Yesterday's Challenge

I signed up for this year's triathlon to give me a goal and a concrete reason to eat right and exercise. (Beyond the maddeningly nebulous "You'll feel better and live longer.") Assuming all goes well and I complete it I will be able to accurately say, "I do triathlons." Present tense and plural, see? Something I never got to with the single, measly marathon I ran. "I ran a marathon." Yeah, well. Is it still 1996? No, it is not.

So yesterday I biked about 13 miles, the distance of the bike leg of the triathlon I have currently only done once, then immediately ran a little under two miles. I felt the feeling of rubbery, almost missing legs that I remember experiencing for the first time at last year's triathlon. This run-bike combo is something I intend to do a few more times so I get used to it. Got plenty of sleep last night and am feeling good today, so I feel like I got back on track after four days with no exercise.

The tough thing will be the swim, as I no longer belong to a club and don't have access to a place to practice swimming. But that's so ingrained from junior high swim team that I'm sure I'll be at least middle of the pack.

Time to beat: 1:41:57. After yesterday's workout and against my superstitious nature, I'm calling it right now: I WILL beat that time.

Eeee-Yyyyeeeeaaaaaaaah!

I just had a great, great ride along the Willard Munger trail. The bar where we're playing tonight and last night put us up at the Willard Munger Inn, which I can't recommend highly enough for cycling enthusiasts. The proprietor was very friendly and communicated well. (Her expectations about us as a rock band were hilariously off the mark. "We're not that kind of band." said Justin when she respectfully asked us to not party loudly late into the night. Ha ha ha.) Anyway, they offer free bicycle rentals for guests, which I noted beforehand so brought my new shorts and old helmet.

The ride seemed really tough on the way out and I was somewhat out of breath, but partly because I was singing when it occurred to me to do so. I find that singing while I bike takes the place of the iPod I use when I run. There was not a soul in sight for most of the ride. I went out a little over seven miles according to the markers.

On the way back it seemed much, much easier and I think it was downhill. I believe I was literally on a mountain and I certainly was on one figuratively and mentally. Gorgeous views, light rain. And about a mile away from the hotel (The trail begins twenty yards from my room's patio) I stopped when a deer was in the path ahead of me. I stared at her for a while without moving and let her decide to run away on her own. It capped a magical ride through bluffs, forest, hills, and panoramic views near Duluth.

I have now accomplished each part of the triathlon. I have yet to put it all together but I have a little over a month left. I feel good.

Brief Ride, Long Run

I rode my 15 year old Trek bike to Erik's Bike Shop this morning as soon as they opened and dropped it off for a tune up. I asked the guy if there was someone in the store who could offer me advice on triathlons.

"Like what?"
"Well, like, I don't even know what the order is. What comes first?"
"It's swim, bike, run."
"Swim, bike, run. Okay."
"That guy over there, James, he's more our triathlon guy."

But James was with one of those customers who looks like they're lonely and just wants to talk and so has commandeered someone in retail whose job it is to be nice. (How do I recognize such a person? It's easy once you've been a bank teller, believe me.) So I left and ran home as I'd planned. But at least now I know that. Swim, bike, run. Got it.

Also, I noticed that "triathlon" has only one total "a".

Listened to David Bowie's "Stage" album while running and it was great. I know you can't listen while in an official race but I love to when I'm not officially racing. Here's a representative quote from that album:

DON'T LOOK AT THE CAR- PET

I DREW SOME- THING AWFULONIT

I love that line and the way it is delivered. "Low", which has the original studio version of "Breaking Glass", the song referenced here ("Stage" is a live album), is the album of the month at our house and I like it more every time I listen. And we listen a lot. Side B, which is largely instrumental, can turn my seemingly normal suburban neighborhood into a mysterious cypher spilling over with silent secrets as I run through it. Angelo Badalamenti, who scored Twin Peaks, obviously listened to the album a few hundred times.

Good Week

For the first time in a long time I ran three times this week. Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. Plus I did yoga a few times to stretch and strengthen my legs and back. I got my bicycle out of the garage and reinstalled the front tire and inflated both tires. I'm going to take it to the shop for a tune up. I need to plan my training so I don't end up a wreck like I was after the marathon in '96. That's going to take some time and I will probably use some online tools at active.com but basically I am starting to feel like I will be ready to do the triathalon. Sweet!