Well, it is official. I am registered for my first triathlon. It is July 17 – which is less than 11 weeks away. My cousin Nicholas talked me into the triathlon; as this is not something I sought out on my own or have ever thought about doing. For him it is an even bigger challenge (he lost his leg below the knee last Oct.) I figure if I can at least keep up with him then I will be in good shape. I’m certainly not in it to win it but I am in it to finish it.
I’m very nervous, yet also excited about the challenge. I need something to get me in gear and to keep me focused. I’m also hoping this will help me lose that stubborn 10 pounds that seem to be stuck to my butt and spreading to my belly. I’m not talking only the physical training but I’m talking about trying to be good to my body and eating healthy. No more junk and processed food, it will slow me down and clog up my body. I want to be light on my feet.
The “race” is in Okoboji, Iowa. It starts at 7:00 a.m. with the swim (.6 miles), then the bike ride (18 miles), and ending with the run (5.5 miles). Just so you know where I am at today…. I can jog 3 miles, although I stop frequently and I think I average 14 minute miles. As much as I try to blame Miko (my dog) because she likes to stop and sniff and mark her way, I enjoy the break. I am pretty sure I cannot run 1 mile without stopping. I definitely need to work on that. The biking portion seems reasonable. I go to spin class about 3 times a week. However, I realize this is not the same as riding my “real” bike down the road, let alone riding it after a brisk swim. The swim has me petrified. I love water and I love swimming but I think I’m kind of an in-and-out type of girl. I do not use any of the official strokes when I swim; in fact, I think my motion in the water resembles more of a doggy paddle. Not sure how to train to perfect my strokes either. I have no clue where to swim? I live near a lake but it will not be warm until mid-June and my gym does not have a pool. I need to figure that one out. My cousin just warned me that waiting until late June to start the swim portion of my training regiment might not be such a good idea.
On top of the physical challenge, my biggest concern is what to wear and how to transition. I’m not happy to be starting with the swim. Nothing like shocking your body and muscles at 7 a.m. by jumping into a cold lake. One bonus is that it will hopefully wake me up as my body doesn’t like to function until well after 8 a.m. So, I start in a swim suit and bare feet. Then, I have to figure out how to dry off and get into some biking shorts and a sports bra. From there I will need to transition into running shoes and shorts and I would love to have my iPod as I’m convinced I run faster with rockin’ music. And where will I store all this stuff? I’m getting hung up on the logistics. If anyone out there has some advice, I am all ears.
So here’s to Penelope the athlete. Wish me luck as I prep for this thing. I will let you know how it is going. Meanwhile, I’m going to go eat my last handful of chips before my healthy kick kicks in tomorrow. That would be Thursday, May 6. Officially.
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