The Couple's Triathlon - Triathlon

OK, this sucked. I knew this swim would. Well, not knew but I had my suspicions. I had hurt my shoulder Saturday morning on the bike ride. I knew I would feel it today and I did. I started off strong but instantly felt my shoulder start fatiguing. So, I found some feet and grabbed on (my first ever time drafting!). This worked well until we swam through some huge gobs of seaweed and I got tied up. Some went into my suit and scratched me with every stroke. So, I had to stop and detangle myself, pull the seaweed out of my suit and by the time I started again I lost my feet. Speaking of feet, my ankle strap was too loose, so every time I started to point my feet to kick, it would start to fall off. So, no kicking (not that I kick much anyway, but with my shoulders so tired it would have helped).

I'm not even at the first bouy and I'm freaking out. My shoulder is done, telling me it's not going on. I can't kick my way through. The water is so hot I'm getting a massive headache. What do I do? I can't DNF a swim! So, I decide to make each stroke go as far as possible because I know I don't have many strokes in me. Speed be damned, it's time for gliding. Stroke, glide, glide, glide, ok, I'm stopping, time for the next stroke. Stroke, glide, glide, glide. Next stroke. Worked my way incredibly slowly through the water doing this. My shoulder is not happy but it agreed to this arrangement. I figured the fastest I could have been moving is 1:50s, but I didn't want to know. I caught a few groups ahead of me and finally turned the corner to the end. Here's the washing machine. Ug! I got blocked from the last bouy by a really agressive girl from a few waves ahead of me. She kept pushing me into it in an attempt to not let her pass. So, I had to swim around her from behind and I guess I kicked someone (hate doing that!) because next thing I know someones actually shaking my foot. I look around and some guy goes "thanks!" but he was smiling, so I really don't know what that was about. Finally, I'm out of the water and apologizing profusely to my poor shoulder.

Couldn't do much here except not go for a rough bike ride the day before. However, as this was not an A race, I couldn't sacrifice my longer training rides for this one.

I will bring a water bottle down with me to the swim start from now on. Even if I lose it, it will be worth having a bit of water and not being dehydrated before the race even starts.

Average T1. Ran all the way to the transition area, got in, cleaned off the feet, put on the shoes, helmet and glasses and took off. I still can't run in my shoes, so I have to work on something there if I want to improve this. Otherwise it was smooth sailing.

Learn to run in the bike shoes

OK, I so do not know what happened here! Let me explain. First off, as I said earlier, this was not an A race for me. I went for a 60+ mile ride the day before. I knew I'd be tired today. So, I decided to play a game with myself. I did not wear a watch. I did not wear a hrm. I even took the computer off of my bike. I wanted no feedback. I was afraid feedback would make me push too hard and I wanted to take it easy. Secondly, my bike is broken. If I switch my from gears, I lose my chain. So, no shifting between the big and small chainring. This course has some killer hills, so I go to the easy ring before the race starts and decide to keep it there - no matter what.

So, I head out on the bike course. I can only spin, can't push any hard gears because if I shift, my chain falls off. I spin up the hills and can't even pedal down them so I just lay down on the bike and hope to gain enough speed to help get up the next hill. I felt awful, I felt like I wasn't getting the speed I needed to give me that nudge up the uphills and even had to stand and try not to die on a few of them.

I finally finished and figured I had averaged maybe 14. I was really fighting with the lack of gears. When we saw the results, I had to run my fingers across the paper 5 times before I was convinced this was my time. How on earth did I average over 20mph???? I have never done that before, so this is awesome. I'm still not sure I believe it though!

Before we got the results, my only surprise was that as I pulled up into transiiton I hadn't seen Chad yet. Because it was a couple's tri, we were finally in the same starting wave. The thought was I'd beat him on the swim and he'd catch me on the bike. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen him.

Fix my bike. Other then that, I don't know, I did better then I ever expected to do here.

OK, this transition time is rediculously slow. I do have a good excuse though. As I was leaving, I heard my name. There was Chad, entering transition! So, I waited for him to get ready and we headed off together on the run course.

My time was essentially doubled as I waited for Chad's entire transition. Mine alone was smooth, so nothing really

I knew this wouldn't be a fast run. I'm still healing and haven't worked in speed work at all to my runs lately. Then the fact that I can't run up hills and we knew it would be slow. That's ok though, I expected it. The fun part was I ran with Chad. First time we've been able to do that during a race. We ran all but the 2 big uphills, I had to walk those as I'm not risking reinjury at this point. So, our time/pace was right what I expected.

This part was fun, running along cheering for the bikers still out there, chatting with Chad, having a great time. We pass a girl and she starts making fun of me - "So you're the peppy one I keep hearing! How do you have the energy to cheer for everyone???" I told her I have to, it's that or cry from the pain. Chad then goes "great, I'm running with Chipper Jen". If you haven't read the book The Nonrunner's Marthon Guide for Women, I highly recommend it. Possibly the funniest book ever written. Chipper Jen is a character in the book. When Chad made that comment I said I'm going to buy a cheerleader costume for my next race. He said it would be appropriate.

Towards the end, a girl I met in transition earlier ran by. I had met Mimi before the race, it was her first one and she was pretty nervous so I tried to help her out a bit. She was very sweet. We met in transition after the swim and again after the bike, talking briefly each time. As she ran by I started cheering for her. After the race she said it was so awesome having me out there cheering her on the whole way, so that was really touching. She said she had tons of fun and will do more tris, so mission accomplished! :)

Back to the actual run, Chad and I finally see the finish line and decide to finish together, holding hands above our heads. However, 2 other women actually pushed by us right before the picture. So, we'll see if they ruined it or not. Our finishing times were exactly the same, to the fraction of the second. Pretty cool! I thought one of our chips would have registered slightly before the others.

Nothing - this was great fun.

Massage! They didn't make us pay for massages at this race, so we signed up and I had my calves worked on. However, towards the end she reached up towards my shoulders. Pop, poppoppoppoppop. I had no idea there were that many parts of the shoulder that could pop! Definitely explains part of the swim. I'm going to have to give my poor shoulder a bit of a break this week.


Tired shoulders, broken bike, and babying my hip. But, that's ok, I had tons of fun and that's what this race was about!


This race was up there with Keith's, well organized, great fun and a great post-race party. I'm so glad I did it and will definitey do this one again!