Throwback Thursday – My First Triathlon

Since I wasn’t blogging back then, and because I couldn’t think of another topic, I thought I’d tell a little tale about my first Triathlon experience.  Here goes:

In 2009, I completed my first two big racing events.  I completed a half marathon in Lincoln, NE and one in Kansas City, MO.  I LOVED the racing experience.  I was totally hooked.  I also realized, I wasn’t so hooked on the actual “running” thing.  Unlike my husband Jim, I didn’t live to run, I ran because I wanted to enjoy the race experience.  So, I started toying with the idea of triathlon because it wasn’t just running.  I wish I could say I was a strong biker or swimmer, so it just seemed natural, but that wasn’t the case.  I owned a hybrid bike, but the tires were literally dry rotted.  I hadn’t even sat my butt on it in probably 10 years.  I absolutely loved the water, but I had never actually been a swimmer – no lessons or understanding of technique.  But what the heck, why couldn't I bike, swim and run?  I started doing some Internet research and found a decent size Women’s Sprint Triathlon in the area and I went to their website from time to time and just “thought” about doing it.

For Christmas in 2009, Jim bought me “Triathlon Training for Dummies”.  I thought it was great.  I read it cover to cover.  I kept thinking to myself, I can do this.  A sprint will probably take me under 2 hours, and a half marathon took me almost 3 hours – so from an endurance perspective I know I can do this.  So, I signed up – now I was committed.  I took a beginner’s orientation clinic which was a big help.  They talked about transition, and biking form, we even got to get in the pool and have our stroke (or lack thereof) analyzed.  At that clinic I won an entrance into another triathlon in the fall.  What??  I haven’t even done 1 triathlon, now I’m signed up for two!  After that class I went and purchased a new road bike – an introductory level bike.  I was SCARED to death on the bike.  I would ride around my neighborhood a few miles and just knew I was going to crash and die.  I finally ventured out to a little local trail, but I hated to ride to it because I had to ride on a real road, and cross a real street with a traffic light.  I was literally petrified every second on the bike. 

In the summer, I ran across a Triathlon 101 class.  It was an all women’s class.  You got to swim (in a lake), bike, and run in almost every class – as a group.  My confidence on the bike improved tremendously.  I was finally feeling more comfortable in open water – although my swim stroke was still completely awful.  I also realized, I am truly the world’s slowest runner – generally finishing last in class on the run portions of our workouts.  The class was awesome.  I met some awesome women and fellow triathletes.  I didn't feel so all alone anymore.

The triathlon finally arrived.  I had a goal time of 1 hour and 45 minutes.  I arrived in the wee hours of the morning – around 5:00 am.  The triathlon was an hour from my house, so this meant getting up at around 2:45 am and leaving by 4:00 am.  It was a very, very early morning indeed.  On the drive there I was certain that the car was on fire.  I kept smelling something weird and asking Jim over and over – do you smell that – what is that – is the car of fire?  I think he seriously wanted to kill me.  I was just a bundle of nerves, the smallest thing a distraction.

I arrived and got my transition area set up.  The swim started in waves based on your anticipated swim time.  I was one of the later groups to go.  Standing in line waiting for the race to start was brutal.  I was so nervous I thought I might throw up.  Finally the whistle blew and it was my turn to jump in the water.  With each stroke the nerves went away.  The swim was hard; it was only 500 meters, but it took a lot out of me.  I don’t even remember all the details now.  It was kind of  blur after it started.  I somehow managed to get out of the water and on my bike.  The bike portion went pretty well.  I even passed some people – wahoo – go me.  I came back for the final leg.  I was TIRED, but I was ready to get the run completed.  I ran out of the transition area, and literally was stopped in my tracks.  My left calf cramped up so bad I couldn’t run, heck I couldn’t walk.  I had to stop and stretch it out.  I ended up having to walk/run the 3.1 mile run portion of the triathlon and my calf would continue to give me pain for the rest of the summer.  But in the end, I finished with a smile on my face and my official time was 1:37:38.  I beat my goal time by several minutes and I was officially a TRIATHLETE.  I still finished pretty low in the "leader board", but that was ok.  It was a great experience.  Later that summer I completed two more Sprint Triathlons.  Not too bad for a beginner.  This year in September I will complete my first Olympic Distance Triathlon and I can’t wait!

Official Times:
Swim - 500 Meters - 14:51
Bike - 10 Miles - 38:23
Run - 3.1 (5K) - 40:06
Total Time:  1:37:38

 

Arriving bright and early - but all smiles!

A friend I met in Tri 101

Looking nervous preparing for the swim



Really looking nervous - waiting to get in the lake



T1 - I made it out of the water alive

Done!!  So relieved and happy!

First Tri complete - still all smiles!

Question:  Do any of you ever deal with calf cramping after the bike?  In all three triathlons last summer my calves cramped up from the bike to run transition.  I never could figure out exactly what was causing it.