Kia ora from NZ

I have been quietly sneaking a look at all the great articles and tips on this site over the past couple of months - have now taken the plunge and signed on myself! All of your contributions have been really inspiring - thank you all.

I used to swim in my younger days and have got back into this in the last couple of years - training in the pool mostly and doing the odd sea swim here and there. Have currently dropped back to 3 x 2000/2500m sessions a week and am working very specifically on my technique [and efficiency] for a couple of months. Have some 4-6km swims targeted again this southern hemisphere summer so still want to keep on training for those but have kind of decided that maybe I could give a triathlon a go as well!

I've never run in my life so thought this might present a challenge! I used to play netball and have still been having the odd game of squash in recent years but I've never run for running's sake. Never fear - enter beginnertriathlete.com - have now been doing the run/walk programme for about a month [aim is to get me doing 5km run eventually].

A small issue emerged this week - have now got a very minor case of shin splints - I believe this is quite common in the previously inactive!! Have decided to ease off on the running meanwhile and today got on a bike for the first time in about 20 years.

Wheeled out my husband's mountain bike this morning and rode down the street [on a slight incline]. Thought this was going to be easy until I actually had to start pedalling at the uphill bit. Last time I got on a bike it only had one gear so his bike presented some challenges to say the least! A quick phone call to him had me heading off down the road again and I think getting the hang of it. I have to ride with both hands on the bars at the moment so indicating to oncoming vehicles is currently a problem but luckily I can bike when there is not much traffic around. I managed to do about 5.5km in 25 mins which is pretty slow but as they say small beginnings......