Running? Do I have to?

Today I went for a short run. I signed up for the Scoggins Valley Tri last night which is about 9 days away now. But only the sprint distance so that I can compare myself to last year where I also did the sprint. I haven't run since, well...according to my workout journal on the side bar I have not run since June 21. Sweet, nothing like a 2 month layoff to get you in shape for the most import leg of the race.

Still, I have dropped weight and I have been riding a bunch since then. Plus my swimming times have improved. Bottom line: I am in better shape and running a 5k shouldn't be a big deal. Still, it would suck to be in better shape and yet still slower than my fatter self was last year. So I decided to head out this morning and do a heat check. Temp reading: Medium Hot. I feel the need to state that this is only in comparison to myself and not to everyone else. There are lots of folks much faster than I am, so I am not thinking that I am going to win or place or anything like that. I am only competing with myself here.

Anyway, I ran from the house to the Catlin Gable track figuring on running 2.5 miles there. I decided to time my mile splits. The first one I ran at 8:15, the second one 8:06 and then I did the last 1/2 mile in 3:56. So I ran 2.5 miles in 20:17. Not too shabby. This is better than I could have done pre-Vikingman. I then ran back to the house having run a total of about 3.7 miles. Yeah, that will do. I don't know if I will run again before Scoggins, maybe a bit early next week or over the weekend. Whatever, I will be fine.

It is nice to do this wussy triathlon. I am not stressing. The distances are so short after doing the half ironman that it is laughable. I feel like I could just glide, bunnyhop and skip through the thing and have a gay old time (as in having a fun time "gay"...geesh). Not that I have any expectation of winning or that I won't suffer for 90 minutes or so. Those that win at this distance will be running 6 minute miles or something so I have no delusions of grandeur. I just know that I won't drown, I won't bonk, and I won't cramp up. I also won't be losing any sleep over it unlike every other triathlon I have ever done. That is a nice feeling.