A Summer To Tri (by Amy)
Most people know I love to run. I have completed four marathons, three half marathons, several 10Ks and 5Ks, and most recently two obstacle course 5Ks with my son.
Six years ago I decided I wanted to do a triathlon. I was sitting at my daughter's swim lessons reading a book about triathlon training for beginners. I was "water safe" but could not do any stroke. I biked quite a bit with my dad when I was little but nothing over a couple of miles. I told my daughter's swim teacher, "I really want to do a sprint triathlon, but I can't swim." To which he replied, "Well that's a problem."
About a year later I purchased Orange Mango (aka my road bike) that was built by my friend.
I completed my first triathlon in May of 2013 and have completed a total of five of the sprint distance.
I always enjoyed running as a child, but more as a leisurely hobby and not as a competitive sport. The highlight of being on the track team in junior high was the friendships and hanging out during the meets. I tried track in ninth grade. Since the bar was raised for both commitment and competition and the fact I was injured most of the season (bursitis in my knee and shin splints) I decided not to continue with it after ninth grade. Whether or not I should have walked away from it, I will never know. However, one of my mottos for my running is: "It's not just what you did back then. It's what you are doing now as an adult." I am striving to set a good example for my children so they will become healthy, active adults.
After graduating college, I had more time on my hands. Many of my friends were still in college and had more on their daily schedule than I did. I had no excuse for not exercising. I had put on extra weight during my senior year of college and developed some poor eating habits. So one cold wintry day in January while I was living in Michigan, I decided to start running. My goal was to complete a 5K in May two weeks before my wedding. A strange time of year to begin, but I felt like I needed all five months to train for a 5K.
My first run was my most difficult but also my most memorable. My goal was to run to a gas station at the end of the road and back--approximately one mile. I could go only go about a quarter of mile without stopping. It was PAINFUL. I felt winded and my whole body ached. If this is how I had to start, then it could only get better from there, right? Finally after several weeks I completed that mile non-stop and slowly added miles. I did complete that 5K in May of 2001 two weeks before Rob and I got married.
As I ran off and on throughout the years and eventually added swimming and biking, I found it all helped tremendously with my anxiety and depression. Going for a run was like cleaning house in my brain. I could sort out what I needed to do and begin to think clearly. It toned down my out of control emotions. I found breathing outside air was beneficial to my health. During the winter months in Michigan, many people do not get outside unless they are shoveling their driveway or doing winter sports. I found even a short run or walk outside in the blustery cold energized me.
I kept a running blog for many years because I found it helpful to track my workouts. I would also track when my anxiety was high and document other health issues I was dealing with. I only had a small handful of readers, but it was mainly for myself. I ran my second marathon in Sacramento right after my youngest turned one. Some asked "how I did it" with an infant, toddler, and preschooler. I wanted to remember how I made it happen because I don't always know how to answer that question.
So this summer I am keeping a summer only blog called Summer To Tri. I was more inclined to start another exercise blog if I knew it had a beginning and an ending. My current goal is to complete an Olympic triathlon (a 1K swim, 50K bike, and 10K run) at the end of the summer. I am not a strong triathlete. In most of the sprints I have completed, I am in the bottom half of my age group. I am a mediocre swimmer, cautious and somewhat anxious biker, but solid runner. So I will be giving my swimming and biking attention, however I want to maintain my running and keep my mileage high.
My body is not the same body it was when I started training for my first marathon in 2006. I have birthed two other children since then. I have ongoing issues with my right knee. Traveling away from home always throws off my routine. I really struggle with motivation to exercise when I am away from home. Maybe committing to this triathlon and keeping a blog about it will motivate me to exercise while I am away this summer.
I love networking with other runners and triathletes. We share a common language and similar goals. I have found MANY struggle with mental health issues and like myself use exercise as way to combat the symptoms. So I thought one summer blog was one too many as I stopped blogging permanently. Obviously it was not so why not add another one?
Six years ago I decided I wanted to do a triathlon. I was sitting at my daughter's swim lessons reading a book about triathlon training for beginners. I was "water safe" but could not do any stroke. I biked quite a bit with my dad when I was little but nothing over a couple of miles. I told my daughter's swim teacher, "I really want to do a sprint triathlon, but I can't swim." To which he replied, "Well that's a problem."
