MY WORST FEAR: 'IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BIKE.'

I'm a decent swimmer. I can run. Because of these things, I consider myself an athlete.

But here's the catch...

As a triathlete, you also have to be able to bike. And when you get to the longer distances, you have to be able to REALLY bike. You can no longer get away with just getting through the distance and attempting to make up for your lost time on the run.

You have to be a cyclist.

The bike portion, afterall, is without a doubt the longest portion time-wise. In an IronMan Triathlon, the swim could take an hour or so, the run will probably run 3-5 hours, but the bike? You're talking at least 6 hours, and with me it's definitely closer to 8.

What does that mean? It means the bike needs to be your friend. And more importantly, you have to be one with the machine. Your bike can no longer be something external; it has to be an extension of yourself.

Because, I think that's my problem with the bike. It's still a contraption to me. To me, the other two sports still seem a little more simple, more organic.

With swimming, it's just me and the water. Sure, open water can be scary, but ultimately, you just have to rely on yourself.

Running is the same way. It's you and your legs...you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you're guaranteed to cross that finish line.

But with biking? You have so many more things to worry about. Flat tires, crashing, dropped chains, not to mention the fact that biking can be just plain uncomfortable.

I'm not talking about seat blisters or neck aches (which I am the first one to say can also be horrible); I'm more talking about the fact that mentally you have to be ready for the bike.

The bike does not and cannot have a mind of it's own. You control it, and you control yourself. You have to get out there and let the bike become a part of yourself.

Because, in the past I've tried so many different things.

I've tried avoiding the bike. I've tried yelling at the bike. I've even tried sweet-talking the bike.

And the best excuse? The one where I insist that I'm just not a natural biker and since my body isn't made to bike, it's just never going to be my forte.

But then I remember how hard it was to run even one mile at the beginning, and how 1000 yards in the pool used to feel like an impossibility. And I remember how much work I've put into both swimming and running, and most of all I remember all my excuses with the bike.

And so, as triathlon season is starting up again, I'm admitting that to be a triathlete, I'm going to have to do something a little different this year.

I'm going get outside, and I'm going to bike.