Have you read my latest blag post?

It’s a maxim as well worn as the caffeine-stained mugs, heavily scrawled-upon diary pages, and scratched mouse pads that adorn the offices of newspapers and magazines around the world: journalists, they say, live a rich man’s life on a poor man’s wage.

That’s certainly been true for me; it’s a profession that I love – the opportunity for creativity, the amazing interviewees, even the coffee and pizza fuelled thrill of hitting a midnight deadline – but it’s also incredibly hard work. Luckily, once in a while, there are some very special rewards that help to balance the 50 hour weeks and working weekends and holidays.

Over the years, these have probably added up to thousands of pounds’ worth of hotel rooms, meals and press trips. Then there are the freebies that get sent to the office.

Although I’ve done things that I’d never be able to afford in real life, the greatest privilege of my chosen profession has been when I’ve had the opportunity to do things that money can’t buy. Being drivenaround the Ascari racetrack in southern Spain in a Koenigsegg CCX (that’s thecar that The Stig couldn’t control in Top Gear) by Christian von Koenigsegg, for example. Or watching the majority of a Man Utd v Arsenal match sat chatting on the phone to Rod Stewart (knows his football, does Rod).

Recently, the PR team at Abu Dhabi InternationalTriathlon invited me to take part in that event – something I was more than happy and willing to do. There’ll be other members of the media taking part too – most doing the relay or the sprint race, but a couple of brave souls also tackling the ‘short course’ like me. At Abu Dhabi, ‘short’ is a somewhat misleading term: 1500m swim/100km bike/10km run (the long course is double, making the bike section notably longer than an Ironman).

In order to get us all ready for the event, the organisers have given us access to key figures involved and this is where, once again, I find I’m pinching myself. A few weeks ago, just four of us were put through our paces by UK pro triathlete and highly-rated coach Richard Allen. On Tuesday night, another group of us were given access to ex Ironman World Champ and captain of Abu Dhabi Tri Team Faris Al-Sultan, and the Abu Dhabi Tri Team manager (and ex pro triathlete) Dr Werner Leitner.

Of course, most of these sessions were pitched at beginners – and what an amazing opportunity that is, like having Nick Faldo and Sergio Garcia give you your first golf lesson – but I still picked up a few more advanced tips here and there on subjects like nutrition, warming-up, deep stretching and riding into the wind. I’ve been told I have quite a short stride length when I run – when I should really be using my height to my advantage – and Werner kindly showed me a few drills to incorporate into my runs to help improve that stride length and kick.

What I realised most of all, however, is that, while I still tend to think of myself as a relative newbie to triathlon and a bit of a pretender, that doesn’t wash anymore. I’ve been doing this a few years now, albeit maybe only a year with any degree of regularity and seriousness, but I know the vast majority of what there is to know; transitions are no longer mysterious zones of nerves and intimidation for me; I may get nutrition right or wrong on any given day, but I know what I’m aiming for; I hear and use words like ‘brick’, ‘drafting’ and ‘midfoot strike’; I’ve done small early season races in the UK with swims in a pool, and huge international races overseas. I may not be an experienced old-timer, but I’m a triathlete for sure.­ Going back to the parlance of my industry, I’m no longer “just blagging it”. That’s kind of cool.

The flip side of that is that these mini media camps reminded me of the nerves, horror and excitement that this mysterious sport of triathlon once brought. I heard the questions I’d once asked and felt the feelings I’d once felt, as these media newbies started their training or began stepping it up... it’s such a joyful feeling of achievement and one that I plan to never lose.

With that in mind, this weekend I’ll be part of the Nike-sponsored media team that’ll tackle the 72km (as a relay) Wadi Bih run through the mountains and gorges of Musandam. We’re not contenders; in fact, we’ll all just be happy to finish, and we’re going to have a great time doing it. Coz that’s what it’s all about. 

That and blagging free Nike swag, of course (I’m still a journalist, after all)!