My Running Story:
I started running when I was 36 (I’m older than dirt now). My sister thought it would be a good idea to sign me up for a try-a-tri (aka super sprint triathlon) as a birthday present. Inside my birthday card was the race confirmation and a note that said “you better learn how to run.” At that point, the only running I did was to get a beer.
I’d been a competitive swimmer in my younger days and had been riding/racing mountain bikes for a few years, so running was my only issue. I took the learn to run clinic at Running Room, which got me to 5k. The triathlon was a 375m swim; 10k bike and 2.5k run. I made it through the 5k running clinic and the triathlon without dying – Yay Me! But, that started something.
I went from that 5k clinic to 10k, then 1/2 marathon and finally a full marathon. And that try-a-tri took me to sprints, olympic distance and 1/2 iron distance triathlons. A serious health issue sidelined me in 2008 and put an end to my first attempt at a full Ironman. Mom’s health issues in 2009 meant I put training/racing and everything else on hold until mid 2010.
I made a second attempt at full ironman training in 2011, but a bad bike set up screwed up my back and I spent almost a year in physio. A broken wrist from a mountain incident in 2012 sat me down again and I had to defer a 1/2 iron tri that year. Do you see a pattern? Wonder why I dnf’d the 2020 Ordinary Marathon with an injury?
2013 found me working too much; not training near enough resulting in a very, very long day at the 1/2 I had deferred in 2012. When you’re as old as dirt, I don’t recommend doing a 1/2 iron tri with four 10k runs and a couple of 60k bike rides; it only ends in tears and an 8hr time – you just can pull things out of your butt when you get older.
I decided to join Team Ordinary after being the recipient of some major niceness when I had to crap out of the virtual marathon on Day 8. Given my track record of injury and the graciousness of Team Ordinary in making up my lost miles, I figured I have a better chance of completing events with a bunch of folks willing to pitch in. I just hope we have enough swimmers and cyclists (road and mountain) to back me up. I’m working on getting stronger so I can avoid injury and finish events like a big girl. My main goal is to improve my running. No more pulling runs (or triathlons/mountain bike races) out of my butt.