Triathlon Review

I wanted to write a post specific to this past Saturday. It was a big deal for me to participate in this triathlon. I feel like I have gone through my life questioning my athletic abilities and always "trying" to be athletic. Sure I was on the swim team in high school... but lets be honest...I wasn't very good. Its not like I had to try out. I swam. I competed. But I was always in the outside lanes. The outside lanes are for 3rd string. That was me. I didn't really mind. I just enjoyed swimming.

Running has always been my achilles heel. I have never had good lung capacity for running. I have tried for years to be a runner. I've started and stopped the Couch to 5k program more times than I can count. I've pretended that I am committed and then I give up. For the record...I am doing the Couch to 5k program again. I did workout Week 6 Day 2 today! (probably the farthest in the program I have ever gotten)

So I say all this because actually signing up for the triathlon and "putting it out there" to the world on Facebook was my way of saying "Hey world- I say I am going to do this...hold me accountable." Pathetic I know that I need to use Facebook for that purpose, but if it works... so be it!

So I wont lie- I was freaking out on Friday night. I was so nervous. I was cleaning my kitchen at 10pm. I was putzing around the house like I didn't need to get up at 5:45am. I was procrastinating going to bed because I knew once I went to bed...I would have to eventually wake up. Finally around 10:30 I went to bed. I woke several times. I woke before my alarm. My stomach was in knots. I got up and made a cup of coffee. I took my coffee outside and sat in the rocking chair on our porch. The world is so peaceful at 6am on a Saturday morning. It was just me and the bullfrogs. I prayed. I just asked God to give me the strength to complete the race. Truly I could have cared less if I was last...I just wanted to finish.

I headed out about 6:45. I was at peace. I was going to do the race and by the grace of God I was going to finish. The race was on the subase. I went through the gate, smiled proudly as the gate guard told me to have a good time. I glanced in my rear view mirror and realized my bike on the back of my car must have been the giveaway that I was doing the triathlon. Heading onto base there is a pretty big speed bump. Not sure if I was going to fast or what, but I went over the speed bump and then I heard it. Clank, clunk, scraping metal. I looked in my rear view mirror...no bike. Shit! Shit! Shit! WTF just happened? I pulled over and there on the ground, dragging behind my car was my bike. Cue tears. AAAAHHHHHH! My brand new bike. My 3 week old bike. Surely I can still use it. Nope, bent tire. Shit! I call Gary (who was home still in bed). I tell him what happened and he jumps out of bed to come help me. Call my mother... break into hysterics. Ugh! How can this be happening? I was all ready to do this. I trained. I actually committed and was ready. And now this? I was heartbroken. I was very upset.

Gary comes and we load my bike into his truck. I decided to still go to the race and registration because I had friends that were doing the race too. If I couldn't do it with them...at least I could cheer them on. I walk up to the registration table and one of the volunteers asks me to complete the waiver. I told her I was actually there to withdraw my registration. She then informs me they have a couple loaner bikes and I can use one. What? Really? Umm... okay! Yeah! I'm back baby!

The actual triathlon itself wasn't too bad. I think I had such a roller coaster of emotions right before that I didn't really have energy to devote to being nervous. The swim was in the Thames River. A river current never even crossed my mind. Not until I was actually in the middle of the swim, working so hard and feeling like I was going no where. I eventually rounded the buoy and was moving with the flow of the current and I felt like I was flying. The second half of the swim was so much better than the first. As I approached the dock I was so relieved. I just wanted to get out and keep moving. The transition from swim to bike was pretty easy. I dried off and got dressed and then headed out on my "borrowed" bike. The bike portion was 3 laps of a stretch of the road on base. There are two semi good size hills on this road. To know that I would have to tackle those hills 3 times was a bit intimidating, but I did it! There were tons of volunteers on the course and it is so motivating and stimulating to have people cheering for you!

Last part of the race is the run. I got off the bike and my legs were jello. I took it slow. I wasn't in it to win it and knowing that there were people done completely before I was even done the biking was my "okay" that I could go slow and at my own pace. So I did. It took me just over 17 minutes to jog the 1.5 miles. To me- considering that is after a 1/4 mile swim and 6.2 mile bike- I don't think that was too bad! ha!! Coming in on the finish of the run- to see that big blue arch that says FINISH in white- wow! It truly was exciting. I ran through and I had an immediate sense of accomplishment.  I FINISHED! I completed what I set out to do. I did it! 1 hour, 5 minute and 30 seconds!!!!

I am proud! I am proud I can scratch this off my list! I was on a natural high for the rest of the weekend. Today... I am just sore! Ha! Not sure when my next triathlon will be... but I suspect there will be more! That is of course... after I can afford to buy a new bike. :(