Are you as sick of reading the pity posts as I am of writing them? Poor me, too many books, not enough blogging time! Well, under the burgeoning weight of my ever-growing list of unreviewed books, I think I am going to try something a little different. Rather than writing in-depth posts about every single book I read, I’m just going to do those about the books I find particularly compelling – for good or ill – and then just short summary thoughts on any other books I’ve been reading. I think this will cut down on the self-imposed pressure and allow me to stay more on top of things. So with that said, here are a couple of the books I’ve read recently:

In the weeks leading up to my first triathlon, I read and researched as much as I could, mainly turning to online sources since there is so much out there. But a lot of the information is geared towards a different type of athlete than I am. Like the ones with 0% body fat and worried about shaving seconds off their time so they can rank in the top of their age group. Me, I was just preoccupied with not drowning on the swim portion and finishing this crazy thing I’d signed up for. So, when I came across a book titled Slow Fat Triathlete, I thought, Hallelujah! A book with my very description in the title – it couldn’t be more perfect! With less than two weeks until my event, I requested a copy through the library hold system and kept my fingers crossed that it would arrive in time to do me some good.

Thankfully, it did. And you don’t have to be fat or slow to enjoy this book. Jayne Williams has written an invaluable resource for the person new to triathlons, particularly the person who may feel a little intimidated by the whole process – the training, the gear, the other athletes – and provides practical information along with a good-natured motivational boost. From picking out your race-day clothing, to nutrition, pacing and more, she addresses virtually everything you need to know going into this sport and shares some of her own personal triathlon experiences. There’s even a chapter included for the people who love triathletes – and yes, my husband did read it and got some good tips. Not least, she reminds those of us who are embarking upon this sport that it should be something we do because we enjoy it, and having fun is an integral part of the sport. Otherwise, why bother?

So I went into my first triathlon feeling cautiously optimistic and as well-prepared for what was to come as I could be, and reading this book was a big help in that regard. I made it through the 1/3 mile swim (about 10 minutes faster than I anticipated), got into my element on the bike and biked 18 miles in just over an hour (ranking 174 overall out of almost 1000 other women for the bike portion) and even managed to run (albeit slowly) most of the 3 mile run, having to resort to walking some of the hills, in about 34 minutes. With transitions and all, I finished in 2 hours and 7 minutes, a very respectable finish for this first-timer! That’s me crossing the finish line in the photo. And yes, I think I’ve caught the bug – I’ve already signed up for my second triathlon.

Another book I encountered in my pre-race research was Jef Mallett’s humorous yet helpful Trizophrenia: Inside the Minds of a Triathlete, which called out to me from the bookstore shelf. I actually broke out the bookstore gift card I received last Christmas to purchase it, my first book purchase in 2010 (although it still fits within the confines of my reading resolution, since it was bought with a 2009 gift card). I have to say, after not buying a single book for more than six months, it felt positively decadent to walk out of a bookstore with a shiny new book in hand!  The book itself is a mix of information and advice. Mallett is an experienced triathlete, so it was comforting to read that even he still gets nervous before a race. He is obviously having a blast and that comes through in this book. As you can probably tell from the cover art, the book is written with a liberal dose of humor, most of which I enjoyed, although the copious footnotes (several on practically every page) which rarely provided anything actually useful, were more annoying than anything else. If I wasn’t the type of person who felt compelled to read footnotes, the dozens upon dozens of them probably wouldn’t have been a problem. But having to cast my eyes down every few sentences to read a superfluous footnote broke the flow of my reading and detracted from my enjoyment of the actual book. Otherwise, it’s a useful addition to any triathlete’s library, and one that I’ve already lent out to others.