Thinking about doing your first triathlon?

I am not sure if there is something in the air as my peer group is approaching 30, but a few friends have started considering a triathlon and are a bit daunted by it all, as I was 3 years ago (and still am!). So friends and fellow aspiring athletes- this is for you, I hope you find it useful. 

My triathlon journey has been over the past 3 years and I have gone from coming 13th from last in a local sprint triathlon, to completing an Ironman and qualifying for GB in Middle distance. I have learnt a lot along the way that I wish I had known before racing. Here are a few basics. 

Which triathlon?

Familarise yourself with the distances. Courses vary slightly but a rough guide is below. I had an OK basic level of fitness so went for a sprint rather than a novice as my first triathlon. If you can swim a little bit (even if breaststroke), and can jog a park run, you can do a sprint. I wouldn't recommend going straight in at one of the longer races, just because of the complexity of transition etc. It is good to do a shorter one, take your time and just get through it. However there is no reason why this couldn't be followed by a longer race in the same year!

Triathlon	Swim (metres)	Bike (km)	Run (km)
Novice	400	10	2.5
Sprint	750	20	5
Standard/Olympic	1500	40	10
Middle/Half Ironman	1900	90	13.1 (half marathon)
Full/ Long/ Ironman	3900	180	42 (a marathon)

Secondly, think about whether you want the stress of an open water swim as your first tri. I felt like I had enough to think about, and most sprint triathlons tend to be pool based, so I opted for one of those. The Border Series Triathlons are a great place to start for people living in Scotland or North England. They are friendly and social with a wide range of abilities. You have 5 or 6 races to choose from. I still go back and do these as training races now.

If you want to jump straight in at the deep end with an Open Water (OW) swim, you will need to look around as the shorter distances don't have many. Loch Ore Sprint is one of the few I have done. 

How do I go about training?

Do some reading. Either online or get some inspiring triathlon books. I am a big fan of Chrissie Wellington's books, both 'A Life Without Limits' (about her journey into triathlon), and 'To the finish line' (contains advice on training plans and nutrition). I also like Don Fink's Ironman books. His are more practical with training plans. I have tonnes of books so any friends living close by- just borrow mine :) 

Join a club. This is useful for sharing ideas, motivation during winter months, and advice on new purchases (be warned- triathlon is an expensive sport!). Winter is a good time to join, as sessions are mainly pool based and on spin bikes, so your ability doesn't matter. 

Start swimming, cycling and running. If the above 2 don't suit you, ultimately, you just need to make time to swim, cycle and run once a week to get round a sprint triathlon. You can go from there and add in sessions if you feel you are able to and want to. 

Swimming can get repetitive if you just count the lengths, so if you aren't with a club it is worth downloading some sessions online to help you develop. Equally, if you are a member of a gym, the laminated instruction cards most of them have are great. 

Cycling can be a 1 hour loop, or a commute to work, or a cycle to a friends house. You should be able to cycle for abut an hour for a sprint, and then, again, build it up as you decide which distances you want to go for. Including some hills can also help build strength. 

Unflattering winter commute to work look

Running in all weathers

Park run is a great way to get comfortable with a 5k. If you haven't tried one, what are you waiting for they are AMAZING! Search for your local one and get yourself down there. Make sure you print off a barcode ;)

Brick sessions are the last thing I didn't do for my first triathlon, and still am not very good at incorporating them. This is usually a cycle, followed by a short run so that your muscle groups get used to the change between discipline. Give one a go!

All the gear no idea

If you aren't going for first place on your first tri, don't worry about getting all of the gear. I used my big heavy commuter bike for my first tri, indoor swim meant I didn't need a wetsuit, and invested in a really basic cheap tri suit from Wiggle , which is an amazing website with reasonably priced gear. The tri suit meant I didn't have to worry about changing clothes so was a worthy investment. The other option would be to swim in a swimming costume then put  shorts on top. It is an option but might chaff on the bike and run (if you are doing that- don’t fear- just buy chamois cream from a cycle shop and lube up lots before you start!)

I would learn how to change an inner tube if you can't already. You would be disappointed if you got a puncture during your first race and couldn't finish it. Lots of bike shops do free maintenance classes so look into one of those.

The night before

Timings. Set your alarm nice and early and plan how you will get there and load your car (practice removing the front wheel if you need to do that!)

Lie out all of your stuff and run through a checklist. 

• Trisuit/ swimming costume
• Swim cap (most races give you one but some don't)
• Nose peg if you use one
• Handtowel
• Clip on shoes if you use them
• Socks
• Talc Powder
• Number Belt (super cheap from shops like Decathlon)
• Cycle jacket (even if you think it will be warm, I wasn't prepared for my first one and had to borrow from a nice lady next to me!)
• Cycle gloves (if early season race)
• Helmet
• Sunglasses
• Running trainers
• Suncream 
• Lube for chaffing (I use bodyglide for around wetsuit line, and Chamois cream for cycle chaff areas!)
• Flip flops or old trainers (to wear at start)
• Warm stuff for after
• Breakfast bar for 1h pre-race 
• Energy gels for race (or whatever you decide to use). I use High 5

Check the forecast. It is worth looking at what weather will be like. Some races let you put your stuff in a bag or box if it’s forecast to rain, but others don’t. I usually take a plastic bag just in case. 

