OH MY GOD! I almost DNF'd. I have NEVER in my life been that afraid before in my entire life. The water was so cold it took my breath away and I started to hyperventilate. I turned around with EVERY intention of DNFing and then a calmer voice took over. A woman near me was saying "I can't do this, it's too cold" and I thought, no, she can do this, I can do this, we trained for this. I can do this! I started yelling, "No, you *Can* do this, if I can do this, ANYONE CAN, KEEP SWIMMING" Fat lot of good that did. She totally panicked and started crying for help and then started to drown. A few of us swam to her and got her help and then continued on. I did it. I have no idea what my time was but I did it. I got through the swim. Yes, I did the Esther Williams Side stroke (Ya know I can side stroke as fast as some of the men freestyle) but about halfway through I got over my fear and put my face in the water and did it. A woman, Vicki, was near me and we hung together. I could have left her at that point and finished out of the water a good five minutes earlier, but when I was afraid she helped me. The men started behind us (This was bone headed, to say the least) and started to overtake us, "back of the packers". She kept looking back saying "Here they come" and sounded really scared. I told her to just keep swimming and stop looking back. I could not leave her after she enoucraged me so I stuck it out with her.

At the end of the swim I felt good. I was warm, felt like I was ready for my 1/2 mile run to the Y in Grand Haven and knwe I would finish.

NOT PANIC! Now that I have done it once I know I can do it again, swim that is, not panic.

I fish for those darn pedals every time. I need to work on that.

I hammered, for me, on the bike today. I was passed by three guys but I caught two on the run. The third just had a bad swim but could bike like a maniac so I am ignoring him. I did not pass anyone but I was hardly passed. I normally bike an average of 13 mph but today I was rolling along (except for those two NASTY hills) at a fair clip and averaged 15 mph. I know I can go faster. My TRi Bike (Which I now have permission from the Lord of the Finances, also known as my husband, to buy at the end of the summer!) will shave off a mile or two and hour and time on the bike will get me into a more competative position.

Get a better bike.

Short in and out

More Bricks. I need to learn to run on Jell-O legs

I just didn't... well that is not true but I walked more than I wanted to. I don't like that. I was almost there, but not quite. Soon.

I was running back along the boardwalk in Grand Haven. I grew up there. I was looking at the green of Kitchel Dune and the Kitchel/Lindquist Dunes Preserve. My mother, along with a very few others, worked to create that preserve (her name was Lindquist). I was looking at that dune and thinking of her and crying. It was a special and private moment.

Nothing more training will not cure.

Training but I did well for a first time effort.


I am not pleased with some of the problems with this event. They did not start on time (well I cannot complain too much) but more importantly they did not limit the number of entrants at a first time event. They have over 600 and they planned for 200. They ran out of food before I finished and the Towels that said "FInisher" on them (I really wanted one of those) and for the poor suckers that came in after me they ran out of medals, which would have broken my heart. They complained that too many people sign up at the last minute but that is what people do. They are experienced and run Tri's all the time around the state so why they could not pull off a better tri I do not know. One of the Volunteers was shouting: "You're almost there" to the runners as they came out of T2.. sorry folks, that is NOT almost there.

I am not mad I am sad about some of the faux pas. They also started the males in the sprint after the females. WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT! I was not the only one overswum. Many women in the mid pack were as well. That was a bad idea. Will I do another one of their events? Yes, probably but they only get one more chance.