THE MHT - Conclusion

Dubai Hotel Tri – Part #2

The One with the bike and swim

Jonathan insisted that since we had gone to the mall to see the snow, remember we are on the Desert in Dubai and I had been to the mall to watch people ski , not water ski – snow ski. Jonathan really wanted to see the Gold Souk, Souk being the Middle East word for shitty market area, but Souk sounds better than Market.

Ok OK Jonathan but after I have finished my Hotel Tri, my new aim and goal whilst being on the road at a decent hotel now is that I am going to do my own little Mini Triathlon, Swim in a short pool not designed for lap swimming, bike on a bad hotel gym bike bought by someone who had no idea what they were buying and run. Now I hope to get the run outside as I hate Dreadmills, but sometimes in the places I go I cannot run outside.

Now I do not have to do them in order, just in one day – swim at least 500 m (or rough estimate) bike 15 km and run at least 5km and that is the Mal Hotel Tri (MHT)

So before we headed out to the Souk, it was down to the Gym – Have you ever noticed that hardly anyone sweats on bikes at the gym its like a fashion accessory people sit there blank faced aimlessly turning the pedals with no effort or cadence and no sweat, hell after my 15 km there was a healthy pool of Mal salty water under the bike, heart rate pumped up and clothes wet. The dude next to me was like a statue on one of those sitting stationary bikes not even a bead of sweat but given the pace he was pedaling at I think he had done 3 km

Out and into the transition area (Ha ha give me a break Mal, changing into your Speedos in the mens changing room is not a Transition), BUT in a MHT: Change Rooms are Transitions. The Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai is not used to elite athletes like me competing on their premises.

Pool swim went well as can be expected with a bitch of a headwind kicking up chop on the pool; moved well, just have to try to push myself into more freestyle. Just that I know over a longer distance I will outpace any average Joe doing free style

OK another MHT finisher T-shirt in the cupboard.

Went to the Gold Souk, bought nothing walked around lots of gold, walked more got bored after ten minutes, taxi and back to the hotel for a beer

Hey have to celebrate another MHT