T Minus 5 Days

5 days and counting down to my first triathlon.  I don't feel ready, but I should.  It's only a Sprint distance, a far cry from my Ironman goal, but I need to start somewhere.  It is for a great cause called Ryan's Quest to help fight Duchenne Muscular Distrophy.  Lee, a friend of mine, turned me onto it last year and got me motivated... after seeing the story of what Ryan has in his future, I feel honored to participate in this at all, and really hope we can make a difference.

The NJ State Triathlon Sprint is a 500M Swim, 11.5m bike, and a 5K run. I'm sure plenty of you are reading this and laughing at me, but considering that last November I couldn't do a single lap in the pool and, thanks to a badly sprained ankle, couldn't run until two months ago (and struggled just to go a half mile without stopping), I'm actually pretty proud of myself.  We'll see after the 5 1/2 hour drive down to NJ with the kids if I start regretting it on Friday.

My swim training currently ranges about 30 minutes, or approximately 1500m depending on speed, so I feel okay there.  I'm only on the bike one day a week right now, but I'm at 17+ miles and feel that I could fairly easily do another 17 (though I would probably feel it the next day).  The run... well let's just say I'm getting there.  I found a great 5K loop that starts and ends at my house (making emergency support within reach should my wife need to call 911).  Not real fast at a 10 minute mile, but at least I can finish it, which makes me happy with the limited run training.  Now can I do that after the swim and the bike?  Without attracting ambulances?  We'll see soon enough.  I did manage to run 5K tonight, but learned a new lesson ... don't slug down 16 ounces of fluid right before you run.  I felt that sloshing around my stomach for the first half of it, and finished a few minutes behind my normal time.

Being serious about my training and truly committing to the Ironman, I also committed to my first Tri suit from 2XU off the clearance rack of my local bike store.  Let's just say that I don't think it was meant to hold stuff in the way it was.  My wife said it made me look thinner, but also didn't answer me when asked if I violated the spandex law.  I'm pretty sure that the large, though my standard size, was a bit too small for me.  That bad boy is going back as nobody deserves to be subjected to me wearing that.  At least not yet.  I've lost 20 lbs since I started training, but still have another 20 to go.  I can't seem to break that 200lb barrier, but my pants are starting to get baggy, so hopefully it really is my fat turning to muscle.  Personally I think that is just what people tell you to make you feel better.  People are cruel.

My new motivation tonight was my family.  The girls (4 and 7) made "Go Daddy" shirts to wear on Saturday.  If that won't drive me  on Saturday, I don't know what will.