No really, I'm going to do a triathlon (Mommy!).

[angledge]

Last Saturday, I went to an organizational meeting for Team in Training, a fundraising arm of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In two hours, the incredible organizers convinced me to try something that (at the moment) I think is impossible. I'm going to do an Olympic-distance triathlon.

I'm training for the Triathlon at Pacific Grove, which takes places on 9 September - just one week before the Sharkfest swim from Alcatraz! September will be the Month of Athleticism! In order to participate with TnT, I need to raise $3,200 before 25 August. If you want to support me, you can make an online donation at my TnT website. I hope to raise $5,000.

This is the biggest athletic challenge I've ever taken on. Honestly, the swim from Alcatraz does not concern me at all (1.5 miles, open water, been there done that). But this event is going to really push me: it's a 1.5-km/0.9-mi swim, then a 40-km/24.6-mi bike ride, then a 10-km/6.2-mi run. I don't think I've ever run 6.2 miles continuously at any point in my life - much less after swimming nearly a mile & then biking 25!! I'm really nervous about taking this on.

But life needs challenges. And more than that, cancer needs a cure. All four of my grandparents have had cancer, & three of them died of it. Both of my parents have had skin cancer. evilfb lost his mom to lung cancer. Bobo Wife's mom is fighting breast cancer. And cancer took seolta away far too early. Everyone I know has lost someone to this wretched disease. And so, I am going to spend my summer working out & thinking about how wonderful it would be if cancer became a historical word, as anachronistic as smallpox. And if you're willing to help me reach my fundraising goal, thank you!

(Brought to you in part by Say Yes 2006.)

Comments

[lovellama.livejournal.com]

Go you! And here's your icon. Let me know if you want to add something that says 'Triathlon' or 'Triathlon at Pacific Grove'.

Thanks!

[angledge.livejournal.com]

You rule! The icon rules! This whole idea ru- WAIT A MINUTE THIS IDEA IS CRAZY I CAN'T RUN 6.2 MILES!!

[love2loveher.livejournal.com]

yes you can! you can do it! RAH!

And its incredibly cool that you are going to do this!

[angledge.livejournal.com]

Thanks... I hope that a few weeks of training will convince me that you're right. The swim? No problem. The bike ride? I'm sure I can do that. But running.... ew.

[chaosvizier.livejournal.com]

"What's that noise?"
"Sounds like we got one o'dem Popcorn Ninjas runnin' about."
"Should we shoot it, Jeb?"
"Naw. Save dem bullets for meatier fare."

[love2loveher.livejournal.com]

Running is gross.

And I've been wondering on the Alcatraz thing - forgive my east coast ignorance but... um... sharks? Aren't there sharks in them there waters?

[angledge.livejournal.com]

Yes, there are sharks in the Bay (http://www.baynature.com/2001spring/muddy_waters.html). But this is comforting (quoting from the race FAQ (http://envirosports.com/exec/enviro/faq/sf_faq.html)):

"The Alcatraz Sharkfest swim course may have a notorious reputation, but we can assure you that over the past 23 years, we've safely escorted more than 12,500 swimmers along this course. The biggest variable is the tides."

[love2loveher.livejournal.com]

ok. FUN!

[love2loveher.livejournal.com]

oh, and whenever I go to the donation website, I get entranced by the little animated thing at the top that turns from a swimmer into a biker into a runner - then when it turns into a swimmer again it looks like the runner fell on his face. EVERYTIME when I'm reading something else on the page I see the little runner fall on his face out of the corner of my eye and I process it as "The runner falling on his face."

This concludes a random look into Rhiannon's brain.

[thechinesecurse.livejournal.com]

Ha! He does, too! That's awesome!

I mean, uh...*cough*

I will definitely be donating someting, just need a couple of days to figure out my budget for the week.

[angledge.livejournal.com]

Heh heh, when you donate, I will have supporters on three continents! That's so cool!

[angledge.livejournal.com]

Thank you both very much!

[angledge.livejournal.com]

YOU should sign up for Team in Training! Do a half-marathon!

No no no.

[angledge.livejournal.com]

TnT trains people for all kinds of endurance events, not just triathlons. You could do a half-marathon or a marathon, or a century (100-mile bike race).

C'mon, it would be fun! (http://www.teamintraining.org/all_page?item_id=12387)

Yes indeedy!

[angledge.livejournal.com]

If you do decide to sign up, let me know. One, because I'll totally sponsor you; & two, because if I recruit another participant I think I get a free pair of socks.

Re: Yes indeedy!

[angledge.livejournal.com]

All God's chilluns needs socks.

[pisica.livejournal.com]

I personally want Cthulhu to rise from the deep (but only if He makes a donation first).

Re: Thanks!

[lovellama.livejournal.com]

Maybe not right NOW, but you have time to train, and THEN you can do it! :)

[sskipstress.livejournal.com]

I can't run 3 miles non-stop, but I'm pretty sure that if I wasn't still recovering from a knee injury I could alternate regular intervals of running and jogging for 6.2 miles.

The trick is to keep the running intervals short enough that you aren't so tired that you have to switch to walking. When to switch from walking to running is more difficult to figure out, but if you train in intervals, you'll quickly get a feel for it. It's amazing how much faster than walking it is to jog only half of the distance.

Good luck with the race. Keep posting that donation link so that I get to read it from home sometime because I'm not allowed to donate to charities from my work computer.

[ataralas.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the running. Swimming and biking are easy-peasy, but running is my d00m.

Nevertheless, I'm sure you can do it, and I'll be donating next time I get paid.

[angledge.livejournal.com]

Thank you, for both the support & the (upcoming) donation.

[krick.livejournal.com]

J & J and I are going to be attempting to get our NAUI SCUBA Assistant Instructor certifications this summer. The swimming requirements have me a little scared...

Swimming skills (confined water) – Using no equipment, demonstrate the ability to:
- Swim underwater 25 yards (23 m) on one breath; no dive or push-off.
- Swim 450 yards (407 m) nonstop, any stroke, within 10 minutes and then swim an additional 25 yards (23 m) using any resting stroke(s).
- Transport another person of similar size 50 yards (46 m).
- Demonstrate survival swimming for 20 minutes (treading water, floating, etc.)

Skin Diving Skills (confined or open water) – To be performed wearing at least a wet suit jacket, a weight belt adjusted for proper buoyancy, mask, fins, and snorkel as follows:
- Snorkel swim 900 yards (823 meters), nonstop, within 18 minutes.


I know that this in NO WAY compares to what you're attempting but consider the fact that I have never been on a swim team or had formal swim training of any kind. I am totally unable to swim freestyle. My back stroke and side stroke aren't too bad. I really need to get in better shape so I'm going to be going to the pool 2 or 3 days a week and swimming for as long as I can take. I'm hoping I get better. Is this possible or am I nuts?

[angledge.livejournal.com]

If you can swim 2-3 days a week from now until summer (July?), you should be fine. If you could find a Masters' team that you liked to train with, you'd do even better - a coach would help improve your stroke efficiency & coached workouts are usually more intense than anything you do on your own.

Good luck with your training!

[evilfb.livejournal.com]

Thank you....

[gingiber.livejournal.com]

Wow, I am so impressed. Go you :)