Since the Rookie Tri a few weeks ago I’ve had a hankering for defining my race calendar. This transition to triathlons has been fairly smooth, but I’m missing the structure and direction that I’m used to with running. You see, with running I usually had two or three races queued up. My tri calendar, however, has been disappointingly empty. I’ve my eye on a few races but hadn’t pressed that “Register” button. Until now!
This speech is my recital, I think it’s very vital
To rock (a rhyme), that’s right (on time)
It’s Tricky is the title, here we go…
For the first time since moving to Austin, Ev and I visited the old hood (a.k.a. the Wizzle Dizzle Washington, DC). We met up with lots of old friends, old restaurants, and old running routes.
We stayed in a pretty sweet spot at 20th & Penn NW, central to basically everything. Fittingly, our entire itinerary was based around where we were going to eat: fresh seafood, pizza, custom hot chocolate, burgers, milk shakes, beer. It was irresponsible, but it was delicious.
Well, things just didn’t pan out for this runner-turned-triathlete. After lots of pomp and even a little circumstance, I searched the New York Road Runners page to see if I was selected for the ING NYC Marathon. The verdict: no. No reason. No justification. Just a simple search box returning a robotic apology and a teasing message intended for those who were selected. Am I disappointed? A little. Upset? Not really. With my focus changed to triathlons now, this was more of a “wouldn’t it be fun?” endeavor, but nothing I was really counting
on. My big race is still the Ironman 70.3 Austin in October. Now if only I could muster the courage to register for that Half Ironman…
I don’t know! The lottery selection is today (April 27th) and I’m waiting to find out if I’m in. The most recent number I heard is a 1 in 6 chance of being selected. That means for Colin and I both to get selected is a 1 in 36 shot. Not good. Anyway, I’m sitting here waiting for this page to update. I’ll let you know what happens.
Swimming is my weakest discipline biggest opportunity to improve when it comes to triathlons. We could really dig in and do some research to determine why, but here are a few reasons that come to mind right away.
Those are just a subset of the infinite reasons why swimming is unquestionably going to be my downfall.
Well it’s official. I have evolved from runner to triathlete. Sunday was the Rookie Triathlon put on by Jack and Adam’s Bicycles, Austin Fit Magazine, and High Five Events. The whole shebang happens 10 miles east of my apartment in and around Walter E. Long Park right here in Austin. Since this post might get a little long (it is my first tri after all), let’s dive right in. (click the photos of me to enlarge)
I’ve been running for 5+ years. I’ve participated in two dozen running races, all but two were half or full marathons. So now it’s time to start over. This Sunday will be my very first triathlon. I mentioned way back in January that I signed up for The Rookie Triathlon. Now that it’s finally here, I’m ready for it.
As of Friday I can call myself a triathlete multisport enthusiast. I won’t say triathlete just yet since I haven’t raced any triathlons, but I had my first successful swim / bike / run day. It’s all in anticipation for my actual first triathlon coming up on April 17th, The Rookie Tri.
Close your eyes for a moment (figuratively, or else how would you read this?). You take a bite of [something]. Wow! That’s the best [something] you’ve ever eaten! Now take another bite. Whoa, could that be the best anything you’ve ever eaten? On one fateful Saturday after a blustery 12 miles in the wind and rain around Town Lake I stopped at the downtown farmers’ market. For weeks I’d been eyeing the blue mobile brick oven stationed at one end of the vendor strip. Well this day was the day I’d get me some mobile pizza. Fair warning, if you’re prone to getting jealous easily, now would be a good time to stop reading.
This post is a little out of the norm for this blog. There’s nothing about running, biking, swimming, or eating. The important thing to remember is it’s still all about me. If you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks then you probably aren’t reading this, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament wrapped up last night. The UConn Huskies beat the Butler Bulldogs in a painful-to-watch slugfest (and the massive decline in office productivity came to an end).
