Triathlon and Endurance race season has just begun. We're just under a month from the Boston Marathon. Peaks to Portland filled up fast this year (6 hours instead of 6 weeks). Last month my cousin's race, Swim the Suck, sold out in 30 minutes. Tomorrow morning many people will be manning their keyboards for the Beach to Beacon (often sells out in 4 minutes).
This is my longest non-race spell in years. I usually have a race a month. The last race I ran was an obstacle course race in the the fall; Zombie Run. Swam outside until mid-October and then got sick as a dog at the end of November. So sick it landed me in hospital with my hands and feet curled in on themselves, like newly born, or dead, claws. It was terrifying. It took me until early January to get all my bones back in their proper places in my feet (lots of yoga, massage and well chosen shoes).
No sooner was realignment obtained, than the mighty snows and bitter cold were upon us. Shoveling and raking became my new sports. Dog walking and hiking became challenges to be overcome. For the last six weeks, or so, the white stuff I usually love to use for play and exercise didn't afford me any sledding or skiing; just chronic chores.
So, finally, the weather is promising to be manageable. I've run Half Marathons in single digits, so cold the cocoa at mile 10 had a skim of ice. This winter you'd have to run on black ice or in hip deep snow. To be able to run on packed snow or a cleared road will be a newly savored treat! Also, now that we're not having a snowstorm every weekend (and let me tell you it was every weekend, although they're threatening ice pellets and snow showers this weekend), I can finally join my friend at our beloved Beede Center, with it's special pool (and therapy pool). I may even do some weights with her, as this winter my maintenance of my upper body was fine (shovel, rake), but trunk and lower half need help.
I'm trying to map out some races, as I usually do. Like Writer's Workshops, the good one's sell out way in advance (February for August), so I'm having to strategically map out the pricey ones against the reasonable races. Building on milage from Spring to Fall, as always. Usually 5K-10K runs, 1 M swims in Spring, 10K to Half Runs and 2.5 Mile Swims in Summer and Half Runs and maybe 3+ this fall. I've monkeyed with that however. I've done the Half in New Bedford in March, I've done Triathlons in the Fall and Summer.
The thing that I want to get at some point is a bike (funny that was my image from last night). You see it is my weakest event, and I also don't have a proper road bike. I have a Townie bike (Elektra's version of a Dutch Granny bike before the designed the Amsterdam) and my ancient Trek mountain bike from my days in SF (which I've used for all my Tri's in MA in the last 13 yrs), but neither of them are any good for really enjoying the race or become reasonably placed in my age group (although in my first Tri, I missed being 3rd by seconds, because I make up for it in the water).
You see I am a human animal. The bike is a machine that is added to the way we move through space (and I love to move, even fly on my bikes), but it's not as pure as swimming and running. Both of those sports helped evolve as humans. If you read Born to Run or know of Elaine Morgan's Aquatic Ape theory (http://www.ted.com/talks/elaine_morgan_says_we_evolved_from_aquatic_apes?language=en) then you'll have some understand of where I'm coming from regarding the purity of swimming and running.
I guess you could argue that the bicycle is the next evolution of human movement advancement: the wheel. I've loved wheeled toys since I was a girl. I preferred Tonka trucks to baby dolls. My first wheels were a tricycle, a wagon and a push-pedal tractor! At some Triathlons, I've seen bikes that cost as much as my Honda Fit, are very close to the same amount. My iron horse has served me well, but this year (as last), I'll be trolling Craigslist for a serviceable, and cheap, Tri-bike to actually let me train and race to my potential.
Funny thing about being 52 and having been a runner now for 40 years...I can mentally run a Half without much physically preparation. I may not be fast, but I'm steady. Obstacle course races have added to the love of being outdoors with others, running, and over coming challenges along the way. Swimming is a love and passion, but only a very recent (last decade) sport. Although I did swim for gym in High School & pleasure in college, swam in the ocean all my life (and snorkeled, dove for hire), took aqua-aerobics through both pregnancies, and most bodies of water when ever they present themselves and I"m free to swim, skinny dip or float. Biking has been a mode of transport, tooling around and traveling experience. Especially in Holland. The bike roads and routes are amazing. If you don't bike in the cities, towns and village of NL while you're there, you've missed half of the experience of Holland. All season and weather biking, too, btw. Same with San Francisco!
Okay..I must go to sleep. In a little over a week I'll be going for a "dip" in Boston Harbor with some other silly selkie folk, but tonight I'll dream of running, biking and swimming in warmer and softer air!
Good night, my human animals, G'night!
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