Livestrong

I began participating in triathlons about 2 years ago. What started as a one time thing just to see how it would go has grown into a hobby and, hopefully, a lifetime of participation in a sport I enjoy. My first race was a "sprint" distance race. Sprint distances are typically a 300 meter swim, a 12 mile bike, and a 5k run. It usually takes me around 1 hour and 10 min to complete this distance. My next race will be a 1/2 Ironman called Longhorn Ironman on October 25th in Austin, TX. This distance consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and a half marathon or 13.1 mile run. It should take me somewhere between 5 and 6 hours to complete this event. (I've only done one race longer than a sprint and it was half the distance as this half Ironman.)
Training for any triathlon event takes a lot of time, planning, and dedication. I usually swim, bike, or run 5-7 days a week for at least an hour each time. Some of my workouts for this coming event will approach 5 hours.
There are many benefits I have realized as part of this new hobby. A healthy physique, motiviation to train, more energy, attention to a healthier diet, an outlet for my competitive side, and being a role model to my girls on living a healthy lifestyle have all been a part of the positives of being a triathlete.
One downside is the amount of time it takes to train for these events. Many times I have had to make sacrifices on sleep and quality of workouts in order to make sure I was available for family time, and many times my family has sacrificed time for me to train. Although the positives of training and competing in triathlons can stand on their own in justifying the time required, one can't help but to think of ways to maximize the returns of the sport. This is why I have chosen to partner with the Lance Armstrong Foundation to raise money for cancer research and awareness. Over the next two months I hope to post training updates interspersed with stories of people close to me. They will share stories of survival and stories about those who were victims of cancer. By allowing these people to share their stories it is my intent to honor these people and their families, and I hope it can provide a sense of hope, perspective, and collaboration in fighting this disease. Please join me in this fight by clicking the link below and making a donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/paulaslinlonghorn09