Q&A

Two posts in one day. What a lucky reader you are! ;) I thought I'd throw both of these Q/A posts together, just for funsies. Maybe you'll find them interesting, maybe you won't.

First, I was surprised and flattered to be contacted by the administrators of the sprint tri I'm doing to ask if I'd be willing to share my story and potentially be featured in some marketing and promotional materials for the event. I answered a few questions for them and have enlisted my new training buddy, Kristina, to take some training photos during our OWS/run brick this weekend so I can send those along as well. I feel sort of dorktacular at the thought of taking "training" photos, but whatever. If they want them, they'll get them. Not sure what will become of all this, if anything comes at all, but I'll keep you posted nonetheless!

Second, My Friend M My Friend M tagged me in one of those "What's your favorite..." posts. I think I'm supposed to tag someone else now, but since I don't know many other bloggers well enough to tag them (aside from M, who tagged ME), I'll let it die here. But in case you're interested, my answers are at the end of this post.

As mentioned above, here are my answers regarding "Why I Tri":

1. What motivated you to participate in the YWCA Women’s Triathlon?

My main motivation for participating in the YWCA Women's Triathlon stems from the desire to challenge myself to meet new fitness goals. I've never been particularly athletic or fitness-minded, but I recently began running and have found that it's something I love. Having run a few 5ks and one half marathon, I feel like I'm ready to tackle a new challenge. One of my best friends, who is also participating in the YWCA Women's Triathlon, began doing tris last year. Her race reports made the sprint tri sound like something I could accomplish with the right training--not to mention it sounded like fun! Also, the concept of a women's only, newbie-friendly event made me feel so much more comfortable as a first-timer! So, my desire for a new challenge coupled with the inspiration provided from my friend resulted in my decision to participate in this year's triathlon.

2. What has been the most challenging part of your training and preparation?

The most challenging part of my training and preparation is finding the time to squeeze in my workouts. As a mom who works full-time outside the home, my free time is limited. Juggling work, home life and training can be difficult, and I often find that training is the first item to be cut from my to-do list. Making time to exercise can be hard, but it's rewarding if you can make it work!

3. Did you register or train with a friend, coworker or family member?

I registered with three of my best friends. Three of us are traveling from different states (Kansas, Ohio and Illinois--the fourth lives in St. Paul) to participate and only one of us has ever participated in a triathlon before! We're looking forward to sharing this experience with one another! Since we all live far apart, we are unable to train together. However, we communicate frequently via email and I feel like we are virtual training partners since we check in with each other so often. Also, I'm lucky to have met someone locally who is also training for her first sprint tri, and we've become friends and occasional training partners. Having that support system--whether it's local or virtual--is priceless!

4. Why train for a triathlon and why now?

I am training for a triathlon because I find the concept of a multi-sport event intriguing and challenging, and I want to push myself to try something new. Being able to say "I finished a triathlon!" has a certain appeal, too. I am participating in the triathlon now because I'm finally realizing how important it is to fulfill my own personal needs and goals, and that taking care of myself is just as important as taking care of other people. Also, my daughter is 4 and is fully aware of my training--she sees me lace up for a run, load my bike for a ride and watches me swim laps at the pool. It's important to me to set a good example for my daughter not only from a health and fitness standpoint, but by showing her how important it is to set reachable goals, how to follow a plan to meet those goals and the satisfaction you get from accomplishing those goals. I want her to grow up knowing she can do anything she puts her mind to!

5. What advice do you have for other women interested in trying the sport for the first time?

My advice for other women thinking of trying a triathlon for the first time is to believe in yourself. Believe in the training program, believe in your abilities and have confidence! Trying something new can be scary, but you'll never regret getting out there! Enlist your friends, family, local training resources and other support services to help you along your journey. Finally, enjoy yourself and have fun!

And if you're interested in finding out more about my non-athletic side...here are my tagged answers:

My favorite cartoon character is… Jem! What's not to love about a girl who turns into a rock star through the aid of hologram emitting magic earrings?? Besides, it's a TOTALLY realistic show.

My favorite thing to photograph is… my daughter. She's got personality to spare!

My favorite thing to cook is… anything that requires a lot of cutting, chopping, tending or otherwise "worrying to death." I'm not one for leaving something be. I'm not happy if I can't mess with it continuously!

My favorite way to exercise is… swimming. Hands down. I could spend hours in the pool. But ask me when summer is over and I may have a different answer. ;)

My favorite movie is… I don't know that I have one favorite, but A favorite is "Waiting for Guffman." Hilarious!

My favorite article of clothing is… Ooo, tough choice between my Kansas Half Marathon shirt (best sleeping shirt EVER) or my swim suit because, duh, I love swimming.

My favorite flower is… I'mma be lame and say I don't have one, because it's true. I love them all! Except lilies. You can keep those.

My favorite breakfast is… Cheerios w/ milk. It's not what I'd order at a restaurant necessarily, but it's what I eat at home most mornings!