it has begun!

Oh, hi! I didn't see you there. Patiently waiting for me to get it together and take on some new ridiculous challenge. Well, I'm glad you were patient, because I have some pretty exciting news. I'll get to it, I promise, but I like telling stories first (you'll probably figure out where I'm going with this in about 2.5 seconds).

I only have 3 items on my bucket list. I decided on all of them probably around end of middle school/beginning of high school, and to be honest I thought I would have them all done by now.
1. Become a professional tree climber
2. Invent a potion that would keep animals looking young (ie. puppies stay puppies, kittens stay kittens)3. Learn Sign-Language
4. Go Sky-Diving
5. Complete a Triathlon

Yes - 1 and 2 were entirely serious.... only I think those were on my list when I was somewhere between 6 an 9 years old. Still things I would like to accomplish but may be on the back-burner for a bit.

I don't know why I've always wanted to learn sign language. I just like to use my hands and to be able to communicate with someone in any language by only using my hands was incredible (don't worry - I now know that sign language isn't the same in every country - it was a bit of a let down and I still feel like it should/could be universal). I've also always been told that I have a way of doing things with my hands. Not really sure how to explain that better - right now it sounds like I may have a side-job at the local "massage" parlor. But really. I like my hands and like to use them, whether it's molding something out of clay, putting together Ikea furniture, smacking ass as it ascends a flight of stairs.. umm...anyways.

Next, skydiving! I feel like if you have any sort of thrill-seeking bone in your body and are not afraid of heights (maybe even if you are) this ends up on your bucket list. I don't know how many times I've mentioned to someone that I've wanted to do it, they are willing to do it too, but it just never happens. When I was younger I had my doubts I would ever be able to do it. Why? because I was a big fan of Alanis Morissette and this verse scared the poop out of me;

Mr. Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well, isn't this nice."


I had a huge fear of flying (even though I flew plenty), and just knew that if I got in a plane to do something I always wanted to do, it pretty much guaranteed that plane to crash. Nope, wasn't worried about the parachute at all. Maybe I'll give up the irrational thoughts and attempt it in 2013.

And finally, a triathlon. I think I must have been watching the 2000 or 2004 olympics when I sat around one Saturday afternoon and watched an entire triathlon. Not really sure why I found it interesting to sit there and watch that for 3 hours (I don't really want to watch any sport for 3 hours) but it sucked me in, and I thought "I want to do that." I love swimming. I love biking. Running? Not so much.

But then comes the beauty of a Sprint Triathlon. No, you're not actually sprinting it, but the distances are shorter and a 3.5 mile run? I think I can do that.

So there it is friends. I'm finally going to cross something off my bucket list. I am doing a triathlon. The Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon. It is the day before my 28th birthday and about a month before my best friend's wedding. I'm very excited and actually have a lot more to share about it, but we know I get long-winded, so I'll save it for other posts.

Wish me luck... I'm going to need it.

Almost forgot the reason for this post (the problem with starting the post on one day and finishing it the next) - Training started yesterday. I only did a 30 minute run and wanted to DIE, but I did feel good afterwards. I'll just have to keep reminding myself how I'll feel when the workout is done and how I'll feel if I do what I'm supposed to do for that day.

Training: Day 1: 30 minute run