Monday, July 30, 2007

The debate within…

Lately I’ve been reminded that as far as an being an athlete…I am a triathlete. Not a swimmer or a cyclist or a runner…although I do have some tendencies to have a running ‘problem’ at times. But rather, I’d prefer to focus on doing multi-sport stuff with the end goal of a tri than be focused solely all the time on one sport and ‘cross train’ with other sports. I forget this sometimes…let me try to explain. If I’m debating about non tri races during triathlon season I have to stop and think really hard about it. I was contemplating running a marathon next june as there will be one basically in my back yard after I move. But the more I thought about doing that marathon…the more I started to be annoyed that it might screw with my tri season since it is at the beginning of June. The build...the taper...the recovery.

Granted the tri season in S. Cali is longer than up here in Massachusetts, but I didn’t really want my training focus during all those good daylight savings hours focused on an A race that wasn’t a triathlon AND it was during tri season. So I’m starting to contemplate a marathon that is in 6 months from now…the one I’m debating would be 3 months after my ½ marathon in October…

The whole debate makes me laugh because I know people give me funny looks when I say i'm thinking about doing a marathon...much less me saying that the reason I wouldn't do a specific one didn't have to do with it being a marathon...but that it interfered with my tri season next year. I think i'm just looking forward to having an actual tri season next year, THAT's what i'm looking forward to.

On other notes...sadly boredom of the dissertation has set in. I tend to get bored after awhile when I'm writing. I have my main things said...now i don't want to go back and re-write every little thing. It makes me want to SCREAM. Whew...that's out now. We can now move on.



6 comments:

No Wetsuit Girl said...

I thought it was supposed to be GOOD to do a marathon when you're a triathlete, but you're right, I think it's supposed to be in the off-season. There are so many marathons in SoCal you should be able to find one that's perfect for you. But don't do LA, I think that the Surgeon General warns against such things.

Bullet said...

I have the same thoughts some time. I want to add my first marathon next year but don't know where to put it. Is there anything earlier in the year you could do?

Benson said...

Ah, so what about getting funny looks.
Unless you do actually look funny. Then just roll with it.
Keep moving ahead.

Nitsirk said...

Do a fall marathon, like in November. That way you get a pretty full tri season and run mileage doesn't really pick up until Sept. That's what I did when I ran Philly in 2005 and it worked out well. I also reccomend leaving a few swim and bike workouts in the schedule for variety. I was completely sick of running after the marathon from 5 days a week of running and nothing else. Blech. Sort of like writing your dissertation :) Hang in there the end (almost) justifies all the work you put in now.

Joe B said...

hello.

Are you forgetting? You can do a marathon in a tri.....

TriBoomer a.k.a. Brian said...

Fall/early winter marathons are my pick.

Stay tuned...