I was not born muscular. I am of average height and slightly above average weight. My genetics are not what you'd call naturally athletic. In spite of my genetic code's shortcomings I love being outside doing things that require me to maintain some level of fitness. I had in the past relied upon my bikes to keep me fit. I work on bikes for a living and I love riding so it was easy for me to spend countless hours riding back country roads burning off the previous nights' dessert(s). Having a family at home completely changed that.
I no longer have those hours to while away on my own. My time is much more carefully metered out to fit in all of the necessary functions of life and parenthood. We now are responsible for feeding someone that can't do it herself. We have to keep her clothed and read to her, and teach her that hitting the dog with a wooden spoon isn't nice.
My priorities have changed. Not only do I no longer have that time. When I do have it I would rather include her in my activities. We have taken her on lots of bike rides in our trailer, but she only has patience for about 30-45 minutes before its time to stop and run around. I started running just over a year ago because it was a great way to keep a level of fitness in a much shorter amount of time.
I ran the half marathon here in Eugene last May and I would strongly recommend that to someone that wants to set an attainable goal for fitness. There are multiple half and full marathon training programs available for free online. If you have a jogging stroller pushing your little one around is great resistance training. If you usually run with the stroller the times you are without it you'll feel like you're flying.
I got and stayed pretty fit with the running until I got sick last fall. After two weeks of thinking I might die if I ran, I had lost the motivation to keep it up. I began to steadily gain back the weight I had worked so hard to lose. Recently a friend of mine who is a swimmer and a new runner asked me to join him and train for a triathlon. I eagerly said yes. It seemed like a good idea until I realized that I cannot swim.
There now my inability to swim is public knowledge. Well, I can swim, like splashing around in the pool and dive in headfirst, I can even do a forward half gainer from a diving board I have video evidence of the gainer if you don't believe me, the first few attempts are awesomely hilarious failures but I did get it finally. However, I have never tried to lap swim. I did not grow up in a town that even had a pool, there was no swim team, no water polo, only one of my friends had a pool and it was 15 miles away, too small and almost always too crowded to actually "swim" in it. The Columbia River was close by but no swims in it like "swimming" swims. We had power boats and jet skis and life jackets so there was very little actual swimming.
Being who I am and doing what I do, I see a lot of people that are "training for a triathlon" I have always thought "phhshaw, whatever, you're doing a sprint, if you are healthy and reasonably fit you should be able to do that no problem." A short little swim, an hour on the bike and a quick jog, ain't no thang. WRONG. I have now joined the city pool and have been swimming laps three mornings a week. It is harder than I imagined. I owe the entire sprint triathlon competing populace an apology. I am sorry if I did not seem to take your training goals seriously enough.
I have been working out in the pool three mornings a week for three weeks and only now do feel like I am ready to "take the training wheels off" and really give it a go. It is my goal to stay healthy and fit and enjoy the outdoors with my family as much as possible. I want to pass on to my children the importance of our bodies, our health and our world. I don't want to be left out of the running and jumping and playing that our my daughter is just starting to really enjoy. Even if I have to learn to swim in order to do it then I swear I will.
