Fitness Monday is, I hope, an ongoing series of diaries about, well, fitness. You don't need to be a super fit person to participate -- if you did, then I'd be unable to participate, myself. Just interested in fitness, getting fit, or somewhere on the fitness journey.
So, thing one - we need hosts for FM, because I can't always be the host. So how about you? Don't look over your shoulder, I'm talking to you. And here are some dates where we need hosts: March 16, 23 (fiddlercrabby is hosting this one), 30 and April 6, 13, 20, 27. Anyone interested? Sign up for a day to host and we'll see if we can get this thing rolling again. There's a calendar in our g-mail account (name is FitnessMonday, pw exercise
I've done the Danskin Triathlon three times, this year will be my fourth. The team that produced the Danskins has moved and is now doing the Trek Women's Triathlon series, so I'll be doing that one, too. The races that I've done have all been women-only, and designed to be, in my words, "finishable". I do women-only races because I know that I'm going to be passed over by several waves in the swim. If I'm going to get swum over, I'd rather not get swum over by guys.
I first signed up to do a tri so that I'd keep exercising after the Hill Country Ride for AIDS, which I do every April. The Danskin is in June, so having that event kept me focused on fitness into the Texas summer. Even more important is having a training group. I've done the Heartzones training, which is more valuable that I can even tell you. The instructors are knowledgable and helpful. Training with a team was a new experience for me three years ago. I never participated in sports as a kid, so this was a totally new experience. The team training - having to show up twice a week every week for 8 weeks, having teammates to talk to and who followed your progress, was amazingly helpful. Having a team on race day is beyond helpful. On the race course that I do there are 2 killer hills - Mr. Tard and his son Tard Jr. Their first names are "Bas". They are on both the ride & the 5K courses. Having people to cheer on, and who will cheer you on can get you through.
So why do I do this? Why do outdoor activities in Texas in the summer? Why do I take part in sporting activities that I suck at (I am really, really slow at swimming - I get passed by at least 6 waves every time)? I really don't know. It is hard and I'm not very good and I hate getting up at ungodly hours of the morning, but somehow it is a strange sort of fun. Having a team is a new & wonderful experiencs. But even that isn't the whole thing. I did two additional races last year, beyond the team one. I enjoyed them, too.
Something about doing an athletic event that I know is beyond me is weirdly appealing. I'm never going to win any tri I enter, but I finish them all. My current goal is to finish one in under three hours. The winners finish in less than half that. But for the people like me, the ones who aren't competitive, there is such a sense of comeradeship - people on my end of the race cheer each other on and help each other out. Triathlons, for me are about fun and fitness. The fun & friendship I've experienced doing triathlons is almost like the community that does the Hill Country Ride for AIDS (about which I'll write later this week). I'm planning on doing the Trek, Danskin, Rogue and Sweet & Twisted tri's this year. Maybe I'll finish in under 3 hours, maybe I won't, and maybe I won't even be able to swing all the entry fees, but I know that I will have fun doing the tri's that I do.
So what about you? What do you do for fitness? What do you think about signing up for events that you know are beyond your fitness level? (that isn't what I'm advocating, if you think a more gradual & sane approach is better, speak up) Please share what you're doing for fitness here -- and please sign up to host some time.