For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you know that I recently completed my first 5K run and that I am in my first week of training for my first triathlon. A friend of mine told me that she did her first triathlon last year and loved it, and I was inspired. The triathlon I'm planning to complete is SheROX, an all-women's sprint triathlon that's happening nearby at the end of July. The good news is that starting this training has shown me that I'm in much better shape than I thought, indicating that all of the sporadic trips to the gym I've made over the past year have paid off in ways I couldn't have anticipated. However, I've learned a few things already about myself and about how I might approach my training, and I thought I would share them for the amusement of the general public.
How to Complete a 0.5 Mile Swim If You Don't Like Getting Your Face Wet.
I'm not sure why I didn't think about this sooner, but I don't like having my face wet. Something about not being able to breathe. I am not a natural swimmer. I didn't learn to swim adequately until I was 10 years old. The last time I attempted to dive, I was 13, and injured my back going in and was convinced for a few seconds that I could not move my legs. That ended diving for me. A few years ago, I took whitewater kayaking lessons over one weekend. I spent way more time in the water than I did in my boat. When I got out of the pool on Monday -- the first time I've done any serious swimming in, oh, 15 years -- I laughed aloud. I have no trouble staying afloat, propelling myself through the water, or completing strokes. In fact, I was able to maintain non-stop swimming for 20 minutes today. However, the not-wanting-to-get-my-face-wet thing is a little bit of an issue. I did a lot of sidestroke and backstroke, and I'm not sure how well this is going to serve me on an open water course. I am seriously considering getting someone to coach me for a few lessons to help me get comfortable with having my face in the water and to help me practice breathing. If all else fails, I have the sidestroke and backstroke, and I rock at floating.
I hear that goggles are a must. I'm totally on board with that, but I wonder if it would be too much to ask to swim in a waterless pool?
Biker Butt
Bike training is going okay so far. I have managed to surprise myself on my indoor bike, covering 4 miles today in 15 minutes. However, I'm quickly realizing that training on an indoor stationary bike isn't going to work for long. First of all, there are no downhills on which to coast. Second of all, I can set the bike to change resistance at random, but it's a very different experience than trying to ride up a hill in real life. Finally, stationary bikes are way more unpleasant for me to sit upon than regular bikes. Upon reflection, I'm realizing that I will need padded shorts for biking, but this concerns me because it seems like a slippery slope from padded shorts to padded cell.
On The Run
Since I just completed that 5K, I'm feeling pretty optimistic about the run, which will be a little less than 5K for the triathlon. I think it will be my easiest event, but ask me in four months because I may change my mind. Oddly, I find that I really like how my legs feel when I get off the bike and start to run. I swear I can feel my quadriceps bulk up. It makes me feel like the next incarnation of She-Ra.
Tri, Tri, Tri Some More
All of this stuff to learn! Once I officially sign up, I just may decide to request a mentor. It would be nice to meet someone who has done this before and get a few pointers.
No comments:
Post a Comment