Swimming, biking and running, Oh My!

See how little the kids were! September, 2003

Still smiling - not sure why though!!!!

A friend of mine asked me if I wanted to do the Danskin Triathlon next August - 2009. I'm usually game for this kind of stuff, so I said sure! Even though I really hate running. Anyway, this got me thinking about the first time I did a sprint triathlon. With friends Kathleen and Tammy, I signed up for the Black Diamond Sprint in September 2003. (Wow, was it really that long ago!) It was the first event that Black Diamond held. From Kathleen, I was inspired to work out to get fit (and drop a few sizes - please!). By the time I started looking around, the Danskin - a perfect beginner triathlon - was closed. I hated to wait a full year, so when I found this one, thought why not! We all read Eric Harr's Triathlon Training in 4 hours a Week. Despite the title, it really is a good book and very inspirational. Armed with images of Eric chugging down the road on his clunky mountain bike, determined to just finish his first tri, that's where I was too. Until I invited the kids to come watch with Pat. That's when I started hearing things like "Wow, Mommy, I hope you come in first!" ( the answer to that was "I won't") and "Mom, do you think you'll beat Kathleen?" - No. "Or Tammy?" - No. Or, "Are you doing this for speed? After all Sprints are so easy." (This from a friend - again - No). Then I realized that I had to tell people that I was just doing it as a personal trial - just to finish would be winning for me. The summer of 2003 I was told by my doctor that I had exercise-induced asthma and given an inhaler - which I refused, then and still do, to use. The only thing that happens to me when I really push myself is my heart rate (as determined by a monitor that summer) goes really high. High enough to concern friend and nurse Kathleen. But as long as I slow down, I'm fine. So, that's what I do. I'm fine for swimming, okay for biking, but running really kills me. Probably makes it worse since I hate running so much. Anyway, I digress.

So, at the Black Diamond Triathlon, I was really concerned about just finishing - that was my goal - and I would be proud no matter how I did. Good thing too, because I came in DEAD LAST! REALLY! It's even on the internet! Here's the link to prove it - Athlinks.com.

(Oh, just an aside... If I had started with the Danskin, like I had wanted to, I would have had 700 women behind me, given my Black Diamond time!!!!)