My First Triathlon

I would like to dedicate this post-race recap to papa. He is the bestest dad that our kids could hope for. He is the bestest husband a girl could dream of. I can't express enough how super supportive he is of all of the running (and swimming) I do.  He rarely ever has anything other than a smile on his face. Our boys are lucky to have such an involved, silly, caring, loving, coffee-obsessed, fit and good-natured role model in their lives.

papa and two of the boys up to trouble on the ramp

I love you, Papa. Happy Father's Day!

So.  The race...

I woke up feeling kind of awful. My throat felt like sandpaper and my tummy was churning. More than just nerves churning. Oh no.  Papa arrived home from a long night shift and the boys were eager to wish him a happy birthday!! (Father's day and birthday all in one weekend!!)

I tried to force back a bit of breakfast and water, but I just didn't feel like eating anything. Ugh.

Papa put my bike on the bike rack and I was headed up the road. Luckily we live very close to Guelph Lake conservation area, the race site.

I pulled into the grassy parking area, and left everything at the car to scope out the per-race stuff...getting my race kit, finding other race buddies, etc.  After sorting all of that, I headed to the transition area to get a good spot. I racked my bike and chatted with my "transition area neighbours". Once I got everything set up perfectly, I realized I had set up in the wrong row. Oops. I set up in the 35-39 row. I have a whole other year until I am in that row!
So I sheepishly gathered my things, and found a spot in my proper row, which was actually a better spot!  And the bonus is that I had done a dry-run of set-up, which only makes me feel more professional, amIright??

It didn't appear that I had forgotten anything, so I had plenty of time to stew in a nervous state...

We took a walk through the transition area, making note of where we were set-up, so we would remember when we ran from the water. There are a LOT of bikes on those racks!  Lori, one of my clinic buddies noted the garbage can at the end of the row. Perfect landmark!

We grabbed our wetsuits, goggles and caps (mine was BRIGHT pink) and headed toward the water. I heard someone calling my name. It was papa (on zero sleep--did I mention it was also his birthday?) and the boys!  It was nice to say hello/goodbye before heading down to the beach.

We wiggled into our wetsuits, and reality set in. This was actually happening.

After a great warm-up swim in the water, everyone was called back to the beach for the start. Last-minute good-lucks were shared and we lined up behind wave one.

Before I had time to panic, the wave two horn went off!  Into the water I ran!!  It was pure chaos!  I dove into the biggest gulp of water I have ever gulped. It took my breath away. I sputtered and spattered and really wondered what on earth I was thinking?!  Yeesh. As I couldn't catch my breath, I decided to invent my own "head-above-water-front-crawl" for the time being. It was seriously affecting my speed, but so would being towed back to land on a kayak, so I had to make-do. I was still passing people, but I knew I needed to get back into a rhythm. By the time I rounded the first buoy, I was able to graduate into a real front crawl. I kicked and paddled until I started to see the bottom of the lake more clearly. I was almost there!

As I headed up the beach, people were cheering, and I was stripping. I was running up the sand, on to the grassy incline (it was really steep!) to transition. It amazes me how many people were just walking up the hill. I really lost time in the water, but I passed so many people with that run up the hill that I felt like I had put myself back into an ok position by the time I ran through the gate into transition one.

At the start of the big hill to transition

I am so glad my clinic did transition drills. I knew what the feeling of wet grassy feet would be like before race day. I peeled my way out of my wetsuit, and saw Allison from my clinic at her bike already in transition. She's a fast swimmer!  I slipped into my bike shoes, put on my sunglasses and clicked my helmet on. With my bike, I dashed toward the exit. By nothing short of a miracle, I mounted/clipped in to my bike at the line, and I was off!  The volunteers at the bike line were so helpful and supportive, saying, "mount now!"  I really did need that!

The bike was great. I managed to pass a bunch of people, and I even saw the speedy speedster winning male (a mere baby high-schooler--so fast!) on his way back in. I only needed one tiny sip of water on the bike, as I was still burping from all of that water I ingested in the lake. Seriously. Next time I need to practice in that open water more than three times before the race!

There were a couple of steep hills on the out-and-back bike course, but after those were done, it was a smooth ride back into the park!  Papa and the boys were there, cheering me on as I approached the dismount line. My heart skipped a beat as my right foot stuck a little, but I didn't fall, so I consider it a success (despite one spectator gasping as I tried to wiggle my foot free.  Calm down, lady...I was ok!!).

I know it's blurry, but it is making me look fast!

As I ran with my bike back into transition, I noticed there were less than a handful of bikes in my age-group racks. Really?!
I racked my bike, threw down my helmet and slipped out of my shoes. I am so glad to got quick laces for my runners, as they were so easy to slip on. I ran out while fastening my visor to my head. Out on the run course it felt great to be doing something (finally) that I knew how to do!  I caught up to a few of my fellow age group (can I just say that ALL races should have age groups written on people's calves?  I'm not (ahem) competitive, but if I were, I would think that little triathlon feature was cool). The run was hilly, but I pushed through, excited to be passing people. As I rounded that last bend toward the finish line, I passed two women in my age group! Yay!

I was so glad to cross the finish line!  I was alive!

I had to get my shoes off ASAP.  I had managed to whittle a new little bister on my foot during the run, and it ached :(

I was sad that they didn't give out finisher's medals. Just a bottle of water :/

My biggest fans?

I hobbled up the gravel with my shoes in hand to find Papa and the boys. Either they were excited that I had finished, or that they didn't have to stand around cheering. Still not sure which.

After cheering all of my fellow clinic members on as they finished, we grabbed some snacks and scoped out the results board. I was shocked when I saw that I finished 11/189 women, and 1/49 in my age group!! (49/333 total finishers) Yippee! Thanks to that finish, they did give me a medal!

woohoo!

Will I do it all again?  Yes, likely. I would definitely do this Guelph Lake one again...so well-organized, beautiful course, and really good post-race food :)

Holy Crap.

In just two more sleeps, I will be waking up (assuming I actually calm the heck down enough to fall asleep) early and heading to my very first triathlon!

Gulp.

It is actually happening.

I knew a few weeks ago, when I registered, that chances were high that I would actually get to this point, but a teensy tiny part of me was still in denial.

The months and months of swimming almost every day, the running even more, and the biking...well...I have at least done a few bike rides, including learning to ride with the clip-less pedals.

Pretending to swim on an earlier open-water practice

This Saturday I will voluntarily run down the beach into the water in a crowd of other age-groupers.  I will get kicked in the head.  I will get water up my nose.  I will (probably) pee in my borrowed wetsuit (sorry, Tara). I will leave the water and run up the huge grassy hill to transition (hopefully without falling--there will probably be people there with cameras).

I will struggle out of the wetsuit, and struggle into my clippy bike shoes. I will feel the breeze in my face while heading out on my bike, pedalling as fast as I can.

I will go into the run portion with jelly-legs and hopefully finish strong.

Then.

It will be over.

Hopefully my heart rate will go down sometime after that.

I am so pumped and excited for this experience. I am a touch scared that I will love it...as my good friend running will become more jealous of my growing relationship with these other endurance sports, but what can I say?  If they give out medals, I may just be hooked.

Wish me luck...I'm hoping for good weather at least!