Now I've gone and done it; I've registered for my first triathlon this coming October. I've got 3 months to whip myself into shape. Swimming. The swimming's gonna be a killer.

When I ran my first marathon in 2005, during the training process, I pulled, strained, whatever, my IT band (Iliotibial band). Usually, an IT band injury is the cause of lateral knee pain in the runner but no, not me. For me, the pain was in my hip. The IT band somehow wraps around the hip and the pelvis diagonally crossing over the thigh on down to the inside of the knee, I think, is how it works. Anyway, wouldn't yuh know, my injury was less common in the world of athletes; however, it's more so common in pregnant woman due the the added weight on the hips. What this says about me I'm not exactly sure. Ultimately, it hurt like hell every time I put running weight on my right leg. Walking was fine but running no way, never, never, uh, uh uh!

Not wanting to be a quitter, I purchased a wetsuit, flippers and, funny enough, a bathing cap and soon found myself swimming in the bay not far from my home here in Long Beach. I wouldn't necessarily always be swimming although I would do a pretty, fair backstroke when I needed a break. What I would do most is run in the water. I'd go out far enough to be able to float vertically, which in itself is quite the accomplishment, while wearing my flippers, and then I'd run. Well, I wouldn't really call it running, per se, because I barely moved at all as witnessed by everyone on the beach with a "What the hell's he doing out there?" look on their face, but I wasn't in it for the support, I was in it for the goal. The testing of my will. Could I really run my first marathon just a few weeks shy of my 47th birthday when I'd never been anywhere near the least bit sports minded or athletic?

My 28-year-old nephew, Matthew, was a high school and college football player who helped me learn how it's possible to both love and adore someone while at the same time, cursing the day they were born. Matthew's first marathon was Chicago in 2004. I witnessed his successful completion of the event and was so inspired by it, I decided to do the same in 2005, so, alas, I hold him accountable for what I lovingly call my "vertical runs" during the summer of 2oo5.

And now, not only is he to blame for my having run the Chicago Marathon and 3 others since, mind you, he's also to blame for my now thinking I can complete a triathlon. Last month, he completed his first "International" or "Olympic" distance triathlon, meaning, a .93 mile (1.5km) swim, 24.8 mile bike ride (40km) and a 6.2 mile run(10k). I wish I could say I'm insane, for making the decision to attempt my first triathlon just a few weeks shy of my 51st birthday, but the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. I, however, am not expecting a different result; I'm hoping for the same ones I got from my four marathons and that, my friends, is to not drop dead.

While training for the Chicago Marathon, I referred to it as my first, official, suicide attempt so I guess shooting, no pun intended, for my first triathlon, would be my second.

On to the wetsuit, I haven't worn mine since the summer of 2005. Although it wasn't the full deciding factor in my choosing to register for the triathlon, it certainly helped tip the scale over to the "in favor" side when I was able to squeeze my way into it earlier this afternoon and to my surprise, I looked pretty good! Although it is a bit more snug than I recall, all the yoga, Pilates and strength training I've been doing as an instructor, have bulked me up while at the same time, really toned me up making me look a lot less rolllie pollie and dare I say, "buff".

I'm going to consider fitting into my wetsuit as having accomplished hurdle number one. Next, I need to work on a training schedule. The triathlon I've signed on for will include a half mile swim, a 17 mile (uphill/downhill) bike ride and a 6 mile run. Psychologically, I'm gonna tell myself, "p'shaw, the whole thing doesn't even add-up to marathon distance" but ultimately, I know the combination of all three is a whole, new ballgame especially when adding in the swimming. Oy, the swimming!