Rethinking Running

I've wanted to do a triathlon for a long time. There were a lot of reasons I kept talking myself out of it - I wouldn't know how to begin to train, the training would take too much time, I wouldn't be able to figure out how to transition between legs, I wouldn't have anybody to keep me accountable, and so on, and so on.

There was also the small issue that a triathlon, by definition, involves running. The first leg is a swim (no problem), followed by a bike (no real riding a REAL bike, but seems like it could be a lot of fun)...and then you run. I have a complicated relationship with running, mainly because I've just never been very good at it. My dad says I inherited my speed from him, and it's deceptive - we're slower than we look. 

It's clear from my previous post that at some point I decided to not talk myself out of a triathlon anymore. Those fears I mentioned in the first paragraph were covered by Team in Training, since we're given a daily training plan, transition clinics, and teammates/mentors/coaches that keep us on track. But...there was still the running issue. I'm pretty sure I told anybody who would listen during the first few group training sessions that I hated running. That I wasn't a runner. That I'd never like that part of the race.

Pro-tip if you ever (AND YOU TOTALLY SHOULD!) sign up with TNT for an event - don't say you hate running something. Because the coaches will laugh at you (in a good way) and set about changing your mind and somehow make you believe that you actually really like running the thing you said you hated.

And so here I sit, on May 28, 2012, having this morning completed not only my first 6 mile run ever, but also my first 10K race. 

I had hoped to finish in 1:15:00, and "sprinted" across the finish line at 1:13:10. Check. This means I had to average under 12 minute miles (please refer to paragraph two where I discussed speed), and my trusty Garmin said I averaged 11:44. Check. 

I wanted to just relax and have FUN...and I totally did. Check. 

Most importantly, I wanted to leave the race this morning and feel that while it may not be pretty, and I may not be fast, I AM a runner. CHECK.

**Special thanks to my coaches for the track clinics, mantras that I stole that got me through this morning, and mostly for helping me believe that I could totally do it. Thanks also to my tri-buddy Megan for the encouragement and for pushing me to run a little faster the last mile.**