Long hair plan.  Usually I tie hair up for swimming, which is a real pain putting a helmet on as it creates a bump and later a headache, so I always French plait my hair the night before then it stays in place for the whole race (if you do this make sure you adjust your helmet to fit hair without a bobble in advance)

Sleep well :) 

Race day!

Once you are there, register, put your stickers on your bike and helmet, then head over to transition. 

Transition set up 
I have: a small hand towel and fold it in half next to the front wheel of my bike. On it: 
1. clip on shoes, with socks already inside each shoe (if you don’t use clip ons don’t worry, i didn’t for my first race I just wore trainers), put some talc inside both trainers and inside both socks- helps getting them on. 
2. Put your bib number on the number belt if the race uses them (some just write your number in permanent pen on you). You clip it on after your swim with the bib on your back for the bike, and turn it around to be on your front for the run (I didn’t for my first Tri and they shouted at me!). Undo belt and lie it down on top of your trainers in transition.
3. Cycle jacket and gloves if you wear them (even if it’s a nice forecast I put one down and then just leave it there if I don’t need to wear it!)
4. Trainers- don’t change your socks so you just need a little talc in these. 
5. Most importantly- helmet- balance it on your bike bars if you can, if you can’t, on top of your bike shoes facing upwards with the straps Un- clipped and sunglasses open inside. That’s it for bike set up! 
6. The flip flops or old trainers are to wear for the briefing and wandering around now until the race starts. I tend to have a snack and go to the loo in this time.

Racing

Race: 
Swim, take it nice and easy, don’t panic if goggles leak just breast stroke or stop at the end of a lane and adjust :) if people tap your toes, let them past and just go slow and enjoy it! 

T1- jog out the area slowly. Helmet on FIRST! Then other things. Take your time to get dry and think about what you need. 

Cycle- don’t worry if you have a rubbish bike- I did too at first. You can feel smug when you overtake some of the posh bikes. I only invested in a road bike after 1 full season of triathlons when I decided I was addicted :). Check your tyres are pumped up in advance and carry stuff for a puncture. Again- take it easy and smile at all the marshals. Maybe take a snack for when on the bike?! Breakfast bar or gel? Depends how long you usually go without food! You can put these in a little zippy bag on your bike. 

T2: almost there! If you’re in a Tri suit then this is easy as you just dump the bike and get going. Take off cycle jacket if wearing one. 

Run: start SLOW!!! Most people start this too quickly and it’s super tough going from bike to run on your legs, so force yourself to really slow down for the first mile, then if you’re feeling good you can pick it up after that. 

Finish line: look up at the finish line, plaster the biggest grin on your face and throw your arms in the air! A triathlon of any distance is a logistical challenge, and the first one can be quite daunting- I know I was petrified!!! 

Think of the feeling at the finish line- this was my second triathlon, still with the CX bike!

Persuading pals to come and race with you too is a good motivator and lots of fun!

As is having a solid support crew (especially for the longer distances)

3 years later...

One of the highlights of my life so far.

..The time I did an IRONMAN!!

An Ironman?

Throwback to 2016 when I was walking the West Highland Way with three friends. I met a woman walking it on her own wearing a buff with ‘Ironman’ on it. I asked her what an 'Ironman' was, and felt inspired by her story. Although I have very little recollection of this conversation, my friend Nadine tells me my ears pricked up, and she knew that this was the start of a new adventure for me.

Skip to January 2017 and I decided I wanted to do an Ironman. I’m not one to go halfheartedly into an activity! My boyfriend, Phil, thought it was a huge undertaking and suggested I maybe try a middle distance first, and see how I get on (very sensible!). Fast forward to June 2017, I had 2 seasons of triathlons under my belt: 4 sprints (Borders series) 1 standard (Gullane) and built up to 1 middle distance (Grafman- time 5h30 with a shortened swim). I followed Don Finks full Ironman plan for this and read both of Chrissie Wellingtons books back to back, taking it all in. By then I felt confident I could cope with the high levels of training and decided 2018 would be my year for the full.

First Middle Distance May 2017 

Which one?

I knew a sea swim wasn't for me after the huge waves I experienced at Gullane so I narrowed my search down to lake swims. I then thought about timing; as a teacher I have six weeks summer holidays. I wanted a race that was near the beginning of the holidays so I had time to relax and recover after it. Ironman Frankfurt, 8th July 2018 seemed to tick all of those boxes.

Steps to Success.

