I'll Try to Make this as Entertaining as Possible.

I decided last week that I want to be in shape. For no reason but to be in shape. I found a "training" plan and started that Monday. Then I needed a goal. That's what made me remember Tour de Cure. That's my short term goal. My long term goal is the Women's Triathlon here in Kansas City (hopefully it isn't already filled).  I go to the website and I get insanely nervous about it. So, after starting this blog thing to "get the ball rolling" to raise money for Tour de Cure, I decided it's a good place to blog my training for these crazy adventures I have planned. I know a few of you run and stuff, and I could use all the advise and encouragement I can get. 

And while I'm asking for advise and such... I don't actually own a road bike. I own a mountain bike. Would it be allowed in the triathlon (it's a 10 mile ride)? And if it was, how much harder would it make things? I suppose that if I want to keep this up I should buy a real bike. The thing is, I haven't been working a whole lot of hours lately, so there's no way I could afford one right now. Plus, those things are really freaking intimidating. I'd have to take spinning classes or whatever they call those things.

Now for how my training's going thus far:

The first day I had planned to bike between the 2 hours I had after work and before class, too bad there was still a couple of inches of snow on the ground. Instead, I popped onto the elliptical machine and "jogged" 2 miles which took me 18 min 32 sec. I can't lie, after the first mile, I seriously thought I might just fall off of the damn thing and die right there. I don't know why, buy I have a hard time getting my heart rate up on that thing and when I do actually get it up, it yells at me and tells me it's way too high. Anyways, I end up just sitting around a 107 most of the time I'm on there. Boo!

Day 2 was much more fun. A couple of hours before work, I went down to North Kansas City's community center and renewed my membership, too bad I'm "out of district." I'd never really used a gym before so I felt like I was doing everything wrong. So I went in, paid for my membership and a lock, and put my stuff in a locker. I headed upstairs to the track and walked 2 laps/ ran 1 lap (a lap is .1 mile) X 3 plus walked an extra lap (13 min 55 sec). Then I headed to the pool. When they say "head to toe shower with soap" do they mean it? I obeyed. Unsure if that meant with or without swimsuit and nervous that soap bubbles would be coming out of my suit the whole time. The lap lanes were full so I ran with the old men (old as in like 70 and older) for about ten minutes till a lane opened up. Can 2 people be in those things at once or is a lane only allowed a body at a time? I swam down and back, very poorly. It's probably hysterical for the life guards to watch. I should really take a class. Never the less, I did it and it took me 3 minutes. It wasn't too bad, I took my time, knowing what a weak swimmer I am.

Day 3: I'm pulling this straight out of my "beginnertriathlete" training blog/ calendar.

This was the first time I've rode a bike in almost two years. I thought it would be a piece of cake, ha. The first half wasn't bad, it was mostly down hill. I wasn't sure I was going to make it up any of the hills of the second half though. I seriously almost cried. I'm hoping for it to be easy within the next two weeks, which is how long I'll be doing 2 miles. I also need to set a goal, register for a race, or do something to make sure I keep this up. 

1.84 miles. 11m 28s. Climb: 141 feet.

Day 4: Again, coming out of the other thing.

Today I ran in the lazy river as my warm up and cool down. There was this big guy in there, the lazy river is only like 4' wide, that looked like he was in awesome shape at one point and was trying to get that back. He was pushy and mean. You have to understand, it's 11:30 in the morning, these are 70+ people that are there so that they can maintain some sort of fitness. And to make matters much much worse, the large man needed to dunk his upper body in the water, he was sweaty and very smelly. Then he decided to go against the current, which is great for him, but I swear he broke the whole thing and the water just stopped moving. I mostly felt bad for the seniors that are there every day being pushed around by the big smelly bully.

 Enough complaining. I swam my first 100 yards today. I know I know, it's not like I went far. But you don't know just how out of shape I am. I was hurting by the end.  I had planned on doing another 50 as a cool down, but I didn't want the life guards to have to jump in and save the youngest person there who was also in the only lap lane against the edge of the pool. What a sight that could have been.

 I can't decide if I want to ride my bike now or just hang out until Janean gets home to jog with me. Suddenly I can't get enough exercise. 

 And... my new tennis shoes are on their way and my swim goggles. They will both make life much better. How exciting, eh?

"Aqua Jogged" 1/4 mile. 9m 11s.

Swam: 100 yards. 1st 50: 3m. 2nd 50: 1m 31s.

I promise these will be shorter in the future. That was just an update because I know everyone reading this wants every last detail. Bwahaha!