So, I’ve noticed that marathons these days are the hip thing.  Can I say hip?  Or does that make me very un-hip?  Either way, marathons and all sorts of endurance-y type things are sort of the ‘thing’ right now.  So tonight I decided to jump on the old bandwagon.  Yep, tonight at dinner I decided that as soon as we were done I would participate in my first ever triathlon.  I mean how hard can it  be?

Okay, it wasn’t your “conventional” triathlon, but hey, I don’t like to do things the “conventional” way.  I like to think outside the box, march to a different beat, and rock my first triathlon the way I want to.  And that’s exactly what I did.

After dinner I threw on my new athletic shoes that don’t look like they should go to space, some basketball shorts, stole the boys iPod and filled it with high energy songs that could keep me going and I was off.  First leg of the triathlon was the running.  I rounded the corner of my cul-de-sac with the wind in my face.  The sun was setting so I knew that if I was going to finish this triathlon I was going to have to hurry.  Past one ‘Stop’ sign, then another and another.  Nothing could stop me, except that stabbing pain in my side.  That stopped me for a second, but then I was back to a slow trot.

After about eight or so neighborhood ‘Stop’ signs I was approaching my friend Michael’s house at a blinding speed.  He was out changing a headlight in his car so I stopped to throw up in his bushes help him and steal his bike for the second leg of my triathlon.  At this point my legs were jell-o and my lungs were burning so biking would give me a chance to recover for the third and final leg.

I rode past Michael’s house, another ten or so ‘Stop’ signs, and I decided that I needed to push to finish before dark.  Around the final cul-de-sac and I was officially half way done and headed back.  Repeating my ten or so ‘Stop’ signs and then the original eight or so that I had run making a total of about eighteen more ‘Stop’ sign lengths on the bike, and I was ready for the third and final leg of my first ever triathlon.  I came flying into the driveway and parking the bike in the garage.  I knew there was only one leg left, but I needed to stop for water, check some emails and catch my breath again.

Then it was time for the third and final push.  Now, typically the final portion of a ‘conventional’ triathlon is the swimming portion.  You know in a cool comfortable ocean or something.  But like I said before, I’m not really in to doing things the ‘conventional’ way, so for my third and final leg of my triathlon, I decided to take a shower.  That’s right.  Instead of the ‘normal’ splashing around in the water, I decided to step it up a level and stand.  And in hot water no less.  How you like me now Spence?

Now I’m watching The NBA Finals and barely able to move, but at least I have the sense of accomplishment still pressing firmly on my chest and lungs.  I may need a day or two off and then it will be back to training for my next challenge.  I might even ride the bike all the way to Target.

+

My First Triathlon is a post from: Brody Harper

My friend Michael, who doesn’t blog anymore, and I have been talking about running together for a few weeks now and tonight we finally made it happen.  We have about a three mile circle around our neighborhood and we did the whole thing.  Now, he has been running for a few weeks.  I have not.  I went once last week, and then didn’t want to anymore forgot the rest of the week.

See the thing is I’m not a runner so I have to really hype myself up about it.  I have to convince myself that I like it and really want to do it.  I have to tell myself the next morning that the reason my leg won’t work is because I did something good.  That’s hard for my brain to do.

I did however realize that if I have the right apparel for running it makes a world of difference.  Tank-tops and running shorts.  I’ve never owned either, but I see where it helps.  This picture is of me just before my run.  

I’m completely lying.  This is one of the nastiest pictures I have ever seen and I apologize if it offends you. But honestly, it should offend you, I mean look at it.  Could it get nastier?   And really when it comes down to it, it’s amusing to me, so I get to have it on here.  Come on.  You know it’s funny.

Seriously though.  Running is good for you or something.  You should do it more.  As long as Michael can put up with me whining like a baby the whole time, I’ll keep giving it a shot. 

You run?

IRan is a post from: Brody Harper