Step 1: Telling my family and friends and getting their support was important to me, so that’s the first thing I did. Because I had already tested the water with a middle distance I had full support from them all, and had to regularly repeat the distances, even if only to receive looks of absolute shock. 3.8km swim, 180km cycle, 42km run- say whaaaat?!! In one day? You’re CRAZY.

Step 2: Getting coached by Karl was something I knew I wanted to do. We had a trial run when he took me though Dublin Marathon training to get a PB (3h38), and I knew that self doubt and my eagerness to say yes to every activity could lead me to over training and panicking. So I committed to following his plan, starting January 1st 2018.

The Training.

I promised myself I would always try to enjoy the training journey, just incase anything didn’t work out on race day- it is too much time and money to invest to have any regrets.

So I set off on my training with nothing but enthusiasm and I have to say I loved almost all of it. I loved the structured swim sessions Karl gave me, it meant I always had a focus and could feel definite improvements.

Example swim session on Training Peaks 

I also loved joining my local cycle group, Fietsclub, meeting some incredibly strong cyclists seeing my improvements as I struggled to keep up with them in January. By the time we did the 100 mile sportive in June, I was able to hold a steady pace for a long time, chasing those yellow cycle jerseys ahead of me.

I actually found finding pals to keep me company on the longer cycles my biggest challenge. It’s hard not to get bored/ lonely after 4 hours! Met some lovely folk from Ronde and Edinburgh Triathletes- so thank you to them, as well as my own club Pentland Triathletes, for keeping me motivated. Especially Frank who gave up plenty of his own time to help me learn the basics: using a turbo (useful with all the snow this year!), changing a tyre, buying new tyres, and making sure I had everything I could possibly need if I had a mechanical on race day. Thank you Frank!

Cycling no matter the weather- beautiful but FREEZING! 

The Build up to Race Day.

Meeting up with Karl before the race with my giant list of questions really helped settle my nerves. And he was great at quashing self doubt too, which is wasted energy so thank you for that too. I felt well prepared when it came to race day.
The build up was INSANE. We arrived in Frankfurt on Wednesday evening and I loved buying the branded gear at the expo and wore it with pride on the race build up, feeling part of a secret group 😊

Looking at all of the fancy bikes 

Getting all the gear at the expo 

Having my family out there to support also helped keep me calm and distracted pre-race. We managed a trip to the theatre and a boat ride along the river in the build up! Thank you Mum, Dad, Matthew, Debi and Phil- you were all amazing and made the whole experience so memorable.

Found it! 

Lots of logistics getting the transition bags ready 

Race Day.

Race day started with a 3am alarm. Hair was braided and tattoos on the night before. I actually managed to sleep ok until about 2.30, I have all the yoga and meditation to thank for that. After a breakfast of porridge and coffee (my lovely self catered apartment Adina was ideal for this), we got the first shuttle bus at 4am to Lake Waldersee.

I found the swim absolutely magical. The sun rising, the intense build up of what was about to happen. A huge sea of blue hats, interspersed with a few pink ones (only 10% of Triathletes were women). When I looked around and tried to take in the enormity of it all I got choked up, so I tried to just look out at those gorgeous turquoise waters, and breathe deeply. My game plan was to go into a pen a little faster than I predicted, so I stood in 1-1h10 pen. I took off to the far right straight away to avoid the crowds and decided I would rather not be hit on the head by other swimmers, and would rather swim further if needs be to stay in the calmer waters at the edges. This worked perfectly and I felt like I was swimming alone the whole time. When looking at my route on strava later, I actually didn’t swim further and managed a steady 1h10 which I’m delighted with and felt very comfortable.

Quickly out of the water and into T1, I put on my helmet and shoes and grabbed my bike. Off I went!

One poor soul had a puncture within the first 100 metres out of transition, and the race Marshals were hot on people’s toes for drafting. I decided pretty early on that I did not want a puncture, or a yellow or red card. So I took care to slow down on bumpy roads and let people over take when they wanted to. I smiled at each race marshal as well as each spectator, and said thank you to as many as I could. Smiling kept me in the zone, and reminded me- I GET to do this!

One of two bike loops done (~100km), and I was in a rhythm. Eat, drink, cycle. Overtaken by all the speedy bikes on the flat (I was what felt like the ONLY person on a road bike), but i really enjoyed overtaking all of those speedy blokes on the uphill! (This got lots of cheers and woops from the crowds).

From kilometre 130 onwards, things started to get a little tougher. I was starting to tire, and I got really numb toes which were getting more and more painful. The flat sections had a headwind, so I felt like there was no break. However I got another lease of energy at around 160km, as I knew it wasn’t long left and the thought of seeing my family spurred me on.

Into T2. I spotted my whole grinning family straight away- I felt like a celeb with all of the paparazzi capturing the really exciting moment when I changed my shoes and massaged my toes 😂. Starting the run was an actual dream after being on the bike for so long, I love to run and was happy to feel the blood in my toes again.

