i am a triathlete

i did it. i finished my first triathlon. yeah, i'm awesome. and that was the hardest thing i've ever done in my entire life. seriously. child birth? nothing compared to a triathlon (i can say that because when the going gets tough the epidural comes in!).


me before the triathlon started. it was really early in the morning and kinda cold to be in a swimsuit. but i was totally pumped and ready to go. and the writing on my arm and leg made me feel really tough.

triathlon fun fact #1: this was a sprint triathlon, meaning the length of the triathlon was as such - 400 meter swim, 10.3 mile bike, and 3 mile run.


over 400 people signed up for this triathlon. don't look for me in this picture. you won't find me. i'm hiding in the back.

triathlon fun fact #2: for this triathlon, the swim in staggered every ten seconds, starting with the really fast people. since i swim 400 meters in 11:20, not 6-8 holy-crap-that-is-fast seconds, i started at the end of the pack.


whitney and i waiting and waiting and waiting for over an hour to jump in the pool. we had fun chatting while we waited. but we always have fun chatting as we work out at the gym, so hey, it was fun times.

by the way, i am SO glad whitney ran this race with me. she totally motivated me every step of the way, and i would have never done this without her. thank you whit.


me during the swim. i really didn't mind the swim, except i kept getting stuck behind people, and i don't know how to pass very well. swimming has never been my strong suit, but i felt i trained fairly well for this leg.


triathlon fun fact #3: your time is recorded from the moment you get into the pool to when you cross the finish line. that includes the transition moments, of getting out of the pool and onto the bike.

so this is me with my wet swim clothes underneath. not to worry...it was a warm day, and i didn't need my jacket soon enough. the bike portion killed me, and it took so much longer than i planned, and drained all of my energy in the process. before my next triathlon, i hope to 1. become a stronger biker and 2. buy a better street bike.

triathlon fun fact #4: triathlon's are really boring. seriously. maybe i'm not used to being alone in my head all that time, but it was boring. and painful too, but boring.


so i got lost on the race. i know, how stupid. one moment i was hoping to catch whitney, who i could see up ahead, the next, i had no idea where i was. there was absolutely no one around, and i kept trying to find the markers. it took about a mile of running up and down the desert until, finally, i found out where i was going. yes, i am kicking myself for my stupidity. by then, i was so tired, i could barely finish. but finish i did. and thank heavens it was over!


see how tired iwas. really, i wanted to laugh/cry/puke. i did laugh and cry hysterically at the end, and vowed never to make such a stupid mistake as run a triathlon again (point, though, is i totally am looking forward to training for and running in my next triathlon).


i finished! i am a triathlete. not many people can say that and i am so glad i can. granted, i didn't go great at all, but i did finish. and next time, i am going to do so much better.

what kept me going through all the pain was having wonderful, supportive family and friends waiting for me at the finish line. ken and the kids waiting the whole time to cheer me on. they really are great. and i love them so much.

triathlon fun fact #5: it's better to do the impossible than to never try. and if i can run a triathlon, trust me ANYONE can.