Tuesday, July 3, 2007

and now this

After church on Sunday I stopped on the way home at my local County Pool to see about signing up for swimming lessons. I've had this idea of competing (or I should say "competing") in a Triathlon. I've been cycling for a few years. This spring I ran in the LA Marathon (again "ran" would be more accurate). I know how to swim from childhood swimming lessons but I need to learn better technique to increase my speed and eficiency. I signed up for four private half hour lessons. Total cost: $66.00. The first lesson started the next day.

I didn't have enough cash on me so I had to go home and come back. The park was crowded, this being a hot Sunday afternoon, so there wasn't much parking. After I drove home I got on my bike to come back. That was the first time I'd been on the bike in months. It felt so good. Cycling is really extraordinarily fun. I paid the guy at the pool and then continued to ride down the bike path on the side of the LA RIver. I rode into Burbank and then through the city up to a sporting goods store where I bought myself a swimsuit. The suits I already own are a little too gay, appropriate for lounging beside a pool in Palm Springs, but not for serious swiiming at a public pool or a triathlon. I bought a regular black Speedo, and a second suit with longer legs that cover the thighs called "Jammers" which is apparently what you wear for a triathlon.

I stuffed the suits in the back of my jersey and rode the bike home. I'd preached that very morning about the need to say "Yes" to new experiences in life. So here I go.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to go on the triathlon. My partner and I are in week 5 of 14 training for our first triathlon. I can just now swim the full distance in a pool but have to make the move to open water.

Rick Hoyt-McDaniels said...

james - excellent! I'm beginning to think I might need to be in a training program. I can't really imagine just showing up at the event never having talked to anybody about it. There's a group here called the LA tri club that I think I'll hook up with. Congrats about the distance. that surely sounds like an accomplishmnet. And you're only at week 5 of 14. Make sure you write again and tell me how you did.