Karl recommended I try to run slower than 5.30min/km, so I kept check on my pace and stuck to that. I walked through every aid station and took on water, soaked my cap, and put an ice sponge down my top. All things that felt unnecessary at the beginning, but really paid off as the time went on. Really unfortunately, my belly was not 100% so I needed to stop and use the portaloo (gross!) 3 times on the run, but I took it in my stride, took it as a little rest break, and tried to stick to my pace when back in the game. 

Run route along the river

Just past Kilometre 32 was a mental challenge for me, as I was relieved I only had 10km to go, but my quads were really starting to tighten, and the 10km wasn’t coming round quick enough. I slowed at this point, and the splits for the second half were slower than the first. That last lap was the first time in the race when I struggled to smile each time I passed my family, but I just knew as long as I kept jogging, then walking through the aid stations, the finish line would soon be in sight.

This was a great race for pacing; 4 loops and a flat course meant mentally I could break it down and I can safely say that I didn’t hit a ‘wall’ or ever consider stopping to walk aside from the water stations. The volunteers were all amazing, offering all sorts to eat and drink and were constantly shouting my name (it was on my bib).

That last 5km felt tough, but the final 200m was AMAZING. I felt a final surge of adrenaline, turned the final corner, gave a high 5 to the team leader on the finish line, saw my family grinning and screaming like crazy people: first my mum and brother, Dad and Debi, then finally, just as I hit the red carpet, Phil. About 20 meters to go. I took my cap off, had the widest grin you can imagine, and I sprinted. Pain surging through
My quads reminding me that I have an incredible powerful body that enabled me to do this event.

“Jennifer- YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!”

Looking back that final stretch is a complete blur. Did I actually do that?! The photos capture my emotion in the last few seconds. Once over, I was so keen to hold my (giant!) medal and hug my support crew.

My absolute world- What a team! 

Afterwards.

I’m writing this on a sun lounger in Spain. After the race I took a cheap flight straight to Mallorca- a week of sunbathing, eating and drinking cocktails has given me the space to recover well and reflect on this journey I have been on since January. I’m the strongest and fittest I have ever been and I feel so proud of myself and everything I have managed to achieve. A regular sufferer of S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder), this was my first winter with no winter blues and high motivation to go out and train no matter the weather. I can’t believe I did it, and with such a grin on my face, but as they say...

...anything is possible.

The future?
Who knows. I think that this is only the beginning. I would like to do a few more middle distance triathlons and try to increase my speed, maybe invest in a more aero Tri bike, and see what I can achieve. Another Ironman? Probably. Not next year though. I need some time to just celebrate what my body has achieved and work on race skill, confidence and speed. I think I could go sub 12h with a bit of practice and a few more brick sessions so will see 😜
Thank you body. Thank you mind. Thank you family. Thank you friends.

x

How I managed a sub 4 hour marathon

Which marathons have I done and in what time?
Paris Marathon 2015 - 4h46
Loch Ness Marathon 2016 - 4h09
Dublin Marathon 2017 - 3h38

What is my relationship with marathon running?
When I signed up for my first marathon in October 2014 I had no intention of ever doing another. Exercise-wise I tended to jog (slowly!) 3 times a week, and go to the gym or a spin class a couple of times a week. I claimed 'I don't sweat!', when I compared myself with others, and didn't think anything of it.

The aims of my first marathon were:
a) Complete it.
b) Enjoy it.

I signed up for it with 2 of my closest friends, and we decided that it was a good goal, plus an excuse for a holiday. I joined a local running club, downloaded a beginners marathon training plan, and off I went. Immediately, I noticed the difference being part of a running club. My first run was 9 miles long, and I would have NEVER done that on my own, especially on a cold, windy, rainy October evening. So to summarise, I followed a standard plan, jogged at no matter what pace, and focused on trying to build up miles slowly. On the day of the marathon itself, I ran it with my two friends, and it was definitely an aerobic pace! We chatted most of the way round, danced at the music stations, took a selfie at mile 17 (where we passed the Eiffel Tower) and finished the race, content and smiling. At the time I felt like that was 100% effort as I had never attempted something like that before.

Paris Marathon - April 2015

Following this first marathon, I decided to enter the world of triathlon. I kept getting a tight ITB which resulted in knee pain, and I felt like such intense runnning distances wasn't healthy for my body. So fast-forward one year of very basic triathlon training (and joining a triathlon club), a couple of sprint triathlons and 1 standard, I attempted marathon 2: Loch Ness. This was a very different experience as it was much more rural, less atmosphere, and more hills. I was way fitter than last year, but struggled more mentally. I put too much pressure on myself to go sub 4 hours, and was constantly glancing at my watch to check I was running under 9min/miles. At around mile 19 I suddenly felt completely overwhelmed and fatigued, and started to have what I would now describe as a panic attack. I had a lot of self doubt and started comparing myself to other runners that were going faster and didn't look to be struggling. This was a terrible thought process, and I ended up walking/ very slow jogging the last 5 miles, which brought my final time to 4h09, when I knew physically I should have been able to run sub 4h. I also didn't feel good about myself, which isn't why I do sport so I knew something had to change.

