Is this a mad way to start?

Ok, that run was cure by kill, running up a mountain to get rid of a hangover hurts but works.

Right ok, tri on the cheap for Ollie.

Unfortunately from a money perspective, tri has managed to tap into the midlife crisis market. There are people out there with cash to throw at it, and race prices reflect this to a certain degree. Now don't get me wrong, it's a better idea to throw your cash at tri than a dozen hookers and a penis extension car (note that penis extensions now come in bike format too, and helmets)... I digress.

Ok, I would say that the only things you really need are a bike and some determination. Many of the tri peeps here do do things on a budget so it is possible. I was actually having this conversation with a guy from 220 mag on the phone the other day. He'd phoned to ask about our aquathlon series and we got into a conversation about race prices, the growth of the sport etc... I keep the race entry very affordable for the series, just £12 per race or £10 if affiliated, and a discount if you enter the whole series, which also gets you the series momento. BECAUSE, I'm quite passionate about making sport accessible to as many people as possible.

Also, as I've found out, if you don't ask you don't get. Become a wear tester and you'll get free gear. I did it for UK Gear and got all my running shoes given to me.

Also sportswear companies will give you free stuff for all sorts of reasons, you just need to get creative.

I also got clothing from our very own RW when I paced for them at the Cardiff half and London mara.

Enter competitions to win stuff too, someone has to win. Arsebook is a good idea for that as many companies are trying to establish themselves on social media, I got a £100 of sports nutrition on a FB comp. The bottom line is that these companies can afford to give stuff away, just get on their radar.

Also, I could give you a big list of the things you don't need to spend money on, but don't know that when you start.

I didn't know and made some really shit buying boobooes (How do you spell that word?)

If indeed it is a word.

Oh and knowing how much goes into event organisation and the actual costs if you break it down per participant; there are some commercial companies making a big fat profit from tri. But from a business prospective, why not?

However, we have a balance in the club run races. There is something for everyone.

Oh and you can buy a dalek replica for just over 3 grand. My daughter wants one.

Ain't going to happen.

I think it might take ostrich egg boxes!

I'm trying to enter races, they're all friggin full. Think I've found a 10k next weekend in Somerset though...

Would prefer a half mara.

And congrats to our local runner who won the Great South Run.

Could you beat the person that made the curry I ate on the weekend too. I have spent 5 minutes in the foetal position on the bathroom floor because of them this morning.

Day off and haircut now!

Also it doesn't help that I've decided to avoid trail races for now. I don't like the speed compromise or getting lost. Tarmac and marshalls are my friend.

You need a punchbag, D is going to rehang ours in the garage!

Right I have spent my last day off work today being productive. For interested local tri people, our series of aquathlons 2013 is as follows:

Dawlish 3rd Feb
Sidmouth 10th March
Exeter Middlemoor 7th April
Exeter University 26th May.

The Middlemoor event will be the Police National Championships 2013 and there will be traces for kids in all Tristar cats.

Online entry will be when I've wrestled with the software

Just email me if you want any more info (aquathlons@exetertri.co.uk), as last year there will be a series league, you must race 3 of the 4 aquathlons at least to qualify.

In other news we have been out for lunch at PizzaHut, which was very as you'd expect for Pizza Hut at half term, and the pumpkins have been bought for carving. That will be a daddy led job when I go for a run when he gets home from work.

10 miles run.

So here's a sweet little story. My mum phoned yesterday and said that she'd lost her walking boots when they came down. She thought that she'd left them alongside their car where we parked for the walk to and from the pub on Sat. (They don't drive in walking boots, I drive in anything from barefoot to wellies).

I said that I'd go see and they'd still be there, she couldn't believe this and said don't bother. I insisted... and they were, someone had just placed them under a big oak tree in the car park.

This my friends, is why I live here.

This my enemies, is why I live here.

This my frenemies, is why I live here.