Just to let you know- this blog is no longer active. I'll be keeping up my 101 in 1001 list until its completion, but will not be writing new posts. You can read the post below if you want the long version. Thanks for the journey to all my friends in the blogosphere!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Relays, Triathlons, and Races

Last night, I received an unexpected call asking me to participate in a triathlon relay as the swimmer in September. Even though it's because this trio's normal swimmer will be in Alaska that week and I might be the only other qualified swimmer they know, I'm still couldn't help feeling a little flattered!

I haven't given my official "yes" yet because I need to work some things out on the calendar, but I'm really excited about it. Triathlons are really, really fun- maybe more so than running events. The reason my mom and I are runners now is because of that first triathlon we signed up for in 2004. I ran track and cross-country in high school, but didn't really keep it up between seasons or after graduation. That first triathlon though, gave both of us the racing bug.

I've got 6 sprint triathlons under my belt, but I've never made the financial/training commitment to go any further. My mountain bike I received as a 13th birthday present (even though we never got around to actually purchasing it until I was 16) doesn't really cut it and I'm not a big biking fanatic anyway. (I'm really, really, really scared of being hit on the road.)

So being invited just to swim (which is my favorite/fastest portion anyway) in this race sounds pretty good to me! The runner and biker are also considering the Beach to Battleship Half-Ironman relay later this fall if I'm interested. Swimming 1.2 miles doesn't intimidate me. (I swam across a 4 mile lake once.) Figuring out a wetsuit and swimming next to "ironpeople"...seems scary. We'll see.

Googling running events is fun though, so here's a tentative plan for the rest of the year:

March of Dimes 5K - Sept. 3 or Historic Wilmington 5K- Sept. 8 or Brunswick 10K - Sept. 10

Wilmington YMCA Triathlon - Sept. 17th (Swim Portion of Relay)


Battleship Half Marathon or Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon- Nov. 6 (I need to make up my mind soon if I'm going 13.1 or all the way this fall.)

Tanglewood Running of the Lights 5K - Jan 1- 12:00 a.m. (I have wanted to do this for years but we always have other New Years Plans. This is NOT my husband's idea of a great way to start a new year, but I've got, ehh, about 6 months to convince him, right?)

I know I'll be complaining about the cold when it comes, but right now, I'm fantasizing about that crisp fall running weather!

Have y'all ever done any relays? Are wetsuits that scary? Know of any other NC races this fall/winter that are can't miss? Want to mock me for being terrified of road biking?

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2 comments:

  1. SusanJuly 14, 2011 at 1:44 PM

    Confession: That's the reason I don't like to bike either..... I only bike on sidewalks!

    And what a fun way to ring in the new year! Beg, plead, do whatever you need to do..... just do that race once because it sounds like soooooo much fun!

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  2. d.a.r.July 14, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    I just did my first triathlon this past weekend! Seriously, so much freaking fun. So much fun, in fact, that I signed up for another one on September 10. And why yes, I will be 21 weeks pregnant....haha. I thought my mom's head was going to explode when I told her. Oops? The doctor is totally okay with it!

    Wetsuits completely freak me out, though, so once colder weather shows up, I am done. I just feel so claustrophobic and like I can't breathe!

    Oh and biking on the street? Still scares the bejeezus out of me. I am trying to get over it, but drivers are so oblivious to bikers! I like living!!

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