I am Training for an IRONMAN!!!

Okay...that's an exaggeration.  However, Alison and I have embarked on tri-training.  Both of us are marathon-runners, but this tri-training thing has completely made me UP my game.  Believe it or not, they recommend that we work out 6 days a week.  Working out only 5 days is O-KAY.  Working out only 4 days is a no-no. 


For the first month, I am introducing swimming into my routine (next month, I finally get on a bike), in addition to the running that I already do.  Finding time to squeeze in my workouts, which actually involves sometimes working out twice in a day, has been a tricky experiment.  I have been forced to go to bed early so that I may wake up early to get in a run, swim, or yoga.  Then, I come home from work and try to squeeze in another workout on the nights where I don't already have an evening networking event/happy hour to attend.  This sounds crazy and I don't even have a six-pack to show for it. 

If there is no six-pack for a bikini-ready body, where is the motivation? 

1. I'm competitive and want to see if my body can do what that other person's body just did.
2. I'm dysfunctional and actually find endurance races sickly fun.  Yes, I suffer and hurt and end up cursing at myself at some point during the race.  But several days after the race, I'll decide to sign up for another one.
3. Last week, I joined High Cloud's inaugural Athletic Team.  High Cloud is a non-profit that raises funds for food, clothing, supplies for children in international countries.  I get to be one of their ambassadors for a new endurance team they put together this year.  Not wanting to embarress them, this means I actually need to REPRESENT.

Every Sunday, I look at the week ahead and write in my workout schedule for the week.  Minimally, I have to get 2 swims and 2 runs in.  I also have to work yoga into my schedule for stretching, core, and strength-training.  It is busy.

While I am not exactly training YET for an Ironman...I slowly feel like my life is becoming like this guy's here....

So - no whining about not having time or energy to get your workouts in.  When you feel discouraged, just remember that when there is a will, there is always a way (use just need to figure out which is stronger).

On the other hand, here's an interesting statistic for all of my single girlfriends out there...the largest demographic that competes in triathlons are Men between the ages of 35-39.