Competing Against Yourself

“THE PRINCIPLE IS COMPETING AGAINST YOURSELF. IT’S ABOUT SELF-IMPROVEMENT, ABOUT BEING BETTER THAN YOU WERE THE DAY BEFORE.” -STEVE YOUNG

Steve Young has been on my mind a lot lately, with the 49er’s doing so well this season.  He’s my favorite quarterback, with amazing statistics that are often overlooked by a fan base that reveres Joe Montana. This quote is meaningful to me because of the concept of self-improvement over competing against others.  It also mirrors something my dear hubby says to me a lot - to not diminish my accomplishments by comparing them to what others can do.

With that in mind, a few weeks ago I went to Mike’s Bikes in Petaluma, and bought a helmet and a single-bike rack for my hatchback. I was so nervous; I’m sure I sounded like an idiot to the sales clerk. Brought my purchases home and decided that was enough for one day. I was exhausted! The next day I got the helmet figured out, and went to get the bike out of the garage.  

Quick back story on the bike:  a few years ago we bought two bikes for the teenagers.  Boy quickly destroyed his, and because the girl didn't like to ride, he took over her bike.  Both kids have since moved out of the house, so I figured I’d appropriate the girl’s bike.  What I failed to predict was that the girl’s bike was half-destroyed as well.  So, instead of a bike ride that day it was another trip back to Mike’s Bikes. To their credit they didn't laugh at me when I brought it in. Estimated repair costs for two bad brakes & several broken spokes: $65. Lesson learned: don’t give teenagers nice things.

<- This is what my bike looks like now!
I hooked up with a training app for my smartphone called “Strava.”  It’s free, and works for walking, running, or cycling.  You can track progress against yourself (“personal best” times) or against others (fastest time on a route).  I took the bike out for a spin around town, and clocked in 7.8 miles in 45 minutes.  It was exhilarating! I had a blast riding around the neighborhood, and felt like I could have gone another 7 miles.  

Last week was my first “BRICK” which is basically a bike/run combo. For many beginning triathletes, the bike-to-run transition is the most difficult part of the race.  I rode for 4.2 miles, then ran for another 1.4.  Not impressive distances compared to others, but the point was to get used to coming off a bike and then getting my “runner’s legs” working. And I’ll try to remember the words of Steve Young & my husband: it doesn’t matter how I compare to others, I’m just working on making myself better than I was the day before.

“I can't promise to try, but I promise to try to try.” - Bart Simpson

Welcome to Try to Tri, my blog about the trials of taking on a triathlon with almost no experience in two of the three required events. Wish me luck!

My Target:  HITS Triathlon, Napa Valley April 14 2013

Sprint Tri distances: 750 m swim | 12.4 mi bike | 3.1 mi run
This is my “before” picture; all 177 lbs of me.  At least I’m out here trying, right?  I just wish the person taking this picture had pointed out to me that my belly was hanging out.  Nice.  This workout was part of a free training program called “Personal Best,” offered by my employer in preparation for the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon & 5K. This will be my seventh year participating, and my third Half Marathon.  

So why a Tri: Before I started running, I was pretty much a couch potato. Currently I run about four days a week in order to keep fit (meaning "balance out the caloric impact of pizza and beer"). Some days, however, running doesn't seem like enough. I want to try something different, and to take on a bigger challenge. I’m also looking to make changes because “just” running isn't doing much to make me lose weight.  I need to switch it up. (It can't possibly be due to all that pizza and beer, right?) A friend at work participated in a triathlon last year and is hooked. She has been a big motivator/ mentor/ coach, and she convinced me to "try a tri."

Confidence Levels:

The Run: 10/10 The run is the least of my worries.  3.1 is my minimum/usual distance during the week, so I should be able to handle this even after a swim/ride.  Also, with a half marathon scheduled for February 6 2012, I’ll be in sufficient shape for most anything by April 2013.
The Bike: 6/10 I used to ride a bike back in high school (30 years ago), but didn't like it. My posterior has always been disproportionately large, and felt even bigger on a bike seat. The only bike I have belonged to our teenager. I don't know how to "properly" ride a bike, so this is another part of the challenge.
The Swim: 2/10 This is the part that terrifies me. I'm not afraid of the water, I can dog paddle just fine. It's getting through 750 meters of open water in a timely fashion that's the problem. I will definitely need a coach to help with my swim technique. The other part of this problem that worries me is that most community pools are closed until spring.  

Strategy: The YMCA offers a triathlon training program that I will take advantage of (information session is 2/9/13). Additionally, I have access to coaches at Trimore Fitness in Marin, and the help of all my friends. For proper diet/nutrition, I've signed up with an on-line program that I hope will help me lose some weight while staying fueled. I will keep you posted!