When I started swimming (from scratch) in January, I immediately realized that I had discovered a long-lost endurance soul-mate. Swimming and I had finally found each other. Swimming comforted and soothed my tired legs after grueling speed and hill sessions. Swimming made me feel like a kid again, having to be dragged out of the pool/beach/bathtub because I just didn't want to leave.
Don't get me wrong here, running is my first love, and always will be my first choice of workout-induced-endorphin-high. But swimming is a really close second.
I never thought I would say that.
And, although many people in my life seem to have predicted where this is now moving (quickly), I decided that it really is time to
I never thought I would say that, either...Enter:
Yay! |
My new
I took the plunge, and now I am going to take the next step, er, pedal.
I am going to try out my endurance in a triathlon. Now, I always said that it would be nice to accomplish a triathlon at some point. I made a little inside goal of doing one before I turn 40. Easy enough, right? Just learn to swim, borrow a bike, complete a race upright and standing, call it a day. Go back to running and forget any of that "three sports in one event" foolishness that, frankly, I just didn't understand.
Then, a couple of things happened. The first thing was learning my aforementioned love of swimming. I will fit in at least 3 swims every week into my life if I can, for the rest of my days. So, logically, I would want to train myself to get faster at it. If I am going ahead with swimming intervals, it might as well be for some purpose, right?
I also got to thinking (and reading) about triathlon training. Maybe spreading the pain over three sports would take some stress off some of the running muscles that take a beating everyday. I wouldn't have to run every single day, if I was switching and rotating biking into the mix. Hmm.
So here I am, with a fancy new road bike, and a slight fear of speeding down the road ways. (weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!). I know, I know. It's like riding a bike. Once you learn, you never forget how. Does it count that you learned to ride a two-wheeler on a hand-me-down gold banana seat bike? Is it remotely the same thing as this speedster with tires that are paper-thin? How does that thing even hold me up?!
I do feel better about my skills, when I see crazy things like adult training wheels in the bike store though. At least my parents didn't let me grow up not knowing how to pedal. I have lots of skills to learn, like repairing a tire, general maintenance, etc. I will get there, and hopefully I enjoy it!
I am just going to chill out with my bike for a couple of weeks...I have to name her still, yeesh. I also don't really want to go to Boston with fresh road rash. There will be plenty of time to become a cycle-chick (or whatever the heck you call girls on bikes? Maybe just "girl on bike" or is it "cycle"? that sounds more pro. I will go with that. "Hey, check out my new cycle." nope. I'll figure out the lingo at some point. I should go and get a helmet first though...).
happy running, biking, swimming...or whatever!
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