52 days til triathlon-tasticness!

So, I am entered to compete (read: attempt to finish) the 2010 Malibu Sprint Triathlon that will be taking place in the wee hours of September 12, 2010. (Which also happens to be one of my oldest, most fabulous and dearest friends 30th b-day – Rachel who rocks my socks!!). The race is comprised of a 1/2 mile swim (in the OCEAN), 18 mile bike ride (WITHOUT training wheels) and a 4 mile run (BACK to BACK to BACK!).

This is amusing for many reasons including, but not limited to the following:

#1) I only know how to not drown (which, turns out is not exactly swimming) AND I happen to be quite frightened of the ocean. I “faced” that fear 2 years ago by sucking it up and going scuba-diving in Maui (I only went 30 feet down and it was Maui, how could I not?!), but now the thought of being in a bathing suit and getting in the ocean at 7am in September with a million other people swimming on top of me and kicking my face makes me want to stab myself in the eye…good times.

#2) Until two days ago I had not ridden a bicycle in more than 10 years (who am I kidding, it's been more like 20) and now every time I sit down I groan like I'm 92. On the bright side it was “just like riding a bike” and I did not crash and die.

#3) While I have (barely) run 4 miles before (on a treadmill), the idea of doing so outside, after swimming and biking makes me question my sanity [again].

So you may be thinking. “Why on earth did you sign up for this triathlon?” Good question – the answer: a lapse in perfectly normal, level-headed judgment. No wait, I wanted to loose a few lbs. Haha, just kidding (kinda)…seriously, I wanted to challenge myself. AND the race benefits Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, which is near and dear to my heart because it is the hospital where a lot of the kids come from at CoachArt (which is were I work, you can read about it more HERE and HERE). Plus, D (aka my amazing boyfriend) decided last year that he was going to do triathlons and he did it and did it well (mind you, it helps that he is a really good swimmer and cyclist...details, details…). I had so much fun cheering him on (as you can imagine, I am a natural) and watching him progress and reach his goals. It made me want to try it.

It seemed like a natural fit: get in shape and help the sick kids, right? The thing is, that I find that “natural-ness” fading in to the distance as I am faced with the stark realization that I have 52 days til this thing and I have not yet gotten in the water and spent all of 30 mins on a bicycle. The way I see it is at this point I have 2 options: quit (which is not really an option) or be thankful that I have 52 days to kick my ocean fearing, bicycle adverse, kinda-ok-at-running ass into shape!

So thankful it is! Tomorrow D and I go to the pool and he gives me a swimming lesson (I die.) and then we are going on a bike ride on Sunday. I know that I can do this. Even if I am the last person to cross the finish line (all red faced and teary-eyed, cuz you know I will cry.) at least I will be able to say that I did it.

PS - if you want to help me in my quest to raise money for the aforementioned sick kids (and see a hilarious photo of me on a bike), you can do so HERE. Any amount helps!! Many thanks!!!