Train-n-Tri: There is NO Going Back

This morning I pushed the button and I already received my email confirmation.

No, I didn't sign up for an Ironman - not yet!

I signed up for something scarier for me.

I signed up for Lifeguard Training.

To participate in the 4-day 28-hour class you have to be 15 years old. I meet that requirement.

While I don't really intend to EVER lifeguard as a job, when I hold tri-clinics it will be nice not to have to HIRE a lifeguard for the swim portion of the clinics.

To become a lifeguard I'll have to demonstrate the ability to swim 300-yards continuously using the front crawl and breaststroke.

I KNOW I CAN do that!

I've already swam continuously (okay, so I did take a pee break by the last buoy) using freestyle at my half iron distance, which was 1.2 miles. 300 yards is barely a warmup.

I'll have to retrieve a 10-pound weight in 7 feet of water.

I am pretty sure I can do that.

But just to make sure I'm going to start bringing a 10-pound weight with me to the pool for practice.

This may be my biggest challenge. After all, that 10-pounds is about 1/10th of my weight.

The brochure says I am going to have to swim 20 yards with legs only and tread water for two minutes.

Treading water for two minutes shouldn't be too difficult. I think I'll start timing myself. It should be a great leg workout.

Now, swimming 20 yards with just legs won't be a challenge if they aren't going to time us.

But if they are going to time us, I may be in big trouble.

Since I have been "triathlon" swimming, I have not been using my legs much. I have a very ineffective kick. I bet right now I could get in the pool and start kicking and not use my arms and not go very far very fast. I may even be able to kick and go backwards.

I already am CPR/AED certified, so I KNOW I can pass that part of the course.

I am really going to be good at this part -

I own a whistle and I blow it at kids at recess all the time. I have LOTS of experience with blowing whistlesand pointing at kids and I know I can do all that while wearing sunglasses and holding a flotation device.

What I'm really looking forward to is jumping off the tower.