Uphill Battle

Weekly mileage: 9.8 (3 running, 6.8 cycling)

On your mark.  Get set.  Go!  Kick-off for Team In Training's summer season was yesterday, and what an event it was.  I continue to be impressed and inspired by the organization.  Not only are we working together on an important mission (raising money to fight blood cancers), but the organization is incredibly well run, encouraging, and exciting to be a part of!

I ran into several friends from last season's half marathon training who greeted me with big hugs and a bit of terror in their eyes.  Afterall, we had signed up to do an Olympic distance triathlon!  We met our mentors, received our training schedules, and heard from coaches and cancer survivors, all attesting to the challenges and victories we will encounter on this four month journey.

There are three triathlon training schedules, depending on your level of fitness.  Well.  I am incredibly proud to say that because of the half marathon and running club, I am going to start out at the highest level and see if I can stay there for the duration of training!

My first workout of the season was today: a 40-minute bike ride. Because my bike tutor is out of town, this was my first unsupervised ride.  I had a lot of nerves going into it.  I packed my under-seat bike pouch with my phone, license, debit card, and health insurance card.  You know, just in case.  I filled up my REI water bottle and stuck it in my REI water cages (I'm keeping those people in business!), clicked on my cycling shoes, and headed out the door.  I had to walk through the lobby of my building in spandex and what amount to really overpriced tap dancing shoes, and I made plenty of noise and drew much attention.  But then I was off! 

The first bit of the ride was no big deal, my biggest concern being getting my feet out of the cleats in time to stop at the stoplights.  Let me tell you...I'm a pro!  I only almost fell down once!  But then, because I'm not familiar with my neighborhood beyond my grocery store, I found out it's dirty little secret.  HILLS.

My first workout was a hill workout.  Totally by accident.  After the one thing they told us yesterday was to start slowly.  Oops.  By the time I got halfway up the fifth hill my legs were shaking, sweat was pouring down my face...well...it was pouring down my everything, and I wanted to stop.  But I kept pedaling, standing up as I made it the last few yards up that hill.  I was really proud of myself!  Then I remembered, there were three more to go before home.  So I took a rest, hydrated (that's what it's called...drinking water is for sissies!), and went on my way.  All in all I did 6.8 miles in 40 minutes, or about 10 miles per hour.  I have no idea if this is fast or slow for me, but it gives me a good baseline from which to measure and grow. 

I'm so excited for this adventure, but I can tell already it's going to be the most physically challenging thing I've ever done.  And what did I learn so far?  Biking up hills makes the hiking up hills we did last seem like a walk in the woods.  Oh.  Wait...