Tri-Athlete

I’m a tri-athlete but not in the true sense of the word. I don’t run, bike and swim. I run, play tennis and soccer. Well, I haven’t played soccer since high school but if I could fit it into my training schedule I definitely would.

That's me kicking the ball.

I love soccer. This year is the World Cup and I’m going to have to find some time during my training to watch it. I’m in a fantasy soccer league and I follow the “beautiful game” as much as I can. Barcelona is probably my favorite team and Lionel Messi is one of my favorite players. He’s small and short like me but he’s a terror on the field. I also love playing FIFA soccer on my PS3 and it's a great way to get my soccer fix. Check out my virtual persona


scoring a goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal!

My misadventures in soccer
The last time I played soccer was probably about three months ago with my neighbor. My wife bought me the replica 2010 World Cup soccer ball and I was eager to take it out and see what skills I had left, if any. Not long after we got to the park this young blood joined us and every time he would kick the ball his shoe would go flying with it. It was hilarious. Soon after, we met four other people and quickly made two goals with whatever was available: four versus three – my neighbor, me and Flying Shoe Boy.

Although I had just finished running the Miami ING Half Marathon a month prior, not long after we started playing I began to feel winded. I was using muscles and moving in different directions I wasn’t used to, completely different from running and tennis and it didn’t help that I was playing with tennis shoes. I was sliding everywhere. The right gear does make a difference and I didn't have it! I wasn't planning on playing a pick up game. Nonetheless, I had a blast and I scored a goal - right through those two white t-shirts. Flying Shoe Boy almost scored a goal too but it didn’t count since it was his shoe that went soaring through the goal and not the ball. We lost that game but it was still great fun and I can’t wait to play again.

Tennis
If I had more time I would play more tennis too. Right now, I only get to play on Saturday mornings and since I do my long runs on the same day it’s going to be a problem when I really go up in mileage. I just recently started back up and I got the fever, plus I have to justify buying that second racquet. There’s just something about ripping a tennis ball through the court that running can’t replicate.



Playing tennis is a completely different experience for me than running. It’s funny how I’m attracted to both these individual sports – no one can help you out on the court or during a race. It's just you out there. Unlike running, tennis requires a lot of skill. There are many strokes to learn and techniques to perfect. It’s anaerobic instead of aerobic. You run but in quick bursts of speed; up, down, sideways. You’re jumping and lunging and using your limbs in different ways. I love playing tennis but there are some things running gives me that tennis can’t.

Zen Running
Running can be a nice escape. It can be meditative and therapeutic. You can be alone with your thoughts or choose to completely zone out, things I can’t get out of playing tennis. What’s great is that combined, each of these sports provides me with what I need to quench my athletic thirst. They balance one another out. Yin and Yang, Tom and Jerry, Ricky and Lucy. You get the point.

It’s difficult finding the time to have a life while you’re training, let alone adding more sports to it, but I’ll continue to try. And the next time someone tells you they’re a tri-athlete, I hope you’ll think of this blog. Ask them what type of tri-athlete they are. They’ll probably look at you funny and ask you what you mean. That’s when you can tell them, “Check out the Non-Elite Runner’s Blog" and give me a shameless plug.

This is the life of a long distance runner.