Triathlon update.

Well, I did my mock triathlon at the gym last night, and some things surprised me, and some things didn't.

I was nervous, on a mild level, all week long leading up to yesterday's workout. I was actually a little scared too, to be honest. Not because I didn't think I could do it; hell, before training for it, I knew I could do it, just not do it well. I was scared and nervous because I knew it was going to be an ass kicker, because my knees have been bothering me lately, and because I was also scared that my swim portion was going to be longer than my estimation had been when I signed up.

That's where the first surprise comes in. I swam half a mile in 14 minutes. 14 minutes!!! I think I will name our next child Fourteen Minutes. I was so amped. There was an old guy in the pool while I was counting off my laps and when I stopped the stopwatch and stared at 14:07, I said "Yes!" and kept repeating that as I clamored out of the pool. "Yes!" I kept saying as I gathered my crap and trotted into the locker rooms.

I showered, dried off and changed. I didn't time that part because in the actual transition, there won't be any of that. I intend to get a super sexy tri suit which basically looks like the suits those heavy weight lifter dudes wear. There won't be any changing at all, just drying off a bit, putting on my helmet, sunglasses, socks and shoes. Oh, and my iPod.

Anyways, then I jogged out to the cardio theater room. I debated doing this because either the movie could distract me and make me slow my RPMs or it would get me too used to working out while watching all the Rocky movies in 40 minute increments, and that my speed and form would suffer once I was on the road. But then I realized I will be plenty occupied on a mental level, maneuvering around all those other participants, keeping track of my laps, etc.

So, another surprise: I did my 12 miles in 38 minutes and change.  I figured my time would be closer to 45 minutes. I'm sure I owe a couple of those minutes to Rocky and to Eye of the Tiger, but again, I think I'll get even faster due to the adrenalin and competitive nature of a racing environment. Plus I will have my iPod. I think it's time to buy Eye of the Tiger on iTunes. Anyways, I kept my resistance between 10 and 12, going back and forth to simulate how it would be out there on the road, switching gears.

My quads were definitely tired but not completely trashed, so after a quick stop at the water fountain, I ran back to the theater room and hopped on a treadmill. For those interested, Rocky III had restarted so I got to see the start of Rocky's journey to kicking Clubber Lang's almighty ass.

Now, it's a little harder speeding up on a treadmill according to your own stamina and gait, because you have to speed it up with the push of a button, not merely running quicker. So I ran this in a little less than 30 minutes. And then the bitch of it was when I accidentally hit the emergency stop button, with only .82 of a mile left to go. So that irritated me, got me out of my groove, and exacerbated the pain in my left foot which is from nerve damage.

But I did it. I did it all in 82 minutes. I can't wait til that triathlon now. I'm no longer scared of it. Well, I'm nervous about the transition between swimming and biking, because I don't want to eat up a lot of time doing it incorrectly/too clumsily/forgetting something. But last night's triathlon did more than just prep me physically and mentally, but it gave me confidence in, and pride for, what my body is capable of.

I cried a bit on the car ride home, but that didn't surprise me. I knew that would happen.