Putting on My Big Girl Pants
Tomorow morning, I'm putting on my big girl pants. Actually, if we are going to get technical about it, tomorrow morning I am putting on my big girl bicycle shorts. But that' really a matter of semantics.
When I started running, I did it by myself. I trained for my first half marathon and then my first marathon alone. And I loved it. Because, if I'm being completely honest, I like being by myself. I heard and read about people involved in great running groups. But truthfully, that never appealed to me. I like being by myself. Running was my time to think. I think best when I'm running. I solve life's problems when I'm running. I clear out my head and get a fresh perspective when I'm running. If I'm trying to talk to other people, or trying to speed up to keep up, or slow down so I don't ditch them, I'm thinking about that and can't get into my running zone. So running clubs? Not really my thing.
Then, I started triathlon. At the time, I was still living in Richmond. While I had great friends in Richmond, they weren't really the active type. So it was often me, by myself, at the pool, on my bike or out running. And I never really thought anything of it. I trained for and did all my running races alone, I can train for and do triathlons alone too. And so I did.
Occasionally, I was open to the idea of riding my bike with another person, but only one person, my brother. He taught me how to ride a bike and I knew he wouldn't judge me if I did something stupid. But other than that, it was me and my bike, or me and my goggles, or me and my running shoes. Alone. And I really didn't mind it. I trained for my first triathlon that way. I trained for my second and third triathlons that way, and I eventually trained for my half Ironman that way. It's just how I did it. Alone.
But a funny thing happened when I moved at the end of last year. I started getting a little tired of doing all my workouts alone. I started thinking I wouldn't mind having someone else along with me on a ride or someone to chat with between sets in the pool. But I didn't really do anything about it because I was so used to training alone. But as time has passed and I've gotten settled in a new community, I've found that in many ways I've surrounded myself with people that make me better at triathlon and people that have the same interests as I do. I hired a coach that I'm accountable to with all my workouts. And I've made friends who have similar interests. Some who swim, some who run, and some who swim, bike, run.
A friend approached me about swimming once or twice a week, and it sounded fun. So I did. And now, when I swim, I don't swim alone every time and it's nice. But the pool seems like a safe place to start...not training alone. If I swim slower, I just swim slower. If I swim faster than my friend, I just swim faster. No problem. Biking and running? That's a different story.
But today something happened that made me face my fear of training not alone. A friend of mine who is a really good athlete asked me if I wanted to ride with her this week and I said "yes" without hesitation. Because riding with her? Sounds like fun! Sounds like a heck of a lot more fun than riding by myself. But as the afternoon has crept on, the fears about the ride have crept back. And I'm starting to remember why I always did this alone.
Tomorrow is the first time I'm going biking with someone who is not my brother. And to be quite honest, I'm a little scared because it's something new. And what if I'm not fast enough? What if I can't keep up? I know this sounds silly, but it's something I worry about. But I also know that it's going to be fun! Not riding by myself for hours on end. Having someone to talk to and push me. So what if I can't quite keep up? Isn't training with better people what makes you faster? I sure hope so!
So tomorrow morning, I'll wake up. I'll be a little nervous, but I'll put on my big girl {cycling} shorts, and ride down the street to meet a friend and go for a little ride...not alone. I'll let you know how it goes!
When I started running, I did it by myself. I trained for my first half marathon and then my first marathon alone. And I loved it. Because, if I'm being completely honest, I like being by myself. I heard and read about people involved in great running groups. But truthfully, that never appealed to me. I like being by myself. Running was my time to think. I think best when I'm running. I solve life's problems when I'm running. I clear out my head and get a fresh perspective when I'm running. If I'm trying to talk to other people, or trying to speed up to keep up, or slow down so I don't ditch them, I'm thinking about that and can't get into my running zone. So running clubs? Not really my thing.
Then, I started triathlon. At the time, I was still living in Richmond. While I had great friends in Richmond, they weren't really the active type. So it was often me, by myself, at the pool, on my bike or out running. And I never really thought anything of it. I trained for and did all my running races alone, I can train for and do triathlons alone too. And so I did.
Occasionally, I was open to the idea of riding my bike with another person, but only one person, my brother. He taught me how to ride a bike and I knew he wouldn't judge me if I did something stupid. But other than that, it was me and my bike, or me and my goggles, or me and my running shoes. Alone. And I really didn't mind it. I trained for my first triathlon that way. I trained for my second and third triathlons that way, and I eventually trained for my half Ironman that way. It's just how I did it. Alone.
But a funny thing happened when I moved at the end of last year. I started getting a little tired of doing all my workouts alone. I started thinking I wouldn't mind having someone else along with me on a ride or someone to chat with between sets in the pool. But I didn't really do anything about it because I was so used to training alone. But as time has passed and I've gotten settled in a new community, I've found that in many ways I've surrounded myself with people that make me better at triathlon and people that have the same interests as I do. I hired a coach that I'm accountable to with all my workouts. And I've made friends who have similar interests. Some who swim, some who run, and some who swim, bike, run.
A friend approached me about swimming once or twice a week, and it sounded fun. So I did. And now, when I swim, I don't swim alone every time and it's nice. But the pool seems like a safe place to start...not training alone. If I swim slower, I just swim slower. If I swim faster than my friend, I just swim faster. No problem. Biking and running? That's a different story.
But today something happened that made me face my fear of training not alone. A friend of mine who is a really good athlete asked me if I wanted to ride with her this week and I said "yes" without hesitation. Because riding with her? Sounds like fun! Sounds like a heck of a lot more fun than riding by myself. But as the afternoon has crept on, the fears about the ride have crept back. And I'm starting to remember why I always did this alone.
Tomorrow is the first time I'm going biking with someone who is not my brother. And to be quite honest, I'm a little scared because it's something new. And what if I'm not fast enough? What if I can't keep up? I know this sounds silly, but it's something I worry about. But I also know that it's going to be fun! Not riding by myself for hours on end. Having someone to talk to and push me. So what if I can't quite keep up? Isn't training with better people what makes you faster? I sure hope so!
So tomorrow morning, I'll wake up. I'll be a little nervous, but I'll put on my big girl {cycling} shorts, and ride down the street to meet a friend and go for a little ride...not alone. I'll let you know how it goes!
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