My first goal: a 5K, week 1

So, I decided that if I am going to be serious about this plan, I need some shorter goals to get started with. My first goal is to complete (notice I said complete, not compete) in a 5K in my area. I haven't chosen which one yet, but there are always lots of different events offered in the fall.

To begin this task, I looked online and found a simple plan that claimed to get you from couch potato to 5K in two months. (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml) I'm not exactly a couch potato, but I'm certainly no athlete, so I thought that this sounded like the one for me.

I'm into my first week of training, and so far, so good. Today I did my second day and it was challenging. (What is all this water coming out of my body? Oh, it's called sweat...I've heard about this happening to people before.) But I'm determined and focused.

I'm trying to use the time running to pray and think all sorts of godly things. I should be praying and praising God for all that he's done for me (which, of course, is a lot) and reciting Scripture and so on. But mostly, I found myself repeating this one prayer: Jesus, help me not to fall off this treadmill.

Welcome

Thanks for joining me on this journey. Over the course of the next year, I am going to be training for a triathalon. I thought this blog might be a fun place where I can keep myself accountable to you, my friends and family, and also a place for those of you who might want to be entertained by my process.

In another lifetime, I completed a Walking Marathon. It was a wonderful, challenging, fun, difficult, exciting and self-revealing experience. Afterwards, I never wanted to do anything else like that again. So, why now? Why a triathalon?

On one hand, the answer is: why not? On the other hand, the answer is: because I want to try something new. I want to stretch myself and see what I am capable of. My first triathalon will be in August 2009, which give me a whole year to prepare. I am not a natural athlete. I like to swim, play racquetball, and do a few other outdoor sporty-things, but long distance biking, running, and swimming in a lake do not come naturally to me.

I am hoping that in the course of the next year, I will get into better shape, find more discipline, and have fun doing this. Thanks for joining me on this journey.