thinking about another tri

[caradrx]

This morning in the pool, when the older (and older is getting older by the year, isn't it? This guy was maybe 60 or above) man in the lane next to me got out, he asked if I do triathlons. It was an odd out-of-nowhere question, but relevant to who I am, so I tend to pay attention to things like that. I don't know if I fully believe in signs and divine guidance and the like, but I don't know that I don't believe it either. I believe in it for big things, like I think there is such a thing as a calling to a profession or a passion. I don't think I believe in it for the details. God couldn't care less which shoes I wear today. On the other hand, I think that I have the job I have now because of a serious of events that might have been all trying to lead me where I am, starting with some nudging conversations and applications to other jobs and including things like a flat tire. I think good can come of bad things--if I hadn't had that floppy leg thing that drove me crazy for a long time, I never would have tried triathlons. Anyway, I told the guy I have done and really like triathlons. (I think I am done with marathons, even if I can get back to running significant distance some day in the future. It's triathlons I really miss. I love training for marathons, but I haven't loved any of the marathons I've run. Lost Dutchman was fantastically wonderful for the first 15 miles. The last few miles were pure misery. I have LOVED every single triathlon I've done. The marathon is a chore and a reason to train; the triathlon is more scary but it's also decadent and crazy fun. I get to swim outside and then bike on a closed course and then run? Seriously? Bliss.) He said, "Good. You should. You are an excellent swimmer. Did you swim competitively on a team?" Of course I didn't, and of course I am not exceptionally fast, and I didn't practice for most of the school year either. Still, it felt good to hear that, especially when I have been feeling like my feel for the water is back. There is that one-with-the-bike feel, but getting the feel of the water is even more delightful, I think. He mentioned that I look like I move really well in the water. He was probably just flattering me, but who doesn't like a little flattery at the end of a workout in the middle of coming to terms with permanent injury? I told the guy that I didn't get around to getting a tri in this year, and he said that I can still sign up for Lake Geneva--it's his favorite. I said I don't have my body up to the run distance; he said he walks. So I looked it up. It's September 12. They have a sprint distance I feel confident I could do. I probably can't win/place this year, and I like to win/place, but I should probably get used to not winning and learn to be OK with finishing. There is an Olympic distance, but I don't think competing a 10K run is really a good choice for me right now. There also is an aquabike--just swim and run the Olympic distances of those two events. It is during the school year, and it's homecoming that day, but if I do a sprint, I just have to hold onto what I've gained in the last month and I'll be able to finish and have fun.

So that's my happy news for the day. That, and I did lots and lots of good thinking about what I want to accomplish first semester with my honors kids and what I can drop. I think I've decided to try to fit in Huck Finn, and I'm going to drop Scarlet Letter to make that possible. It's not what others do, but it makes more sense with the essential questions of the course.