What it's all about

Since I'm sort of off the radar right now while I heal, I came across this today from TriFuel

Fact: you will not become efficient at swimming, biking or running over night. Sorry to burst your bubble. This is NOT an easy sport.


Check your ego at the door because chances are someone fifty pounds heavier than you will lap you in the pool. Not to mention she will be ten or fifteen years older than you.

You will be passed on the bike many times and you will never be the fastest runner in your town.

You will have early morning workouts. Really early.

You will plan your weekends around your swim, bike and run.

You are up while others are sleeping.

You are training while others are sitting.

You will discover others who also follow this blood, sweat and tears cult.

You will eventually get a flat tire... and have to change it all by yourself.

No matter what you hear, triathlon is NOT an inexpensive sport.

Warning, it is extremely addictive, hence the impulse spending on wetsuits, bikes, running shoes, aero bars, aero helmets, speed suits, power meters, GPS heart-rate monitors and many other ‘gotta have items.’

You will hate swimming more times than you like it for the first year.

You will suffer through road trips with whiny fellow triathletes.

You will suffer set backs.

You may experience an injury.

You will develop a love/hate relationship with a foam roller and ice baths.

You will at some point realize you need a coach.

You will hate swimming for the first year.

You will wear tight clothing.

You will not like how this tight clothing fits or looks.

Your age will take on a whole new meaning.

You will discover a whole new meaning for tan lines.

Food will become an extremely important part of your life.

You will learn new words such as GU, cadence and brick.

You will hate swimming for the first year.

You will spend more time on your bike than on your couch.

You may lose a friend or two because you spend too much time swimming, biking and running, and they could careless about your heart rate training, foam rolling pain or 20 mile bike ride.

You will learn patience.

You will be humbled.

You will start to realize you are paying money to put yourself through pain and suffering, but for some odd reason, you LOVE it.

This sport called Triathlon, becomes a part of you. You start to plan your entire year around sprint, international, half-iron or full-iron distance races. Your vacations become racing, and you start to realize that this sport called triathlon could become a life-long adventure.

Many people settle for things in life. They settle for a crappy job, marriage, friends, food, place to live and overall fitness and health.

Those who desire more or those who want more out of life than a drive-thru window and boring sitcom, will choose triathlon or an activity that makes them happy. An activity that will change their life. Triathlon will change your outlook on life, your career, your marriage, your goals, your friends and many other things you thought you had figured out. It’s not just crossing a finish line or a boring finisher medal. It’s the countless hours that got you to that point. A moment in time that you will NEVER forget. A moment that you will discuss with your family and friends for hours if not days after the event. These discussions will most likely be about how you could have done better. At what point could you have swam faster, biked harder or ran more efficient? This is what will go through your head everyday until you get the opportunity to suffer again.

So you wanna be a Triathlete? Enjoy the ride and train hard!

Nick Clark, Clark Endurance Training

For now my triathlete training is done.  I head back to the gym on Monday with a plan.  Swimming, biking, elliptical, weights, physical therapy and core exercises.  Not as exciting as training for a 1/2 iron man, but not as tiring either!

August

August brings me happiness.

The kids go back to school.  Is that wrong?  To feel excited that they have to go back?  Over all summer went by really fast.  But the last two weeks or so I can tell the kids are ready.  Ready for something different.  They are getting bored.  There's only so much xbox to be played.  This week my oldest starts High School.  Hope he likes it more than I did!  Next week my other son starts 7th grade.  No longer the shortest in the school.  I'm sure there's got to be a few 6th graders that will be shorter!

August means that I get to go back to being Joelle during the hours of 7-2:45 Monday-Friday.  It means that I can get back on track.  Back to a schedule at the gym.  Back to buying less junk in the house.  Back to figuring out what the heck to do with that time.

I'm still healing.  I fear it's going to be awhile.  Just last night my leg was swollen.  All I did was some shopping and some extra cooking.  I was on my feet most of the day.  Just that irritated the leg.  I go back to the Dr's. on Wed.  Should be an interesting conversation.  I'm so done with being injured. 

So I have no training plans or goals right now.  This makes it hard for me to exercise on a regular basis.  Plus I can't run.  Swimming hurts.  One can only sit on a saddle for so long.  I am going to give the elliptical a try tomorrow.  See if that bothers the leg.  I feel myself getting heavier every day.  Losing fitness.  I feel like a blob.  I hope I don't look like one.

Well kids, it's been fun but get your butts back to school soon please.  Joelle is waiting.