To whom it may concern (in other words probably none of you) there seems to be only one triathlon store in the Atlanta area and if you plan to go make sure you don’t take a 2 year old and that you check your self-esteem at the door. I got lucky in that they were having a tent sale and they had all last year’s apparel on sale. However, my luck quickly ran out after I loaded up as much as I could carry and went to the dressing room only to realize that it had one of those trick mirrors that instead of reflecting your image projects images of texturely fun snacks like jello and cottage cheese. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape after having 3 children but it is obvious that tri-clothes were not designed for matronly figures. But 12 pair of shorts and 17 tops later I was able to find something that worked for me so that I wouldn’t have to run on a public road in a bathing suit.
I was excited to try my new apparel so I downloaded bootylicious and hit the gym today to attempt to combine all 3 sports into one workout for the first time. Swimming went well as I predicted and all I had to do now that I had my new gear was hop out of the pool, put my shoes on and hop on the bike. I hadn’t thought about what I would do if all the bikes were taken once I left the dressing room but thanks to spring break I had all the room I needed so I didn’t have to field questions about why I was hovering all over other guests while dripping water and breathing heavily. I managed 10 miles on the bike and was feeling pretty good so I dismounted and hopped on the treadmill to see what my legs would do. I only did a mile so as not to overdo it but considering I only have to do 3 on race day I felt good about my progress and with 8 weeks remaining I have no doubt I can do this and I am not going to take the fact that both my bike and MP3 player (2 of the most important components in training) have broken since I started this as a sign that I should find another way to spend my time.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
gearing up!
Spring has officially sprung and I too have sprung into action to try and get ready for this triathlon I decided to do back in the fall. I was all pumped up for the challenge until I decided to seriously start training so I wouldn’t have to medevaced from the premises on the big day. Let’s face it, I am NOT an athlete. Yes, I played t-ball as a child and I even did cheerleading in junior high, of course that was when simply demonstrating the ability to do a cartwheeI guaranteed you a spot on the squad, but somehow those things don’t make for a very impressive resume in the world of athletics. However, what I lack in athletic prowessness, I make up for in sheer determination. So, having decided that determination alone could carry me through I decided to hunker down and hit the pavement…and the water…and the pedals.
I haven’t been too worried about the swimming part as I have always been a good and fast swimmer, compared to most people anyway. I was on the swim team for years and have a whole album full of 3rd-7th place ribbons to prove that the water and I get along just fine. But just to be sure I jumped in the pool and although I was breathing like I had a collapsed lung I still did all 16 laps on the first attempt. The running portion doesn’t have me too worried either as I can walk if I have to and I can always remove my race number and act like a pedestrian in a hurry if my lack of progress becomes too humiliating. What does have me worried is the biking leg of this whole thing. I didn’t think that 12 miles was such a big deal until I got in the saddle. I thought, no big deal, I had a huffy with a banana seat and the ace of spaids in my spokes as a child and later upgraded to a 10 speed that I routinely rode between my neighbor’s house and my own, which had to be at least a quarter mile apart. Well, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the car is hands down the greatest invention ever, whereas if you had asked before my attempt to pedal 12 miles I would have said electricity. So thank you, Mr. Benz, for inventing the automobile, you have saved many a woman from hurting in their special place.
I had to take several breaks along the way to guzzle water and to catch my breath and at one point had to dismount completely and push the bike up a “hill”. I couldn’t figure out what the problem was as I was doing 8 miles on the gym bike without having anything resembling a coronary. Halfway through I decided I must have the seat to low because there was no reason I should be considering calling in reinforcements on what I consider to be a relatively flat (at least from a car rider’s prospective) country road. So, I made the necessary adjustments and VOILA! I retrieved the towel that I had thrown in half a mile back and made it back to my AUTOmobile without having to stop once. I still have a lot of progress to make if I want to cross the finish line this June but I feel like I am on my way.
A more pressing concern, yes, more pressing than having a coronary, is what to wear for this event (just picture me biking and running in only a speedo brand bathing suit and sneakers and you’ll get what I mean) but this will have to wait to be addressed because I have to go ice my special parts.
I haven’t been too worried about the swimming part as I have always been a good and fast swimmer, compared to most people anyway. I was on the swim team for years and have a whole album full of 3rd-7th place ribbons to prove that the water and I get along just fine. But just to be sure I jumped in the pool and although I was breathing like I had a collapsed lung I still did all 16 laps on the first attempt. The running portion doesn’t have me too worried either as I can walk if I have to and I can always remove my race number and act like a pedestrian in a hurry if my lack of progress becomes too humiliating. What does have me worried is the biking leg of this whole thing. I didn’t think that 12 miles was such a big deal until I got in the saddle. I thought, no big deal, I had a huffy with a banana seat and the ace of spaids in my spokes as a child and later upgraded to a 10 speed that I routinely rode between my neighbor’s house and my own, which had to be at least a quarter mile apart. Well, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the car is hands down the greatest invention ever, whereas if you had asked before my attempt to pedal 12 miles I would have said electricity. So thank you, Mr. Benz, for inventing the automobile, you have saved many a woman from hurting in their special place.
I had to take several breaks along the way to guzzle water and to catch my breath and at one point had to dismount completely and push the bike up a “hill”. I couldn’t figure out what the problem was as I was doing 8 miles on the gym bike without having anything resembling a coronary. Halfway through I decided I must have the seat to low because there was no reason I should be considering calling in reinforcements on what I consider to be a relatively flat (at least from a car rider’s prospective) country road. So, I made the necessary adjustments and VOILA! I retrieved the towel that I had thrown in half a mile back and made it back to my AUTOmobile without having to stop once. I still have a lot of progress to make if I want to cross the finish line this June but I feel like I am on my way.
A more pressing concern, yes, more pressing than having a coronary, is what to wear for this event (just picture me biking and running in only a speedo brand bathing suit and sneakers and you’ll get what I mean) but this will have to wait to be addressed because I have to go ice my special parts.
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