General Discussion Triathlon Talk » First Racing memory Rss Feed  
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2019-04-04 10:08 AM

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Subject: First Racing memory
The other night on a long run, a memory popped into my head that made me chuckle.

I was about 5 or 6 years old. I had been playing with my neighbor Mike that day, whatever unforgivable slight he had made against me is lost in my memory, but I remember being absolutly furious. I remember getting it in my little head that I would race him. I would win. And I would prove that I was better than Mike.

I remember running as fast as I could around my house that evening for what felt like hours, (I can only remember doing 3-4 laps, so probably more like 10-15 minutes) Finally, out of breath, I decided that was surely enough training to make sure I would beat Mike. We remained friends & played together often until his family moved away, but I don't think we ever actually raced.

When I stopped to think about it, I realized that was probably my first "racing" memory. I'm curious if anyone else has a memory of their first race, or the first time you realized you were a runner/cyclist/ or swimmer as a kid?


2019-04-04 1:48 PM
in reply to: riles32807

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Subject: RE: First Racing memory

I was a late bloomer and never raced until I turned 38.  Very first triathlon on July 20, 2008 - a try-a-tri - and I stood nervously waiting in my wetsuit for my wave when my kid asked why I didn't have "a little black bracelet on my ankle like everyone else?" eek! Forgot the timing chip!  I remember the swim being SO hard.  Funny that I wore a wetsuit.  It was 375m.  I finished though and felt amazing.  

Thanks for posting.  Fun!

2019-04-05 8:14 PM
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Subject: RE: First Racing memory
I began my sporting life as a distance runner at age 10. I had never enjoyed or done well at any organized sports (then, as now, I was a scrawny klutz, as well as an introvert who disliked team sports). But I had this crazy (at least, for American kids--I imagine a lot of rural African kids start their running careers this way) habit of running for transport, in most cases to maximize playtime with my friends. (I grew up in a small town where we knew most people in our neighborhood, and was allowed to walk/run to and from their houses unescorted from age 6 or 7.) One of my friend's dads was a runner and was training for a 4th of July 10K held in our town every year. He figured out I was running to/from their house (about a mile away) regularly and suggested I enter a 1.5 mile kids' race held the same day.

I did, and was pretty much dead last coming around the first corner. I'm not a sprinter and never have been, and everyone else had, predictably, started too fast. I may not have any other athletic talents, but I do have a natural sense of pace for any distance. (Untrained at age 10, I could run two miles without stopping. I did my first full IM last year at age 49 and negative split the run!) I'll never forget when, by the next corner, the field started to come back to me. I didn't win, but was maybe somewhere in the top 10 kids, top 3 or 4 girls. I wasn't too impressed with myself and was getting ready to go home when I heard my name called--I'd won my age group. I have been a runner ever since. I started swimming competitively the following year and continued thru high school, but somehow never got into tri until age 41. Go figure!

Edited by Hot Runner 2019-04-05 8:17 PM
2019-04-06 9:27 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: First Racing memory
Originally posted by kimmax

I was a late bloomer and never raced until I turned 38. Very first triathlon on July 20, 2008 - a try-a-tri - and I stood nervously waiting in my wetsuit for my wave when my kid asked why I didn't have "a little black bracelet on my ankle like everyone else?" eek! Forgot the timing chip! I remember the swim being SO hard. Funny that I wore a wetsuit. It was 375m. I finished though and felt amazing.

Thanks for posting. Fun!

That's funny, I remember being nervous that my timing chip would fall off.

Originally posted by Hot Runner

I did, and was pretty much dead last coming around the first corner. I'm not a sprinter and never have been, and everyone else had, predictably, started too fast. I may not have any other athletic talents, but I do have a natural sense of pace for any distance. (Untrained at age 10, I could run two miles without stopping. I did my first full IM last year at age 49 and negative split the run!) I'll never forget when, by the next corner, the field started to come back to me. I didn't win, but was maybe somewhere in the top 10 kids, top 3 or 4 girls. I wasn't too impressed with myself and was getting ready to go home when I heard my name called--I'd won my age group. I have been a runner ever since. I started swimming competitively the following year and continued thru high school, but somehow never got into tri until age 41. Go figure!

That's awesome!

I played soccer growing up, and soccer, and sooo much soccer... when I missed varsity tryouts in high school, I ran x-country junior & senior years. I've done a couple of 5ks over the years, but only got into triathlon 2 years ago at age 37.

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