I finished my first ever triathlon last weekend! It was a sprint one-5K run, 20K bike and 400m swim. This is reverse order from your normal triathlons.
It was definitely fun. I really wasn't nervous before the race-just worried about how the bike ride would go. Diana and I got there and basically just followed what everyone else was doing. We checked in and then had to get our "markings". Race number on both arms and then your age on your right calf-yes! I am not kidding. I could not believe they did that. It did prove to be helpful though as people were flying by me on the bike. (You go 23-year old!)
The race was Saturday evening at 4:30PM. It was a mere 108 degrees at the start. They started the race in 3 waves-men under 40 first. 10 minutes later, men over 40 and finally, 10 minutes after that, women and relays. The course was much hillier than anything around Gilbert. The first mile plus of the run was downhill and the rest was uphill into the sun. It was brutal! I finished the running part in 4th place with a time of 23 something.
Then, onto the worrisome part-the bike ride. I worried about a couple things-wiping out, riding with other people around me and getting a flat. Luckily the wiping out and getting a flat did not happen. Riding with other people around me was not as bad as I thought it would be-I just apologized a lot whenever I thought I was getting too close to people. Oh! Almost forgot-one of those hope-they-don't-remember-me moments. When one participates in a triathlon there are these "transition zones" marked off with duct tape. Well, being the rookie that I am-I did not realize that you are not allowed to ride your bike in this transition zone-oops! You have to walk your bike to the tape and THEN get on-oops! Sorry about that! They yelled at me and I got off my bike and just apologized to everyone around.
Back to the bike ride-I had been told by numerous people that the bike part was going to kill me. Not because I am a terrible biker, but because I don't have a race bike. They were definitely not kidding. After being 4th in the run, my bike effort was 60th-yikes! I was pedalling my little legs as fast as I could and people were just flying by. After only riding on completely flat roads, the race course was either up or downhill-the same loop three times. I was always hoping the next turn was going to be the one where we got to go downhill! I still ended up in 27th place for women-not bad, I guess. So-no matter what Lance Armstrong's book is called- it IS about the bike!
The results are here. Diana really should have been 32nd. Her number was 32, she is 32 and she finished 32nd. I was yelling at her to get out of the pool (you had to get out and cross over this mat to be officially done), but the girl behind her got out of the pool before her.
As soon as my camera comes out of hiding I will post some pictures. It's not lost...it's just misplaced.
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