proud

It's been a little over a month since I declared to all the world that I planned to train for and complete a sprint triathlon. Considering it was a decision made (and boldly proclaimed) with about eleven minutes' thought, I'm proud of the progress I've made so far. Check out my Month of May Badassery (TM):

That's right-- I worked out on 18 days. EIGHTEEN!! And this wasn't a particularly 'easy' month...we were out of town for 3 days, had out-of-town guests for another 4 days, I was too ill to work out for probably 4 days...and still, 18 days of workouts!! I don't want to come across as bragging, because that's not the intent. It's more that I feel like I spend a lot of time thinking (if not writing) about what my body can't do: get pregnant, be skinny, resist brownies (perhaps some of these are related?), fit into clothes that fit last summer (yikes)...uhhh...so yeah. I'm trying to be intentional about remembering to celebrate the things I/it can do: like work out 18 times (and some of those days had more than one workout!) in a month!

I looked back at some of the 'obstacles' I foresaw myself having back in April when I declared myself Planning to do a Tri. Some of them remain. Some of them have been obliterated! Let's check in:

1. I hate running. Like really really hate it. This is bad because at the end of this triathlon, there's a 5k. AFTER you swim 1/2 a mile and bike 14. So hating running is going to have to go.-- I still hate running. But I do it (sometimes) anyway, and I'm getting faster. But it doesn't mean I like it any better.

2. I'm scared of riding bikes and don't own one. Minor detail. It's not really that I'm scared of riding, it's that I'm scared of riding near cars. So I need to find places to ride that aren't near cars. And also find a bike. -I got a bike (mountain bike) and enjoy riding it a lot more than I thought I would. It's definitely my go-to workout and I actually feel cranky if a few days go by and I haven't had a chance to ride...didn't see THAT coming! And I ride near cars! I won't say I love that part of it (I try to find roads and trails with as little traffic as possible), but I try hard to be brave...and wear a helmet. Last weekend I even crossed 316! (A big 65 mph divided highway)

This was my workout last night-- look, 12 miles! I know that's not particularly impressive to 'real' bikers, but it is to me...plus it's on a mountain bike, so it should count double. :)

3. I prefer to spend my pool time on a lounge chair with my Kindle and a rum-based beverage. That will have to change if I'm going to swim 1/2 a mile in open water without drowning. No change here! Monday was our first time in the pool, and it definitely did not involve anything that resembled real swimming. More like reading books and floating...

4. I would need to train 4-5 days a week in order to build up the skills and endurance (although most of the workouts would not be long (hour or less)...only one long workout per week (bike ride), which could be on the weekend). I currently work out maybe two or three days a week. I'd have to make some lifestyle changes to accommodate this. -I am making working out a more regular part of my lifestyle and regularly working out 4-5 days a week! It's a lot easier since I'm mostly working out at home and not the gym, which saves a lot of travel time.

5. Because we don't have access to an indoor pool, the swimming training will not be able to start for probably another month, or whenever I deem my in-laws' pool to be warm enough. So that'll put my swimming on a tighter time frame. -True. Haven't started swim training yet. Slightly concerned.

6. I don't dope. I've heard this is standard operating procedure for bike-riding, and I'm not sure where to purchase steroids. Dang you sheltered lifestyle... -I still don't dope, but I have gained like three freakin pounds, so is that the same thing as 'bulking up'? We'll pretend it's all muscle and not due to the omnipresent baked goods at my workplace.

So it looks like I've made progress in some areas...I'm glad I listed out some of my 'fears' at the beginning because it helps me remember where I started. I wasn't always this cycling beast that whipped out 12 miles after dinner just because she felt like it...although I'm sure that's really hard to believe. :) 

So! With a solid two and a half months to go before the Real Deal, I can still proudly say that I'm training for a tri...and I just might make it.

PS. Last night, after completing my 12 miles of biking, I triumphantly proclaimed (with fist pumps) that I'd (almost) done a half-marathon. And then I wanted to throw up thinking about how real half-marathons are RUNNING and holy crap how can anyone run for as far as I just rode??? That's disgusting. You people are freaks. And I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course!