This is like a sickness!

[sfa]

I have this small problem. I'm competitive with myself in a way that is probably unhealthy. I suspect that if my son's birth had dragged on or required medical intervention or was in any way worse than my daughter's birth, I'd probably have nine kids by now trying to GET IT RIGHT and BEAT MY LAST TIME at childbirth.

If I had been two and a half minutes faster on Sunday, I'd be content now. I'd be searching the web for century rides that look like fun and researching proper ways to train for riding 100 miles in a day. Instead I'm sitting here thinking "if I had just started the swim to the outside and front, I could have gotten a clear line. If I had pinned my timing chip on instead of relying on the velcro, I wouldn't have had to stop to reattach it. If I hadn't stopped to cheer for Barb Van Winkle in T2 I would have been five seconds faster there. If I had taken Powerade on the bike instead of Nuun, I would have had more energy going into the run. If I had ignored the pain on the run and just kept running no matter what, I could have been faster. If the car hadn't broken down in Pennsylvania, I would have had more time to train in advance. If I hadn't been taking my kid to an oncologist three days before the race, I would have been more mentally prepared."

And then I think "if I only swim once a week I can keep up my level of fitness without hating it so much. Everything else I can stand. Everything else I kind of enjoy (when the weather is perfect and I'm well rested)."

And then: "If I signed up for MORE races, I wouldn't feel so much pressure to do well at this one and wouldn't obsess so much about comparing my times one year to the next. I could do the Bethesda super sprint in April pretty easily, and the Celebration Tri on the same course in June, and maybe find one on a different course in July to do, maybe the Hagerstown tri with a pool swim (that's nice), and oh, heck, I could do the Patriot's triathlon THIS year with no problem--750 meter swim? Easy."

Dammit, triathlon, I just can't quit you! What the hell is wrong with me?

Sarah

[colby]

I have this small problem. I'm competitive with myself in a way that is probably unhealthy. I suspect that if my son's birth had dragged on or required medical intervention or was in any way worse than my daughter's birth, I'd probably have nine kids by now trying to GET IT RIGHT and BEAT MY LAST TIME at childbirth.

OMG. I laughed hard at this one. I probably shouldn't have children, I think this might be my future.

I don't have any sage wisdom for this one. Training isn't always "fun" and sometimes racing isn't "fun", but there's something so satisfying about it, not just in improving from last year or learning something or thinking about what I could do to be better next time... I don't know what it all is, but it all combines to make racing addicting.

You may be right that swimming more may make it more "what you do" rather than "something you hate" and racing more may make you less pressured to perform in your one race. Those things have been true for me, within moderation.

Maybe you give it a shot and see if it's something you can/want to do.

[Bike Chick]

I kinda thought you'd be back

[katluvr]

I think I can relate. I just feel like I need to conquer the swim & conquer a triathlon. Some mentioned doing duathlons instead. Been there, done that. But I felt like a impostor, like I was less than those completing all 3 disciplines. It is an accomplishment that I need & want to do & work to improve & maybe even do longer distances.
K