Becoming a Triathlete

This year has been about change and pushing forward with a new perspective. It's been a journey and it's only October, who knows what the next two months will bring! Earlier this year, I ran everything... I was on a high from Myrtle Beach and Philly Marathons from 2017 and went into 2018 ready to run more.  I tried distance trail runs and determined I'm probably not equipped to handle ultras, but I succeeded at the Asheville Marathon enough to pace a half marathon a few weeks later.  Injury crept in and I momentarily froze.  So I left marathon running, to try my hand at marathon swimming, and found a new joy.  Now in October I am back to doing both - I swim and run distance. Oddly, even though I'm happy having two distance sports to toy around with, I feel like something is missing.  It's like my training needs something else.  Is it the need to run a marathon, is it a desire to swim a 10K, or do I need another element?  It's the desire to add another element.  I want to cycle...so here I am... becoming a triathlete.

Next week I plan to start a 6 month training plan to gear up for a 70.3 - I just want to "tri" (see what I did there?) That includes: 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles of cycling, and 13.1 miles of running.  I've got the running and the swimming in the bag... but the cycling? I've been asked a few times if I have ever cycled.  Sure, people know I have ridden a bike - but I guess they don't know I used to go on 20-30 mile rides with my Dad in Germany. Then, my Dad and I considered signing up to ride across NC and trained consistently during that time.  It's been years ago, but I can bring it back. I have that background.  While that may sound ridiculous, I brought back swimming.  Remember I was a junior olympic qualifying breast-stroker - took many years off - and then learned to use swimming as my cross training. Now, it's part of my life. 





So as I move forward, I am excited. I am ready to take on this journey. It's a new beginning. I am going to do this triathlon thing as well as I can - with lots of laughter, lots of love, and my full heart. That's how I roll.