Wednesday, October 8, 2008

How this came to be!

It could be my own unique version of a mid-life crisis, or perhaps a sign that I'm truly losing it, but here I am training for triathlon! And like a true "junky" I couldn't do it alone, nope had to bring someone else along for ride. *sigh*

Back up . . . .
Last January (2008) I was overweight, and by a lot, and not feeling so good about myself. By February I'd committed myself to getting into shape, and not just so I'd look better but so that I was healthy. For the first time, I didn't want to be "skinny" I wanted to be fit. That's good right? As spring approached I was ready to amp it up and joined a bootcamp, which I continued for a total of 8 weeks. It was hard, it meant getting up at 5 a.m., packing a lot of food up and not returning home to my family until about 5 p.m. After the 8 weeks I "coasted" during summer holidays and even joked about how I'd never be crazy enough to do a triathlon again.

That brings us to this Fall, 6 months later and 55 lbs lighter. Where the idea to do a triathlon came from I don't know. I was absolutely thrilled to watch our own Simon Whitfield win the silver medal in Beijing ... maybe that was what did it?? I did a triathlon about 8 years ago, and finished. That was my goal, to finish. Now, I don't just want to finish I actually want to compete.

Somehow while convincing myself to do it, I managed to convince a co-worker to do it with me and then there really was no easy way out! (Luv ya Stacey, and my condolences to Steve for making him a soon to be tri-widower.) I signed up for swimming lessons, because a swimmer I am not! Picked up a road bike (thanks Paul) and got a new swim suit and a pair of runners.

Now, to be honest, I'm Triathlon Obsessed! It's one of the first things I think about in the morning, and certainly something I even dream about. I keep researching equipment, reading all kinds of information I can get my hands on and can't wait to go to the Tri-It store in Calgary.

So if this is a "mid-life" crisis, I'm hanging on for the ride. Just over one year ago I had a major shoulder repair surgery, was overweight and had no energy. Now, I know I annoy the heck out of people with my energy toward Triathloning and this new found "I want to be an athlete in my mid-30's". The lengths I seem to be willing to go in order to do this and do it well is exhausting but somehow I love it!