To all my Jewish friends, Happy Passover!!!!! During the Seder, the four questions are asked. The first of the four questions is , "Why is this night different from all other nights?" and to really impress you, here it is in Hebrew (phonetically), Ma nishtanah halailah hazeh mikol haleilot? Well I'll tell you why this night is different from all other nights. It is because I am at the halfway point of my triathlon training!!!!
I have done a number of things in my life that I have looked back on and said, "That was fun but what made you want to do that?"
I was a disc jockey at Pace University in NYC, I was an ice hockey goalie and during one tournament I asked Gordie Howe to take a slap shot because I wanted to see what that looked like and he did. I stopped the shot, not because I saw it but because my shoulder just got in the way...boy did that hurt. I played in a pick-up ice hockey game with Marcel Dionne and Charlie Simmer, I played football and I have played rugby for Cal State Long Beach and I have run two NY Marathons. There have been other shenanigans that I have gotten into over the years, either on purpose or just by luck.
This triathlon training came about because of my workout partners and real good friends. My two workout partners are co-workers and stand-outs in our departments Women's Flag Football Team. Since I was one of the coaches, we became real good friends and training partners. We have done all kinds of workouts and they said to me, "You should try a triathlon, you would do fine." I said let me think about it.
I thought about it and the first thing that came to my mind was that I had not run any long distances since my third knee surgery nearly 10 years ago. I said that I would give a definite yes when I see how my knee holds up to some long runs. The other thing that was gnawing at me was the fact that one of the legs is a swim and the last time that I swam any distances was during the Carter administration. Really, it was the late 70s.
My workout partners kept telling me that I was making too much of it and I finally just said yes. I have been doing laps in the pool and I was pleasantly surprised that I had a lot more swimming stamina than I thought. I have been on the road for distance runs and my knee has held up, granted my times are a bit slower than when I was running marathons but I can live with it. My biking is probably going to be my strong event.
Needless to say, I am having fun training for this. The triathlon will be a few weeks after my 51st birthday, so that in itself will be an accomplishment. The other highlight will be that the triathlon is being run at my Alma mater Cal State Long Beach.
The triathlon is April 21st and I am very excited about it.
Every time I talk to you I find out something new. Had no idea Gordie Howe winged you, nor that you were on the ice with the great Marcel Dione. I myself have recently had these urges, this great calling to run long distances...but I laid down until they passed. Good luck to you my friend. Everything I've ever heard you say you were going to do....you did. Absolutely. May the Schwartz be with you....
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