She's Makin' a List...

I love making lists. I have work lists, home lists, grocery lists, to do lists and "making a list" on my list. I even put things on my lists that I've done already just so I can cross them off. I know, nutso! I'm also hyper organized for events, so much so that I drive everyone around me crazy. I just don't like when things go wrong and I try to avoid any mishaps as much as possible. Things inevitably go wrong and I can roll with it, but I like to be prepared for every worse possible scenario. Gee, worry much? It's a family trait, unfortunately, and worrying and planning and list-making is in my blood. Some people pass down traditions like Sunday dinners, yearly family photos, making tamales on Christmas. My family has passed on the perfect recipe for a good dose of worrying. Add one dash of teeth grinding with a cup of clenched stomach and sprinkle liberally with a pounding heart and you have one spectacular batch of stress. Don't get me wrong, we do the other family tradition stuff, especially cooking traditions and even have a family cookbook. But worrying is our forte! So, needless to say, I'm making my plans for the weekend of the Triathlon, which is in SIX DAYS! Yes, count them. SIX! Yikes. Hear that? That's my heart pounding.

Thankfully, I don't have to make my plans from scratch. I mentioned in a previous blog about the book, Slow, Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams. The book is wonderful for anyone who wants to try a Tri - fat, skinny, in shape, out of shape. In that book, she has a chapter about getting ready for the race which includes a race plan and a...drumrollllllllll...a CHECKLIST for all the gear needed to get through it. I'm even adding things to my list like, "Open package of Gu Chomps before starting on the bike so you don't have to do it on the ride." When I say I obsessively plan for everything, I wasn't kidding. So hopefully I'll have everything I need but I guess as long as I have running shoes and my bike I can manage finishing the race.

I had a great week of training. I logged about 40 miles of riding last week and did some eye-opening brick training that made me realize the race is going to probably take longer than I thought. That's okay, though. As my dear friend Meg told me, the all about getting to the start line. Once you're there, you do your best. She and I rode the Triathlon route on Sunday and I feel so much more confident about doing it. It was hard, don't get me wrong, but knowing the route makes the stress level a lot lower. I'm very amped up about doing the race. I feel confident I'm going to finish. I'm not going to break any records (unless there's a medal for the sweatiest person to cross the finish line) but I am going to finish and, as Jayne Williams says, smile through the whole thing.

Wish me luck. Send me positive vibes. Say a prayer that I can continue to put one foot in front of the other. I'll be thinking of all of you pulling for me and feel all of the wonderful thoughts you have for me. Thanks for supporting me in my little blog and my big effort to finish this Tri.

I am doing the Go Girl Triathlon in Indianapolis in August and I'll continue to regale you with my training stories and thoughts on life, so you're not rid of me yet! And I'll post after the Batavia Tri to let you know how it goes. I can't wait to write about it after it's over and I'm sipping on an Aleve cocktail and clinking the ice, not in my glass, but on my knees. xoxo