Two weeks to my first triathlon

It was six months ago that I got back from climbing to the top of Mt Whitney and decided to set "completing a triathlon" as my next fitness goal to continue trimming the pounds and getting in shape.

In just fourteen days from this moment, I should be completing the last mile of my first triathlon, the ICE Breaker Triathlon in Granite Bay, California.

I can't believe I've been training so long for this event, especially so disciplined in the twelve weeks leading up to the tri by following the training program for beginners spec'd out in Joe Friel's Your First Triathlon book.

And it's all been a great training experience up until this last week when I got a really bad case of the flu.

And I mean a bad case of the flu as in:

• fever and chills and aches for 5 days straight
• several days of missed work
• no workouts for a week (luckily an R&R week in the training schedule anyway)
• had to postpone my first open water swim (and find a new wet suit rental source to do so)
• as of this morning, I've lost eight pounds body weight in the last eight days

Well, maybe that last point isn't so bad knowing I'll have only 185 pounds to carry on the bike and pound the pavement with. :^)

There was a point during the flu when I didn't event think I'd be able to walk a flight of stairs again, let alone swim, let alone race a triathlon.

Just before the flu, I was feeling really strong, confident knowing I could complete the whole race. I'm able to swim more than a half mile at a stretch, and I've done the race length bike/run brick a couple times already. So it was just a matter of stringing it all together alongside 500 other triathletes.

But today, with a few days recovery under me and just two weeks to go, I'm not as confident about finishing the race with a smile. I've got much to do to get back in pre-flu form, starting with a light workout today.

Truth be told: I know I can finish the race given all the prep I've done so far. Flu be damned.