The swim was last. My time includes a "walk really fast into the rec. center (officials said we could not run-liability) and a "lengthy, goofy struggle with my STUPID swimsuit" transition. I didn't wear it under my clothes (a comfort issue) and had to put it on in the locker room. After that, I couldn't seem to get into my swimming rhythm. I think I was thinking how I just survived the run and bike. Since my time wasn't really an issue and my family and friends were up above the pool in the observation area, I did a little backstroke thing and waved to them. I took my sweet time. The hardest part of the swim was climbing out of deep end of the pool w/o a ladder to get my timing chip across the sensor. I felt like one of those walruses trying to get up onto the beach. My husband assures me I didn't look that way, though. That was the right thing for him to say.

Wear swimsuit under my other clothes. Mentally focus, focus, focus, even when fatigued. I used breaststroke during this swim and will learn TI freestyle by spring. Learn to climb out of the pool with grace and flair :)

This is the transition from run to bike. I think because of the excitement of my first tri, my heartrate was higher than I wanted it to be. I never felt "caught up" with myself. I can't explain it. I was trying to not let the fact I was near the last of the racers bother me and stick to my goal of finishing in under 2 hrs.

Take my sunglasses out of my shoe before trying to put the shoe on ;), figure out something different with my bike shoes so I can get them on faster.

Bike was second, after the run. I noticed the cold on the bike because my knuckles got numb. This was to only time I even noticed the cold. I went about the pace I thought I would. I did some walking on the hills, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Lose the extra 45 lbs. I am lugging around. Figure out something to do with my bike shoes so I don't have issues with them at transition.
Zip up my shell. I was a giant sail, but I got cooled off. I would wear the windproof glove covers I had set out because my fingers DID get numb. I would focus on my pedaling stroke. I would ride a road or tri bike rather than a mountain bike. Not walk up hills.

This is the transition from bike to swim.

Wear my swimsuit so my battle with it isn't timed. It wasn't pretty. Remember to take off helmet.

The run was first. I took off at my pace, which was slow, but I got through the course. I was chugging along and heard a "whir/rumble" sound. It was the first place guy going past me on his bike. His tri bike had a rear disk and it sounded very cool.

Turn off the beeper on my heartrate monitor. I knew I was over where I wanted to be and I was trying to bring it down, but it kept beeping at me. I finally turned off the entire monitor. ARGH!

I needed to do this, but didn't have time. I got done and POOF! it was award time.


If I only had to name one thing, it would be the extra 45 lbs I am carrying. Losing that would make all the difference in the world.

My goal was to finish, period. But I would be extra happy if I did it in under 2 hours and I did that. This was my first tri and I didn't know what to expect. My times were what I thought I would do, except for the swim. I just couldn't seem to mentally get it together for that. With all the stuff going on, I just didn't seem to have the focus I am capable of. My body and mind went into "autopilot". I learned the importance of mental preparation. I learned that when one's brain checks out, the body does what it has been trained to do. That is exactly what happened to me and it worked out OK-not great, but OK. I have come such a long way since the last week of July. I can run more than 100 yards and swim more than 50 yards without gasping for air. I just finished a triathlon!

This was my husband's first tri and he did well.

Lessons learned from this experience (in no particular order): 1. Don't use the audio on my heart rate monitor. It rattled me because my heartrate was only slightly over my setting and the beeping drove me nuts a la Quasimoto "THE BELLS! THE BELLS!" 2. Go your own pace (I did that and I was fine). 3. Wear my swimsuit under my clothes. 4. Get a road bike. Use a road bike. 5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I would forget to drink because I wasn't hot, but I was sweating. I drank about a million gallons of water when I got home. 6. Remember to take the sunglasses out of the bike shoe before trying to put the shoe on. 7. I must prepare for physical AND mental fatigue. 8. Take my helmet off before leaving the bike to swim transition. Actually, I was going to use it as a flotation device in case all went south during the swim (just kidding). :) 9. Learn TI freestyle. 10. Zip up my jacket while on the bike so I am not a big sail. 10. It is difficult to munch on a doughnut and run at the same time (I ate maybe an 1/8th of it). 11. Cold weather isn't noticable when I am racing. 12. I AM HOOKED ON THIS SPORT!!



I was near the end of the bike group and the road volunteers were gone. I was nearly hit by a woman who decided a Jeep Cherokee at a stop sign had the right of way over a bicylist making a left turn w/o a stop sign. The cop who was regulating the intersection had just left 10 seconds earlier (literally, I saw him up the road). I wish all the volunteers would have been around a little longer for us slow folks.

All entrants got a sweatshirt and finishers got a medal.

One of the local TV stations filmed all of us at the beginning of the tri because of the race's connection to Garrett Bardsley. I was told I was seen on TV, but I was sound asleep by the time the news came on and I didn't see it. It doesn't matter to me because I don't want to see what I look like from the back ;)

Garrett Bardsley is a 12 year old boy who became lost in the Uinta Mountains last August and is presumed dead (www.findgarrett.org). His family are regular participants in this event sponsored by the UVSC Tri Club (www.uvsctri.com) and the money raised today ($5K) will go to build a school in Ecuador in Garrett's memory.

Thank you for taking the time to read my report. I hope it contains some information that either 1. helps you; 2. makes you laugh while envisoning the scene; or 3. makes you shake your head and wonder why I am even doing this.