Swim or Die!

Funny how those three words lead me into the sport of triathlon. Here's how it happened. My new years resolution this year was to get back into swimming, since I hadn't swam seriously since my high school swim team 11 years ago. A few months into 2004 (so by then it was a mid-year resolution) I joined a local Master's swim club, and on the way home from practice one day I picked up one of those weekly newspapers that lists upcoming running races and other athletic events. The headline "SWIM OR DIE!" caught my eye: swim from Alcatraz island to the San Francisco shore and then run over the Golden Gate bridge and back. Sounded crazy, but very fun! Yet I wasn't sure I could do it, since I've never done an open water swim, or a multi-sport event. I mentioned it to my swim coach, and he said, "You can do that no problem!" So I figured Why Not? and signed up.

And then I realized, if I can do that Aquathlon, I'm 2/3 of the way to a triathlon, and triathlons are cool. So I'm registered for a sprint tri in early October. Interesting, I wasn't deterred by the fact that I didn't own a bicycle, since I'd used one for transportation in college and I knew it would come back to me... just like riding a bicycle. Ha ha. A few weeks ago I did purchase a bike, and a wetsuit, and a stylish red-and-black trisuit. But alas, this isn't like figure skating where they give style points, so in addition to buying gear I have also been training hard, and am ready for the Challenge. i.e. the Alcatraz Challenge Aquathlon next weekend.