Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Good Thing It Wasn't Drugs

It was ten years ago when a friend of mine suggested we do a triathlon.  I kinda just laughed.

I've always been a "physical" person - active.  I was on swim team.  I rode my bike.  I had run a think one or two 5k's (3.2 miles).  Always with groups of people.  Nothing over the top.

When she suggested we do this triathlon thing, I kept pronouncing it wrong.  I was adding an extra "a" tri-at - a h la - thon.  A women's event supporting breast cancer research.  A half mile open water swim.  A 12 mile bike ride and then a 3.2 mile run.

I suggested we do a relay - I would swim, she could run and we could find someone to do the bike for us.  She wanted to do the whole thing herself.  Okay, okay.  Let's do this.

We sign up for the race in August.  I think it was April or so - don't really remember.  Let's see:  my training consisted of running - sometimes.  Swimming at the pool (I did do some laps).   And well, riding my bike around the neighborhood - MY MOUNTAIN BIKE (that weighed a bazillion pounds and has fat tires on it).

She flies in (she doesn't live here) for the weekend.  We borrow a friends truck.  We borrow another friends bicycle for her.  She insists she did train some that summer.  My bike had dust on it.

BUT, we did it.  We did the race in the "buddy" group - meaning it wasn't "competitive" - whatever the heck that meant.

We hadn't practiced our transitions - you know when you come out of the water, you are wet and need to dry off, put on socks and shoes and maybe something over your swimsuit.

We waited for each other after the different events.  We stopped and took pictures along our bike ride.  We ran together and have a picture of us crossing the finish line together.  It took us 2 hours and 8 minutes to complete.  We were damn proud of ourselves.

We left there and went to get manicures and pedicures.  After all, we had worked hard.

I've done that same triathlon 8 more times.  My best time was almost 40 minutes faster than my first time.

She was also instrumental in getting me signed up for my first half marathon, but she didn't compete - I was the one whom had become addicted.

10 triathlons (I did two others one a longer distance besides the women's one), 7 half-marathons and 2 full marathons later, I'm not sure if I should thank her or not.

At least she didn't introduce me to drugs........


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