Before you read this post, this is the third post today trying to catch up on blogging. Continue to scroll down the webpage!
So as some of you may know I swam/biked/ran in a triathlon earlier this month. I feel as though I am in decent shape and felt confident going in to the race. I had trained for the swim and the run, but not the bike. Well, I was served a big piece of humble pie! This was by far the hardest athletic event I have ever done. It was a "sprint" triathlon so it is intended for people who have never competed in a triathlon to get a feel for it and have attendants at the transition stations to
help guide you through to the next step.
The race was a 250m swim, 8mi bike ride and 2mi run. To train I started running consistently and met with Lauren for swim tips. She also scheduled some swim practices. Now, the bike that's a different story.
I found a bike in my mom's garage and claimed it. We are pretty sure it was my Uncle Allen's so needless to say it had not been used in 8 or 9 years, if not more. I aired up the tires the week of the race and rode one time prior to the event. BIG MISTAKE!
Lauren and I stayed in Decatur the night before and woke up at 5:00am to a downpour. We originally planned to ride our bikes down to the race site but drove instead. The event coordinators told us rain or shine the race is on. So we see the bike loading station but no one is racking their bikes. That's because most are very expensive road bikes. Our confidence is chipped away a little bit because we both have borrowed mountain bikes. There are also many people in full out tri-attire. We thought this was a beginner race and now feeling very anxious as we are also in our Target brand race suits.
So we walked around, stretched, racked the bikes and the rain let up.
We start the swim and the nightmare begins. The pool gets jammed. Lauren and I pass 2 swimmers and at some points have 5 people in one lane. We get stuck, have to lift our heads, and I suck in water because the splashing is out of control.
We jump out and head to the bikes. That was my downfall. I couldn't switch out of the highest gear and couldn't pedal down the hill to gain speed for the next hill. At one point in time my bike stops mid-hill. I wasn't moving even though I was trying to pedal. I had about 20 people pass me during the 8 mile stretch.
The next was the run. During the bike my spirits were really down. So I jumped off the bike and thought, It's just left then right. I can do this part. I start and after the first corner is a hill. I wanted to cry. Just then my competitive streak kicked in and I eyed a person I thought I could beat. Poor girl was my focus and the only thing that drove me to finish the race.
It was the craziest athletic experience ever. I usually enjoy events like this. This I despised. Lauren and I actually had the same thoughts throughout the process:
- I want to quit.
- How can I cheat the route?
- What if those cows jump the fence (we were in Decatur).
- Had splitting headaches
- Wanted to cry.
- Then literally in prayer thanked God for the rain. If it was 100 degrees outside I probably wouldn't have completed it.
Here we are pre-race and all geared up.
Just after the race. The medals did help you to finish accomplished.
Back at the hotel and ready to go eat a massive breakfast.
All-in-all we placed really high considering it was the first triathlon. I finished 30th out of 100 and completed the course in 1 hour and 7 minutes. The first place racer finished in 55 minutes. She probably also didn't have a rusted mountain bike. Lauren is trying to convince me to do another on in October, but I don't think it will happen.
