Sacramento International Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

I wasn't too nervous before the start cause I've done this one other time, except this mornings swim leg was three times as long as the last one. When I started to swim things went downhill very quickly. I felt panicked and my breathing got very irradic and I began swallowing water. Then the "oh my god what was I thinking- I can't swim that well-how will I ever make it" thoughts began. I looked around me and realized that everyone had left me in the dust and it was me and a couple other stragglers and the canoes. It was such a demoralizing sight and I just wanted to cry. I don't know what got into me. Why was I having a panic attack? So then I just did whatever it took to continue forward until I felt calm and comfortable to swim again. I was actually amused when I was doggy paddling as fast as the person next to me doing free-style and it made me feel better cause there was someone who swam as bad as me. So then I just took it two strokes at a time till I got to the first bouy. Then my goal just became making it to the next bouy, so I did about 8-10 strokes at a time. Another man and I kept bumping into eachother which was also amusing since we weren't in a pack of any kind. So I just kept struggling along until I finally finished. My hubby and daughter were waiting for me up at the ramp. He said he was worried about me cause I was out there so long and having such a hard time. He asked me if I cramped up or something and I said no. I was just pretending I knew how to swim.

I need to practice in open water as much as posible. I feel totally fine in the pool, but when you throw in murky water and choppiness I get freaked. Some swim lessons wouldn't hurt either. Actually, I really, really need swim lessons.

So I hobbled the long long long way to T1 from the boat ramp at the port. It was rocky and a little painful in barefeet, but it was actually like Christmas compared to the swim I had just done. I had a hard time getting the suit off the timing chip ankle. I also kept pulling the tighting strap off the helmet and having to re-attach it.

Check my helmet the morning of the race in case the little one messes with it and changes my fit settings.

So I kept slipping trying to clip into the pedals, but again, I didn't care cause I made it through the swim. I was happy to be on the bike and that's when the race got fun for me. Then the wind hit. Holy geez, it was like pedaling into a wall. I was going at it with all my might and was only going 9mph!! And the wind just didn't let up for the longest time, until we hit a turn-around point and it stopped. I got my speed up to 20 mph, which is fast for me. Turn down another street, the wind comes back. It was a doozy, but I trucked on. I felt a funny crampy pain on the inside of my left thigh and was hoping it wouldn't effect my run. What a strange place for a cramp. I think it has to do with me not being comfortable on my saddle and I shift my weight to alieviate the discomfort. By the way, I got passed by a million Olympic distance folks who blazed past me like I was a dead skunk on the road.

Really need a new saddle. Maybe oil my chain too.

So dear hubby was waiting right next to my transition spot to take pictures of me and I was just not in the mood for that kind of distraction so I banished him. I feel bad now. Anywho, not much else to tell. Oh yeah, I got lost exiting the transition area and started running the wrong way. I'm sure the event people were wondering who this crazy poser of a triathlete I was.

Watch where the other folks are running.

It was hot out there! But I was finally excited to do the event that I'm ok at. The run is pretty much the only leg that I do the passing. So, that's what I did. All though I was so far at the back of the pack starting off that there weren't too many folks to pass but the ones that were there I did. So there.

Carry a tiny water bottle with me cause it was really hot and I could have used just a little more hydration.

A nice long tinkle followed by a bunch of licorice.


I didn't do the mental preparation for this race that I did for my first tri. It made a difference. I thought too highly of my abilities and just didn't prepare my mental pre-game and strategy very well. So while I was racing I had to really encourage myself to keep going and stick it out despite my rocky start.


At first I had a poor impression of the organizers of the event. The one course map they had was pretty vague, bad driving directions to the event, only two people doing body markings for a 3 event race. Then the announcer got on the loud speaker and said to forget about the body marking, we came here to race not stand in line, yadda yadda. So I realized that this is a super low-key casual but fun group. They were pretty amusing to listen to on the loud speaker. I will do another race from this group, but be prepared to bring my own post race food (it was gone when I got there).