This summer I participated in my first Triathlon.
I signed up for the sprint distance tri at Eagle Creek Park which took place on August 22nd. John was signed up too as well as our friend Sherri. I had been training for the past two months trying to especially work on my swimming endurance. So the morning arrives, I set up my transition area and then get toward the back of the pack for the start. I was one of the last ones to get in the water and although I knew I could swim 500 meters…I totally freaked out! It was completely different than all the practices I had done in a pool. One of the lifeguards must have seen the fear in my face and swam over to me. She asked me if I wanted to be pulled out, telling me that I could still finish the bike & run portions but that nothing would count. I told her that I just needed a moment to get my head together. The boat was coming toward me and all I could think was “I can’t NOT do this! I’ve told too many people” so I told her that I would try to swim to the next buoy. She followed me to make sure that I was okay and once I passed that second buoy…I was fine. I did “okay” during the bike leg of the race and even passed some people. I saw John out on the bike course. He would tell me later that he was glad to see me because he then knew I would be able to finish. At the time, he had no idea that I almost gave up! Saw Sherri on the run course; she was already on her way back in…I was just barely on my way out. John was watching for me at the top of the last hill before the finish. He wanted to know if I’d like him to cross the finish line with me but I didn’t want anyone to think he was THAT slow so I schlepped along on my own toward the finish line. It was a pretty incredible feeling crossing that finish line…even though I was very slow and one of the last ones in.
I’ll definitely TRI another one next summer.
I signed up for the sprint distance tri at Eagle Creek Park which took place on August 22nd. John was signed up too as well as our friend Sherri. I had been training for the past two months trying to especially work on my swimming endurance. So the morning arrives, I set up my transition area and then get toward the back of the pack for the start. I was one of the last ones to get in the water and although I knew I could swim 500 meters…I totally freaked out! It was completely different than all the practices I had done in a pool. One of the lifeguards must have seen the fear in my face and swam over to me. She asked me if I wanted to be pulled out, telling me that I could still finish the bike & run portions but that nothing would count. I told her that I just needed a moment to get my head together. The boat was coming toward me and all I could think was “I can’t NOT do this! I’ve told too many people” so I told her that I would try to swim to the next buoy. She followed me to make sure that I was okay and once I passed that second buoy…I was fine. I did “okay” during the bike leg of the race and even passed some people. I saw John out on the bike course. He would tell me later that he was glad to see me because he then knew I would be able to finish. At the time, he had no idea that I almost gave up! Saw Sherri on the run course; she was already on her way back in…I was just barely on my way out. John was watching for me at the top of the last hill before the finish. He wanted to know if I’d like him to cross the finish line with me but I didn’t want anyone to think he was THAT slow so I schlepped along on my own toward the finish line. It was a pretty incredible feeling crossing that finish line…even though I was very slow and one of the last ones in.
I’ll definitely TRI another one next summer.
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