Looking on the bright side after a less successful race- running with my pal, plus another great T-shirt!

What enabled me to run sub 4 hours? 

1. I got a coach. 

This self-doubt and negative mentality was NOT conducive to racing well. Should I go to a spin class today? But my friends are running and I like to be sociable so maybe I should do that? Should I take a day off because work was manic and I'm exhausted? I am terrible at making decisions, and don't know when to say no. I wanted reassurance that I was doing the right thing, and guidance on my training plan. I am also a serial socialite, and if there were races posted on my clubs Facebook group, I was signing up for most of them, which was giving me a very busy lifestyle, and a very shameful looking bank balance! I wanted someone as a sounding board, to talk through my plans.

This was actually the fundamental change to my training, because all other subsequent changes listed below, were due to discussions and guidance from my coach, Karl Zeiner.

Now, coaches are expensive, so I decided to give up my monthly gym membership, and rein in the sociable coffees to allow me to commit to a coach. I was reticent at first; firstly because I do like to do sociable training so I was worried I would end up doing all of my training alone, and secondly because the coaching was over an app! That blew my mind, as I still pictured a traditional coach meeting up with me and screaming at me as I ran full pelt. I didn't know how it would work.

After an initial meeting over coffee, where I voiced my main concerns over another marathon (mental barriers on race day plus self doubt), and Karl started forming a plan...

2. I increased intensity, not volume of training. 

I am a teacher, and have a social life. I have massively improved fitness since I first started out in 2014 but let me be clear- I like to eat cake, and drink wine, and go out for dinner with friends as well as fit in training. I found that my plan actually gave me MORE free time, through better planned sessions and varied intensity. Karl tended to have me doing a couple of tempo sessions on flatter ground a week, which I was able to do from my house as an out and back. Knowing that he was going to check my sessions made me up the intensity to match what he recommended, and guess what- I DO sweat as much as the next person! I suppose I just wasn't used to pushing myself that hard, although I thought I did at the time.Park Run was another session that helped me increase my pace- highly recommend finding one near you if you haven't already!

As I still wanted to maintain triathlon training, I continued to swim 2-3 times a week (with my club so was still social), and cycle once a week (1-1.5h). I love a hilly run with my pals in the Pentland Hills too (chatty pace), so he also made time for that in my training plan, it was usually used as my longer run, when building up to 2-2.5 hour runs.  This brings me to another new technique; running to time rather than distance. The first 2 marathons I would set off thinking 'I have to do 18 miles today because it is on my plan' which could be overwhelming, where as this time it was a 1 hour tempo session at a specific heart rate, or a 3 hour aerobic session at a lower heart rate. This immediately changed my mindset when approaching the run sessions.

3. I ran for 30 minutes, then walked for 1 minute.

The panic attack I experienced during Loch Ness was not an isolated experience. I have had them during half marathon races too, and longer training runs. As I thought it was due to being daunted by the distance, Karl suggested that I broke these longer runs into smaller sections, and walked for a minute every 30 minutes. I don't like glancing down at my watch as it makes time go slower, so I programmed my watch to beep every 3 minutes, then after 1 minute x 6 for example. During the 1 minute I made sure I had an energy gel (High 5 orange is my fave), and some water. This made a MASSIVE difference, and I found time flying by. I wasn't glancing at my watch looking at pace, I was occasionally checking my heart rate, then just waiting for the beep as I enjoyed my run.

4. I practised, and stuck to, a nutrition plan. 

On my first long run (18 miles) I noticed I slowed right down at the end, and also had another panic attack. I also took all day and evening to recover from this run. I reflected that I stopped having gels after 2 hours as I was getting sick of the sugar, and also thought 'It's not that far until I get home'. I reckon that was linked to the additional fatigue and panic I felt. After this, I made sure I stuck to having a gel, even if I didn't fancy one. To try and vary my intake, I also bought some Bloks which were quite good to stop me getting bored of the gels. This still took some effort, as I don't like how much sugar I am taking in, but I suppose it is only for long runs and race day, so considering my average day is pretty healthy, I am trying to change my mindset on this as it really did make a difference!

5. I ran different intensities by looking at heart rate, rather than pacing. 

Karl set my heart rate zones, and I tried to stick to them. this encouraged me to vary the intensity of my training, and like I mentioned previously, not become so fixated on maintaining a specific pace.

6. I took rest days, and tapered!

Without a coach I get TOO excited. Signing up for races left right and centre (then sometimes realising that a 10k is about 4 hours drive away and not going anyway). I also don't pay as much attention to rest days. This year I made sure I made time (and money) for hot yoga, foam rolling, and sports massage. I am delighted to say that this is the first year I felt no injuries, and was my fastest marathon! So I really believe that it helped to recognise the benefits of rest and recovery.

The plan on race day. 

