My First Time

I intended on beginning this blog many months ago and I could never quite find the time.  As I sit here with my left foot in a boot, about ten days before what should be my A race, I suddenly have all the time in the world.  It's bittersweet.  In the time I would normally be fighting the taper, I have no choice but to be sidelined.  I know, cry me a river.  Trust me, I am fully aware that it could be so much worse.

Let's not get off on the wrong foot.  I grew up swimming competitively from the age of nine until eighteen when I decided eating Papa John's Pizza and drinking Zima's were too cool for school.  I quit swimming and gained the freshman 15 50, or as my almost-brother-in-law likes to call it, I ate my twin.  Somewhere between smoking Virginia Slims and attempting to mix in a few more salads, I joined the local masters swim team.  After swimming off my twin, I met some local triathletes at swimming who suggested I do a triathlon. 

I was somewhat familiar with cycling as my crazy Dad was into it and riding 200 mile races.  But, wait...triathlon involves running?  I don't even know how to do that.  Someone suggested I try running for one minute and walking for 30 seconds and repeating for 30 minutes.  Needless to say, that's how I started running.  I'm sure it was slow as molasses, but I didn't have any fancy watch contraption to tell me the pace; not that I would've known the difference. 

Needless to say, I signed up for a sprint triathlon, but before completing it, I had the braniac idea of signing up for Ironman Arizona 2006.  This is NOT something I would advise a sane person to do.  Yep, it was one of the most impulsive moves of my life and trust me I am anything but impulsive.  For the most part, I can't make a decision to save my life, but I am so happy my friend Susie talked me into that crazy adventure.  That one race I planned to do has turned into a crazy endurance athlete lifestyle.  This is my story. 

**Procrastination should be my middle name.  This was intended to be posted back in November, so use your imagination and pretend it happened.  I'll carry on from there.**