What A Discovery!

So, my bestest Motivational Buddy told me a while back (and I forgot about until she reminded me recently) about a website called Beginner Triathlete dot com, and I can not tell you how over the moon excited I am about this discovery. There is a wealth of information on this site for anyone who is thinking about or is in the process of training for a Triathlon and the people on the site are super helpful, really knowledgeable and so willing to give you any advice/guidance you are looking for. There is EVEN a section for Tubbies like me working for their first triathlon goal (though, I don't know how much I like being referred to as a "Clydesdale" well- actually tubby men are Clydesdales... tubby women are Athena. I'm sure that Greek God is shaking her fists at the idea of a bunch of fat sweaty women being called "Athena".

Anyway, my spirits are totally buoyed. I realized while looking over the training logs they have provided me, that I have not been training smart. I was raining blind, just doing what I thought was right to "condition" myself for the real training. Well- I wasted all that time "conditioning blind" that technically I am grossly behind on the true training anyhow. But even the training guides say that for the first triathlon, the only goal one should have is to finish it, and that truly is my only goal. I just want to finish... even if they are taking down the stage, and the pomp and circumstance, picture taking and celebration is long over- I want to finish. Just so I can say I set a goal and followed it all the way through.... plus, as silly as this sounds, I really, really want one of those Triathlon stickers for the back of my car. The ones that have the swimmer the biker and the runner. Perhaps competing in only one triathlon wouldn't really qualify me to be worthy enough of said sticker, but I don't care- it is my motivation for this race... I am in pursuit of the right to stick that sticker on the back of my car.

So, my new workout plans have me working out like this:

Mondays (light days) swim/bike Tuesday all run day (well- walk for me currently) Wed Med swim/bike days Thursday Run day Friday Heavy Swim Bike day Saturday rest day Sunday long run day.

Another friend of mine suggested instead of walking on the treadmill, that perhaps I could build better stamina on the elliptical. I;m not sure if that is a good idea or not, but the friend who told me about the possibility started on an elliptical to increase stamina and ran a half marathon over the summer- so who knows.

My dad also just found a workout bag for me that is big enough to hold ALL of my gear in one place. Hooray for that, it is insane trying to juggle two separate workout bags, plus a bag for a change of clothes because none of my bags are big enough to hold all of my swimming gear, plus workout clothes, gym shoes, odds and ends and a change of clothes. So I'm super stoked.

Anyhow, my husband and I are doing an all out reorganization of our Kitchen and cabinets. With both of us in school plus training for this triathlon, we are trying to make everything excuse proof, as well as get everything streamlined so that there are always easily prepared in less than fifteen minutes meals for us to grab and go.

I am feeling so positive again. Who knew that being armed with some new information, getting a few "atta girls" and some good advice could carry me along so well :)

~Millie