Tuesday, September 20, 2005

To Triathlon?

Devil Spammers. I'm turning on word verification for comments, sorry y'all. Not that I get that many comments, but I do love them anyway!

Things are okay here, I seriously doubt I'm losing anything this week. In fact I'm not really losing weight right now. I'm okay with it sometimes, and sometimes I'm just flat out annoyed. I'm exercising a ton still, but as fall and winter approach, I'm getting nervous. What happens when it gets cold outside and I can't ride my bike as much? I'm so dedicated to my bike. I just love that feeling I have after I get off my bike and I've burned a zillion calories and I've smashed my fastest time ever. I'm going to get myself some cutesy tights and arm warmers, but there's only so much you can do when there's snow on the ground. I'm sort of dreading it. I love the snow, but I hate those winter blues. Short, dreary days just aren't good for my psyche.

On the other side of things though, I know winter will be a great chance for me to excel in some other sports. If I really do want to do a sprint distance triathlon next summer, I HAVE to figure out how to run. Right now I just kind of waddle along for about a minute at a time. I've thought about doing the couch to 5k program a lot, but running just does not appeal to me the way that cycling does. But strangely, completing a triathlon does appeal to me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not thrilled about hundreds of people who are all faster and stronger and thinner than I am kicking my butt in a race. But after doing the Buffalo Bicycle Classic last week, I know how awesome it feels to finish an organized athletic event.

So I could just stick to cycling, and I'm sure that would be fine. I can concentrate on strength training and elliptical workouts and things of that nature when its too cold to be outside. Or I could try to run. And join a gym with a pool. And I could work toward completing a triathlon. I guess I'm just hesitant to say I'm going to do it, because what if I don't? What if I slack on training and I'm not ready come race time? What if I'm still too fat to run? What if I'm still embarrassed to be seen in public in shorts. These are serious concerns. Things I need to think about.

2 comments:

K said...

Well, I hated running too. For me, the easiest way to start was on a treadmill, inside, which had the following advantages: you can't put it off because it's raining/dark/too cold etc.; you're not nearly so conspicuous as you would be on the street; the thing just keeps moving so you have to keep moving too, and it's harder to just slow down and stop.

I started out setting a time goal of just a few minutes. After a while, I started putting it up, a minute at a time, and within a couple of months I could run for 20 minutes without stopping. It really wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it was.

I still have slight problems with running on my own on the road, because I feel like an idiot. But this hasn't been a problem when I've done a race, because you're surrounded by others doing the same thing. I'd like to do a triathlon myself sometime... but not just yet.

And you don't have to run in shorts. You could run in your tights - plenty do - and I did both my 5Ks in tracksuit bottoms. Whatever you're most comfortable in.

K said...

I've actually seen 4 pairs in different shops recently: the fluffy blue knit ones, the elegant black fingerless-glove variety, the gothy stripy black and hot pink, and the sporty polarfleece.

It must be this season's big look :)