Being a Tortoise

Being a tortoise isn't easy. But through consistency, determination and commitment, I keep getting up and out on the street to run, bike and to the pool to swim. Some days are tougher than others. Some days I have to question my level of sanity. However, the results are the same. I say out loud: I'M COMMITTED! And that is all that it takes to get me going.

I have a plan that I think I will stick with. I have to prepare for 2 5K's that are coming up in 2 and 3 weeks. I have to build my endurance to the point of not stopping while running. I may not do the Kinetic Sprint Triathlon on  May 9th that I was going to use as my "test race", unless this instructor can get me out into Lake Reston prior to experience what it is like to swim in open water. I'm cool with skipping that race, if I need to. I will have plenty of opportunities to swim in a lake/river before the big race on June 20th.

The swimming is coming along nicely. I have great technique, I'm working on learning more and building endurance. I have full confidence that I will be able to complete the swim leg of my race.Cycling is not a challenge for me. I still just need to get an idea of how fast I should be going while training. I know that a cadence of at least 90-95 is good for race day, but am I supposed to be training at that cadence?? That's fast and super hard to do, but I have time to build up to it and get comfy there if I learn that I should be going that fast now.

I have to remind myself that the tortoise gets to the finish line. She gets there and gets there slllooowwwlllly, but she gets there. And that's all that matters. Finishing. Finishing is my goal.

The Tortoise and the Hare is a fable attributed to Aesop. The story concerns a hare who ridicules a slow-moving tortoise. In response, the tortoise challenges his swift mocker to a race. The hare soon leaves the tortoise far behind and, confident of winning, he decides to take a nap midway through the course. When he awakes, however, he finds that his competitor, crawling slowly but steadily, has already won the race.