Here we go

We are having a spell of rain over here, but the weekend was gorgeous. I ran and biked in shorts and it was wonderful. I am still taking it easy with my runs, but I finally feel I am getting my running legs back. I have been doing a lot of biking and am getting used to my tri bike. I am falling in love with tri training, and am working out my racing season. There is so much I want to do aside from my upcoming half ironman. I want to do some trail races, I want to do a few sprints and olympic triathlons, maybe another half ironman, a 10K, and of course, my fall marathon! I am not sure I am going to be able to fit everything in, mostly because I want to take lots of trips in the White Mountains with Petru and Chris. Petru is old enough to hike now, and I am excited to show him the beauty of the mountains. I have been hiking since I was 4, took my first 3 days hiking trip with my dad in the Carpathians when I was 6, and have always loved climbing mountains. Petru is not the most athletic kid - he'd rather watch or read about what makes traffic lights and clocks work - he has shown interest in hiking and has enjoyed little adventures in the Fells and Blue Hills. It's time for more! So these adventures with him will take priority this summer, though if I plan them for August marathon training will fit right in:)

I am yet again struggling with my athlete identity. Runner? Triathlete? I am competitive as a runner, and obviously this motivates me. But, I get burned out when I just run. I've enjoyed training for my fall marathon up to the point where I stopped biking and swimming; then it became much less enjoyable. I am not competitive as a triathlete and am not confident I will ever be. At the same time, swimming and biking make me happy, make my body happy, and have helped me stay injury free (I think). Biking has also made hill running much easier as I have developed strong quads. Swimming has given me strong core and arms. I know I am new to triathlon so I should not put limits on myself, so I won't. And I can certainly do what I have been doing, train for half marathons/5ks in the winter, while building a triathlon base, race triathlons during the summer, and then train for a marathon while doing more running races. Eventually, I'll settle in a rhythm!

Off to read "How things work" to my little guy! I tell you, I am learning a lot in the process:)