Monday, July 26, 2010

Valuable Lessons

I'm learning some things.
  • Don't take run route suggestions from a non-runner. "Oh, it's about 9 miles. and there are some hills" really means "it's 12 miles. and you go downhill for six and uphill for the last six." It seems people in cars underestimate hill climbs. and distance.
  • I am not wired quite right. Giving myself permission to take it easy and slack means I will want to get back on track. Immediately. And the
  • Not everyone appreciates brutal honesty. Like, the girls at work don't really love watching me peel off my dead toenail. Even if they think it's hilariously disgusting.
  • Cyclists have huge egos. Maybe that's part of why I love them.
  • It's always when things need to get done that you will be approached by someone whome you haven't seen in a very long time. And they will want to talk to you about all kinds of things. most of these things will not be important. And you won't care at all.
  • Non-triathletes do not realize the amount of time and effort that goes into training. For example: Runner's World currently has an article on how to train for a tri in 6 weeks. Um. I was a runner first. I also had this mentality that i could easily complete a triathlon. I did complete my first one. But it wasn't pretty. It was demoralizing. I suppose it may just be that I prefer to be competitive.
  • When non-tri people do hear of the training regimen, I think they rarely believe. Or it just doesn't sink in. And then the first question is "how do you have a life?!?" Um. This is a way of life. My friends also swim. And/or ride bikes. And/or run. And a few of them just drink beer.
  • Unemployment is overrated. Yes, I got a job. At the local tri shop, Wheelie Fun. It won't make me rich. But I'm pretty stoked about the casual dress and the perks. And just having something to do.
  • It's difficult to hydrate when riding for hours upon hours in 96 degrees and 90% humidity.
  • Full moons create crazy situations.

10 comments:

Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete said...

you are so right with everything above!!!

Last time I took instructions from a nonrunner, I ended up running 15 miles instead of 11, and it was all uphill!! Not prepared for that!

Chloe said...

Congrats on the new job! And I'm sure the perks are pretty darn nice :)

I'm trying to figure out the hydration with this awesome hotter the hell weather we are having as well. The best solution I can come up with - is the find a spring to jump into!

Aimee said...

Congrats on the new job! That would be a cool place to work!

beth said...

how have i not been reading your blog? i love it! just read past posts for an hour.
i admire your honesty and real-ness. i know folks who have blogs "just for sponsors" or because they think that people actually care about their results (NO ONE cares as much about how we do as we do), etc and i find those blogs fake and boring.

Brett P said...

Your blog is so much fun to read. Congrats on the new job! It sounds like it's right up your alley.

Anonymous said...

funny..I thought the same exact thing when I saw that RW article. Bravo on the new job, too!!!

Matty O said...

HA! Love the blunt force trauma delivery here.

Agree that pulling off dead toe-nails is frickin awesome, I will delay it until its just right!

Was also a runner before converting to triathlon... and I "completed" my first too haha. Also very competitive and the fact that I got smashed in the swim was what kept me training harder and harder.

Woohoo for the job! Here come the sweet discounts and perks :)

Sean in NY said...

Unemployment is waaaaaaay over-rated, I agree. I think a triathlete's life revolves squarely around cramming as much shit into their schedule as humanly possible. But all of a sudden when you have so much time you can't seem get anything done.

Take it easy on those newbie customers coming into your shop! Does the shop have its own race-team? Could you start one? Can you secretly use your employee discount to purchase all kinds of stuff for us? :)

Big Daddy Diesel said...

- I just read that article last night, interesting what he learned so late into training, I think newbies that come from a single discipline really under estimate all that is involved.

- Congrats on the job

zencycle said...

* If you use nair instead of shaving your legs, your drain will never clog from hair.

* don't use nair to shave your face

* never, never, use nair for a 'bikini trim' (or, How I Burned My Balls)