The enigma of triathlon training

        As a new triathlete, I'm going to admit that I don't have a clue about how to properly train for a triathlon. I'm stuck in between being a runner and being a triathlete; I can't fathom running only 3 days per week as most age group triathletes do. My training is a random collection of workouts, strung together as conveniently as I can around my work schedule. I try to follow a few "rules", like always running easy the day after a track workout and avoiding back to back butt-kicking workouts. But I obviously don't know enough to keep me from exhausting myself.

                   I crashed hard on my tempo run on Thursday. I felt terrible just 8 minutes into a 25 minute effort; there was a veil of fatigue over my body. After stopping once, I gutted out the rest of the run at a slower pace and discovered that I had run at a 7:12 pace. I did that for 13.1 miles just 3 months ago. Now I could barely hold it for 3.5 miles. I was temporarily discouraged. I was wondering about my fitness, my toughness, and my training. "I've got to be doing something wrong", I thought. But then I realized something. Part of training is not just the continual strengthening of the body, it's the indefinite search for improvement. So Thursday I failed at my workout, but I succeeded in realizing that it wasn't the end of the world. I'm not out of shape, I just had a bad day. I told myself to just move on, and then I did. It was a good small victory for the day.

                    I have yet to find a way to effectively train for all three sports at once. Now I'm running and swimming a lot, so much so that I can sometimes hear my bike crying at night (kidding). A triathlete has to be a jack of all trades, then work them seamlessly into one race. A cool way to look at it (courtesy of Colorado's tri team): A triathlete is like a superhero, and the transition area is like a proverbial changing room. The racer starts out as Michael Phelps, a strong and powerful swimmer. They then emerge from the water and magically change into Lance Armstrong, tearing up the roads on  a sleek machine. After riding into the changing room, out running comes Ryan Hall, charging towards the finish line. This is a great mentality for racing, just focusing on one discipline at a time and doing your absolute best at that point in time.

                       I'll figure this sport out eventually, when I stop being so ignorant and close-minded.

The Quote: "Recovery is part of training, not the absence of training"

The Song (melody by Cee Lo Green):
I see you ridin' round town on the bike I love, and I'm like 'forget you'
I guess my entire bank account wasn't enough, and I'm like 'forget you and forget your bike too'
If I could buy it yeah I'm sure I'd ride it, ain't that some shh...
With this pain in my chest I wish this interval would end, but forget you...

Wow. I need my ipod back...