Dusting Off my Dreams

For about three or four years now I've wanted to become a triathlete. Except I was scared to death of the swim. I've never formally been taught to swim. Sure, I spent hours in the pool as a kid. I played "Sharks & Minnows" and "Marco Polo" for hours with my brother and our friends. I can get tossed into the deep end of a pool and keep myself alive, swim around a little bit and even make it to the side of the pool in one piece. But I didn't know how to swim.

I put the triathlon dream aside last year and decided to concentrate on running. I thought once I got that done I could maybe, in a few years, eventually consider the swim and then revisit my dream. We'll see.

So, I did a bunch of research, bought several books, bought some new shoes, bought an Ipod and off I went running. Really it was more like panting and clawing my way through the miles and crying until I could come back home. It was ugly. And it hurt. No really, it hurt. Like doing major damage to my foot kind of hurt. I ended up hobbling around the house like a little old lady for months. Landed my ass in physical therapy. Fun times. That's when I took up swimming.

I know, right? Who knew. I fell in love. Let me say that again. I love to swim. I'm still not that great at it and I'm sure my son's swim coach cringes at my stroke. But I can get from point A to point B with relative ease and I almost look like I know what I'm doing.

So I've dug that triathlon dream out and dusted it off again. But wait ~ what about my foot? Physical therapy had been going so well that they discharged me ~ with a firm promise that I would continue my excersises and stretches on my own. That's when I joined the gym. My foot's been feeling great and about a week ago I got all cocky and decided to skip the bike and climb up on the treadmill. I walked for a few miles and then decided to try running again for a little bit (read: 60 seconds or so done three or four times). The next morning I. couldn't. walk. But the funny thing ~ it wasn't my hurt foot. IT WAS THE OTHER ONE!!!! What. The. F*ck?!?!

So, I did a little research. Did a little soul searching and decided it was my fancy shoes. Those expensive, high tech running shoes with stability control, arch support and every other bell & whistle one could think of; they were killing my feet. I called my PT and he confirmed what I already knew. Go with neutral shoes.

So, I headed out to the nearest Big 5 sports shop and found a nice FLAT insoled, pair of Saucony's on sale for $50. I've been wearing them for a week now and my feet could SING!!! I can still feel a little tenderness, but its getting better and better each day.

So, remember that dream? Oh yea. It's gonna be my reality. Next year. Mark my words. 2011 is the year Jess becomes a Triathlete.

Most training programs have a base starting point of being able to run for 30 minutes; being able to swim for 30 minutes and being able to bike for 40 minutes. Um, I can't do any of that.

So, the rest of this year will be dedicated to getting me to that base starting point.

I intend to give my foot about a week or two longer to rest and heal and then I'll start a running program again. Training for a 5K is step 1. Who's with me?!