Stephani came up to me after church one Sunday.  “I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” she said.  “I found out that the local triathlons take joint entries.  I was thinking that you could do the swimming part and I could do the rest.”

I have been entranced by triathlons ever since I first saw them on TV back when I was a lazy teenager.  I knew I would one day grow up to be some workout fanatic, and . . . dreamy-eyed look on my face, trailing off. ..

I never dreamed that triathlons are actually done by normal people.

A few years ago, I met a woman at the kids’ swimming who had actually done a small triathlon.  After I got over idolizing her, I thought, I want to do that!

Then I noticed that the Y was offering a triathlon style workout.  I was still too insecure about my swimming to join the class, but one Saturday, I dragged my daughter in with me to try our own version.  We did it backwards.  We ran on the treadmill for 1/2 hour, then rode the stationary bikes for 1/2 hour, then swam for 1/2 hour.  This was at the height of my fitness before babies #6 an 7, so it was great fun.  I think I ended up swimming 500 yards during that session.

So I’ve been off and on haunting local triathlon websites, thinking ‘one of these days’ I’ll be in shape enough to enter.  Then Stephani and I talked about how fun it would be to do one one of these days.  Now she’s serious.  And I can’t swim much straight freestyle.

Yup.  It’s time to fish or cut bait.  I think I will focus on freestyle the next time I hit the pool, which should be tomorrow.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.