Overzealous

This weekend was the St. Anthony's Triathlon here in St. Petersburg. I first learned about it last year, but wasn't able to attend as the entire month of April 2016 was kind of a shit storm for me. So I made it a point to get downtown yesterday morning to check it out. Yesterday's races were referred to as the "Meek and Mighty" races, and I noticed people of all ages, shapes, and abilities participating. I had no idea there was a mini-triathlon offered - I've only heard of a sprint triathlon, which is still a bit intimidating to me. But the Meek and Mighty race was shorter than a sprint:

• Swim 200 yards (in the town swimming pool - NOT in the bay)
• Bike 5.4 miles (some of the athletes were riding beach cruisers!)
• Run 1 mile

Guys, I could totally do this! I've always thought about triathlon, but have never jumped in because I'm not a strong swimmer and I didn't want to shell out $$$ for a road bike. The bike I have now is great for commuting - it's not as leisurely as a beach cruiser, but not as competitive as a road bike. But I see I could easily fit in with the other Meek and Mighty competitors. So I'm adding this race to the bucket list.

There's also a relay option for the triathlon. My husband hates running, but he doesn't mind biking or swimming. I'm sure we could easily find a third not-so-competitive team member. So that's something that sounds really appealing too.

But this won't be happening in 2018. I've already got the Princess Half marathon scheduled for February, and plan on doing the Tinkerbell Half in May. I don't want to risk injury in April next year. Plus it's better for my budget if I wait until 2019. 

Still, watching some of the races yesterday was super inspiring, and the race expo is one of the best I've been to. While wandering around the vendors, Ben and I were intrigued by a tent labeled "St. Pete Run Fest." We learned this is an inaugural running event that is finally bringing a half marathon to St. Petersburg this November! We have our fair share of 5ks here, but it's been ages since a half marathon has been run here.

The organizers enticed us with discounted registration rates, complimentary tickets to a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game, free sun visors, and images of the inaugural medal (it's a spinner!)

So I'm sure you see where this is going.

I signed up for a half marathon in November. (If you're wondering, I couldn't convince Ben to do the half with me, but I'm proud of him for signing up for the 5k.)

Shit. So here I thought I had ten months to train for a half.

And now I've only got six and a half.

This may sound like a long time to the average runner, but my followers know how I feel about preparation. There's just never enough time.