So I swam laps today....

[OakLeaf]

for the first time since 1977, with the exception of a little playing around with various strokes one time maybe seven or eight years ago when I was traveling.

I think I drank half the pool, but I didn't drown. It took me a few laps to get settled into a rhythm and remember how to breathe. I did 36 lengths of what I think is a 25 yard pool. So that's half a mile, give or take. Same as they're doing in the sprint tri down the road two weeks from now. In a lake that's so shallow and calm that I could probably stand up and walk if I wanted to.

Ahem.

This thing has been calling my name for months, just because it's so close and the swim is so accessible. But I really haven't been training for anything since the marathon, much less trying to figure out how to swim in two weeks.

I think I'm going to really regret it if I don't do it. Which is why I never took it off my calendar. But if I do it, it'll be just to do it.

I'm thinking of the two men who told me their marathon stories, essentially the same thing, that they did it on a dare, went into them with hardly any training, and wound up with something like 6-hour finishes.

Now, I get that a sprint tri is a different thing from a marathon, but I wonder if I should even bother entering something that I know I won't be competitive against my own potential. I'm okay with not being objectively competitive, and I think I can ride and run at least fast enough that I won't keep the timing and scoring people up past their bedtimes. But you know what I'm saying.

I know what you're going to say, too. Why am I even bothering to ask?

[lph]

You could look at it this way - this could be your one chance to pull off a "yeah, well, I didn't start training until 2 weeks ago so I'll be happy no matter what"-comment and actually have it be true Try saying that while trying to conceal that you've been triple-training your *ss off for months...

Go'wan.

I dare you!

[Veronica]

Just do it! As my mom would say, "For sh!ts and giggles." A phrase I still don't quite get.

Veronica

[blumensh]

Do it!

[GLC1968]

You should do it. I know exactly how you feel though. I felt that way going into my first Tri and I'd been training for months (sort of). I just KNEW that I was no where near my potential...so I really, really hesitated. If I hadn't committed to so many other people, I might have backed out. I knew I could do the distances and I knew I wouldn't be last...but I also knew that I wasn't going to be happy with my own performance and that ate at me leading up to it.

BUT, now that I've done it, I'm glad I did. It was a GREAT experience. Besides the three sports, the rest of the event was something to learn from as well. I had no idea how jacked up I'd get at the start. I had no idea how weird I'd feel after the swim. I had no idea how bizarre it felt to be putting on biking clothes while soaking wet. I had no idea how hard to push on the bike because I had no idea how hard a 5K was going to feel after biking. And when I got to the run...I again didn't know how hard to push because I didn't know if my body was going to give out at any moment or not. It was all so foreign feeling (and exciting!).

Anyway, looking back, I count that day as 'baseline' and my goals are to perform to my own perceived potential the next time.

You should do it for the experience - results be damned.

[Tri Girl]

You know not one of us is going to talk you out of it.
Definitely do it!!! You probably won't win- but who cares? Every race I do is a struggle- even when I'm well-trained. I do it because I can, because it's fun and because I enjoy it. It doesn't matter that I'm almost always at the back of the pack, or that I only beat the old women and men with walkers- but who cares? Do it for fun and for the experience.

And great job on the swim today!!

[salsabike]

Yes ma'am, you should do it. Gotta start somewhere. And seeing how much faster your swim becomes NEXT time, or next year, or whatever, will be very gratifying! Everyone--okay, not everyone, but most people, have a strong and a weak area in triathlon, and for plenty of people it's the swim. So knowing you're strong on bike and run, live with being not so strong yet on the swim and do it anyway. You'll have a ton of fun and want to do it again and your swim will improve.

[colby]

Yes ma'am, you should do it. Gotta start somewhere. And seeing how much faster your swim becomes NEXT time, or next year, or whatever, will be very gratifying! Everyone--okay, not everyone, but most people, have a strong and a weak area in triathlon, and for plenty of people it's the swim. So knowing you're strong on bike and run, live with being not so strong yet on the swim and do it anyway. You'll have a ton of fun and want to do it again and your swim will improve.

I'm with salsa. Since you've swam the distance once, albeit inhaling the pool in the process, you will kick yourself if you don't do it. Worst case you get hooked and want to do it again, and imagine your improvement if you actually cared more. (If it is sold out, chances are you can get someone's spot transferred, too.)

[Selkie]

Oak -- I look forward to reading your race report.

Your back-to-the-water experience is impressive, to say the least. Getting the breathing down is probably the biggest hurdle for returning swimmers (at least it was for me!). I hope you didn't suffer any ill effects from the ingested pool water. ;-)

[Dogmama]

Oak, maybe I missed it - but when is your tri? I'm in the same boat (ahh..that I had a BOAT for the swim! But I digress) There is a tri on 9/24. It is a 300 yard swim (yikes) a 12.5 mile bike ride (yawn) and a 3.1 run (OK, but I won't be fast.) So, I'm thinking about it....

[Bike Chick]

Don't just think about it, do it! Sign up and commit yourself. You will have a great time.

[OakLeaf]

It was the 25th, race report is here. I didn't drown!

You will do fine. Go ahead and sign up.