The Challenge Has Been Set.

Challenge Accepted

My brother recently finished an Ironman 70.3 and a week later said I should join him at the end of the year (in about 5 months) for a triathlon. I said I'd joined him. Why? Because a couple of years ago he said he wants to do an Ironman with me one day and I know that day is soon approaching and if I'm not ready for it when he asks then I sort of prevent him from accomplishing a dream just because I'm lazy and too comfortable.

So I'm doing it. In 5 months I need to be ready to do (and complete) a triathlon.

Now to make things easy for me, we'll be doing what they call a sprint - which I think is the wrong choice of word. It simply means it is a shorter event.

The event consists of a 600m Swim, a 20 km Cycle and then a 5km Run.

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That doesn't sound that harsh of an event, except for one thing - I can't swim properly, the furthest I've cycled was to buy snacks at the corner store about 15 years ago, and I haven't done 5km in almost 8 years. BUT the Challenge has been set and I have accepted it.

Most training plans for your first triathlon follow a 12 week program, which means I have 24 weeks, or twice the time needed to prepare myself for this. It gives me enough time to learn how to swim.

Most animals can swim as babies right?

I'm signing up for a gym membership, taking adult swimming lessons and committing to probably the hardest challenge I have ever committed to, which thinking about it, is probably the easiest thing I will face in life - I still need to face raising children, paying taxes and home mortgage.