Try and Tri and Try and Tri...Onward Bucket List!

A friend at work asked me last week why I was compiling a "Bucket List" as I had declared I had planned to live forever. Well, I won't live forever -  at least not on earth. But, while I'm alive I want to know that I have accomplished a few things in my life that I hadn't done before. Some items on the list are a re-visit to good memories; like horse back riding, but most of the items are new.

So, what am I doing toward an item/goal on my BL?  I am training for a Tri-Athalon.  No, no; not a really BIG one.  I may be odd, but I am not nuts (?).  I'm conditioning my brain and body to do a Mini-Tri which is also called a Sprint.  Sprint vary in lengths for each event, but they hover around these distances: Swim - a little over a 1/2 mile; Bike - between 12-13.5 miles; Run 5K (3.2 miles).  I can do this. No doubt.  No doubt? Well, I'd like to think this is more mental than physical, but it is physical - plain and simple.  I have to do the work...imagine that!

I have two coaches for this; both are good friends whom I respect and admire for their athletic accomplishments. Chris, a co-worker, is a runner - marathons to be exact.  He and his wife RUN.  He sets goals, works toward them with a good team of coaches and accomplishes his goals. This past October he and his wife competed in and finished the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC.  He is encouraging, helpful and unrelenting.  Just what I need. The same Stephanie who has horses gets two spots on my BL - this time it's as my swimming coach. Stephanie is a certified swim instructor and is the sole reason my granddaughter Lizzi loves to swim. She is exactly what I need to compete in the swim portion. She is darned good! As I think about the laps that must be done - I envision her encouraging smile and words, "Pat, I've seen you swim, you can do this!"

My training schedule began this past week; a very conservative approach - I don't want to incur injuries because I'm stupid in training.  What is my goal? To compete in a Tri-Athalon Sprint in a timed age division. When?  Spring / Summer of 2011. Goal after that?  Keep on keeping on....there is a highly motivated and competitive person waiting to swim, bike and run toward the finish line in the shortest time for my age group.  I can do this...no doubt!

Don't you love Bugs?  Of all the cartoon characters created by Warner Brothers...he's my all time favorite. He reminds me to eat right. What's in the bag? This is how my work out stuff gets to work.

Lucky me!  Our ladies locker room has great lockers.  #18 holds my junk!

...and a shower!  The contraption next to my shower is a health rider.
On off run/bike/swim days, I use this for strenth training.
I can do this....NO DOUBT!