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After a couple of months of working out, I thought I was right on schedule in my quest to complete the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon.
I was up to running 5 kilometers every other day, down 16 pounds and feeling pretty good about myself.
Heck, I even found out that I had a couple of extra weeks to prepare because the race has been pushed back from its traditional mid-August date.
Yep, six months out from attempting my first triathlon at age 48, and nothing was getting in my way.
That was until I woke up Thursday morning feeling like a truck had run over me, after coming down with whatever has been going through the newsroom.
I forced myself to go to the gym Thursday and put 50 minutes in on the exercise bike, but in retrospect, that probably wasn’t the wisest decision I’ve ever made. I haven’t been back since.
And while I know missing a couple of days at the gym isn’t the end of the world, I feel like when I finally do get back to the gym, I will be starting from step one.
Hopefully, I will feel well enough to get back to the gym today and I won’t have lost that much ground.
It’s important that I keep working on my running because I allowed myself to be talked into doing a couple of runs in April and May.
Weather permitting, I plan on doing Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run on April 19 in State College. Then, my good friend Amy George convinced me I should be able to complete the Wyoming Valley Striders Cherry Blossom 5-Mile Run on May 3.
I’m not so confident completing a five-mile run just yet, but I know one thing. After the run, I’m sure to feel a lot better than I have for the last few days.
September race date
According to the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon’s website, this year’s race will be held on Sept. 13.
The website says the race was moved from its usual mid-August date because it conflicted with another race. Local triathletes asked organizers to consider moving the event, and they did.
The organizers, according to the site, hope to keep the second Sunday in September the permanent date for the race in the future.
Looking for an early test?
If you are looking for a test of you fitness before the calendar hits April, Odyssey Fitness Center may have the answer for you.
The fitness center will hold an indoor triathlon on March 27. The “race” requires competitors to run two miles, bike for 10 minutes on a exercise bike and swim 400 yards.
For more information on the indoor triathlon, checkout Odyssey’s website at www.odysseyfitnesscenter.com.