About a year later I purchased Orange Mango (aka my road bike) that was built by my friend.
In the fall of 2012, I took adult swim lessons at a nearby gym and learned the very basics. I forced myself to swim 4-5 times a week even though I would rather be running. My gym had a masters swim class every morning for anyone who wanted to swim with a group of people. I would intentionally go swim when all the master swimmers were out of the pool or on days they were not there. The thought of swimming with them intimidated me greatly.
In March of 2013, my swimming somewhat improved to the point I wanted to learn more basics. So a triathlete I met at a local triathlon event invited me to the swim at my own gym with the masters group I had been avoiding. I went on an early Wednesday morning and was put in a lane with a man with a severe leg injury and a middle schooler and they still constantly passed me. However, I knew if I was going to improve, I had to keep going regularly. So I did. One of my greatest joys is I met some friends that I still swim with every week to this day.
I completed my first triathlon in May of 2013 and have completed a total of five of the sprint distance.
I always enjoyed running as a child, but more as a leisurely hobby and not as a competitive sport. The highlight of being on the track team in junior high was the friendships and hanging out during the meets. I tried track in ninth grade. Since the bar was raised for both commitment and competition and the fact I was injured most of the season (bursitis in my knee and shin splints) I decided not to continue with it after ninth grade. Whether or not I should have walked away from it, I will never know. However, one of my mottos for my running is: "It's not just what you did back then. It's what you are doing now as an adult." I am striving to set a good example for my children so they will become healthy, active adults.
After graduating college, I had more time on my hands. Many of my friends were still in college and had more on their daily schedule than I did. I had no excuse for not exercising. I had put on extra weight during my senior year of college and developed some poor eating habits. So one cold wintry day in January while I was living in Michigan, I decided to start running. My goal was to complete a 5K in May two weeks before my wedding. A strange time of year to begin, but I felt like I needed all five months to train for a 5K.
My first run was my most difficult but also my most memorable. My goal was to run to a gas station at the end of the road and back--approximately one mile. I could go only go about a quarter of mile without stopping. It was PAINFUL. I felt winded and my whole body ached. If this is how I had to start, then it could only get better from there, right? Finally after several weeks I completed that mile non-stop and slowly added miles. I did complete that 5K in May of 2001 two weeks before Rob and I got married.
As I ran off and on throughout the years and eventually added swimming and biking, I found it all helped tremendously with my anxiety and depression. Going for a run was like cleaning house in my brain. I could sort out what I needed to do and begin to think clearly. It toned down my out of control emotions. I found breathing outside air was beneficial to my health. During the winter months in Michigan, many people do not get outside unless they are shoveling their driveway or doing winter sports. I found even a short run or walk outside in the blustery cold energized me.
I kept a running blog for many years because I found it helpful to track my workouts. I would also track when my anxiety was high and document other health issues I was dealing with. I only had a small handful of readers, but it was mainly for myself. I ran my second marathon in Sacramento right after my youngest turned one. Some asked "how I did it" with an infant, toddler, and preschooler. I wanted to remember how I made it happen because I don't always know how to answer that question.
So this summer I am keeping a summer only blog called Summer To Tri. I was more inclined to start another exercise blog if I knew it had a beginning and an ending. My current goal is to complete an Olympic triathlon (a 1K swim, 50K bike, and 10K run) at the end of the summer. I am not a strong triathlete. In most of the sprints I have completed, I am in the bottom half of my age group. I am a mediocre swimmer, cautious and somewhat anxious biker, but solid runner. So I will be giving my swimming and biking attention, however I want to maintain my running and keep my mileage high.
My body is not the same body it was when I started training for my first marathon in 2006. I have birthed two other children since then. I have ongoing issues with my right knee. Traveling away from home always throws off my routine. I really struggle with motivation to exercise when I am away from home. Maybe committing to this triathlon and keeping a blog about it will motivate me to exercise while I am away this summer.
I love networking with other runners and triathletes. We share a common language and similar goals. I have found MANY struggle with mental health issues and like myself use exercise as way to combat the symptoms. So I thought one summer blog was one too many as I stopped blogging permanently. Obviously it was not so why not add another one?
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