Triathlon Update: I am out ....I think

Two of my good friends, Dave and Fish are going to do the St. George Utah Ironman next year. I don't think they even tried to get me to do it, they knew better.

For the record, I have done two 70.3 or half ironman distance triathlons. I have also done a few olympic and sprint distance triathlons. I have done them to push myself farther than I would have normally pushed myself.

I have had to get out of my comfort zone and swim in open water. Swimming in open water has caused me to have many sleepless nights. I stress about that part in a big way. Luckily, I have never drown, nor really come close to it despite freaking out on every single open water swim I have done.

The runs I do OK on. I mean, I am not fast, I just have found that I can suffer on at a nice 10 to 11 minute per mile pace indefinitely on the long distance runs. Shorter runs, I am about an 8 minute mile guy after a bit of training. But regardless, I don't really enjoy running too much either.

The cycling...I quite like the bike part. I appreciate the technology that goes into these TT/tri bikes. They are very cool. But impractical. They are spendy and if you are going to have one you better use it. I sold my half-breed Fuji Aloha Carbon Concept bike a couple of months ago. I have another road bike that I like to ride more than that one. I didn't feel like tying up that much of my bike assets with that bike so I sold it. I figured if I was going to do more triathlons I could do them just as well on the Specialized. I am only going to save maybe 2 to 5 minutes with that bike, and I will take the time penalty in a triathlon to have something else that I enjoy more the rest of the year.

Anyway, where is this post going....

I had told Fish that I needed to do the Boise Half Ironman again this next year. I wasn't really pleased with my race this year. I feel I can do better. But, as time has gone on, I am just not feeling it. So for now I am saying that next year will be a triathlon-free year. I only did one this year instead of my planned three. And I don't feel bad about that at all.

Marcelo, who is going to be on our Buttercup Team not only wins his age group but beats just about everyone in the local triathlons. But even with him around and Dave training for an Ironman, I am not tempted at all right now. OK, maybe a little bit, but not enough to start running and swimming again anytime soon.

Now that cyclocross season is here I am happy. I am doing the sport that I love the most. It is just too bad that it ends before Christmas here. I will have to find some challenge for next spring or summer. Not sure what though.

Seattle to Portland in one day sounds sort of tempting. Dave and I were talking about a long distance mtb event next year. That might be OK. My body doesn't really like spending all day on a mountain bike anymore. My back just starts to kill. That would take some training for sure. Just going down the McKenzie River trail tuckered my back right out. I wouldn't mind figuring out something that would be tempting to Fish, my friend in Utah, if I could get him to do something other than a triathlon. The only time I get to see him lately is when there is an event that we all do together like the Half Ironman races.

Anyway, the search begins for something cool to do next year. Just please...no triathlons. I am saving that for 2011. I plan on doing something stupid that year for my 40th year on this planet.