Remember...This is Fun!!

This weekend I put in over 7 hours of biking and running.  Almost 5 hours of  that was spent on the bike with my friend Jeneen.  She's a great training partner because we ride at approximately the same pace.  Yesterday we started our ride in Frisco, rode south to Plano and The Colony, made our way back up to Frisco, rode through Prosper, and then up to Celina, turned around near Gunter, and made out way back to Frisco.  It was a nice ride and the weather was beautiful.  Once we were north or Frisco we were pretty much riding in the sticks.

These long ride, despite nearly ideal conditions, can get boring  if you take it too serious.  When Jeneen and I hit Celina we stopped at a baseball park to refill water bottles and go to the restroom.  We couldn't help but notice the nice playground and the fact that there were no children enjoying it.  So, we decided we would play on it.  We went down the slides, climbed ropes, and rode on the little bouncy animals.  Yes, we did all this still in our helmets, and cycling shoes.  It was so much fun!

Somewhere around the three hour mark, we started seeing large tan grasshoppers covering the road. Some of them were pretty big.  Every once in a while one would hit my leg or my spokes.  I noticed that I was running over quite a few of them. Some of them may have already been dead, but I don't think they all were. There was something about the sound of the bug crunching under my tire that gave me satisfaction.   Soon, Jeneen and I were aiming for the grasshoppers like it was a video game.  I know it may sound cruel or sadistic, but it was fun, and it helped pass the time.  It's not like we even made a dent in the grasshopper population.  In fact, I'm sure the people living out there would be more than happy for this particular insect population to be reduced.  I guess you could say we were doing a service for the good folks living on the outskirts of Celina.  It's the least we can do in return for their smooth roads and clean restrooms.

As  we made our way back home we stopped again in Celina, but this time we stopped at the local Shamrock station for water.  We noticed that everyone walking in and out the store was wearing orange Celina Football t-shirts. High school football is a big deal in Texas, and this town is no exception.  It turns out that the Celina Bobcats were playing football that day and everyone was heading to the game.  It was obvious how much this town loves their Bobcats.

Overall, I would have to say that yesterday's long ride was anything but boring.  When this sports stops being fun, I'm out.  It's not like I have sponsors breathing down my neck to win, so I can afford to stop and have a laugh along the way.  Triathlon is my hobby, my break from the responsibilities and stresses of the real world.  Yes, I have goals in this sport that I plan on working as hard as I can to reach , but I can't forget to enjoy the journey.  In 20 years I want to look back at my first half Ironman and think about how much I enjoyed the whole experience, not how happy I was when it was finally over.  Jeneen, thanks again for joining me on my long ride.  I'll be sure to return the favor when you train for your 70.3.

If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race. It's up to you.
-Dave Scott, Triathlete