A short run out this morning caught both the best weather and moment of the day. Later, I bought some sunglasses. It's not like I don't own any, I have numerous pairs littered here and there, but never where I need them. A bit like my inhalers, I strive to have one to hand on all occasions...just in case. There is rarely the 'case', but the thought is comforting. Same with the sunnies. But then it rained and so to me, the perfect moment to buy sunglasses. It's a 'zag' thing. Nonetheless, in anticipation of sunnier days, I now feel I'm armed and no longer gain automatic qualification to 'squint for England 2011'. The rain also brings out that curious item...the Gentleman's Umbrella. I don't and have never owned one. I'm not very good with accessories of this nature. I'd much rather get wet or perhaps raise a hood, but an umbrella...no. There were many men out today, sporting the umbrella. It probably makes sense, a warm day such as it has been...what does a man do? No need for a coat, or a hat, but what if it rains? What is the risk? A wet shirt, or perhaps it's a hair thing. Actually I was hoping it would rain, having just had my hair cut and sporting enough wax that would make a duck look wet in similar conditions, I felt pretty robust from a weather repelling point of view. I like weather, but not a weather shade.
And so tomorrow...Wilmslow Triathlon. A few years ago while I was home alone for a weekend, I took an early morning walk into the village for a paper and a coffee, a route that takes me through Wilmslow Leisure Centre carpark. On this bright sunny Sunday morning, something was going down! A curious cocktail of comings and goings, carbon fibre, Lycra, rubber and bananas. On asking I discovered this was a Sprint Tri organised by the popular Xtramile people. It really captured my imagination. 400m swim, 25k bike and a 6.5k run. I could do that...but the thought of me doing a triathlon made me giggle. The seed was set. And it is a seed I scattered far and wide. That very next year, a small group of us were entered and starting to prepare for our venture into this new world. But there were a number of issues, namely, I couldn't swim, I didn't own a bike and the very big question of what do we wear? None of it really mattered, for we did it together and laughed all the way.
That first year, I was 3rd last (yes, last!) of the swimmers, but I didn't care. The next year, we tried to improve our swimming, but the low point was being overtaken by Chris, me on my back as he walked/waded past me. They clapped us out, the next wave significantly delayed while we splashed and spluttered around for 16 lengths after everyone else had gone. Out of the pool and onto the bikes, the transition was as much fun as it was in practice in Petes back garden, but for a few hilarious school boy errors. On a borrowed bike from the Stock stable, my time was average, catching almost all or those spritely swimmers, my run time predictably good. Overall, like most of my school reports, I was slightly above average. Once again we vowed to improve our swimming...but alas, this hasn't happened. Although I have a place for tomorrow, I still don't have a bike, I have not done any transition practice and I simply can't face that awful humiliation of the swim. So much so, that Chris has already pulled out. I've lost a little of my competitive spirit...and it looks like rain again and suddenly it doesn't seem quite so appealing at all. So I'm going to let it pass this year...literally, as the run route goes right past my back garden. 
Speaking of the garden, and the rain...I have finally been able to toss down the feed 'n' weed for the lawn I bought all those weeks ago during a pleasant trip to B&Q. Fed up with my piece of plastic trash that looks like some kind of 'my first hoover'...a spreader, I nonchalantly broadcast the chemically goodness with my bare hands, portraying the image of rugged man from another time, following a huge horse and an industrious looking plough. The rain came, and soaked the ground, and now as I write this, mere hours later, I swear I can see the lawn turining black in front of my eyes. Ha ha, Ooops :-)
