There's no Shooting in Sharon

That's a sign in the next town over.  It always makes me chuckle because, ummm.....my name is Sharon.
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>So segway to The Sharon Triathlon (Sharon TRI heretofore) is in 42 days. How do I know this?  I've added a counter to this page.  Why? Because I'm terrified of the half mile swim.  HALF MILE SWIM!  Now I've said it.  Yes, I am scared.  It's the furthest I will swim this summer.  I have no idea HOW to be prepared for this swim.  Here's a few things that are scaring me.  First - I don't know if I'll need a wet suit.  I kinda doubt it b/c its going to August and it's in Lake Massapoag -which should be pretty well heated by that time of the the summer.  But the wetsuit gives me buoyancy!  I liked swimming in the wetsuit, it was like a giant skin sucking floaty.  Then there's this, when I swim in the pool at the gym, touching the walls over and over again, that's a little rest, a little CHEAT.  In the open water swim, there are NO walls, nothing to kick off of, nothing to grab hold of ever 20 strokes or so.  Can I make it?  So I joined this OPEN WATER SWIM group but most of their swims are pretty far away from here.  Not ridiculously far, but far enough that in traffic it could take over an hour to get there.  But I really need to commit to doing a couple of those open waters before the race.  Just to see how it feels, in a pond or lake just me and the water wizzing through my hair (ok, no I'll have a swim cap on, but that didn't sound as romantic.)  If I start to drown, someone will be there to (HOPEFULLY) to call for help or SAVE me.Speaking of the HALF MILE -- that is what I ran in track in high school.  I was not particularly fast.  It was 800 meters.  My best time was 2:32.....I always check out the Canton High Girls times to see what place I would have rec'd if I'd run my personal best of 2:32....usually NOT on the podium. (ok that was random)So here is why I want to do the SHARON TRI.Because I'll get this awesome shirt that will have my name on it, it makes it super exciting, right?  Is that enough reason to train for this race.  I say yes. And its like a home race for me b/c Sharon is the next town over from me, I can stay at home the night before (no hotels/motels/transporting my bike/ etc)I think I'm going to do the run - the race run (it 4.4 miles around the Lake) this afternoon.  Might as well TRI to take some advantage of it being a home course.