FionaOutdoors

My tri club friend Smiler Caroline says she struggles to find the motivation to run or cycle unless she’s planned to go out with other people. Other people I know only like to run or cycle on their own. I am somewhere in the middle. I love running and chatting with a friend. I like [...]

The “return” sports session, especially after months away, is always so tough. I was reminded of this fact on Tuesday when I returned to the Glasgow Triathlon Club swimming session after a gap of almost eight weeks. While I tried to keep up with the middle laners, and I did complete the full session, I [...]

Triathlon is not just for gown-ups – it’s for kids, too. And due to popular demand (not just from parents who need a couple of hours to themselves at the weekend!), Glasgow Triathlon Club has launched a dedicated children’s training section. Based at the new Maryhill Swimming Pool on Sundays, children can come along at [...]

At last the women’s swimming costume with combined shorts/legs has become more mainstream. No longer do the majority of women have to feel shy or embarrassed about wearing high-thigh swimming costumes that put on display that one area that most agree they DO NOT LIKE IT AT ALL. For too many years the traditional swimming [...]

So, I trained for my London Triathlon and I forced myself to get on with open water swimming. I finally discovered somewhere, Loch Ard, that wasn’t too scary and I almost found myself enjoying one swim. I haven’t felt too inclined to go open water swimming since completing the triathlon but you never know. There [...]

Chatting to the Ginger Prince before the London Triathlon I started to panic. He is a veteran of this event (and stormed an awesome 2hrs 6mins in this year’s Olympic distance) and told me that the distance from the end of the swim to the transition was quite a distance. Added to this, each triathlon [...]

Two more fab Scottish event shave come to my attention, so I thought I’d share them with all you outdoors competitors/maddies. Monster Swim First up in another addition to the growing stable of open water swimming events. On August 13, Loch ness will host the Monster Swim. The Big Yin is a mile-long swim, while [...]

Taper. It’s a lovely word and in the sporting world it comes after many months of hard graft. With less than a week to go before my somewhat daunting Virgin London Olympic Triathlon 2011 I am very happy to be enjoying a little tapering. (Yes, I know, that’s eight letters!) The reason for a taper [...]

If you read this blog you’ll know my feelings on open-water swimming. I hate it. You may also have read about my mind-blowingly idiotic agreement to do a triathlon for charity that includes an open water swim. From the moment I said “yes” to this challenge I have worried about the swim. On the day [...]

If anyone imagines that yoga is a soft option you might want to think again. I have been a regular attender at Yoga Jo‘s Ashtanga-style yoga classes in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, for some three years and it still amazes me how tired my arm, shoulder, core and leg muscles are after every session.  Even when [...]