The Race is on.
slowandsteady asked, "When is the race that you are training for?! What kind of race is it! Will your bf be joining you?" (She also said some other nice things, because she is awesome.)
I'm planning to complete my first-ever triathlon this May. Actually, it's my first-ever non-PE-class race, come to think of it.
My goal is to finish. :)
The race is a sprint-distance, women's-only triathlon. I chose it because the distances seem challenging enough to inspire me to stick with my training regimen, but short enough to be doable: 500 yd swim, 10 mile bike, 4 mile run. I'm most intimidated by the running, but I can walk the course, if I have to.
The Other Human will not be joining me on the race. He plans to cheer for me, though. :) Because he loves me, and stuff.
Why a triathlon? A couple reasons.
Last summer, I read the very inspiring Slow Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams. In it, she talks about how important it is to be active at any size and how easy it is to use weight as an excuse to put off realizing our dreams.
As I read, I had a realization: I love being active. For a long time, one of my "when I'm skinny" goals has been to become a bicycle commuter. (I'm still hacking my way through that thicket of excuses, and the -25 windchills of late aren't helping matters.)
Unfortunately, I also love vegging out with books, web, or TV. I love doing my homework and acing my classes. I love being busy. And I tend to let those things squeeze our my love of being active.
I'm not the sort of person, at least not yet, who can go to the gym or pool simply because it's what I do. (I can and do ride the bike just for fun, but I'm not willing to do that on snow at this point.) So I need something to work for and towards.
Eventually, I realized that the "something" I need could be a very specific and doable triathlon. And, if I love it, there are more races over the course of the summer. If I hate it, I'll figure out a cross-training routine to make me a better biker.
But, if I love it, eventually, I'm going to want to do a race that entitles me to the M-dot tattoo. (Dream big, much?!)
Because, apparently, I am both crazy and a complete glutton for punishment. But first, let's see about finishing the race in May, yes?