First and Last - But NOT my Last!

At the beginning of October 2001 I had a brainwave. I was unfit, overweight, and overworked. "I know! I'll do the New Year's Day Triathlon!". So, with precisely 12 weeks until the 1st January, I started to train.

I could swim. When I was 2 years of age I started swimming lessons, and had my first badge by the time I was 3. But my teacher only ever taught survival swimming and breast stroke, so my front crawl was self-taught and not good. In the first week of training, I took myself off the Aubigny pool and timed myself for a 400m swim - 16 minutes.

I could cycle. I had a basic mountain bike and enjoyed going out and about on my bike in Pencaitland and the surrounding tracks, but I had never really done any fast biking or road biking as such. I could not run to save myself. Having tried running on the odd occasion I had always given up after a couple of runs. My husband, Al, would come out running with me and end up walking alongside me - soul destroying. My first few weeks of training went well - I managed to do some swimming, biking and running, but I did not really know if I was improving or not, and it was a little boring doing it all on my own. One of Al's colleagues trains with Borders Triathlon Club, and he gave me some back issues of 220 magazine, and these gave me inspiration and kept me motivated.

On a very windy November day I did a time trial round Arthur's Seat on my bike and then did the run. I then compared my times to those published from the previous NYD Triathlon and realised that I was incredibly slow, and I questioned whether or not I really wanted to do the triathlon. But by this time I had already told people I was doing it, and I knew that I would get a lot of sponsorship, so felt obliged to do it.

In December, whilst surfing the net, I discovered the website for East Lothian Triathlon Club, and sent an E-mail explaining my lack of fitness and asking if I should still join. John Archibald rang me up and encouraged me to come along to a swim session, so I did. I was made to feel very welcome and really enjoyed the swim - I couldn't believe how much I learnt from one session with Gavin! The girls also invited me along for a run before the following week's swim session, and before I knew it I was out with Morag and Jean every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for a run!

The 1st January arrived all too soon, and I was extremely nervous! Standing on the poolside my mouth was dry and my palms were sweating. The swim was good - I really enjoyed it, except that I was boxed in behind 2 swimmers, but I knew that I wasn't going to be that fast, and so just relaxed and swam behind them. Coming out into the car park I was surprised that I did not feel at all cold, and got dressed as quickly as I could (which with hindsight was pretty damned slowly!!!). Then I was off out on my mountain bike for the 3 laps of Arthur's Seat. The 1st 2 laps weren't too bad, except from the fact that everyone (even some runners) went whizzing past me! Spectators on the hill were great - they kept shouting at us all and encouraging us to keep going - they must have been freezing standing there! By the time the 3rd lap came my legs were pretty tired and I started to worry about managing the run, and when I got to transition and found that my legs had turned into wooden logs I knew that I was going to struggle. By this time I had become aware of some of the East Lothian Triathlon members shouting encouragement from the roundabouts and knew that I had to keep going. Running out into the park was the most difficult thing I think I have ever done - both physically and mentally, but when I again heard all the shouts of encouragement I managed a smile and set off on my run. By the time I reached the hill I had hoped to have got the feeling back in my legs, but sadly this was not the case, and so I continued on up the hill doing a great impression of a chicken - I should have worn yellow and then I could have been Big Bird from Sesame Street for the day. On the hill I had to resort to powerwalking - if the truth be told I think I was actually faster doing this anyway. Other competitors and fellow ELTC members were running past shouting at me to keep going, telling me I was doing well. As I rounded the last corner and the Commonwealth came in sight, Brian Lindsay appeared to keep me company on the final, painful part of the run. Having finished the race in mega-quick time he ran all the way back to get me, and I was really glad of the company! Then I was met by the shouts from Cate, Morag, Gavin, Jean etc and I think I even managed a smile through the grimacing!!

Crossing the finish line was just fantastic. I knew I must be last, but I was just so pleased to have finished, and was very close to tears. The emotions that came over me were a mixture of happiness, fatigue, and most of all, relief!

After a hot shower I felt so much better. My whole body was aching, and my upper body was particularly painful, probably from me being so tense for most of the race! But I did it! I hung about for the results, and as I suspected, found that I was last! But I was just so pleased to have completed the race, and the support and encouragement I received from fellow competitors, ELTC members and the spectators made the day one of the most memorable of my life! I came last, but it has not put me off, and I will be back there next New Year's Day to do it all again - but I WON'T BE LAST!

So East Lothian Triathlon Club can boast that in the New Year's Day Triathlon of 1/1/2002 they got the first female veteran, the first female supervet, and the LAST female senior (and LAST OVERALL!)!!!

Thanks to ELTC I got my swim time down from 16 minutes to 9 minutes, my fitness level improved, and even though my run was more of a chickenrun, without the weeks of training and encouragement from Morag and Jean, the encouragement from ELTC on the day, and the company of Brian on the final leg, I fear I would still be running round Arthur's Seat now!

Lynne Parlett.
1 stone lighter (only another 3 to go!) and getting fitter……………watch this space.