Tri Me!

Here in the triathlon world... it's a little competitive.
And how could it not be? We are not competing in one sport but three at a time! So you can't just be good at one and feel among the competition. You have to master all three to really be a competitor. And that is where I am right now.

No, no I am no master. I am merely at the point of realizing that you have to master all three.

Kinda like realizing you have a problem is the first step.
(Of a total of 12? Sheesh I got a ways to go!)

So maybe I have taken a few other steps, actually completing a Tri should be a big, huge first step. Or maybe the months of preparation are the first step? Or maybe just thinking about it and deciding to do one all those months ago was the first step?Either way, even though I have decided, trained and completed a Triathlon I still feel like I am in the beginning stages.

Which is quite alright with me. I just wish that with two jobs and winter approaching fast that I could find the time to get to... oh I don't know step.. two?

It's tough though. And for those of you who don't know me. I hate winter. I love snow. I hhhaaaatteee the cold. I get it from my mother. I will go play in snow all day long but if it is just cold outside, just cold... count . me . out.
Sleet, hail, all that yucky stuff. Hate it. So as fall is creeping in I am slowly realizing this is usually the time of year I go into hiding. (I believe it's called hibernation) I am even storing some extra poundage around my waistline (and thighs for that matter) just in case its a long winter.

So how do I struggle with the multiplying responsibilities of two jobs AND my usual winter hibernation WHILE staying in shape.

With a stack of magazines and a gym membership (where the used to recognize me and now would ask me for two forms of ID because it's been so long since I have been there) and plenty of places to run bike or swim, I still have yet to feel like I have crossed a threshold.

Because as I said, triathletes are competitive. They have to be, from the little sprint distance to the Iron Man crazies. Something in all of us (yeah I lumped myself in there!)

Oh and apparently now I gotta compete with celebrities getting in the mix. J.Lo really? She couldn't have stuck with singing, dancing, acting and fashion designing now she's gotta come into my world?Thank god I beat her time. Granted it was a little bit of a difference in length but I did the math. Still beat her. (Ha!)

Okay, so maybe it's me who is a bit on the competitive side. But after reading my own blog it seems as though I lack... motivation.(no way, not me! That is unfortunately not a surprising turn of events) The first one was easy, because I had never done it before. And it was crazy to those around me.
"what the heck is a tri-ath-a-lon?"(as most of them ask) So the fire was inside. But now what?

Do I strive to beat Matthew McCoughney's time? Yeah, yeah so the Hollywood hottie beat me by 20 minutes and he biked a couple extra miles. (dangit bobby) So what?
But that isn't enough to keep me going. I tried setting my sights on Olympic distance. All that did was send me running. For like a month I ran 3.5 miles, 3-4 times a week . Then, a wall. A big, fat, ugly "you can't do it" wall. That I have yet to figure out how to climb over.

And that is where I am right now.

...stay tuned.

By the way, last Friday was indeed fabulous and I have tons of Facebook pictures to prove it.
Now if I could only find my own digital camera so I can add pics to this blog!