Confront Your Fears

So I signed up for a 70.3 -- an official Ironman branded one, the first I've done in years. I picked this particular one because I wanted an excuse to vacation in San Diego, and it is in late March, so we will still be living out in the warm sunny desert for the winter.  Somehow the 14 degree temps I ran in at 9am on Sunday didn't quite mesh with my plans of warmth. At least it was sunny. 

In reviewing my choice of races, I keep coming back to "what the hell was I thinking?" Not only will I be riding my long rides on the drainer trainer inside, but also I have picked a course where I have the greatest chance of being eaten by a Great White of any race I've ever done. I calculated the miles of racing I've done in the Gulf waters plus the ones in the Pacific off the coast of Hawaii, and in just about 30 miles I have yet to see a shark. I have, however, deliberately been scuba diving in the middle of a shark feeding in the Bahamas, and I have swum after a baby shark in Grand Cayman (before Megan and I realized the potential risk). But none of these sharks were WHITE sharks, the angry ones.

Really I shouldn't have these fears, but if you know me or have been reading my blog for long, you know that I have a deep, dark fear of deep, dark water. Or just a deep water fear. Or just a dark water fear -- either one, really. Added to that is the potential for sea kelp in the Oceanside harbor. I can't decide whether to read up on Great Whites and their dislike of swimming in sea kelp (or is it their like of it?), how rare attacks are in that area (or how there was just last fall another surfer killed north of there), and how swimmers in large packs wouldn't attract them (but what if I'm out by myself looking like a seal?).

So whew, besides the swim part, it could be cold, windy, there are hills, blahblahblah. Why can't I just pick a fast calm race with a pool very clear, shallow lake swim (and no alligators either)? If I just make it out of that harbor without a leg becoming shark bait, it'll be winning. 

Mommy's going to WHAT??