General Discussion Introduce Yourself!!! » NC Tri Newbie Rss Feed  
Moderators: IndoIronYanti, k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2006-01-13 11:52 PM

User image

Veteran
120
100
Raleigh, NC
Subject: NC Tri Newbie
Hello all,

I've been lurking out here a while. Gotten a lot of great tidbits of information. Thanks y'all!

I actually did my very first tri in 2005 and wrote the little summary below of my experience soon afterwards. My goal last year was to finish at least one tri...which I did. I'm signed up to do the same one in April and hope to do more than just finish this year. I'm also a single Mom desperate for advice from other single Moms on how you do it. I love tris because of the built-in cross-training...less chance of injury, less chance of getting into an exercise rut...etc. I'm not a great swimmer, but I do well enough to not drown and get to the bike. I am focusing my training this season on cycling and running and less on swimming simply because of the lack of time element with working full-time and trying to carve out a few quality minutes with my son at the end of every day.

Anyway...here's my first tri...

I find it so humorous to actually see the word "athlete" in any way associated with my name. The comedy of the events that actually led up to the race only help to accentuate the true "oddness" of me doing anything athletically related.

The format of the race was this:

300 yard swim (in a pool)
20k bike around UNCW
5k run around UNCW

http://www.set-upinc.com/rp5/azalea/azalea.shtml

Our race numbers were assigned based on what division we raced in...Novice for me...and what our estimated 300 yard swim time was. Through this seemingly innocuous combination of factors, I found myself with the number "666" written in permanent ink on my body...stuck to my bike helmet...stuck to my bike...and strapped around me with a race belt...oh yeah...and strapped around my ankle in the form of a timing chip.

The night before the race and the morning of the race, it rained...and rained...and rained...and
rained...and rained...getting the picture here...did I mention that it rained? According to the National Weather Service, it rained nearly 2" in that 24 hour period.

Despite nearly 2" of rain, 570 out of the 697 people who registered for the race...actually raced. Bill Scott, who runs Set-Up, Inc. and organized the event, said that was record turnout when you compare the percentage of people who registered to the ones who actually raced...he also added that we were all SICK...I'd have to agree.

So anyway...show up in the rain...set up in muddy and flooded transition area...leaving everything in a plastic garbage bag. No chance of quick transitions happening today. Drenched to the bone before even thinking about getting in the pool. Go get body marked with the "mark of the demon" as it was so affectionately referred to by a fellow racer....then wander about for a couple of hours before my swim start time rolls around. I managed to drown my cell phone too with all the rain.

My sister came down and brought my son to cheer me on. I asked her to kindly bring the sunshine with her when she arrived... and amazingly, it stops raining and the sun comes out just before I head back in to start my swim...YIPPIE! Okay...so there is some benefit from racing Novice and starting at the BOP.

Since the swim was in a pool, the start times were staged every 15 seconds beginning at 8:00 and running until around 11:30...with a few breaks in there. I started at 11:20:15.

300 yard swim time 8 minutes 54 seconds.

Not too far off from my anticipated 300 yard swim time...especially since this time included getting out of the pool and running down two flights of stairs and outside to the timing mat.

Pull on muddy wet running shoes for the dash around the building, through the construction zone (thoughtfully equipped with an 8" deep mud puddle), across the parking lot to the muddy wet transition area.

Slosh...slosh...slosh through the mud..."Hi son...Hi sis...thanks for the sunshine!" Weave my way around the people who had already finished the race and were just socializing. Off with the swim cap and goggles...on with socks and bike shoes...helmet...sunglasses (yea!) Wade through the 4" deep muddy puddle at the bike exit to the transition area. Over the timing mat...6 minutes 41 seconds on that transition. Run up to bike mount area...sis and son are there again...sis says..."Way to go!" My son says..."Go faster Mommy!" (Out of the mouths of babes!)

20k bike time 55 minutes 15 seconds.

Two laps through the campus and side streets around the college. Mostly flat. With the sunshine came a stiff breeze...head wind of course. Chain jumped off in mid-gear change about 3/4 way through the second lap...stop to fix that. Make my way back into the transition area...slosh...slosh...slosh through the muddy puddle again. Off with the bike gear...on with the muddy, wet running shoes...hat...oh yeah...don't forget the race belt with that "number" on it. Slosh...slosh...slosh, squish...squish...squish through the mud at the gate at the run exit to the transition area. Over the timing mat again...2 minutes 35 seconds on that transition.

5k run time 47 minutes 19 seconds.

Well...if you call what I do running. It's more like a slow shuffle...when I'm not actually walking. Out and back on the sidewalks of the campus. Back through the mud and muck across the finish line. Exhausted, wet and muddy but ...WHOOO HOOOOO! I did it!

Total time 2 hours and 47 seconds. If not DFL...pretty darn close...but I DID IT!!



2006-01-14 2:07 AM
in reply to: #324060

User image

Expert
831
50010010010025
Raleigh, NC
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Hi Teri...sounds like you had an adventure at Azalea. I'm here in Raleigh as well. I did three sprints last year and now my wife is getting into it. Keep up with (log) your training here on BT and we can all help you with it. We do have some convenient (and not crowded) pools in the area...you should at least try to swim once a week. Good luck with training...send me a PM if I can help.
2006-01-14 8:13 AM
in reply to: #324060

User image

Master
1462
10001001001001002525
Michigan
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Congrats on doing your first tri. lad to hear your not a lurker anymore.
2006-01-17 8:40 PM
in reply to: #324060

User image

Expert
725
50010010025
Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Hey, where do you live? That was also my first tri, and our times are pretty similar. We probably went past each other on the run. 
2006-01-17 8:49 PM
in reply to: #326204

User image

Veteran
120
100
Raleigh, NC
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Howdy, I'm from Raleigh...and I have to say we're pretty lucky here in NC to have so many tri options so close!

Did you do any other NC races last year?
2006-01-17 8:56 PM
in reply to: #324060

User image

Expert
725
50010010025
Wilmington, NC
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Yep, I ran the Kure Beach double Sprint at the end of June and the Wilmington tri at the end of September.

Had a blast at all of them!

Sigh... Everybody seems to live in Raleigh-Durham area that joins here.


2006-01-17 8:59 PM
in reply to: #324060

User image

Expert
831
50010010010025
Raleigh, NC
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Last year I did Triangle, Mission Man and Wilmington. This year I will be doing at least seven of the NCTS races. Before each race there is usually a thread asking who's gonna be there and where can we meet up to say "hi".
2006-01-17 9:07 PM
in reply to: #326212

User image

Veteran
120
100
Raleigh, NC
Subject: RE: NC Tri Newbie
Well, fortunately Wilmington is a short 2-hour drive away.

I've registered for Azalea again and for the White Lake sprint this year so far. I thought about Kure Beach, but I don't like swimming in surf. I will definitely consider the Wilmington for September this year....ocean, yes...but no surf
New Thread
General Discussion Introduce Yourself!!! » NC Tri Newbie Rss Feed