(no subject)
Oh God. What am I doing???
So. For the last year or so, I’ve been set on doing a triathlon “someday.” I haven’t really thought seriously about training or anything as it was just an abstract thing that I wanted to do…someday. Well, newsflash…my life has been full of all sorts of things that I wanted to do “someday” but that day has never, ever come. Instead of wallowing in the misery of my failures like I have for so long, I’m going to make now my someday.
I’ve slowly been transitioning over the last couple of years…emotionally, physically, spiritually. I’m becoming a person that I like being, and I’m learning that I have more strength and motivation and tenacity than I give myself credit for. It’s a beautiful thing to realize that…yes, I CAN do something that I’ve always wanted to do.
Why a triathlon? Well, I’m not the kind of person who can set small goals and be satisfied that way. I forget about them. A triathlon is sort of like the best compromise that I can think of. It’s a huge goal, but taken in small increments. And it’s something that I really can do…right away. I don’t have to wait years to do it.
Of course, I’m not talking about an Ironman race…or half Ironman…or anything like that. I’m not completely mental. What I’m shooting for is to complete a sprint triathlon. Quarter mile open swim, 12 mile bicycle ride, 3.1 mile run. Daunting to someone like me, but not enough to discourage me from going for it. Plus it’s perfect for someone who gets bored easily. I mean…running 5k does NOT make me excited. I’m sure that I’ll probably start entering those races…but it’s not as glittery and glorious as a triathlon.
As far as training goes, I’ve taken a couple of baby steps. I started doing the Couch to 5K program, getting as far as my second jab at week two. That was before the holidays, of course. The second step was getting a bike and starting to ride. Yesterday I rode twelve miles for the first time, and it felt really, really good. I definitely need another bike at some point, because mine sucks…but, I biked twelve miles. I think that my hardest leg of the tri will be the swimming part because I’m extremely uncoordinated with the whole kick, stroke, breathing thing. So, that will be something to work on.
The next step up in training will be to have an actual training schedule. On trinewbies.com, they have some online training programs for beginners. The one I’m looking at is an eleven week program…with scheduled workouts everyday except for Mondays and Fridays. Seeing as it’s a way to start training eleven weeks before a triathlon, I wonder if I couldn’t start it now, take a rest, and then do it again eleven weeks before the race. The race that I’m looking at (Danskin Women’s Tri in Seattle) is in August.
Anyway. I’m freaking…in a good way! I signed up for the Danskin newsletter…I joined the website I mentioned above, and I joined the Yahoo! Group for a local tri club. There is a gym that looks like it would be a useful place to join where I can swim, run, and lift weights. I know of another one, too…I could bike to that one pretty safely.
Whew...nuts.