St Paddy's Day Tri: I am hooked.

I suppose it happens to many a runner eventually....running is so much fun, but then you get a bike. Cycling is really a blast...but no triathlon because I don't swim.  Oh, it is really hot outside - maybe I'll check this swimming thing out.  Wow - swimming is really fun!  I wonder if I could do all three (swim, bike, run) together?  And before you know it, you are signed up for your first sprint triathlon.  Funny how that happens.

Pre-race with Mr K, James, and Nikki

I signed up for my first triathlon, the St Paddy's Day Tri, in December when it was "on sale" and I was so excited when race day finally rolled around.  The race was a 300 meter swim, 12.6 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run - all distances that I can cover in my sleep, but have never attempted consecutively before.  I found that I was most worried about the transitions between the three as I had never really practiced that part before.  After attending a transition clinic at packet pick-up, I realized that I had nothing to worry about.  This was going to be such a fun day!

Swim
Mr K and I arrived early and I set-up my bike in the transition area then we headed off to the pool to get my timing chip and meet up with our friends.  I am pretty sure that I had the biggest and loudest cheering section at the race - I'm a lucky girl! Tri-Now friends Nikki and James were also doing this race and it was nice to have someone to talk to while we waited for our turn to get into the pool.  It took nearly an hour from the start of the race until it was finally my turn to swim and my friends made sure that I was entertained as they told the race announcer where to find me.  I'm sure that people were wondering just who this MK girl was and why she was getting all of the attention.  When you sign up for a triathlon with a pool swim you list you estimated swim time and they "seed" you in that order.  I was fairly conservative as I signed up so far in advance and had no idea how I would be swimming by this point.  I also did not want to be caught up with people who were faster than me, but in hindsight I realized that I could have put a little faster time down as I got caught behind some traffic in the swim lane.  Just before it was my turn to go in the girl in front of me told me her time was based on a triathlon that she did with the help of a "lazy river" current.

Shenanigans (Pic: Mama C)

I am not used to jumping into a 12 foot pool and swimming right away, so that was a bit of an adjustment as were the 50 meter lanes (my gym pool is about half that distance), but I tried to relax and settle into a good swim rhythm.  I am used to bilateral breathing, but I just could not get it going so I let that go.  I remember wondering where the heck that wall was - that 50 meter pool felt so loooonnnnnngggggg!!  After the first turn I became aware of something in front of me and realized it was feet.  I tried to look ahead to see if I could pass, but it looked like the lane was blocked by several swimmers.  It seemed like I was treading water for a bit while trying to figure out what to do.  I could hear a lot of yelling and I was pretty sure that it was my cheer squad.  The traffic cleared up a bit and the girl in front of me let me pass when we got to the end of the lane.  I was feeling a bit frantic, but kept trying to relax and settle in.  At one point I remember thinking "why are you kicking so much?" - nervous energy, I suppose! Things got better after I got past the traffic and I think that I managed to pass a few people.  Finally, in the very last lane I was able to settle into some nice bilateral breathing and I felt like my form was starting to improve.  It felt like that was one of the sloppiest swims I've ever done, but I got it done.

Making my way through the water (Pic: Stude)

Bike
I felt as if my swim to bike transition took forever, but we will never really know as my chip malfunctioned and combined my swim and transition time.  I had so much heckling positive support from my cheer section that even the transition volunteers were laughing.  After what felt like the most awkward bike mount ever, I was on my way.  It felt good to be on to something that I felt more comfortable with.

He thought my hecklers supporters were funny (Pic: Mama C)

I was not sure how hard to go on the bike, but I knew that it was a short ride so I made the most of it.  The course was two loops, which was nice because I knew how to use the hills to my advantage on the second time around and also because I got to see Mr K and the cheer peeps twice.  The weather was terrific - cool with little wind and clouds and I was having the most fun ever.  I passed people when I could and I was passed a time or two myself - darn it.  Officially I averaged 16.6 mph,  but if you go with their advertised distance of 12.6 miles and my watch then I averaged 17.3 mph.  Either way I am beyond happy with it as I have not been on my bike much at all this year.

All smiles on the bike (Pic: Mama C)

Run
Now for the thing that I know the best, running.  I was dreading the dead leg feeling of running off to the bike, and it wasn't easy at first, but it was not as bad as I was expecting.  I got a great send off from the cheer squad and then talked to my legs a little bit. I tried not to look at my watch too much and just let my legs do what they would do.  It was an out-and-back course and I was really happy to see the turn around near mile 1.5.  It is amazing what a mental boost that gives me - just knowing that I am running towards the finish line instead of away from it.

Home stretch! (Pic: Stude)

 I really started to feel like things were clicking in mile 2 and I saw Byron, Stude, and Jessica again about a half mile from the end.  Stude jumped in and reminded me that if I could still talk I wasn't sprinting and that was just the kick in the pants that I needed to bring home the negative split.  Huge smiles as I saw my cheer squad and hit the finish line. I heard the announcer call my name and say that it was my first triathlon!  I had done it!  I finished the run in 26:42 for an average pace of 8:36 - I might be the most proud of this part of the race!

Victory! (Pic: Mama C)

I finished in 1:23:51 - well under my estimated time of 1:30 - good enough for 7th place in my age group.  But even more importantly, I had the most fun!  I loved how fast paced it was and how just when you get tired of doing one thing it is time to change to the next.  I learned some good lessons too and I have some ideas on what to work on and what to try to do better in the next one.  Yep, the next one - I can't wait until I can give this another shot.  I am hooked.

Best Cheer Squad Ever (Pic: Stude)

I can't thank Mr K and the cheer squad - Tibs, Mama C, Drum, Stude, Cherry, Rick, Abby (ruff!), 6E, Goat, Jessica, and Marci enough.  Not only did they make me a star on the course, but they made it even more fun with their cheers and support.  They played a huge part in all of those big smiles you see in the pictures and I wish that they could be at all of my races!  It is going to be hard to top this one!