Tap Out Ten Thousand Times

My lungs are clearing up and I’m starting to think about my exercise schedule for next week. It will have been about ten days since I did anything so I know it’s going to be a week of pain. I’m going to try to do the half marathon with Donna in February. It’s for breast cancer and it’s time for me to step up my game. Part of me wants to push it and run the whole damn thing. It’s more than three months away and bunches of people do marathons, but I’m going to let discretion be the better part of valor this time. I think the farthest I’ve ever run was ten miles, and there’s nothing to be gained and a whole bunch to be lost if I over train just because I wanted to be macho. I think I can finish a marathon before 2011 but I don’t think I’ll be ready by February. I don’t think it’s too lofty a goal, along with the sprint triathlon. I’ve done a good job dragging my fat ass all around the Jacksonville race circuit without getting shin splints, and I’m very proud of that. This has been a pretty good year as far as my fitness goals have gone. The only thing I’m falling short on is my swimming. I’m running well. I’m strong like bull. I’m dropping pounds. I just have to conquer my fears of YMCA floor fungus and not being naturally good at something. My lack of swimming skill was bumming me out but I found out in my reading that no one swims well. Every runner or cyclist who gets into triathlons struggles in the water at first, no matter how fit they are. I was going to jump back into my routine of weights, elliptical, and road work, but I’ve psyched myself into spending a lot of time next week in the pool. I have to get better at letting my ego be the novice so the rest of me can improve. I’m starting to believe that it’s important to suck at something every day.