A Numbers Game

Tonight I’m feeling very proud of myself – I’ve completed the first iteration of my personal Triathlon.  I ran 10km tonight (that’s roughly 6.22 miles if you’re a Salopian) in just under 66 minutes – I’ve got no idea what sort of time you’re supposed to run these things in but I can tell you that my bloody feet hurt !

So, just a little personal recap – Wednesday, 1000m swim (time unknown, as I hadn’t decided to set myself that little challenge until I got to the 32^nd length).  Friday, 40km (or 24.8 miles) in 2 hours and 40 mins – and the first 15k was off tarmac !  and then today, 10km in 66 minutes.  Apart from aching all over I’m feeling quite pleased with myself as I’ve completed the first phase of the plan.

Phase 2, if you remember correctly, was to put 2 of the three disciplines together until I had done three sets of twos (if that makes any sense) and then to try and put them all together one day.  I’ve given this (and am giving this) some thought though.  The swim and the either the bike or the run should be fine but the bike and the run are going to be tough based largely on the fact that I can hardly walk now without having cut off the blood supply to my toes for 2 and a half hours first !

So I think I’m going to introduce phase 1A (I am a consultant after all……).  Phase 1A will be to have a weeks light training this week (for reasons I will fill you in on in a minute) and then work up to doing all three on consecutive days over the first weekend in April.  I then have a full 2 weeks to train lightly and relax whilst the family are here with a view to implementing Phase 2 after they go back (to be completed by the end of April).  Then Phase 3 around mid-May depending on the damage I have done to myself in the mean time !

Well, I’m feeling pleased with myself anyway, and that’s all that counts !

Back to reality for a little bit – I’m in the office as normal tomorrow but tomorrow night I have to go back to Abu Dhabi for meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday and to get my UAE driving licence sorted.  I might devote an entire episode of this to some of the Bureaucracy that you have to go through over here to get virtually anything official – I think it’s their way of making sure that you’re serious !  Anyway, I have to get my UK driving licence translated into Arabic by a licensed and legal practitioner for the princely sum of AED 80 (apparently).  I have to get a UAE driving licence because I am now officially a resident of the UAE (which you have to be if you want to work here).  The second I no longer have a job though I cease to be a resident !  The point is though that as soon as I got my Residency Visa, my International Driving Licence (£5.50 from your local main post office – with a photo obviously !) is now no longer valid. Buuuuut, before you can apply for your driving licence you have to apply for your UAE ID card, get a letter, in Arabic, from your company stating that they have no objection to you driving, and find another AED 250 (luckily all this outlay gets refunded cause I “need” to drive out here).  You can then take all of these different document, along with your passport to the local One-Stop-Shop where, apparently, they will issue you with your very own UAE driving licence !

If I can get all that done by about 4 o’clock on Thursday then I should be able to drive back from Abu Dhabi to MZ in someone’s car, who is going on holiday.  He will then pick up someone else’s car (who is leaving in a couple of weeks) and, fingers crossed, I will have a car of my own just less than a week before my family arrive (it’s all part of a cunning plan Baldrick !).  Only time will tell – InshaAllah

Enough from me tonight, I have important business to attend to, to find out if the U11’s disgraced themselves in the Long Buckby tournament this morning and whether my 8 year old has done her music practice…….serious stuff !

And to finish with, here’s my favourite camel picture – because Aunties like Camels, and it’s lambing season !