For a couple of months I have been talking with some friends about doing a sprint triathlon. As I was training for the Seattle Half Marathon I realized that I wouldn't really have a whole lot of time to train for the swimming and bike for the triathlon. There just wasn't enough time and I didn't have a road bike. So I opted to just not do it this year until two weeks before the race when a good friend just kept encouraging me to do it and offered to let me borrow her bike. With the help of friends to watch my kids after the boys swimming lessons, I was able to get in the water a couple of times to swim the half mile distance I would need to swim in the race. I think I surprised myself with how quickly I was comfortable swimming a half of a mile. Swimming a half of a mile---confident! Now for the bike. I got on the bike the week before the race and went for a 12 mile ride with my family and it felt good. I guess all of my training for the Half Marathon really paid off. Biking 15 miles---doable! So I signed up but was still super nervous as I was wondering how I was going to get over the lake fear. With a lot of mental preparation and a solo swim in the lake near my friends house before the race I was sure I wouldn't hyperventilate like last time.
Race Morning:
I got to the transition area to set up all of my stuff early. I saw many people that I new and kind of wondered what I was doing there. I wasn't really a triathlete...yet! I stress yet because I would really like to get into them when Abby is a little older and all of the kids are in school. I am a people watcher and so I sat there watching what everyone else was doing. The time came to head down to the water and I had my support man there with camera in hand to cheer me on and to take some pictures. I also had two friends there to start the race with which helped my nerves. As I got in the water I was relieved that it was rather pleasant. Mike kept motioning to me to get in the front but I was just too scared that I would get trampeled. Instead I hung in the middle and started only a couple of seconds after the gun fired. My biggest mistake on the swim was not trying to get in the front so that I could swim free of swimmers all around me. I felt completely boxed in and I quickly became claustrophoic. I stopped a couple of times to see if there were any openings on the outside. Eventually I made it to an opening and had to force myself to breath out really hard to stop myself from hyperventilating. I was able to get into a rhythm before the first buoy and I finished the half mile swim in 17:21. Not too bad for the slow start but I would have liked to get sub 16 minutes as that is what I could do in the pool.
I got to the transition area to set up all of my stuff early. I saw many people that I new and kind of wondered what I was doing there. I wasn't really a triathlete...yet! I stress yet because I would really like to get into them when Abby is a little older and all of the kids are in school. I am a people watcher and so I sat there watching what everyone else was doing. The time came to head down to the water and I had my support man there with camera in hand to cheer me on and to take some pictures. I also had two friends there to start the race with which helped my nerves. As I got in the water I was relieved that it was rather pleasant. Mike kept motioning to me to get in the front but I was just too scared that I would get trampeled. Instead I hung in the middle and started only a couple of seconds after the gun fired. My biggest mistake on the swim was not trying to get in the front so that I could swim free of swimmers all around me. I felt completely boxed in and I quickly became claustrophoic. I stopped a couple of times to see if there were any openings on the outside. Eventually I made it to an opening and had to force myself to breath out really hard to stop myself from hyperventilating. I was able to get into a rhythm before the first buoy and I finished the half mile swim in 17:21. Not too bad for the slow start but I would have liked to get sub 16 minutes as that is what I could do in the pool.
Swim to Bike Transition:
This was my slowest transition of the two transitions. I wasn't wearing a wetsuit which helped but I did end up putting on another running shirt over my swimming top which slowed me down a bit. Ideally I would have liked to have had a tri belt that I could have attached my humber to instead of my running top but I wasn't able to purchase one before the race. I just felt slow in getting on my shoes and this time I did put on my ipod. I was a little frustrated and not thinking clearly so I forgot to press lap on my watch when I started the bike so I don't really know what my transition time was. I imagine it was at least 2-3 minutes. At least I had a happy face when I finally did get on the bike! The biking was still my favorite section of the triathlon. I wasn't in great shape for the bike but I gave it my all and felt the burn in my legs almost the entire way. I was definitely working hard to catch up from my swim. I know that my music helped motivate me. I finished the 15 mile bike in around 49 minutes.
