How to do a Triathlon

Are you getting tired of the triathlon posts yet. Ok. I'm almost done.


Well people ask me all the time how I got started doing triathlons. Ok. No one has ever asked me that. I just volunteer the information to unsuspecting victims I meet at parties, or Sunday School Class. At least now I have an outlet where I can't see people looking around nervously for an escape.


Anyway, if someone did ask me how I got started here is how I would explain it.


I like to work out and I needed to lose some weight. I had been going to various exercise classes I enjoyed them ok. I kept passing by the spin class at the gym though and I really wanted to try it, but the participants all looked so fit. I was intimidated.


Finally I went and I quickly learned a few advantages spin class has over step class, or kick boxing.


1. If you screw up in spin class it rarely causes bruises.


2. It burns a mega ton of calories.


3. If you get tired you can secretly lower the resistance on the bike and just ACT like you are giving it your all.


4. Spin class doesn't cause me to wet my pants.


So I continued attending a 5:15 am spin class three days a week. Before long I realized they were all talking about triathlons and had even decided to start doing all three sports on Fridays. About this same time I had read an article describing how much more people were successful with their exercise programs if they had a goal other than total unattainable hotness. So, put two and two together and I had decided to tri.


I started off with a free basic schedule I got here and a cheap bike I got from Wal-mart. A bike doesn't have to cost a fortune. Running has always been a weak point for me. I believe I am just not suited to it. I to research the best running shoes for pigeon toed people. Then I was on my way.


The first day I ran SIX WHOLE MINUTES. Hey. You have to start somewhere and that was what the schedule called for. Good thing because that was my limit. The schedule started with six minutes of running and went up at 10% increments from there. I was better at the cycling and the swimming, but only slightly. I worked out six times a week and I threw in a couple of weights days a week easier at first because the cardio times were fairly short. None of this would have been possible if my husband hadn't been supportive. I don't think he really thought I would see this through and I definitely don't think he imagined me doing it almost three years later. (Minus time outs for two births and one miscarriage.) I scheduled my work out times around the family's needs and I learned not to stress out if I missed a day or two. I had plenty of time.


Next thing I knew...time was up. It was time for my first triathlon. It was a super sprint (which means it was really short. It doesn't not mean I went really fast.) Only women were allowed. The directions to the lake were terrible and it was pouring rain. I really thought we were going to miss it all together. My poor husband was so stressed about getting me there.



The conditions were terrible. Prior to showing up the one part I was not worried about was the 200m swim. Halfway through I thought I was going to drown. Then I thought I would welcome drowning. The water was ROUGH. I looked around and started to realize people were just getting through the swim however they could - dog paddle, backstroke. So I just did the same until I miraculously made it to shore.



Everyone was so nice and encouraging during the rest of the race. I didn't come in near first....or probably even in the middle, but I was hooked. It just felt like such an accomplishment.


I did three more triathlons that year before I realized I was accidentally pregnant with Shaye Baby. I tried to continue working out throughout the pregnancy, but I just really wasn't that motivated. In other non pregnant times I really enjoy doing the workouts, even the running. It's time alone and time to think. Time to listen to my own music. My clothes fit better. I get to be outside. And when do get injured it sounds much cooler to tell people I fell off my bike than it does to tell them I tripped over the step. And isn't that what it is really all about?