Sunday, March 6, 2016

Tri Training

The last time we spoke I was talking about lunches. The time it takes, the good, the bad, and the ugly. This time I'm talking about training for a sprint triathlon and it's pretty much the same. Good, bad, and really ugly.

I've been so long between posting because in my spare time (ha!) I have been training for a sprint triathlon. Yes, I am crazy. Yes, I barely could manage things before this - between work, making lunches, a social life and a marriage and now I have added rigorous training for a somewhat grueling physical event in there. C to the R to the AZY. That's me.

But hear me out.

I was going to wait a few years before attempting this again. Yes, this is not my first attempt at training for a tri. I began tri training in the winter of 2010, but a little person called The Babe threw a wrench in my plans. Morning sickness and swimming just don't go together. So I shelved the plan until I had the baby, was done nursing, and had the time to commit to training. Then, just as I was rounding the bend of nursing and time management with The Babe, along came Baby Macaroni. I thought about my tri plans and told myself "someday, someday." I told myself, "there will come a time when I can dedicate the proper attention and dedication that an event like this needs."

This, by the way, is not that time.

But then the universe spoke, and it spoke in a way that is pretty hard to ignore. Part of the new job I have is FREE access to a rec facility ACROSS THE STREET from my office! FREE ACCESS TO A POOL! AND MORE THAN ONE STATIONARY BIKE!

I'll stop using all caps now because you get the point.

I would be crazy not to do the event this year given my unprecedented access to fitness facilities. This may also be the only time in my life I have a colleague in the office next door who will run 5k with me on our lunch break. This may be the only time I have a friend who is not only crazy enough to sign up with me, but will also spend hours on the weekend doing brick workouts (a bike ride followed immediately by a run, or a swim followed by a bike ride). Someone who not only trains with me, but pushes me to be faster, stronger, better.

I have all the pieces, and strangely enough, I'm finding the time. Am I sacrificing things? Of course I am!

I am sacrificing lunch breaks that I could be spending running errands, eating with friends, or catching up on work. I'm sacrificing time with my husband in the evenings when I am out running or swimming. I'm away from The Babe and not putting her to bed on the nights I am training. I'm not with the whole family when I am training on the weekends. My other hobbies such as reading, sewing, watching TV have gone by the wayside. I don't have much spare time to see friends.

But I'm doing it. Because I want to. I think I'm happier because of it. Having a goal gives me more purpose than I had before. A nervous energy courses through my body when I think about the race. I'm excited to have my family there watching me do it. My fitness has obviously never been better. I'm also anxious to have the race be finished and not die in the process (seriously, I could die. It happens, right?)

Is it hard? YES. My legs hurt pretty much all the time. (But that could have been due to my bike not being properly set up.) I'm hungry all the time but I haven't really figured out a proper meal plan. Which means I can often be found scarfing down a post-run donut and thinking the carbs are a good thing. I'm really tired every night by 9 p.m. Like falling asleep sitting up in bed tired. And people at work have started calling me Superman because I dash around the office at lunch time in my clothes - workout gear - clothes before getting back to afternoon meetings.

I couldn't do all this if I didn't have the support of my husband. He puts The Babe to bed when I go train. He takes care of the kids when I do brick workouts on the weekends. He eats whatever random food I am cooking that week (meatless, paleo, day 4 of leftover pork roast in a new and creative way). He tells me he is proud of me.

So I am doing it. I'm headed Up the Creek (without a paddle) in early May and I can't wait!

To be finished ;)




















(Photo borrowed with permission from my training partner Michelle)


~ H