And so it begins....Part 2

So, let me just say that Sunday I was happy about two things:

1) That I didn't sign up for the Long Beach Triathlon (which is one of my favorite races) because that was the worst Red Tide I have ever seen or smelled in my life. The Red Tide bloom was even worse than the one I did swim in for the Olympic Distance LA Triathlon in 2003

2) That I ran with "Always Happy" Jason who looks like he's going to kill the Long Beach Triathlon and easily take off 30+ minutes and run a PR. Thanks Jason!

The run was a lot of walk that started quite early. I wound up running for a total of 2 1/2 hours. I was supposed to go meet and run with the large group of Sole Runners, but I believe you "leave no man behind" and Jason was running alone. I think in the end, it did me more good to have a reason to show up. Even after 9 weeks off from running I went out for about 13 miles in total, and today, Monday, while I'm a little sore I feel great.

I do begin my gym's version of "The Biggest Loser" tonight. I am constantly asked why I'm even doing it since I'm only trying to lose 20-30 lbs. Well, the fact is despite all of my training, all of my knowledge, any certification I've ever had, all the people I have taught to swim and introduced to the wonderful world of triathlon (and there are A LOT) that I cannot do it myself. Heck, my coach has a coach. I need a mind reset and to get back into training and racing mentally, not just physically.

In 2003 I completed my first triathlon. It was my very first season as a triathlete. I completed that race at Bonelli Park in San Dimas and went on to race in 8 more tris, one of which was with Team In Training to benefit the Luekemia and Lymphoma Society. I put so much of myself out there, and should have left it all on the course, but so much was going on personally and it was wearing on me even while I raced. I stripped back down to basics. I removed my aerobars, I tried to go so far back to basics even that was too much and I found myself just swimming. I hated running by that point, and who wouldn't when you are out there running 5 days a week hoping to make life quiet and calm. Swimming made life quiet and calm, not running, and not cycling. So, well, running and I had a falling out and we broke up. At the same time I stopped and looked around and those friends I created and cherished in a sport I grew so quickly dependent on were just gone. I know I didn't wake up and it magically happened overnight, but it felt that way.

Well, flash forward to 2008 and I received this email about training for the Long Beach Marathon and thought at the very leas tI could learn to love to run again and within weeks running and I had made up and got back together, so to speak. Now, I am the world's laziest endurance athlete. I don't live off of brown rice, grilled chicken and broccoli, and I certainly like to drink wine. However, this is not going to get me to the finish line of the 2009 California 70.9 half ironman or an closer to my dream of running an ultra marathon in 2010 (hey, we all have dreams and this one is mine....so stop laughing). So, if being able to do these things means countless hours of training and sacrifice then so be it, I'm in and where do I sign up?

So begins my journey. While many think I have lost it, I now firmly believe that signing up to run at 12:01 am on Oct. 24th for Nike surely proves that.....but Zach, I won't let you down.