I have officially signed up for my first triathlon.  My family is being totally supportive.  I was concerned they would think that I lost my mind.  Not because I signed up, they are getting used to my new found desire to challenge myself, but that they would worry because I don’t know how to swim.  Well, I should clarify that, I don’t know how to swim properly.

One daughter was concerned about where the swimming took place – open water or pool.  Well, I may have gone a little crazy but I didn’t completely jump off the deep end.  I signed up for the Triathamom this August.  This is a “sprint” style triathlon.  Swim 300 meters in a pool, a 12 mile bike ride and a 5K run.

Now, here I am, entered in my first triathlon!  I can run, slowly.  I can ride, efficiently enough.  I don’t want to dog paddle for 300 meters so, I signed up for swimming lessons!  If you think spandex is humbling, try finding a swimsuit that will work for lap swimming.  It needs to be form fitting and you must be able to move in it.  The suck-my-gut-in suit wasn’t going to do it.

Saturday, I received my first lesson and after an hour and a half, I begged for mercy.  My teacher is excellent, and very patient.  She taught me how to time my strokes with my breathing and took me back and forth with a kickboard until she felt I could swim on my own.  By the end of my lesson, I was able to almost make it the full length of the pool without stopping!

Best wishes to Maureen as she competes in her first-ever triathlon.