finish a triathlon

So… I did not realize that this was such an expensive sport. After all, it doesn’t cost much to swim in the ocean and ride on a bike path and take a jog, right?

The two major items are, of course, the wetsuit and the bicycle.

But the little things add up, too: anti-fog goggles, bright swim cap, a safety course in ocean swimming, bike jersey, bike shorts, bike gloves & running shoes! Wow! This is really pushing my budget.

But it’s an investment. I’m feeling healthy and happy.

I have been swimming, cycling and jogging up a storm over the past week! The date of my very first triathlon is coming up fast. I’m still pretty slow (especially with the jogging), but I’m trying to stay positive—after all, my goal is simply to finish the course. And the rigorous exercise keeps me in a good mood all day! :)

Yesss! I met my own personal gym challenge: 3 mile run + 12 mile bike + .5 mile swim, all in the comfort of my local gym. This is a major step forward in my training. Feelin’ good about the “real” one in October. :)

I’m trying to improve my form a bit. I feel like I’ve finally got the hang of the breathing. But I’m still not so great at flip turns. Anyway, I upgraded my equipment to a better swim cap and goggles, and that helps. Some progress. :)

I’m feeling a little bit better about the running. A little bit. It really helps to pick inspiring places to run. But my joints give me trouble, so I sometimes just use the elliptical trainer. Anyway, I have mastered swimming 1/2 mile, running 3 miles, and biking 12 miles as INDIVIDUAL workouts. So now I’m working on combining them in pairs: duathlons. Wish me luck! ;)

I started training 2 weeks ago. I’ve never done a triathlon before, so I’d like to do a “Sprint” length: 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride, 3 mile run. I love long bike rides, and I’m a confident swimmer, but I’m really not good at running. I might have to walk-jog the last leg. I certainly won’t be breaking any speed records, but my goal is just to finish the course! :-)