The many tan lines of Triathlon, and other musings...

[Running Mommy]

So Friday night Tony and I are getting ready for bed brushing our teeth and he busts out laughing. "what?" I say, and he replies "look at your face! You look like a reverse racoon!" Sure enough I have a butt white strip across the bridge of my nose and the shallows of my eyes are bright white while the rest of my face is tan and freckly... UGH! He was like "add that to all your other odd tan lines! You need to hit the tanning bed and even yourself out!"... UGH! Yes, as you can tell I do swim in an outdoor pool. My back has a fierce t-back suit tan line, and right where my my bathing suit ends at the bottom of my bum is really tan. I guess that's a good thing cause it means I don't drag my behind- it actually FLOATS! hmmm so why am I SOO slow!
Of course add that to the bike short tan lines, the bike jersey tan lines, and those odd bruise looking dark spots on my hand... Sigh... I'm a freak!
But I wouldn't change it for anything in the world!!!!!
So we went to bed and started talking about the way I have changed in the last few years. This is what he had to say, and it's funny but true.

1. I can actually have an intelligent conversation with the guy at the bike shop!
2. I now care about how much a bike part weighs and can quote weight and specs to his friends- which gives me BIG wife points! His friends are all mtn bikers and a few road ride as well. - Our favorite debate is still to this day the Campy vs. Shimano debate! But campy is SOOO sexy!
3. I actually LIKE going to the bike shop and am now usually the one who walks out with a new toy.
4. I have an entire section in the closet for all my jerseys and tri gear
5. I do not mind that bikes live in the house. I used to ABHOR his mtn bike sitting in the entry way. Now MY tri bike is in the entry way, and the road bike is on the trainer in the family room as well as the treadmill- and I think there is even a floor pump in the corner.
6. My magazine choices are now triathlete, inside tri, Bicyclling, and her sports. No girlie fashion or gossip mags for me.
7.When we go shopping I gravitate to the "active wear" section
8. I actually ENCOURAGE him to go for a ride.
9. I drink 2 things, water and cytomax.. I never drink anything else! Well- I do drink milk too- nonfat of course.
10. Our family vacations now usually involve a race I'm doing!!

And along the lines of that last one... When we went to CA last weekend for the TOC one of his friends who doesn't follow cycling actually thought *I* was doing the race! When Tony told him "we are coming out to CA for the bike race- you know the one from here to LA, but we are leaving late Saturday because Denise has to train all day Sat" He read into that "Denise is doing a race from santa rosa to LA".. LOL!!! As IF!!
But that made me laugh... he has become so used to Tony saying "we are going here or there for a race Denise is doing"...
My husband is quite a good sherpa. It's going to KILL him at Ironman to not be able to go into the bike corral and pump up my tires for me! I have to say- he is the BESTEST!!

[crazycanuck]

Hey RM,

Ya know what...i have to say i can relate to points #1,3,6,7,8& 10..

About tan lines...i looked hilarious when i started tri training in october...i had to find a way to get rid of the biker tan...but i couldn't be bothered going to the beach...but we got there eventually...

Also, ian(my dear..) keeps making fun of me as he's the only girl he knows that'll complain about doing 100km on the road & still thinks it's too short or easy...or even 35km's off road & complain about being unfit or when i've only done 150km in a week....and then running & swimming...

I still wanna know who stole my other km...it annoying when the odometer says 99km...

Going nutty i think dear....

cheryl

[Grog]

I was sort of hoping that I would solve my bike tan line issues by starting to train for triathlons and swim in an outdoor pool this Summer. It seems to be more complicated than I hoped for!

[mommelisa]

Grog: Right now I'm wearing a once piece, but come warmer weather, I'll wear a two-piece. TYR and Speedo have them, most of the suit makers make a two-piece training suit. I think if you look at http://www.swimoutlet.com/Two_Piece_Swimwear_s/281.htm you can find them. That'll give you a tan - back - that's for sure. I haven't found a way to tan my belly yet!

[DirtDiva]

Backstroke.

[mommelisa]

Backstroke.

LOL! Did you read my post about my first ever swim/run race? I panicked and swam the entire 1500 meters backstroke!! No tan though, I had on a wetsuit.