Tri for the Cure - TriathlonSprint

I felt really good on the swim. My arms didn't really start getting sore until I finished 200m. So, I did freestroke for half and breast stroke for half. I actually PASSED someone! I couldn't believe it. Then someone passed me, but by the last 100m I probably could've passed her back because I could tell she was losing steam, but I just kinda hung out behind her since we were almost done.

I don't know - I think for my first tri - I did pretty good on the swim part! Obviously training more would have helped me do better, and maybe helped with the arm fatigue.

AND - a 50m run from the pool to T1 was included in our time - so I'm not sure how long just the swim was.

I used T1 to catch my breath and make sure I had everything on that needed to be on. Our T1 time was split - part of it was clocked from the time we got out of the pool and ran across a line. And then the other part was included in the bike.

Make sure my helmet straps were untwisted and ready to go. I had to unbuckle and rebuckle my helmet 3 times because I could tell it was twisted! Argh.

The bike SUCKED. Oh my gosh I thought I was going to die. I was riding a mountain bike for one - and I think that definitely slowed me down. But I definitely did not spend enough time on the bike. I had no idea what gears I should have been in, so I kept messing with them to see what worked. Even with the adjustments I made to my seat, my sitz bones in my butt were still aching. I think I definitely need a bike fitting.

Since it was an all women's race, they had some guys from a local tri group 'patrolling' to make sure we were all doing OK. I think one of the guys lapped me about 6 times. When I finished my first 4 mile loop, I wanted to cry thinking that I still had to do another loop! haha

My thighs were on fire, my butt hurt, and I wanted to quit. But I didn't.

TRAIN MORE! And figure out what in the heck to do with my gears.

So, when I got off the bike - I seriously thought my legs were going to collapse underneath me. That feeling was CRAZY. My thighs felt like jello. And I still had to run???

So I took my bike back to my area...and that's when I saw my husband and kids for the first time! Instant motivation came over me! I saw their happy faces, and my kiddos yelling "Go Mommy!"

Flung my helmet off, put my visor on, swung my race number around to the front, and took off to the start of the run.

So, it took quite awhile for me to get my legs back after my horrible bike. I was probably about a quarter mile in before I even thought about trying to run. My strategy was to run all out for 60 seconds, and then walk as long as I needed to to regain my breath, rinse and repeat.

There was a gal that during my walking part, she would pass me - and then when I ran again I would pass her. She had been continuously running, as opposed to my run/walk. As we were getting ready to turn on to the track and finish our last half mile, I could tell she was starting to burn out. I had passed her and was on the track, and I turned around to see where she was. I yelled "Come on momma!" (had no idea if she was a mom - don't know why I said that) Her eyes brightened and she came and caught up to me - we jogged the rest of the way together - talking (or panting) about how this was the first triathlon for both of us, how we were so looking forward to finishing and saying that we did it. As we were coming around the last corner before the finish line - my son was trying to run onto the track! It was really cute. But I looked over at my new friend, and I said "Do you think we can sprint it out to the finish?" She said "Sure" - so we took off! And ran as fast as our exhausted bodies could take us over the finish line. It was awesome! They took off our timing chips, we hugged and said congratulations. I never even caught her name. But we did it...together.

Definitely not bring my water bottle with me. I wasn't sure where the water stations were going to be, so I brought it - but it was awkward carrying it and running at the same time. And it had gatorade in it, instead of water - so when the water stations did come up, I wanted actual water so I grabbed a cup. But then I got the sloshing feeling in my belly and it made me feel gross. So, for that short of a run, I definitely don't need to drink that much.

I didn't really warm down - I just walked over to the transition area to pack up. Then my hubby rode my bike with all my stuff back to the truck, and I carried my little guy on my hip while the rest of my kiddos walked behind us.

I got home, ate some lunch, and took a 3 hour nap. HA! Felt like I had been run over by a truck.


My inexperience on the bike for sure.


This was a great first race for me! I rated the course as "just right" because if my butt would have been in better shape for the bike, it would have gone better.

After I got out of the shower this morning, and wiped the fog off the mirror - I looked at myself and thought "I am a triathlete!!!!"