Subject: Allow myself to introduce....(ahem) myself. Hello. I am a long time lurker (borderline stalker, really). This is my first post to any website ever, but since this sport and particularly this website are singularly responsible for my recent rescue back from the brink of workaholism, alcoholism and a once inevitable decline into a middle aged, bloated, Hitchcockian silhouette, I think I owe it to everyone to at least warn you that I am out there...... In all seriousness, I'm not dangerous. It's just that this triathlon thing came along and ate me whole. I don't think of much other than my first race. I make protracted detours during the workday to window shop for gear. I'm at risk of losing my job for misuse of company internet resources..... Is there a support group or therapy out there for such a thing? (my significant other would like to know..) I am currently sitting , perplexed, by the sidelines as the angels and devils of my concious furiously bludgeon each other in a debate over whether or not to sign up for an XTERRA event in August as my first race. I have all of the reluctance of any first timer over this. Advice anyone? Is an XTERRA a reasonable first event? Are they generally receptive to ultra-extreme novices like me? Sorry for the diatribe, thanks for listening, Bill |