Entries RSSTraining for a Triathlon Half-Ironman
A 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, a 13.1 mile run. You wonder what I was thinking when I registered for this event, and the truth is – I’m not entirely sure. I do know that I clicked the “register” button after having a glass of wine (or two) with my family on a trip home to Chicago in December. Sometimes we need a little push from behind or a bottle to take that next step. I embraced that little nudge and clicked the “register” button while my mother sat quietly next to me while shaking her head.
I woke up the next day realizing that not only had I just put another couple hundred bucks on my already well-used credit card, but I committed to doing a half-Ironman! Keep in mind, I’m not afraid of a challenge nor am I afraid of spending hours training for an event, it’s just that, well, that’s a BIG challenge and a LOT of training. At least I was smart enough to allow myself enough time to prepare. You know to get things like a swimsuit and cycling shoes and maybe one of those super tight, hot triathlon onesies. It’s all about how you look, not how you feel, right?
The race is August 2nd in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I chose that location in hopes of racing in 115 degree weather and, if I’m really lucky, the humidity will be at 95%, which will be ideal for the mosquitoes to stick to every inch of my exposed skin. I also knew that picking a race as close to Chicago as possible would be my only hope of getting the family to watch me crawl across the finish line. Let’s be honest, I’m going to need someone there to carry me to the car and spoon-feed me ice cream after the race. I’m just hoping they, too, are training for this.
I invite you to read my stories about the rest of this journey into “crazyland” right here in the Women’s Adventure blog. I’m heading into my fifth month of training and it’s been entertaining to say the least. I can’t say that I’ll be a resource for tips on how to do this best, but I can promise not take myself too seriously and be open with you about all the embarrassing moves I make!
