The Road to Tri...To Do or Not to Do, That is the Question



A week ago I had a friend ask me if I would do an Ironman Triathlon with her next year. My first thought was oh hell no; I haven't swam since junior high. Just imagine doing a 2.4 mile swim and then following that with 112 miles on a bike, THEN follow that with a full marathon...yeah that’s what is involved in doing an Ironman distance. So I decided to ponder the idea for a few days, and ponder that I did. I started thinking of all the reasons why I should NOT do the event. Reasons ranging from its going to cost too much money, to how will I find the time, I'm going to have to get up and train at 4am some days just to get in my 2 a days in.

Well having limited time to sign up I decided to go with a sure why not. Well sure why not isn't really what I'm thinking now. I'm going back to all those negative thoughts from the few days thinking this over and stopped myself dead in my tracks and said I am going to take this challenge. I will face my fears head on and I will become a stronger person because of this event. I am now looking at this event not as I have to go out there and win it (this is my mentality in bike racing), but instead I need to go out there and compete against myself NOT to give up. I see this as a personal challenge to overcome all the obstacles I have been challenged with in my young life, it’s my little way of squashing all that has stopped me in the past, to give me new hope for my strength in my future.

SO then what’s next? Well as a fitness trainer, endurance sport coach, and competitive cyclist myself I know what to tell other people to do for their training. Now I am seeing a blank calendar for myself. It’s an interesting feeling right now knowing what I have to do to train, but really how will I do it. That is what you will get to read about over the next 7 months till the event. I will be logging my training for you all to see and follow if you like. Think of it as a FREE Ironman training program, scientifically designed AND tested.

Stay tuned for more…next blog on the Road to Tri will be In the Beginning, all the info you should gather before you start your program.