compete in a triathlon

I haven’t pursued this goal as yet. It’s hard for me to steer away from running. I am always running – trying to complete as many fast marathons as I can. Trying to start swimming and biking right now will detract from my running. I am 32 and my best marathon years are now. So I want to try for sub-3 marathon and focus on a triathlon in a couple years.

Although I am 6 days away from competing in my 9th marathon, I have started looking ahead to 2008. I need to try my first ever triathlon. It’s time to throw out a target race. The Naperville Triathlon is held in August ever year, so I will plan for this one right now. It’s 10 months away, but I need to have a goal.

I’m so hung up on marathoning that I can’t figure out when I am going to do this. I need to do this. I want to do this. But after this year’s awesome Boston Qualifier, I feel like I am in my prime.

I think I will stop by the local YMCA, which will have a pool. Our current gym is ‘no frills’ and would not be suitable for this goal. Maybe it’s a place to start.

...which is right in my new home city of Chicago. The event is August 26, 2007, which is 2 days before my 32nd birthday. I just qualified to run the Boston Marathon in April. Triathlon training would bring on a whole new challenge for me. Am I able to run Boston on 4/16/07 and then train for my first triathlon in 4 months? I think so, but I need to respect my other commitments in life. Namely, that of my wife and our plans to have our first child together. We are trying right now. She already made a comment concerning my running and the help I will need to give when we do have an infant. I know that my commitment to fatherhood will be first on the priority list, but isn’t there a way to at least participate in such an amazing event and be a new father?