Triathlon 101

I started reading the book Triathlon 101, and they have some exercises to complete that I felt I should do somewhere, as I don't have a hard-copy journal (yet? probably won't get one, let's be honest). That's what this blog is for, right?

Motivation

List 15 benefits of achieving your triathlon goal. Try to add 5 more to your list every week until you've reached 50.

1. Where I began my 20s: far over 200 lbs.
2. Where I will end my 20s: the fittest I've been.
3. This can be a way for me to keep up my competitive behavior...
4. ...without having a "team" behind me.
5. Variety!
6. I'll look better in my clothes.
7. I'll have to buy new clothes.
8. Overall, an affordable way to stay in shape (running shoes, bike maintenance, pool access).
9. I'll learn to balance a stressful work environment with stress-relieving activities.
10. This will motivate me to bike places instead of drive...
11. ...which means I'll save gas money!
12. I've always wanted a fancy shmancy bike...which I'll only allow myself if this is a serious endeavor.
13. This will be something new to talk about with people!
14. This may be something N and I can do together.
15. It will improve my CrossFitting...

Federal Student Loan

Paid off the last bit of my federal student loan on Friday. I keep checking the site to see if it has posted...I can't wait until "Repayment" is replaced with "Paid in Full."

One thing done before 30.

Just keep swimming...

Swimming. Remember when you were a kid, and how joyful it was? How easy to jump in the pool and get started? Diving boards, swimmies, sun tan lotion.

Apparently, life is so different as an adult.

I didn't think I'd find swimming so terrifying, and yet...and yet...even something as simple as going under water and trusting that my goggles won't flood with water panics me.

Wait, I think "panics" might be a bit hyperbolic. It's really that I have been trained (by my mother) to fear swimming with my contacts in.

Please, dear heavens, let my eye doctor not read this blog.

My goggles work really well -- they have not flooded (yet), and I haven't needed to freak out...and yet, after a few strokes, I'm up, gasping for breath, scared out of my mind that I'll not be able to finish.

And yet, I'm NOT finishing simply because I'm scared I'll not be able to finish...

In other words, Ugh. I have the phone number of a swim coach, which, as each day goes by, I realize more and more that this will be necessary. There is also a swim class to work on strokes, breathing, and effectiveness in the pool in March or April at the rec center, which is absolutely necessary.

I complete all of my swimming thus far after my workouts -- I figure if I can swim the required sprint triathlon distance after a completely exhausting workout, I can do it "pretty easily" as the workout on tri-day. Am I completely insane?

Don't answer that.