Photo credit to Justyna Prazuch (my friend and awesome IronMan triathlete)
“YO LET’S SIGN UP FOR THE TRI.”
What? When is it? How much is it going to cost? Wait, we have to fundraise? Are we really going to swim in the Hudson?
I had to start my mental preparation by reading books. I read You Are an Ironman and Be IronFit. The former was an inspirational book and the latter was more technical. I strongly suggest the first because a feel-good book was what I needed to get motivated. The second book helped with details such as transition tips and understanding advanced stuff such as vo2 max. This book was overkill but it was good to read. If you can save money and borrow from the library, then do it!
For bike training, we rode about 40+ miles in Lake Placid and I struggled. There were strong headwinds and the course was hilly. I respected the IronMan competitors. I also ran a 5k and 13.1 mile distance during the weekend. The course had some steep hills and was not always pleasant. However, the LLS TNT training, coupled with Lake Placid prepared me for my first triathlon. I was confident about an Olympic distance triathlon. I probably could have done a 1/2 iron distance as well.
In terms of fundraising efforts, I met and exceeded my minimum by the following:
- Conducted a happy hour with raffles (liquor bottles) and a small percentage of bar sales
- Won my 8 week workplace “Biggest Loser” weight loss competition
- Groveled friends and family