Triathlon 2014 Update

People keep asking me if I’m still planning to do the triathlon this Summer.   And the answer, surprisingly enough, is yes.

I KNOW.

I’m still in awe of the fact myself so feel free to close your mouth now.  I will not lie to you, though, friends.  The first few weeks of training were R O U G H.   I mean, I told you about my first day of running and I can tell you now that my first days of swimming and biking weren’t too pretty either.  It would not be exaggerating to say that I feared for my life on my 3rd lap in the pool.  I had to flip over on to my back so I could gasp for air and then as I flailed floated in agony I hit my head on the wall.   Let’s just say that the lifeguard was keeping a mighty close eye.

My first bike ride was ok, actually.  But the second one ended with me carrying my bike home, which, with my heavy mountain bike, was a workout in itself.   My chain fell off and would not stay put after repeated efforts to put it back on.   And I couldn’t even roll it along beside me.  It wouldn’t budge.  When I got home and told Jason, he said, “oh yeah… about that…your bike gears are kinda wonky.  There’s a trick to it.  I guess I should have shown you.”    I’ll say.   Since then I’ve been sticking to the stationary bikes at the Y.

The first 4 weeks were a slog.  My body was in revolt.  The soreness.  The hunger.  The exhaustion.  The main difficulty for me, though, was the breathing.  I was just constantly gulping for air.  My lungs and my chest hurt when I was resting.  I even wondered for a few weeks if I might have a heart condition.  But I seemed to pass some sort of threshold in week 5 and I think I’ve turned a corner.  The breathing part is oh so slightly easier now.  I even did my first “brick” last Saturday (back to back bike ride & run – look at me using the triathlon lingo!) and I lived to tell the tale.

My next hurdle is learning how to use my new-to-me road bike.  It’s crazy light compared to my old mountain bike but I was mildly alarmed to learn that it has those clip pedals.  Meaning I’ve got to wear those funky bike shoes and clip my feet into the pedals in order to ride it.   I haven’t tried it yet.  I’m bracing myself for the humiliation and the falling that are sure to ensue.  But hey, after running with show off preschool mom, hitting my head in the shallow end at the Y and carrying my mountain bike for 6 blocks, I figure it can’t get much worse.

Wish me luck, friends.  I’ve got 68 days until I’m going to be wearing a leotard and running amok around Seattle for all the world to see.   EEEK.