I’m training for a Triathlon

Yes. I said it. My goal is to swim, bike, run a Triathlon by May of 2006. No-no-no… not one of those Iron Man 20 hour competitions on TV. Something, well, more ‘doable’ as they say. A “Sprint Triathlon”. It amounts to about a quarter mile swim, a six mile bike ride and a three mile run. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it? The only thing that scares me is the swim. I can’t swim very well but that is going to change. I don’t have a bike unless I want to go six miles on my old BMX bike. Doable, but really… I’d rather get on a road bike.

I’ve looked through several training programs and believe I can start a Triathlon training program by January once I build up a base training. Which I’ve started with my trainer. This all started because I wanted to have more athleticism while playing paintball and to eventually train to run the LA Marathon. Which I’ll eventually do. But I hate running long distances. Not because it’s hard or a challenge, but because my iPod would probably run out of batteries before the end of the race. Basically, marathon races are boring. The challenge of swimming in the ocean – which I absolutely hate because I don’t want to drown or get ripped apart by a shark, getting on a bike and speeding on a road coarse on a sprint, and running a sprint three ‘miler’ is VERY appealing to me. I’ve always wanted to do it. But I never took initiative. Mainly due to the lack of motivation.

I doubt I’ll ever do more than a Sprint Triathlon, but that’s what everyone else says – is what I hear. Once you do it, you’re hooked and you want a bigger challenge. I’ve met some Triathletes online that share the same story as me. 30ish, not doing anything, eating poor, health issues are of concern, rarely doing anything but work, kids, and an occasional game of hoop… then going from couch to a Sprint Triathlon training program. And now they’re hooked.

I mean, I’m hooked! I want to go to the gym every day. I just can’t. Tonight I’m testing the waters. Literally. My trainer wants me to do laps at the pool for as long as I can. Eight laps equals a quarter mile. That’s swimming to the end then back as one lap and so on and so forth. I believe I can do one lap at least. But I’ll find out tonight.

I’ve been feeling really energized. If I were to get back into fighting, it’d take me a week to get my wind and go full contact right now. But I’m resisting the temptation due to the fear of head injury and brain damage! ;) But you never know. I good pounding on someone is a serious soul cleanser sometimes!

Here’s some good resources if you are interested:


and where you can find me from time to time:

BeginnerTriathlete.com

Wish me luck! :)