An Ironic (not iron) Muppet

Recently I have been considering the changes in my life that endurance sport, specifically triathlon, has brought.  Let's not get too deep here, I haven't solved the meaning of life (I know 42) or anything.

What got me started is that whenever anything comes up or family plans are discussed I now always have a little demon in the back of my brain thinking "mm, how am I going to fit my training around that?".  A classic example is when Flissy and one of her friends decided that they were going to spend a few days in Spain over the upcoming half term.

"No problem at all, go away and have fun," I said.  "Mm, how am I going to fit my training around that?" said my brain.  Before I knew it I was on the phone to my mum to ask her what she was doing over half term.  Of course I had justified it to myself that it would be lovely for her to spend some time with my daughter and they could do lots together.  I may have come to that conclusion anyway, but was the reason I was so quick to think it that she could be around while I was able to train?  Still, it will be nice for them to spend some time together....

Now on to the reason for the title.  I am thinking like this now, but when I had the opportunity to do things like train I didn't.  I am sure an awful lot of people will associate with this but when I was in my early twenties I did a lot of quality sitting on the sofa.  I was a young PE teacher who had fallen on my feet by landing a plum job in Jersey (a small, beautiful island south of the UK for those reading from far afield).  I was in charge of the field hockey programme and played a lot for a local club as well.  Coming off my PE degree I was as fit as a butcher's dog, able to chase a small ball around to my hearts content.

Slowly, over the course of the next 8 years or so, I spent less time actually training and more relaxing.  I was tired after a day teaching outside, I stopped joining in with the warm ups, I was still playing matches so must be getting fit that way, yada yada yada.  What I hadn't cut back on was enjoying the restaurant and bar lifestyle that went with a life in Jersey, especially in the school holidays where I could meet up with friends from hockey who were working in town and have a nice lunch with a few pints.

Before I knew it I was leaving Jersey and gazing at a photo of myself at a recent wedding.  I was sweating, my neck was bulging out of my collar and my belt was clearly under strain.  I had gone from a stripling of 10 stone to a heavyweight at 13 stone.  Trust me, for a little fella like me that is plenty.

Now here I am, struggling to fit in the training I would like to do which, if I had the motivation, I could have easily done in the past.  Triathlon has done this, I am now 11 stone and even carrying a bit of muscle.  Long may it continue....

Triathlon Muppet