No Train, No Gain

Ten or so weeks ago, I was gung-ho about entering and training for the Danskin Women's Triathlon. I was stoked to learn how to use my clip-in bike shoes and to get to the next level with my swimming. The run point is moot since my back can no longer take the beating and my race-walking is just fine. But, I was motivated.

Cut to now: I did one semi-successful solo bike ride in Griffith Park and two spin classes; a handful of swim lessons and workouts, but I realized that's far from ample preparation for a race. So, when a former co-worker (and first-time triathlete who I convinced to sign up for the race) checked in to see how the training was going, I didn't have the heart to tell her I wasn't planning on doing the race after all. I coordinated a run-through with her, a few friends and a swim coach for early Saturday morning. I figured if I could push through that, then maybe I'd suck it up and sign up for the race.

So, the group of us met at Bonelli Park yesterday. The bike clip-in was an ordeal, and the ride was a bit challenging; moreso considering we still had a swim to do and I was trying to conserve energy. That didn't help; by the time I struggled and finally pulled on my wetsuit, I was exhausted. No swim for me...I pulled on my fins and grabbed our swim coach's little flotation device and just kicked alongside the others as they put in their meters and received coaching pointers.

By the time I got home, I was tired and sore and wondering what I could do to motivate myself to jump-start my training. I decided that I would not enter another race to torture myself; I actually want to have fun at one of these events, and that doesn't happen if you're scared of wiping out on your bike (or even stopping and then having to clip back in) or hyperventilating about the swim. That all kinda defeats the purpose of the sport.

So, alas, no tri for me this time. At least not next week. I did notice that Suburu has an all-woman tri in San Diego in October -- perhaps that's worth aiming for. I do know that I want to put the membership I purchased to USAT to good use this year. I hope I can pull it off.

After all, with almost no black women in the sport of triathlon, this sista's gotta represent.