that moment you realize - not this year

Mitzi,
I agree with the first two posts...in Mar, I couldn't swim 25m and I hadn't run in over 5 years but I signed up for my first sprint Tri first week of June. I committed to a training plan and the week before the event, I got diagnosed with shingles. I felt aweful...felt that there was no way I could do as well as I wanted and I seriously considered pulling out of the event. I decided to do it anyway and although I was slower on all 3 events than I knew I should be based on my training, I had a blast. I've signed up for another sprint in Sep and I've already set a goal to do the Nations Triathalon (1500m OWS) next year. My goal will be to have fun and finish...and I know I'll do that if I pace myself.

If you have been doing sprints...I know you can do an Oly!

I will simply echo those above - stick with it, have fun, and learn from it!

Thanks guys, I'm driving myself crazy going back and forth. I've been building my running slowly, but steadily. At this rate I won't be ready for oly in Aug. but feeling like I can be a little more aggressive in training, which might get me ready.

I definitely want to kick a$$ in the sprint July 22. For me that means being in the middle of the back of the pack. I have pulled up the rear in a few races. I do feel better than I have in a long time, which makes me eager, but then I fear being last. So I go back and forth - I guess the important thing to do is keep training and the answer will become clear.

Thanks again,
Mitzi

Always listen to the teechur! Seriously, her advice is golden. I used to be able to run a 34:xx 10k. Now it's almost double that. I went through a whole lot of grief and wanted to quit. One day i realized how thankful I am for just being able to do this at all. If i get last in a race, so be it. After years of running races and tris, I can not tell you who was last in ANY of them, and if you are last, no one else will either. Now, put all of those negative thoughts aside and go for it!

Even last place is well ahead of all those people at home that didn't start.

This

Mitzi.

Your profile pic says to me, "That moment you realize, 'I got this' ... "

Everyone off the podium gets the same FINISHERS MEDAL.

********************************************************
Who cares what you look like in your wetsuit?...Only You
Who cares how you get up that tough hill in the middle of the race?...Only You
During transition, when dressing/undressing to get ready for the bike/run, who is watching?...Only You
Who cares about your finishing position?...Only You
Who can let you quit?...Only You
Who can stop you from even starting?...Only You
********************************************************
Who can get you to the finish line?...ONLY YOU

You have a lot of support in your life. Think about them when it gets a little tough out there because they will be thinking of you, THE TRIATHLETE, when they need a little urging and mental support in their life.

Go have a lot of fun, enjoy the pain and the solitude. Remember at the end when you're tired, sore and emotionally spent...YOU deserve to have all of those feelings and they are some of the greatest feelings on earth.

Momma...seriously, what's wrong with Dead last finish? Remember DLF> DNF>>>DNS!

You got this! I say you follow the teechur's instructions and go for it!

--
Dave

Pushed myself out of my comfort zone and went on a group ride. Always workout alone. I've only ridden my new bike twice, falling over the first time.

Thought I was getting fit by riding on my trainer. Picked the "D" level ride (I never heard of it before). Meant to be 10-12 mph, easy ride. Well it really was 18 miles of hellish hills, albeit slower then the C group . Kept up OK until I got lost - lost sight of leader on a hill and didn't see him turn left. Went straight, realized I was wrong when I never caught up. Didn't know the area, but plugged the bike shop into my cell phone for directions and was on my way. Going uphill, I stopped when I saw a person from the ride standing there. The leader was out looking for me, this guy was there in case I came by. Group leader came back from looking for me.

Got back on bike and clipped in and petaled. As it was on a hill I proceeded to go nowhere but down on my side. Then a other rider crashed into me and somehow my shoe knocked off his value and gave him a flat. A real show. Went down a driveway to get a start and proceeded to finish the last 6 miles of the ride.

I really thought I was in better shape, though at least I'm not sore today. Took today off as it's my recovery week.
Want my teenagers to be proud of me, so I made a big joke of it, but this did not build my confidence.

^^^This x1000!

One of my favorites:

Q: "What do you call the last place finisher in a triathlon?"
A: "A triathlete."

I'll give the opposite view. I have done a summer Oly the past 3 years. This year with work, life, parents in the hospital, etc, training has taken a hit. I realized last week that I have 4 weeks of training remaining before my race. I have been on my bike (not spin class) 3x all year. Swims have been 2-3x per month. I run because I can do it out my front door and keep to a time. I dropped down to the sprint because I can get ready for that.

Fear of finishing last would not stop me, but fear of hurting myself makes me take my step. Planning for an Oly in the fall but if it doesnt happen, it doesnt happen.

$100 says you'd finish that Olympic.
Double down and I say you wouldn't be last.
Triple dog dare, and I say you would beat whatever reasonable time projection you would give right now if I asked.

Thanks everyone for your advice. Am continuing to train, but haven't signed up for the oly yet.

Thanks all. Due to all the encouragement I have worked out a training plan that gets me to the distances by Aug. 20. Sometimes I think two months is enough time, then I sweat when I think that's really only 6-7 weeks with recovery and a few days of tapering...

I have always wished for three months of training but seem to only get 1 and a half. You can do it. Might even surprise yourself if you train hard and smart. Most importantly, might as well have fun with it than skip it.

I sense in you MuscleMomma....a bit of a kindred spirit.
I'm guessing you're a bit of (I know this is shocking for this triathlon endeavor).....a bit of an overthinker. Slightly (but only slightly) more than mild obsessing about whether you're doing it the "right" or "optimal" way.

I say this. Embrace the obsessing. As long as it doesn't get in the way of a spiritually/emotionally/family/normal healthy life otherwise...or lead to injury..
I find when I embrace it, I get out of bed a little more willingly and go do what I need to do. When I'm not "feeling" it, I still put on my running shoes and do what I need to do. When I start to fret about weather, and other family responsibilities on the weekend that might get in the way of 'training', I rearrange what I can, adjust my schedule where I can to get in what I need to do.

And generally what I need to is what I want to do. I want to exercise and be healthy. I want to push myself a bit following a plan....a plan with a goal in mind of completing a race/bettering a time/etc. At that point, I don't feel it's really obsessing. It's become motivation.

I save the real obsessing for how to not spend too much money in all this, or when to put new tires on, or when to take my bike in for a tuneup...or which bike to take on vacation, or whether I should wear the blue hat or the red hat at the race. The blue looks better, but the red one is more comfy. Why do I care what I look like, I just rubbed Body Glide all over "down there" in front of 800 other people and they didn't bat an eye. What should I do about water bottles? I really like that one water bottle, but if I ditch in the race for a handoff bottle, then it'll be gone forever. Maybe I should go buy a new one. But I like that other one. Why do I "like" one damn water bottle over another? Am I nuts? You bet! This is fun!

You got me, lol.

My issue is constructing training plans. I can spend an evening laying out every swim workout for the next 6 weeks, only to have to change it all when I see I can swim more than I thought, or speed wasn't happening. Love building plans, have a large monthly calendar for visual recording, index cards with workouts neatly written out.
Funny thing is in the rest of my life I am massively disorganized.

Ahahahahahahhaaaaa......
You should see my desk.
I'd upload a picture, but you wouldn't be able to actually see the desk. You'd just see all the crap that's covering it.
As I sit here playing around on messageboards instead of getting stuff done. Meh....I'll do it all in the last 5 minutes before I leave today.