2011. That is the year of my last triathlon, the year this picture above was taken. It was the start of my very first (and so far only) half – ironman at the Musselman triathlon in Geneva, New York. The Musselman was also the site of my very first triathlon in 2007, where I made rookie mistakes and crossed the finish line with the closest I’ve come to tossing cookies after a race. Now, in 2013 the Musselman will be the site of my comeback.

It’s one thing to be moderately in shape and decide to start training for something. It’s quite another to take months off from running, endure and recover from an entirely different physical event and add 20 extra pounds to your starting point. I feel like I’m starting from scratch, but I’m happy that at least I’m starting. In these next four and a half months (yikes) until the race, I’m going to attempt to whip my post-pregnancy body in to shape and see what I can do.

It takes a lot of work to get to a starting line and know that you are ready. While I’m not going out to break records, I want to feel good in the race… I don’t just mean take it easy and coast, but be in enough physical shape that I can push myself. My husband, Matt is going to write my training and offer advice as I prepare physically, and I’m excited to be working with my good friend Julie, a sports psychologist, to prepare mentally. I’ll share more about both training programs in future posts, along with some updates about how things go in the months leading to the race.

I’ve always found it hard to be disciplined on my own, and in the past I looked to a team to challenge and encourage me. Now my team looks different… and perhaps it includes some of you reading right now. I’d love to hear from you – if you’re training for a race, working towards a goal, or have some thoughts on my preparation. Also, if you are looking for a triathlon this summer I can’t say enough nice things about the Musselman. There are multiple distances – the sprint is what I’m training for, and Matt is signed up for the half-iron. The event is incredibly well run, has a great course, and is very committed to keeping the event as green as possible… and maybe I’ll see you there!