Exercise is my Adderall
At the top of 2013′s to-do list: complete an Olympic distance triathlon.
An Olympic distance triathlon breaks down as follows: 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run. In non-metric terms this is roughly a one-mile swim, 25-mile bike and 6.2-mile run. This is perfectly do-able if you put in the training, which is the hardest part.
I’m on the roster for St. Anthony’s, an ambitious triathlon that every year draws some of the world’s most elite athletes (including Olympians) to downtown St. Pete. I wouldn’t even attempt to compete with these animals. My doughy Reese’s-loving behind can’t hold a candle to these fat-free lean machines. I’m thrilled just to be in their company.
And I’m eager to plow through the food tents. I love post-race food tents.
I ran my first race three years ago. At the time I considered this an epic undertaking. Turns out it was more of an epic life-changer. I’m addicted to these things now. Since then I’ve clocked five sprint triathlons and two half-marathons.
Somewhere in the middle of this I had a baby.
When I trained through my pregnancy people told me I was crazy. When I raced a few months after Henry’s birth people told me to slow down. When it became apparent that my child was a fireball people told me it was good thing I have so much energy.
This energy is not always inherent. Sometimes it has to be mustered. Sometimes I burn out. Sometimes you’ll find me sitting under a blanket on the couch, eating a hazelnut chocolate bar, watching Sex & The City reruns.
The reason I’m able to stick to any sort of workout routine is because I don’t view it as a routine. I view it as therapy. I exercise to maintain sanity, strength and self discipline. If I go too long without physically exerting myself I get kind of flaky, scatterbrained and unfocused.
If I were drawn to taking psycho-stimulants I could probably get a prescription for Adderall. I’m hyper with a fairly compromised attention span. Writers have long upheld a tradition of taking drugs to produce good material. Me? I’d rather bike. It’s good for your cholesterol and the view is phenomenal.
|
I’m doing St. Anthony’s too! It will be my first Olympic triathlon as well. I’ve done a bunch of sprints and a couple of duathlons (including one Olympic distance). Which age group are you in?
I hear you on using exercise as therapy. I still remember the time when I missed three days of running in a row, and I was getting really snarly and irritable. On the fourth day, I posted on Facebook that I had run that morning, and my boss said she was all, “Thank God, Caitlin will be normal today!”
BTW I came to our blog through Joe, who I know from Creative Loafing. Just so you aren’t wondering who this rando is commenting all over your blog.
January 28th, 2013 at 7:36 pmHey – thanks for reading girl. Where are you training for the swim? I’ll be racing as a crusty old 31-year-old. And you?
You’re certainly not a “rando.” Joe has mentioned you. He said you were a super smart level-headed intern.
January 28th, 2013 at 10:00 pmI envy your drive. I blame the gloomy Buffalo weather and lack of view on my laziness. I’d like to think if I had warm temperatures and palm trees to distract my oxygen deprived lungs and burning thighs, I’d be a runner.
for now, I’d much rather join you and the king under that
blanket with chocolate and Carrie Bradshaw.
glad to see your writing again! I missed it!!
January 29th, 2013 at 11:04 amHeidi, we’re in the same age group! I’ll be competing as a 34-year-old, thanks to USAT’s weird age thing. I plan to do my swimming at the Long Center during the week and then either at Sand Key or Fort De Soto on the weekends (once it warms up a bit – I have a wetsuit but when I used it last month I thought I was going to freeze despite having it on). What about you?
January 29th, 2013 at 8:17 pmBelieve it or not, I’ve yet to get in the gulf. I’ve actually NEVER trained in the gulf. I go to North Shore Pool on the weekends. It’s almost impossible to swim during the week. I’ve got Hank all day and Joe gets home pretty late from work. I’m able to bike and run consistently because I can swing these things with Henry.
No, I don’t have a wet suit. I’m too cheap.
We should meet up at the race. I’ll be the scrappy-looking chick pushing a 1985 Bianchi through a crowd of expertly-geared athletes. You can’t miss me.
No really. We should exchange numbers. I’ll Facebook ya.
January 29th, 2013 at 9:30 pmYes! I’d love a local tri buddy. Also sounds like we’ll be the only ones without the fancy-pants carbon-frame tri bikes, as I ride a Specialized road bike from the 1980s. Also, I’m really tall. I look like I should be on a basketball court, not running a 10K.
I don’t even have a kid and I find it hard to train for the swim leg, which makes me sad, because I actually really love to swim.
January 30th, 2013 at 7:01 am