End of Summer = End of Triathlon Season

There are only three possible triathlons left in the 2013 season.

The first is next weekend in Guelph. We are away at a cottage so it's not an option.

The second is the first weekend in September, two days after we get back from a week at a cottage. Meaning we'd have to come home, unpack, do laundry and head off again two days later for the weekend because it's too far for it to be a day trip.

The third and final is the second weekend in September. We already have plans on Friday evening and all day Saturday. We'd have to then drive two hours from home on Saturday evening and stay overnight to race on Sunday morning.

Oh, plus it might be too cold to swim without a wetsuit by that point.

I know. I know. Stop yelling at me. I'm getting a damn wetsuit.

Just maybe not in time for this season's races...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I may be done triathloning until next summer.

Which makes me very very sad.

(I tried to take a picture of myself making a sad face but it was too sad to actually use so you'll have to use your imagination.)

I pulled out a calendar to find ways to distract myself...and my eyes fell on the weekend of October 27th.

The Niagara Falls half marathon weekend.

I counted the number of weeks left between now and then.

Eight and a half.

Ok. Not bad.

I ran 12k a week and a half ago for the first time since March and that felt ok.

So I counted on my fingers.

14k, 16k, 18k, 10k, 20k, 22k, 12k, race day.

Well, it's tight but doable.

It means no more triathlons and it means I'm running 14k up and down a dirt road at the cottage next weekend.

As sad as I am that triathlon season is ending, I set a new goal and I decided three things.

1. I'll run 14k this weekend and see how it feels.

2. My foot is more important than any ol' race so, if it starts hurting at any point during the training, I'm out.

3. I won't sign up until I've run 20k. If my foot feels good and I feel good, I'm doing a Fall half marathon. If not, I'll back off and see if I can handle the Boxing Day 10-miler.

Alright, I have a goal.

Something to carry me over the post-triathlon hump and something to help me transition from warm summer days to cool fall ones.

Whew!