Random Resolution

I've decided to train for a triathlon. I am telling everyone I see so that I can't change my mind at the last minute - hopefully the peer pressure to follow through will be unbearable and I'll be too ashamed to slide my way out. As I was swimming yesterday I realized from this point on in my life, my physical abilities will probably start deteriorating no matter what I do so I might as well take advanage of what they call "my peak years of physical fitness." Whatever the heck that means. I want to have a few athletic accomplishents under my belt before I can't open my own jar of peanut butter or become the "fallen and can't get up" lady.

I think I've got the swimming and biking segments under control, but running will be a challenge to prepare for. I started running at the gym today to see what I'm up against, and it's about 26 years of lazy legs and ashmatic lungs. But I know I can do it. I used to run in college for fun so I figure if I keep up the running for a few more months I'll stop hating it and maybe be able to run the whole distance without breaks.

There are tons of triathlons in the LA area. I am going to start with a pretty easy one (1/4 mi. swim, 11.5 mi. bike, 3 mi. run) at the end of March just to get an idea of what they are like, then train for the regular, Olympic style one (1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run) in July. The real challenge is gear. For this type of event, most of the entrants typically have:

Wetsuit (all the swimming in triathlons out here is in the ocean)
Swim cap
Goggles
Road Style bike (these ideally start around $500)
Fancy clip in shoes to wear on bike
Camel-bag for water while biking
Nice running shoes (not like my $8 Payless ones I've been wearing for 4 years)
Jogging/biking clothes
Some certain kind of approved biking helmet
The registration fee (ranging from $85 to $200)

Optional gear for the real die hards:
Sweet shades so you look calm in the photos
Waterproof body paint so you can paint your entry number all over your body in weird places
Dorky little mesh style baseball hat
Hired spectators to cheer you on at every turn
Performance enhancing drugs in nifty travel size syringe

So far I have goggles, a bike helmet and a University of Michigan baseball hat (no mesh on that sucker...). Everything else is still theoretical. And expensive. I guess I could use a Sharpie to write my number on my forehead, but I'm a little worried about blood poisoning. Maybe if I just drink a gallon of Coke before the triathlon I'll ride the caffine wave all the way into first place. It's not steriods, but it's close (without that unsightly side effect of chest hair).

My plan is to register for the March event, train for it, and then hopefully at the 11th hour a wetsuit and roadbike will fall into my lap. Why not. It rained frogs back in Bible days. It seems like a light shower of athletic gear wouldn't be totally inconceivable. So that's the plan. Hold me to it.

(I'm tracking my progress here - there's also a new link in the sidebar)