Tri for the Cure - TriathlonSprint

At about 7:50 ish (for an 8:00AM) start we made our way to the swim platform. I would call it bleachers but it really was not. They were 2-3 foot stairs into the water, rickety ol’ plywood. Eh, we’d figure it out. After hugs and kisses from Josh (no one else unfortunately) we got to the top of the platform and realized a ton of people were already in the water. Who the heck wants to tread water for 10 minutes? NOT ME! Especially since we decided to go wetsuitless.

Once I got to the buoy it was pure chaos, apparently a lot of people want to be on the inside. One girl kept going under and we yanked her up a few times and told her to hang on to the green floaty buoy, sheesh! Stress, but it kept my mind off of the race! I was about 3 back and off to the side. We were so crammed it was hard to tread water and some girls got a little freaked and started shouted for people to spread out. The chaos made me laugh. All I heard was a countdown then we started swimming, apparently there was an airhorn to begin the race.

It was VERY jumbled at the start but I found a decent stroke and sighted really well all the way out to the first turn (we swam a big rectangle). Some people would cut right in front of you and you would find yourself grabbing their butt, legs, head, it was great. I got kicked hard once and swallowed a nice gulp of recalimed water - YUM! I passed a few people at the start but then found myself in pretty open water for a while. I knew I was probably in the middle of the pack. I rounded the first buoy and made it quickly to the turn around where the sun was in my eyes. This is where I got off course for a bit, I realized the orange marker buoy for swim line was about 30 feet to my right now whereas they had been 3-5 on the way in so I did what I hated everyone else doing and sort of started cutting in. That’s really the only problem I had and I am sure that slowed me down a bit.

Once rounding the last buoy I swam to the platform where they yelled at us to give them our arms where they would pull us “straight up and out of the water” I was like “uh uh no way, you ain’t hauling me out of the water.” So I sat my butt on the platform and stood up myself. Then I took on a 150-200 yard run to the transition where I saw Josh! HOORAY! He was so cute, shouting encouragement. There were a lot of spectators at this part. I had so much fun during the swim!





I should have worn the wetsuit, everyone who got out before my had on a suit. Also should have taken the time to sight better at the turn around.

I got into transition and things went smoothly, I took one big swig of water and threw my stuff on, said “HI” to my honey and ran with my bike to the mount line. TRAFFIC JAM! I did chat with the hubby a little bit more than I normally would have in a RACE RACE but I was out to have a good time.

SHUT UP!

Once I was on the bike the course wasn’t too packed. I rode in an easy gear for a little bit, I should have picked it up right away since I was feeling really good on the bike but I wanted to be sure to save myself “just in case.” I suppose this is where experience comes in. There was a bit of a climb about 2 miles out of transition and then a bigger hill on the backside that I just got FLYING down. The bike was awesome. Smooth streets, wide turns, and good fellowship – lots of ladies shouting encouragement. I was thrilled. I saw Josh coming in from my first lap…again he said some nice things and I shouted HI! I loved seeing him so much - hooray for fans! Then I dropped it into big ring and really cranked the second lap. That is, until my chain fell off…damn. I had to get off and put it back on, spin the wheel make sure all was well and get back on and climb the hill over Papago. I was not frustrated at all, just having a good time. I wish it would not have happened but of all bike mechanical problems, this one I could easily handle. But wow were my hands GREASY after that – it ended up ALL OVER ME!


Not lose my chain before a climb, lost some time there. Ride harder on the first lap.

Got off the bike and back into transition for the run feeling fine, I was sure to spin out the legs the last half-mile. Changed quick, saw Josh and the dismount line AND at transition (he was speedy). I was talking with him and I think even at one point he told me to “get going!” HA HA! But it was lingering in the back of my mind, the last few miles on the bike I thought, “hmm, it’s getting hot.” The forecast for the day was 105 and with the race not even starting until 8:00 we all had our worries.


SHUT UP! :) Take COLD water from the aid station on the way out of transition as there was only ONE on the course at mile 1.5.

The first five minutes were spent trying to get my heart rate down. I got it under control but I was just SO HOT. This is where the fun stopped for me. Therun part of the race was so secluded, no fans or spectators and SO exposed – no shade. Now I have a policy in a race: NEVER EVER WALK, not even aid stations. But after about 10 minutes I walked through one of the 5 whole shaded spots on the course. And then a few minutes later walked up a hill to the bridge, I was feeling pretty defeated. I got passed so much on the run. My head was feeling swirly and breathing in was awful because of the heat. My water was not used for drinking but kept going over my head, I was so hot. I got to the aid station at 1.5 miles in 14 minutes. I was on pace for a 30 minute 5K which would have been just dandy considering the walk breaks and heat. PLUS that would have put me in sub 1:30. But after taking on Gatorade and another cold cup of water over my head I was still struggling. I ran through the marina and saw my pace slipping away as I got passed and passed. At this point I stopped caring, I wanted this to be FUN! So I had to walk some more, any shade I started walking through. I was still doing okay, until the last big hill to Mill Ave Bridge. I had to walk the ENTIRE thing. But I was proud after it to say NO MORE WALKING and picked it up. Then there was the finish, I rounded the corner and felt so much better – who wouldn’t? I saw Josh and gave him thumbs up as I was thinking he may have been worried with my 32 minute 5K…then I just got my butt OVER the finish and practically pushed someone out of the way to get my COLD water.

So that was it…my race was over. My first – NEVER to be done again. But that’s okay because it was AWESOME! I never want things to be easy, and it wasn’t. The swim and bike was too damn fun so I had to pay somewhere right? All-in-all good fun, friends and a definite drive to continue doing tri’s! What more can you ask for?


Not sure, I just was not prepared for the heat and it kind of freaked me out as I had just had heat stroke training at work the day before! :)

Not much of a warm-down, got some water, tried to choke down some saw dust bar that someone gave me, oh that was a SoyJoy bar? Ugh that was awful. The after race refreshment was severely lacking.


THE HEAT! And the fact that I had only trained for this race for 6 weeks.