I'm slowly ticking off the stuff I need on my triathlon journey. Recently I've finally got a wetsuit (thanks to the great team at XOSize in Bentleigh for helping me out - and into it, LOL). I have yet to christen it but I'm sure that Race 3 on Australia Day will sort that out. I only really bought it so jellies wouldn't cuddle me when I swim, but with the bodyfat shrinking
I picked up a new wind trainer on sale, and after a last minute decision to have a glass of harden up, I made a mercy dash to Bunnings to grab a pair of multigrip pliers to change my pedals back to my Mavics. I need to get back into the joy of riding as one with my bike and after a quick swap, I had a lovely hour on my bike tonight in the lounge back in my cleats. Hell, I don't have to worry about not unclipping in time when I'm in the lounge, and I can practise clipping in and unclipping until my cleats loosen up a bit.
I got a stack of 2XU vouchers for Christmas, so I'll be raiding the Spencer Street and DFO outlet stores soon and cleaning them out of XL ladies stock. If I can find an XL black ladies tri suit that fits I will be stoked. If it doesn't fit, it will be hanging up as motivation!
Since arriving in Oz, I am very frustrated by the fact that because I'm between sizes and a funny shape, I find it nigh on impossible to buy training capris or shorts. If it fits around the waist, it's too big in the butt, the hips and the legs I'm about a 12 around the shoulders now, but bigger in the bust, the waist and the hips. It's frustrating and annoying that I can't buy fitness gear that looks good and actually fits - and wicks moisture. I will not train in heavy cotton or anything that will end up feeling like a wet blanket after 10 minutes. NO WAY JOSE!
Sure, places like Big W have a larger ladies range, but the only place I'm larger is around the waist and all their gear looks like MC Hammer Pants on me. Plus, their gear for plus sizes doesn't wick moisture. Ugh! I also refuse to pay like $100 for a single pair of capris. Get real! It's not worth it when your shape is changing, your bodyfat is plummeting and you're an apple shape.
I think I just need to design something and make it affordable somehow. Or, I'll have to go back to NZ and buy stuff from the Warehouse. Shizz, that's not appealing. Hopefully I can find some good gear on sale at 2XU which actually fits, I have heaps of stuff for later when I'd down a waist size, but right now it's training gear limbo land.
I also now have a Bike Pod. It's the shizz. Here's a photo:
Basically, it's made of 600 denier EVA - so similar to a samsonite fabric suitcase. It's got inline skate wheels, two moulded handles and then strap handles as well. Its got places to stash the wheels (mental note, get some extra skewers) and tonnes of space for everything else that can double as padding. I bought it because I am heading to Sydney for the Dextro in April, but I may have a surprise for y'all in store about where else I will be taking it next year.
It's awesome. It also only weighs 7kg so with my bike on board, it's up to 16kg. Sweet, dude. Note to triathletes - if you fly Virgin Blue within Aussie and have bought the checked baggage allowance of 20 or 23kg for an extra $10 with your flight, they are nice enough to give you an extra 5kg of checked baggage allowance for your sporting equipment - free. The only conditions I was told about are that you need your bike suitably packaged (check) and to check in at the counter at least an hour before your flight. I called and asked if they needed to add the info to my booking but was told no.
I will triple check this and advise closer to Dextro, but I suggest if you want to do this, call them and check it out for yourself. I take no responsibility for a budget (but in my experience very good) airline and their policies.
So, with most of my major purchases out of the way I can concentrate on buying food, new runners every 6 months and saving for a tri-specific bike. My Avanti Sprit is quick, but I don't think it will be comfy enough for an Ironman and I need to add aeros to it (when I'm more aerodynamic myself, of course). I've been told it's well nigh impossible to clip aeros onto a roadie and be comfy enough to bash out an Ironman, so I guess my gorgeous Sprint won't be coming with me when I do Ironman in 2012. Stink one bro.
Gotta bail, need my sleep or I'll be a cranky pants!
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