Kirkland Triathlon - TriathlonSprint

Right before the first wave gets going I finally find Jeff. Then the 10 second countdown and the elite group takes off. Five minutes later the second wave goes. Now time for the pink caps, women 30-34 to come down the chute and get in the water. Wait! That’s me. Oh crap. Five minutes to go. Into the water. Hey, it’s not THAT cold. Submerge and get over the hyperventilating. Did I mention I was part of the 15% that did not wear a wet suit… Put my face under water. Oh dear. I can’t see anything. That’s ok, I can do this.

Ten second countdown. Horn blows. We are underway. Me and 83 of my closest friends. And contrary to “someone’s” opinion, 83 women in a wave IS NOT heaven. Actually, I am not sure how many actually started, but 83 were registered and 61 finished. Either way, that is a lot of splashing in already choppy water due to the weather. Swim, swim, inhale water, choke, panic, cough, try again. Same result. Oh crap. I am in trouble. It was about 100 yards to the first buoy and just over halfway was a kayak. I read in the rules you can hang on to the kayak and rest without penalty. But if they pull you out of the water you are done. Just before the first kayak I am thinking about quitting. Thinking very hard. The thought is actually consuming my mind. I see them pull a guy from the previous wave out of the water. That could be me in a few minutes. I wave to the kayak and swim over, grab on and try to catch my breath. I can’t make myself quit, I want to but I can can’t. I figure I can make it to the next kayak at the first buoy and then decide. I make it and the next wave has already started and probably catching me. I see some other pink caps but most are long gone. I can’t stop hyperventilating. I can’t put my head in the water. The chop is too much, I am too freaked out. I see the next kayak. I can make it…

So I keep swimming, agonizingly slowly. Backstroke, modified breaststroke, sidestroke, doggy paddle. Anything but the crawl. All that work on my form is useless. I can’t breath and keep inhaling water. I make it to the surfboard guy who asks if I am ok. I say no. He laughs. I wasn’t kidding. He says I am halfway there, so I say I might as well finish. Another wave is catching and passing me. I really want to quit. I am just about to quit. Swimming towards one of the surfboards. Jacka$$ backs away. HELLO! WTF? Fine, I will keep going then. When I finally rounded the last outer buoy and headed back to shore I kept thinking that Jeff is probably wondering what happened. I can see the last of the pink caps running through the arch on shore. Another wave of women is passing me. I want to rest on that kayak so bad, but he keeps backing up to keep on the outer side of all the swimmers. I finally decide that I am not going to quit no matter what. Finally, I can touch the bottom and wade in the rest of the way. I see Jeff waving. I want to throw up. But I did it. Now, how the hell am I going to finish this race, I have no energy left, the water sapped it out of me. I want to cry.


Everything. Well, basically a lot more swimming in general and a ton more swimming in the lake. And not the lake close to my house. That one is too calm. I need to get used to the chop and get comfortable with it. I wasn't so worried about the other swimmers as I was just freaking out with the water.

I took my time in transition putting on my shoes, drinking something besides lake water. Strapped on the helmet, grabbed the bike and ran towards the line. Unfortunately I forgot to stop right before the transition area time marker line and use the little port-a-potty. Hmmm. Now I can’t go back over that line, can I? But I gotta go! Oh well, maybe there will be one on the bike course.

Be less stressed out. Other than that, it was good.

Well, there were a lot of wind, rain and hills on the bike course, but no bathrooms. Overall, I was really proud of how I did on the bike. I beat an hour and that was a really hilly course, and I am not strong on the bike to begin with. It was a bit insulting being passed by the 13 year old boy and 13 year old girl on the course. But I also passed two women from my wave. That felt great. I also hit 30mph on one section. Then slowed down because the vision of what my body would look like should I lose it was not so pleasant. Felt great at the end of the bike. Now if I could just find a bathroom before the run, I would be euphoric.

Train more on the bike instead of stationary. Ride more hills - I had to walk up a couple of those hills. Be in better shape. But overall I was happy with the bike.

No suck luck…Hit the transition area, put my bike in the rack, grabbed my hat, and headed out. Right in front of the roped-off bathrooms for the park is a girl hawking water. I tell her I would rather have a bathroom. She thinks I am kidding…

Nothing. Well, maybe find a way to use the bathroom...

Ok, meandering my way on the course back to the road and THERE ONE IS! Damn, it is occupied. I can’t wait. I keep going - I know there is one at the halfway point of the run, if I can just make it that far. More insult – I am on my way out (about ¼ mile into run) and seven month pregnant woman passes me going the other way – she has less than ¼ mile to go. Jeff tried to convince me that she started with the elite group, but I am certain she passed me either on the swim or the bike. Great. I feel like I am going so slow up these hills, but that is ok. I walk a couple of times because I STILL can’t catch my breath. Wait, what is that I see? Two women from my wave just up ahead. I can stay with them. No, I can pass them. I pass them both just before the turnaround point. Now I see the last chance pitstop, but I pass it up because, well, I just passed people from my wave. I WON”T BE LAST if I can stay ahead of them! Suck it up, gut it out. I even passed a few more on the way back – well it was more downhill. Hit the last corner, just have to finish. This woman is screaming at me to put it all out there – if only she knew I just wanted to use the bathroom! I FINISHED!

Train better, more endurance. Work on my breathing a lot more.

Lots of walking around. Stretching. Smiling. Talking to some friends.


I was not in the kind of shape I should have been. I was not mentally prepared for the swim, but I did well on the other two legs.


Loved it! Can't wait until next year.