Sunday, October 21, 2012

Triathlete with Training Wheels

Whenever I talk to a non-triathlete friend about racing the most common response I hear is, "You know the bike would be the easiest for me, and I could probably push through the run....but the swim, I'd drown." This cracks me up nearly every time, maybe because I have a swim/run background but in the back of my mind I'm saying, "You have no idea how boring it is to be in the middle of no where doing the same motion over and over again for 56 miles. Not to mention your ass, yea it's gonna hurt". 

Biking. You ARE the weakest link. At least for me. I haven't actually been on my bike for hmm maybe 2 months now? It's been sitting in the corner of my apartment, collecting dust. I have those days when I stare at it longingly and convince myself I don't have the time to commit to the length of a ride to make it worth it. So the other day I had a really, really rough day at work and came home in some major need of a cardio pick-me-up. I had already been to the gym once that day and didn't exactly want to go back, just to be crammed into a small space with people. People. I did not want to be around people. Didn't want to talk to anyone and definitely didn't want to have any technology on me for at least an hour.

This is when I decided today would be the day to take out my bike. Without hesitation on threw on my spandex, jersey and grabbed my shoes, bike and helmet and ran out the door. I got all the way outside when I realized my tire was slightly flat. This day was just not having me! But luckily I had an extra CO2 in my pack and just inflated it. Aaaand I was off. I headed over to the lake path and went at it. It was everything that I needed at that moment, no one talking to me and it was just me and my bike for as long as I wanted to go. Well I had dinner plans at 7 so I opted to turn around before Navy Pier (especially since that passage way on lower Wacker is a hot mess anyways).

As much as I loved being back on my bike I'd be lying if I said it was easy! I had to push a lot, especially on the way back home. I felt like I was barely even moving! By the time I made it home I was beyond pooped. And my ego was about as deflated as my tire had been earlier. While I'm still months away from IMOO 2013 it makes me nervous that my biking was that bad. I feel like I will be starting back from scratch, like a triathlete on training wheels!

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