Shelburne, Vermont United States Race Vermont 75F / 24C Sunny

Total Time = 1h 17m 45s Overall Rank = 19/114 Age Group = 45 - 49 Age Group Rank = 2/6

The Background

Had you told me as recently as last April that I'd be running triathlons, I'd have chuckled. No ... I pretty much just run. It's all I've really done since I was a kid. I had a bike in High School, but never got into it as much as some of my friends. I recalled liking it ... completed a 100 miler, but then I just ran once I got out of college. Knowing me, I'd need to drop a bunch of money on a fairly good ride, all the gear that goes with it ... and that just didn't really ever appeal to me.

Then, an injury after last year's spring marathons required me to stop running in order to heal. And everything was looking like it was going to be a long time before I'd be able to run any sort of real mileage again. So I dropped a bunch of money on a fairly good ride, all the gear that goes with it, and decided I'd bike my way through the summer. Two of my friends, Tom and Sheila Weaver, were kind enough to show me all the amazing back roads of Vermont and stoked my fire for the ride with frequent weekend long rides.

Then, in August, I received an e-mail from the local running organization indicating that USA Triathlon would be hosting their National Age Group Championships in Burlington for 2011 and 2012. They wanted to show USAT what the local running community had to offer for volunteers, so I signed up. I was amazed at the scene when I showed up at 5am ... thousands of bikes and amazingly fit athletes from all over the country showed up to race in the sports premier amateur event. I was hooked.

Sheila suggested I start swimming with her Masters Swim group, but I had never really been a swimmer. I could hack out a few strokes chasing a frisbee, and I have always been very comfortable in the water, but I've never been a swimmer. But, as I said, I was hooked. I wanted to be part of that National Championship. They close down the local Interstate connector for part of the bike course!! I contacted the Masters Swim coach, identified myself as the swim hack that I am, and asked if he'd still work with me. An Ironman triathlete himself, he agreed to take me on.So I started swimming in October. I jumped in the pool, swam 25 yards, and wondered what I had done to myself. I was out of breath and completely in need of a few minutes of rest. But I stayed the course and showed up 3 or 4 times per week through the middle of June. I became a swimmer. Not really all that close to a front of the pack swimmer, but I could hold my own with the local triathlon crowd.

I signed up for two races that would allow me to compete for a spot at the National Championships to be held, again in Burlington, in August.Today was the first of those two races. The top 10% of each age group is allowed entry into the National Championships. Given that this is a smaller field (12 in my age group competed last year), I'd need to win my age group in order to get the spot. My August 5th race is a "special qualifier" and offers the spot to the top 33% of each age group ... there, I'd need to be top 5 in my group. I didn't think I'd be able to secure the win, given last year's times, but I wanted to race as hard as I could and get a feel for what these triathlons require.

I joined an online discussion form at Beginner Triathlete.com to start taking in as much as I could about the sport. Within that forum, I joined a mentor sub-group that was hosted by a local triathlete. Scott is all you'd want from a mentor ... very patient with all of the newbie questions and quick to offer encouragement and advice. We haven't found time to actually train together yet, but the online discussions have been invaluable. I showed up to the event well informed and ready to race.

Arrival

I'm a freak about getting to race events early. I like to get there, take in the scene, and allow myself to relax before the event. For a triathlon, that also includes setting up your transition area for a smooth transition in between each of the events. Marianne woke up early too and we left the house at 6:30 for the ride to Shelburne. I got myself checked in, gathered my numbered swim cap and headed into the transition area to get things laid out.


I loaded my bike on the rack and started unpacking my gear. Scott walked over and I realized that I had racked my bike right next to his. Awesome omen. As we began making sure we were all set up, another triathlete racked his bike next to mine and I realized it was Peter ... a friend of a friend who I've been corresponding with via Facebook, but we've never actually met. Peter is a triathlon stud. I looked over, got his attention, and we actually shook hands in real life. Awesome omen #2. It's amazing, in this Facebook world, how you can "meet" another person who would normally share similar social circles with you, lives about a mile away, and you first meet in person well after you meet online.

Scott and I decided to get a warm-up swim, so we squeezed into the wetsuits and headed down to the lake.The lake is shallow at this beach, so the start was going to involve a bit of a run. It was, however, important to start swimming as soon as possible given the overwhelming number of zebra mussels that inhabit the lake. They can really shred your feet of you run over the top of them.

I've had to accustomize myself to open water swimming over the past few weeks. Given my childhood inner ear issues, I still collect water into my ears very easily. Lake Champlain remains cold well into June, and cold water on the ear drum instigates almost immediate nausea for me. I found this out on my first open water swim with Sheila. Since then, I take ginger and apply ear plugs and haven't had any issues.I'm constantly amazed by the fact that I get to train for triathlon in one of the most beautiful settings I can possibly imagine. Biking through the Green Mountains and swimming in Lake Champlain is an absolute gift.