What was I thinking???

Really. I am not an athlete. I have never been an athlete. I do not think I ever will be an athlete. Despite all of this, I have done something that seems incredibly foolish. I have signed up to "compete" in the Nation's Triathlon on Sunday, September 12th. Crap.

I've committed to train with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. In exchange for raising a modest amount for the organization (a really good organization at that!) I will be expertly guided through four months of training to prepare me. (By the way, if you're reading this and haven't contributed, please visit my fundraising page at http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nattri10/mzentnecxd. Every little bit helps!)

In my mind, I've been breaking down the pieces of the tri and this is what I have so far:

Swim
It's only .9 miles. I swam competitively when I was 8 or 9. Ok, so that was 22 years ago. But, Emily and and I used to swim at least a mile per week back in college. Of course, we always followed-up our swims with big beers and big nachos at Sally's...oh, to be in college again! The other downside of the swim is that it is in the Potomac. I'm fully prepared to come out with a third eye or some kind of fungus growing on me. Maybe I'll sprout a third leg that will help me with the run? Or else, I'll just try not to open my mouth.

Bike
I really like biking. Of course, I've only been on the stationary and recumbent variety (with TV and AC, naturally) since the day that I got my driver's license and put my good old 10-speed on mothballs. The other problem is the helmet. Anyone who knows me well, also knows my feelings on helmets. They look stupid. It has absolutely nothing to do with safety. I am all for safety! It's purely the aesthetic. Unfortunately, I'll just have to get over it.

Run
The 10k run should be the least of my worries, but there is much to consider. 1) I am only a baby runner. Anything over 5 miles and I get scared. Yes, it is all in my head. 2) The last time I ran was two weeks ago. What happened? A quarter mile into the run, I bit it. Hard. I tripped over my own feet and landed in the middle of K st and 20th. Apparently, my instincts told me to catch myself with my joints. Hence, I have been dealing with a gaping wound on my elbow and a bruised knee. It's a very classy look for a 30 year old professional woman. 3) I usually don't run for anything, not even the bus. There goes that catch phrase.

Honestly, I am really excited about this challenge. Turning 30 has been hard for me. I'm already impressed by the things that I've learned my body can do through my CrossFit workouts. (As an example, I can dead lift over 200lbs. Who knew?) This is a whole new level of challenge for me. I have to get out of my head and admit that I CAN DO this! I'm not in it to win it. I want to finish and feel good about what I've accomplished and the money that I've helped raise for LLS.

I invite all of you to follow my training adventures and keep up with the hilarity that is sure to ensue. Real training doesn't actually start until mid-May, but I'll keep this space updated with my pre-training activities until then. Please comment and keep me motivated!

Next up, buying a new suit and goggles!