Everyone has that FIRST Triathlon!

Here's a story about one:

I’ve done the road races, I’ve run the marathons. I want to challenge myself. Why not challenge myself? So I sign up for a triathlon-a swim, bike, run event. I could stand quiet when people ask, “You’re doing an Ironman?” I too thought this was the only triathlon but there are other-much shorter-events for those of us that just want to get our feet wet-literally.

My first thought about this.....What have I gotten myself into? I didn’t realize that it was all about the gear. I show up with my mountain bike and everyone has the nice road bike. One guy says to me, "nice kickstand". I just laugh. Everyone is setting up their transition area, the place where they transition from the swim to the bike. I decide that I need to do that too. I remember everything I learned from Fleet Feet as I lay out my towel, put my shoes on it, my socks in my shoes and I'm done. Everyone else is fiddling with a mountain of gear, putting air in tires, adjusting multiple water bottles. I play with my towel a little longer to look busy.

Now its go time. I'm at the back of the pool and watch people go in 15 sec intervals into the outdoor unheated pool. This is not the first time today I say a prayer. My first prayer was arriving at 7am and putting a toe into that outdoor unheated pool. I'm watching all these people swim wondering again about my sanity at sign up. My husband shows up with the boys and I feel better talking to someone rather than myself about how crazy I am to be here. I wait for my wave to go. When it's time, I jump in the pool and yell, "Holy Smokes!" Someone asks me if this is my first triathlon, I try to say “Yes” but my teeth are chattering. A girl explains the etiquette, “If you want to pass me, tap me on the foot then I’ll wait at the wall so you can pass.” I say, "Oh that's OK honey, I don't think you'll have to worry about that. I'll be too busy swallowing pool water to find your toe!" Swim went well, stumbling out of the pool like a drunken sailor all I can think is that the hard part is done.

Then came the transition. I have to run wet across gravel...did I mention gravel...to my bike and towel and try to get shoes and socks on wet feet! I track mud all over the towel I am supposed to dry off with and spend what felt like an eternity trying to get my socks on. Off and running (with a wayward stone sitting in my shoe) to the bike course, my chain falls off the bike as I leave the transition area. This is my "Oh Sh*T" moment because I have no idea what to do.

The Lord is watching over me and before I know it, the chain is fixed and I’m on my way. I don’t realize that I'd wiped grease all over my face until halfway thru the bike. That’s going to make some good pictures. My sweet husband thinks I got lost on the bike course, but they are cheering as I come back. I felt like I got lost too and even ask a volunteer if I am the last one. She assures me there are other lost bikers behind me. My biggest fear in any race is to be the last one with the police car following me back into Tanglewood. There are a few hills, the last one a challenge as I swear I’m leaving a partial piece of my lung on the road trying to get up it! But I finish the bike and end up in the transition area. A quick energy gel, hat and off to run.

The running is the easiest, I’d done this before. In triathlon speak, the transition from Bike to Run is called a “brick.” I think it is short for bike-run but maybe it’s because my feet feel like bricks as I try to run after biking. Lucky it’s a short run. The first mile I feel like crap, the second I wondering how I can still feel nauseous, and after the third mile it’s done.

I finish in 1 hr and 45 min, 15 minutes under my projected finishing time...considering I didn't know what in the heck I WAS doing. It is exhilarating. I am so excited that I DID it that I'm already calculating all the gear I’m going to need for my NEXT transition area. I understand now-it’s all about the gear. Have you got the right gear? Fleet Feet can help you!