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4 signs that I’m “becoming” a triathlete again

I was a runner first, but before I was an ultrarunner I was a triathlete. After racing at Oceanside 70.3 last March, I pretty much swore off triathlons in favor of ultrarunning. I was even seriously considering trying to sell my newly repaired and repainted Guru. But it’s definitely looking like last year was more of a “break” from triathlon than a farewell. (That’s not to say I’m saying farewell to ultrarunning, I’ll be back at that soon enough too, I hope!)

Here are the top four signs I know that I’m making a return to triathlon:

1) The term “brick” is finding its way back into my training log.

2) I’m spending a lot of time in the pool and even doing different workouts like swimming for technique and some speed instead of just fitness.

3)  I just bought a new road bike. It’s currently being built up at the shop and by the time it’s built and I get fit on it, I probably won’t have it to ride for a couple weeks. I’ll get pictures up here as soon as I can – but trust me it’s RAD.

4) I signed up for another triathlon. That’s two for 2011, so far. In the fall I signed up for SOS sort of on a lark. It’s one of my favorite races I’ve ever done and two good friends were also signing up, so I figured what the hell, I could add it into an ultrarunning season as a “fun” event. But this time, I signed for a race that I’m planning on racing:

Wildflower Triathlon, at San Antonio Lake, California (a little north of Paso Robles) is nicknamed “The Woodstock of Triathlon”. It’s a HUGE triathlon festival during the first weekend of May with 8,000 racers choosing among three races over the course of the weekend. It’s one of those races that I’ve always been told to put on my “must-do” list. Tons of people camp out all weekend and supposedly it’s a huge party atmosphere. Just for the record, I will NOT be camping!  I’ve been thinking about it for a couple months and I finally signed up to race the long course event (half-ironman). I’m psyched. I know a bunch of people going up there to race or spectate. The whole weekend should a blast!

As you can see below, the bike (top) and run (bottom) are both pretty hilly – that hill around mile 41 of the bike should is gonna be a ton of “fun”.

And 60% of the run is on trails. Climbing and trails… this should totally be my type of triathlon. I feel like my swim and bike are coming along really well. The run still needs a lot of work, but I’ve still got nine weeks to get there.

Depending on how Wildflower and my summer training go, SOS may have to be a little less fun and a little more fast!

Thank goodness I didn’t sell this sexy Guru, it looks like I’m gonna need it!