I dislike running. It's monotonous, it's slow, it's damn tiring and it gives me way too much of an opportunity to ruminate in the fact that I hate it. With every step I hear a mantra of hate, pain, dread, and boredom. The pavement jars my joints, cracks in the sidewalk wait silently in my path for their chance to trip me, it takes me ten minutes to reach the same damn lamp post I've been staring at for the past mile and my lungs want to burst out of my chest - seriously - what's not to love?
So why am I doing it every other day? To finish my first triathlon and not be carried away in an ambulance.
Why do I tri? For several reasons...the challenge of new activities and experiences...the competition with myself, and as I get better at the sport, with others...the camaraderie between women of all ages, sizes and athletic ability encouraging each other to keep working toward the finish line. If nothing else, simply for the chance to prove to myself that I can do it.
So those are the serious, heartfelt reasons to run a triathlon, but there are several other reasons that I would have never known about until I had "tri"ed myself.
Top Ten Reasons to Run a Triathlon
10. To learn the power of positive self talk. "I will not drown, I will not drown..."
9. For the free water, bananas, trial-size peanut butter and t-shirt.
8. To perfect the art of saying "excuse me, I'm sorry" with your face underwater.
7. So photographers can catch you rounding the corner looking like Lance Armstrong.
6. Because you haven't experience biking until you've done it in wet bike shorts.
5. Because you look positively stunning in black permanent marker.
4. To never come in last place (that's reserved for the sponsor athlete)
3. For the green light to eat anything you want since you're "in training."
2. For the cool medal.
And the number 1 reason to run a triathlon...
1. You get to keep your swim cap to wear at parties and impress your friends.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Hilarious! No wonder I keep coming back to do it again and again :) That could be our halloween costume, you know.... I'm just sayin'.
ugh, I just started running myself and completely concur! It is really fun to go to the events, though -- I've gotten to the point where I enter runs by the coolness of the swag bag :) I'm also motivated to run because my Nike+ Mini on my facebook page will sit around and play video games if I'm too lazy.
Love it! The eleventh reason (or number one for me): To spend Mother's Day with my girls and to prove to myself that at 60+ one can become an athlete (and learn how to swim) and prove that post menopausal women need not "shrivel up" and die...they can Tri!
Post a Comment