The very best part about doing something you have never done before is that no matter how you do – it is the best you have ever done. In the last month I have set two personal records (PRs.) Having never run a 25K or a half-marathon at all until recently – I was all set to crank out two PRs.
I went after the 25K with an “I have never run this before ever” mentality and I was pleased to have finished strong. Knowing that I had another race in only two weeks that was of slightly shorter distance, I set an attainable goal. I felt like I had a little gas left in the tank when I finished the 25K so I decided to try and go a little faster.
I’m not fast. A year ago I couldn’t run one continuous ten minute mile. Last week my half marathon pace was 10:07 on average. That’s measurable progress. So many people have asked me in the last year why I run. It’s a simple answer. There aren’t many opportunities for an adult to have measurable success outside the workplace. For months and months I wasn’t getting faster so I set my sights on distance. Mission accomplished. My 5K time is creeping faster. Slow and steady progress. 
This weekend I will switch gears (oh man, do you love a good pun!! Switch gears, I am gonna ride my bike, guys. I kill me.) My personal triathlon season will kick off at the scene of the original crime. Last year I finished my first sprint triathlon at an all women’s event. It’s technically a super sprint (250 yard swim, 10 mile bike and a 2 mile run.) Last year I wanted to finish. I rode a heavy hybrid and I had run for less than three months. I was happy with my finish. It’s a small event. I finished 64th out of 126 participants. This year? I am going back to run the same course. There should be measurable improvement. Right? And so begins the sleepless week. I like to set goals. I like to achieve them. What’s reasonable? I am pretty sure that cups of coffee at 10 pm and loads and loads of googling and looking at my runkeeper graphs for the last year will not help. Getting my bike out of the shed might be a good place to start.
Excitement on the side 