does sport in an ancient T-shirt and old football shorts. Oh no. (If you see someone out running/cycling in ancient, thrown together clothes, stop them and ask "Are you British?" They will answer yes.) You must be wearing the CORRECT clothes for your sport, from head to toe, including socks and probably underwear. You cannot wear running clothes for cycling or cycling clothes for Nordic walking. People will look at you in horror! And there are no cheap sports clothes here. Running top? 60 CHF. Leggings? 90 CHF. Winter cycling gloves? 100 CHF. Aforementioned cycling leggings? 119 CHF. It's no wonder that people decide to stay at home and watch TV instead.
RANT OVER!
Cycling routes are also a problem and I guess I'm just have to come to terms with hills. I went out through the fields towards Bottmingen yesterday for 15 minutes and then turned round and came home, which made a 29 minute ride. I did not look the part, but my legs felt the work and let's face it, that's what it's really all about.