Do what I PRACTICED. Run for 30, walk for 1. Take gels and bloks, only the ones I tried in training. Only look at heart rate, don't worry about timing or pace to keep me calm. Enjoy it, stay in the moment, and do my best. It worked! I stayed hydrated, had energy, and it flew by. I loved it. I even managed a sprint finish for the last 800m. Absolutely delighted. Will I enter another? Probably. Will I aim for sub 3.30? Hmmm maybe. I will continue to train with my wonderful coach Karl, work towards my first Ironman in 2018, and see what happens... watch this space! 

Dublin 2017- Running separately now, but crossed the finish within 2 minutes of each other!

Finally, thank you. 

Thank you to Karl, for your patience and belief in what I could achieve. To Nadine for running so many of these races with me, acting as a friend, running partner and life coach all in one! And Phil, my partner in crime, without your support throughout the year as well as on race day itself this journey would be a lot less fun. 

An idiots guide to cycling Scotland's North Coast 500

Why write a blog? 
 Lots of people think that crazy adventures like this are for 'proper cyclists'. Well let us assure you that we are not that! A few people contacted us during and after our trip with some common questions, so we thought we would write a blog if that encourages others to take the leap and plan a cycle adventure following route NC500. 
Common Questions:
Did you do much training?
Could I get lost?
Do I need a tour group or can I do it alone?
How hard was it?
Is there phone reception?
What did you take? How much did you carry?
Can you get cash out whilst there?
How cold was it?
Did you cycle the Bealach Na Ba?

We will attempt to answer these questions throughout this blog post, and if you still have any unanswered questions- please get in touch!
Pre-cycle preparation:     
I started triathlons last year so would say I have a medium-high level of general fitness, but I am stronger in the swim and run than the cycle. The furthest I had cycled in one go was 65 miles before coming on this adventure, and this was without many hills or carrying pannier bags. I felt relatively prepared and had maintained winter fitness with 1 spin class a week at the gym as well as a longer cycle at the weekend.

My cycle buddy Claire wasn't quite as prepared! Full of good intentions, she planned weekend cycles but accidentally woke up hungover and missed a few of them.. so with all the will in the world, working a job with long hours and little motivation to train during winter she embarked on this journey having just done 1 spin class a week, and occasional weekend cycles, but these were usually flat and at a leisurely pace.

We started planning our adventure in January. Bought a road map and a highlighter pen, we looked at the route, tried to find blogs online (only found 1!) and booked accomodation. Our thought process behind going over Easter was that Easter break is usually quite good weather, plus it was less likely to be busy. There is limited accomodation up North so during tourist season it is imporotant to book in advance! 

Route and distance planning

Packing List:
I had a cyclocross bike, and Claire had a road bike. Both had on a pannier rack and pannier bags (see photo below).
We each took:
- 4 x spare inner tubes (no cycle shops en route!)
- homemade flapjack, breakfast bars, energy gels, dried fruit
- 2x cycle shorts/ 3/4 trousers
-2x cycle tops
-1x cycle jacket
-1x cycle waterproof jacket
-1x leggings and top for evening
-1x trainers    
-2x porridge pots (for accomodation that didn't include breakfast)
-2x Buffs (1 for neck and 1 for head on Bealach Na Ba day this was useful for hailstones at the top!)
-1x fingerless gloves, and 1x winter cycling gloves   
 
Journey up to Inverness: 
 So we decided to start at Dingwall instead of Inverness since there is no official start point, and that road from Inverness is not known to be the most scenic! A friend put us in touch with a contact that advertises on Air B&B, so we stayed here.

Lovely friendly host and gorgeously remote farmhouse made for a good first night with a great view of the stars. Note- there aren't many places to eat near here, so we stopped off at Pizza Express in Inverness first before coming here. We also took our own porridge pots so all we needed was some hot water and a coffee and we were ready for a quick getaway in the morning.

Accomodation in Dingwall- 7am and we're off!

Day 1: From Inverness (or in our case Dingwall) to Lochcarron

Distance: 48.1 miles/ 77.4km

Time taken: 4h29 (plus photo and snack stops)
Speed: avr. 10.7mph/17.22kph

Elevation Gain: 1,210ft

Route description: Lovely easy introductory day, not too hilly and v. scenic :)

We started from Lochussie at 7am, pushing our bikes down the gravel track to the main road (A835)- didn't risk cycling as we didn't fancy a puncture in the first 5 minutes! Once on the main road we quickly got into a cycling rhythm, the road was deserted at that hour and the scenery was beautiful: forests, valleys and low lying cloud. Loch Luichart was on our left between A835 - A832- it was stunning!

Day 1- Loch Luichart

 25 miles/ 40km in we reached Achnasheen. The blog we found online recommended stopping here for lunch- it is tiny!!! There was one coffee shop, which apparently had been closed for years! We were so disappointed! Instead we took shelter in the bus stop and ate some homemade flapjack that I brought (best thing ever- see link below if you do this cycle, we relied heavily on these during the day!)

