Training for a Triathlon

Monday night started out an ordinary night. I took the kids out for a walk/jog. I got new running shoes for my birthday so I was taking them out for a test drive. I was out with the kids for 1 1/2 hours. We get home only to have our neighbors come by wanting to go on a walk. So what do I do? Take the kids out for another walk. As we were walking I got asked an innocent question, why am I starting to jog? Was I training for a race? I am only trying to get healthy, I said I'm not a runner I'm a swimmer but I thought I could sneak in workouts with the kids if I don't make it to the pool.

So then an idea is hatched I swim, M runs and T bikes why don't we do a triathlon relay. I ponder the idea, when I get home I looked up races and send this link to my friends. Somehow we decide we will be doing this.

It's been about 19 years since I swam. I use to swim competitively until I got injured. I ended up with bicep tendentious, rotary cuff and patella femoral syndrome. I was told I could keep swimming but I couldn't give it 100%. Since I knew I wouldn't make it to the Olympics, I decided maybe I should just quit while my body was still functioning.


That's me in the middle ready to start the race.


I also decided at that time if my body betrayed me I would betray it. I stopped exercising, I ate junk food and started smoking. All the things you're not suppose to do. I did that for 19 years and it looks like now I may be changing all that.

I started training on Wednesday. My goal after not being in the pool for 2 years was to swim the distance. I figure if I could swim the 750m I would at least finish the race. It took me 20 minutes. Now my goal is to bring that time down.

Last night I was looking over last year's results and the fastest swim time was 16:28, averaging around 20 minutes. So I figure I'm almost there, then again I've never raced in open water (I have a bit of a fear of that). I read on a blog that a 16 minute 750m in the pool equals 20 minutes in the open water. So I figure if I cut my time in half then we'll have a good chance to win. Tomorrow I train again. I'm on my way to getting back in shape. M was right it's better to have a goal.