thinking about the AT

Nope. That's not a typo. I didn't mean to write: "thinking about T3", "thinking about the PTC", "thinking about IM", or "thinking about CDA". I'm posting before my CDA training meeting on purpose. As a sort of statement that my blog will not become only about IM training. I want to stick with triathlons for a long time because I think everything about them from the training to the racing is a blast and so I don't want to let my whole life become about training. I did that last year with work and it did not make for a happy time. I learned my lesson...albeit the hard way. So, I'm applying the same adage here: "All IM training and no play (even if IM training feels like play!), makes Elizabeth a dull girl." That is not to say that you won't hear plenty about my training, but I want to make sure that I'm being reflective about it and thinking about what it means in the larger scheme of things. I want it to be about more than just the race on June 21. I want to allow myself to be changed by the experience. I think I will be.
And so, for today, even though I'm about to head over to the PTC (the T3 Performance Training Center), I've been thinking a lot about the AT - Appalachian Trail. Why, you might ask? Two reasons:
1 - I'm reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and am cracking up while I read it, and
2 - Long before I ever contemplated doing an Ironman, I thought it would be cool to hike the Appalachian Trail. Not just for a day hike or even a week but the whole darn thing. (See this desire to do crazy things isn't new to me...) That's a little over 2,000 miles stretching from Maine to Georgia. (Makes the IM distance seem a little short?!) It could take between 5 and 7 months (the average is 6.5 months or something). Part of the time it would be snowy. And rainy. And downright cold. Maybe a little miserable. But also amazing.
Honestly, I'm not sure I could ever do it until I retired given the time commitment...let's hope my body is still in good shape then. (And who knows, maybe then all I'll want to do is sit on the beach with a cold drink in my hands? I sort of don't think so!) And I'd need to find someone as crazy as I am to do it with. (Want to join me?!) And beef up on my backpacking skills. And remember how to pitch my tent. And cook over a campfire. But I love all of those things. And I love the sound of the outdoors at night and waking up with the dawn. And I love collapsing into a sleeping bag at night after a long day of hiking. Think about it. It would be incredible.
Maybe I've just got a camping bug right now? Missing the days of summer camp and Tuesday or Thursday night campouts. And maybe even missing my 2-week Outward Bound adventure in Costa Rica. Or maybe this AT dream of mine is a reminder that I've thought about tackling wild notions in the past, some of which I've fulfilled and some of which I haven't (or haven't yet!); and doing an Ironman is another dream...that I'm about to start working on fulfilling. Maybe this is all part of living my best life. Not sure. But it sure feels good.