Power flapjacks- Click here for recipe

Taking shelter in the bus stop (toilets there too!)

 As a side note- we did spot a hotel on the way out of Achnasheen so I reckon you could get a cuppa there, but it was too late for us we were ready to get back on the road!

The second half of the journey was a bit tougher, more open road meant stronger headwind, so we slowed down a bit here. The final 5-8 miles coming into Lochcarron were calmer winds and mainly flat/ downhill- a lovely way to end the day! We stayed in Loch Dubb B and B, which was GORGEOUS, lovely friendly hosts and amazing views of Lochcarron from the house. Plus a helpful husband that helped us sort the bike seat out. Dinner at Lochcarron Hotel- just what we needed.

 

Day 1- second half, open blustery roads

Day 2: From Lochcarron to Kinlochewe

Distance: 61.6 miles/ 99.2km

Time taken: 5hours 38 minutes(plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 5093ft

Route description: Very hilly and challenging day!

So we set off at 7am, nervous for the hills ahead of us. We only heard of the Bealach Na Ba a week before setting off on this adventure- "The greatest ascent of any road climb in the UK" . It was about an 8 mile cycle to the start of the Bealach, where we got our tourist photo and had a shot of energy gel as a last hope to power us up the hill. Laden with our pannier bags and on a cyclocross bike, we were already making excuses ;) This road is famous for its hairpin bends, and rightly so! Tackling a hill must be done so at one's own pace, so we both agreed to cycle solo and meet again in Applecross at the Walled Garden Cafe. 

 

View from Loch Dubb B&B at 7am when we set off

At the foot of the Bealach Na Ba

First half to Applecross (including Bealach Na Ba) 19.7 miles,including around 6/7 miles of solid uphill climbing. I managed to cycle it all, but Claire walked and pushed her bike up a lot of it. It was good to go at our own pace as we knew we would meet in a lovely cafe after! DO IT!! Would be my advice, I love a challenge and the views were great. Plus the feeling flying down the other side was like no other. Claire, however, would disagree, she hated the huge climb, as do others... so ultimately you decide! If you do decide to do it, make sure you include hill climbs when you're preparing for this adventure. Although be warned, even though the day started off with blue skies and sunshine, the route is so high it was hailstones, wind and rain at the top.

Almost at the top of the Bealach- sun trying to get out!

We Made it! Walled Garden Cafe in Applecross- sausage sarnies and drying off by the fire was BLISS!

Blue skies in Applecross

 The afternoon cycle was BEAUTIFUL. Undulating path right along the coast. Stopped in Shieldig for a toastie then continued for last 20 miles to Kinlochewe. Flat roads at the end made for a lovely finish- see pic below.

Cycle into Kinlochewe.

 Applecross to Kinlochewe was 41.9 miles. Had a celebratory red wine on arrival with a nice family that we met in the Applecross cafe at lunch today. You will find that you see the same faces throughout this route as lots of people were driving it! Since this family were travelling the same route they offered to carry Claire's pannier bags for the afternoon which was super handy. Cycling on your own? No worries there you will never meet friendlier people- both the locals and tourists were incredibly friendly and helpful offering to carry bags or offer support!

Day 3: From Kinlochewe to Ullapool

Distance: 73.3 miles/ 118km

Time taken: 6 hours 6 minutes (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 4427ft

Route description: Hilly and challenging (poor weather didn't help!)

Set off at 7am and made it to Gairloch by 9am (18 miles), intended on stopping for a coffee here but coffee shop didn't open until 10, so kept cycling to Poolewe (another 7 miles). We stopped at the first cafe we saw (on the left as you come into Poolewe but can't remember the name!). We were SOAKING wet at this point as it had been raining since we woke up. A lovely spanish couple owned the cafe and were very welcoming when we stripped off our dripping coats and dried them by the fire.

Claire drying her bum by the fire!

 After drying out by the fire we set off again. We quickly split up as it was wet and windy so it was important to go our own pace. 45 Miles in and I spotted a sign for Maggie's Tearooms- what a blessing! I waited 45 minutes then got a phone call from a landline- Claire had been so cold and wet that she stopped in at a local's house for a cuppa! Luckily we realised that she was only 2 miles behind me so quickly joined me at the cafe. But again, another example of how kind and friendly the locals are! There is little to no phone signal, and nothing between these stops named so there is little shelter from brutal wind and rain on these long days- be warned!

The final 27 miles was a tough slog, the longest I had ever cycled in 1 day (75 miles) with hills plus terrible weather. I love a challenge though, so managed to power through. As I was coming into Ullapool, a campervan passed me and beeped- as I glanced to the side I spotted a grinning Claire, happy as larry, hitching a lift for the last bit! haha! We laughed so much that evening. A ridiculous day for 2 novice cyclists and desperate times really relied on the friendly nature of local people and tourists road tripping. Following about an hour in the dry room in the Ullapool Youth Hostel, we ventured out for fish and chips then got an early night. Really recommend this youth hostel, it was great for cyclists and there was alockable storage room. Plus other cyclists were staying too so it was a good place to exchange stories (turns out we had been the only cyclists mad enough to cycle that day)...