This was my slowest transition of the two transitions. I wasn't wearing a wetsuit which helped but I did end up putting on another running shirt over my swimming top which slowed me down a bit. Ideally I would have liked to have had a tri belt that I could have attached my humber to instead of my running top but I wasn't able to purchase one before the race. I just felt slow in getting on my shoes and this time I did put on my ipod. I was a little frustrated and not thinking clearly so I forgot to press lap on my watch when I started the bike so I don't really know what my transition time was. I imagine it was at least 2-3 minutes. At least I had a happy face when I finally did get on the bike! The biking was still my favorite section of the triathlon. I wasn't in great shape for the bike but I gave it my all and felt the burn in my legs almost the entire way. I was definitely working hard to catch up from my swim. I know that my music helped motivate me. I finished the 15 mile bike in around 49 minutes.
Bike to Run Transition:
I was a little quicker this time around with a 2 minute transition to my run (again I am estimating). The biggest shocker is still the way my legs feel after getting off the bike. It is sort of like they don't work and yet I can still use them. They just feel like jello! The 3 mile run starts with a hill...mercy! Thank goodness I am strong on hills. I looked at my watch after reaching the top of the hill and was shocked to see that I was running around a 6:30 minute mile pace. I just didn't feel like my legs were going that fast. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me but I was also cautious to not overdo it and get myself sick. I kept monitoring my cardio to make sure that my insides were still ok to keep going quick. Believe me when I say that I was floored to find out my time. I did the 3 mile run in a little over 19 minutes. Since I obviously don't have my exact time because I only have my times including transition I would estimate that I was running around 6:20-6:30 miles. For a 5 K that would have put me under the 20 minute mark which is something I haven't done since racing in a Far East Cross Country Tournament in Seoul, Korea back in High School! Suffice it to say I was pleased with my overall time. I finished the 1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run in 1:30:10. That is just 30 seconds slower than my previous time which I was in better shape for. I can imagine with more training and work on my swim and bike that I will be able to bring that time down a lot. Now I have something to reach for...maybe in a year or two. I only hope that I can keep up with my awesome brother John who is training to do a Half Ironman this fall. John is such an inspiration to me. I hope to be able to reach that same goal of doing a Half Ironman. It may take me three or four years to get there but I am confidant that I will do it!
I was a little quicker this time around with a 2 minute transition to my run (again I am estimating). The biggest shocker is still the way my legs feel after getting off the bike. It is sort of like they don't work and yet I can still use them. They just feel like jello! The 3 mile run starts with a hill...mercy! Thank goodness I am strong on hills. I looked at my watch after reaching the top of the hill and was shocked to see that I was running around a 6:30 minute mile pace. I just didn't feel like my legs were going that fast. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me but I was also cautious to not overdo it and get myself sick. I kept monitoring my cardio to make sure that my insides were still ok to keep going quick. Believe me when I say that I was floored to find out my time. I did the 3 mile run in a little over 19 minutes. Since I obviously don't have my exact time because I only have my times including transition I would estimate that I was running around 6:20-6:30 miles. For a 5 K that would have put me under the 20 minute mark which is something I haven't done since racing in a Far East Cross Country Tournament in Seoul, Korea back in High School! Suffice it to say I was pleased with my overall time. I finished the 1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run in 1:30:10. That is just 30 seconds slower than my previous time which I was in better shape for. I can imagine with more training and work on my swim and bike that I will be able to bring that time down a lot. Now I have something to reach for...maybe in a year or two. I only hope that I can keep up with my awesome brother John who is training to do a Half Ironman this fall. John is such an inspiration to me. I hope to be able to reach that same goal of doing a Half Ironman. It may take me three or four years to get there but I am confidant that I will do it!
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