Afternoon passed by some lovely beaches, but drizzle meant quick stops only

Day 4: From Ullapool to Kylesku

Distance: 33.3 miles/ 54km

Time taken: 3 hours 15 minutes (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 2526ft

Route description: Short and hilly but lovely!

Today we set off a little later because we got up, ready to go, then realised that reception didn't open until 8am and the receptionist had the key for the bike storage! So remember this if you stay here.The first 26 miles took us to the crossroads where we needed to decide whether or not to go the longer route to Lochinver. The morning was beautiful, lots of hills and countryside and quiet roads, but we decided to miss out the extra bit to Lochinver as winds were 20-40pmh and our legs were tired. Stopped at some castle ruins to enjoy the views, and from there it was only 7 miles direct to Kylesku so we decided to do that rather than take the coastal path. 

 It was VERY hilly and windy though. I found those last miles tough! The first half was a 3 mile climb and the wind and hailstones made it a tough mental challenge. The downhill on the other side was beautiful. One winding path through moorland. 

Coming into Kylesku the sun broke through clouds and it was stunning (see below)

Found the Kylesku Hotel   and those hills were worth it! This was our FAVOURITE place to stay, and was a lovely treat after the 2 long days of cycling to get here by 12.30pm with a full afternoon to enjoy the lovely hotel. Ordered a bottle of wine and chatted whilst overlooking the loch. Hotel was a lovely treat, and the seafood was incredible- highly recommend staying here!

 

Day 5: From Kylesku to Durness

Distance: 38.5 miles/ 62km

Time taken: 3 hours 19 minutes (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 2311ft

Route description:Not too bad!

The 3 mile climb out of Kylesku was tough going, then it flattened out. Weather was a mixture of cloud and drizzle so we decided to give Kinlochberview a miss- so glad we did! 



 


 
Arrived at Durness nice and early (12.30pm) after a lovely long stretch of single track lane (at one point I was zooming along at 33mph!) and the sun was shining. 

Arrived at Durness Beach!

Cocoa Mountain hot chocolate

         

                    

Durness beach was lovely, so we went for a little walk then headed over to Cocoa Mountain Cafe for a delicious hot chocolate.  

We then checked into a B & B (doesn't have a website but was next to the main hotel so we got in contact through that) then took a wander to Smoo Caves (see photos below).

Smoo Caves

Dinner in Smoo Caves Hotel- best pie of my life

Smoo Caves Hotel

 

Day 6: From Durness to Melvich

Distance: 55.2 miles/ 89km

Time taken: 4 hours 35 minutes (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 3746ft

Route description: Undulating but lovely cycle.

This morning was the most stunning of them all. As we left Durness the sun was shining, the road snaked around the coast and the view was as below: 

Leaving Durness

The first 20 miles this morning were round Loch Eribol which was a lovely cycle if not a little windy.  After this we arrived at Kyle of Tongue, which was gorgeous. The water was a lovely colour and we enjoyed cycling over here.

Coffee stop on the way out of Kyle of Tongue at Weavers cafe and craft shop, we loved it here, had a scone and a nosey round the nice touristy gifts in the shop attached.

Day 7: From Melvich to Wick via John O' Groats

Distance: 57.5 miles/ 92.5km

Time taken: 4 hours 10 minutes (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 2218 ft

Route description:Part 1: Melvich to John O'Groats= 37.3 miles, 2h31 mins. Part 2: John O'Groats to Wick= 20.2 miles, 1h37 min.

First half of today's cycle (37.39miles) was lovely. We flew down to John O' Groats with sunshine and tailwind (and a little bit of hailstones after all it is Scotland)

 
After a 2 hour lunch stop eating ALL the tray bakes and drinking all the tea we struggled with the last 20 miles to Wick with a strong headwind! Passed by Duncansby Stacks on way out of JoG which was v.scenic.

Duncansby Stacks

Day 8: From Wick to Rogart (or Dornoch was the initial plan but we de-toured to stay with a friend)

Distance: 63.9 miles/ 103 km

Time taken:  4 Hours (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 3380 ft

Coastal Route

Route description: 64 miles of gorgeous sunshine, incredible coastal and countryside scenery. 

One AWFUL surprise hill at Berriedale, 1 mile of climb at 13% gradient! Made up for it in the afternoon with a flat road and a visit to Dunrobin castle in the sun. Evening by the fire with wine and cheese :)

Dunrobin Castle

Taking the back route to Rogart

Day 9: From Rogart to Dingwall (or back to Inverness)

Distance: 44.9 miles/ 72 km

Time taken: 3 hours 24 minutes (plus photo and snack stops)

Elevation Gain: 1263 ft

Route description:Busier roads but flat so zoomed home in time for lunch

On our way home!