Maverick's Big Day

Well the big day has come and gone.  It was wonderfully challenging, full of excitement and adventures.

My day started off like Goose's with an early alarm, which I had long been awake waiting for, a banana and smoothie in hopes of getting the body doing its usual morning action.  We dressed, packed up our stuff and headed over to the event.  There we placed out stuff in the transition area laying everything out for the most efficient transitions from one activity to the next.  Goose had done some reading on first triathlons and all the stuff you needed and had brought the checklist to be sure we covered all the bases.  She filled up a cute orange bucket with water for us all to share so that we wouldn't be running or biking with that annoying grain of sand in our shoes.  We then headed over to get our timing chips and have our number written on our bodies.  I think the number is what made me feel really official, the kind of thing real athletes go around wearing on their bodies.  Even today, 3 days later, you can still see faint traces of my number on my leg. (which I attribute to my dry skin which pulled the ink many layers into my skin.)

While Goose and her friend, H, trained like they were going to win the thing.  And while Goose claimed her goal was just top half of her age group, she is competitive and as you have probably read, worked to win.  I on the other hand had no thoughts of winning, placing or even thoughts of where I would be for my age group.  I truly just wanted to finish.  Which I knew when I stepped up on Saturday I would have no trouble doing.  Because almost all my training was done indoors I really had absolutely no sense of how long anything would take me.  So I went with the very un lofty goal of 2 hours.  I might have shaved that down a little but because of my inability to run I decided to aim high in case I ended up not being able to run any of it.

I  have to say I didn't really feel nervous.  I mean, I knew I could do the swim, anticipated that it would be slow because of the people around me, knew I could do the bike and knew I could definitely walk if not run the last portion.  This would be a no brainer for me.  I just needed to do it.

So we get in the water, which was so warm compared to MN lakes at this time of year, and since I walked in with Goose there I found myself right in front.  I did look around wondering if I should move back but then I thought maybe if I could start out front I could just keep out of everyone's way.  Well that is exactly how it worked out for Goose but not so much for me.  I was almost immediately enveloped by other swimmers and all the kicking around me I was either swimming over people or getting swum over.  I seriously did not think I was going to make it at first.  I thought to myself, am I going to have to quit before I even get started?  NO, I would just keep going.  I ended up flipping to my back and just kicking along.  Then I would flip over and doggie paddle for a while.  If it looked clear in front of me I would start to freestyle for a while but inevitable when i would finally look up I would be way off course and the time I added with that speed would be lost in re adjusting course.  None the less I was amazed how quickly it went.  As I had read in one web site, I panicked in the beginning but by the end had calmed down and was feeling fine.  I ran out of the water and through the sand, then to a concrete stair that would lead me down a long path to the transition area.  As I was heading up those stairs, surrounded by spectators, I tripped.  Yep, right down on my hands and knees on the stairs.  Heard a collective, "Oh".  I hopped back up and as I headed out I heard one woman say, "that would be me."  Nope it was me this time but I guess it happens to everyone.  I was un hurt and kept moving.

Swim time: 13:50

Once I got to the transition time I was standing a little confused looking for the landmarks to find our bikes when I hear Goose's husband and girls calling my name and telling me where to go.  I ran over and started the process of getting ready.  While Goose and her friend H were in special Triathlon clothes so they didn't have to change I opted for the more affordable swimsuit and shorts routine.  I decided to bring my bike shorts and then change to my running shorts for the end.  The bike shorts which are tight around my legs turned out to be a little more challenging to put on than anticipated while wet.  None-the-less I got them on, put on my bike shoes, helmet and sunglasses, grabbed my bike and ran off feeling excited.

swim to bike transition: 2:57

Goose had borrowed me a real racing bike for the event from a friend of hers.  I had brought my own clip pedals so I would know they fit my shoes and were set how I liked them.  At first I was a little unsure when i saw the bike.  I was intimidated by how fancy and official it is.  I usually ride a nice hybrid bike which is heavier and has wider tires and handle bars that would look nice with a basket out front.  But after a spin around the neighborhood I knew it would be a fun bike to ride in the event and I was right.  I felt like a pro, I was flying through the course, I was passing people on hills like they were standing still.  My power cycle class was really paying off.  I was even wondering if I might catch Goose who I didn't think would be that far ahead of me.  All the sudden I look up and I am being passed by H who swam in the age group behind us.  Still her hubby is a competitive biker so it stands to reason that she would be an excellent biker as well.  I knew Goose was on a hybrid bike and claimed biking to be her weak skill so I felt confident.  I finally saw her on the other side of our out and back course and was amazed at how closely behind her I came to the turn around.  I kept pushing it even though I was getting a little tired.  Although I never did catch her I felt great knowing that I had made up some lost time on the swim in the bike.

Bike time 46:10 (faster than Goose)

I kept asking Goose's hubby how far behind her I was while changing shorts and shoes but he didn't seem to be grasping the question and just told me she had already come through.

Bike to run transition: 2:10

I started heading toward the run start and was hysterical over the weight of my legs.  I could barely flop one foot in front of the other let alone run!  I decided to just walk for a minute or so to get my legs calmed down.  Finally, although they still felt like bricks, I decided to run a little.  In training I had only 2 times gone straight from my cycle class to the treadmill for a run.  Both times I felt fine.  My legs did not feel like bricks at all.  However, both times my knees were hurting within a mile.  I decided I didn't want to risk an injury that would keep me from the race so instead I simply avoided the run part of training figuring that I was getting enough cardio in other areas to get me through.  While I was partly right, from a cardio standpoint I felt like I could run 10 miles, the strength in my legs wasn't what i would have liked it to be.  I had decided to drug up before the race in hopes of possibly running the whole thing but I just wasn't strong enough.  I did have some knee pain but not enough to stop me from running, although I walked up all the hills because they tend to be what causes the most pain.  In the end I think the run was a disappointment for me.  I wanted to finish feeling triumphant but having to walk so much of it I ended feeling like I couldn't/didn't give it everything.  I am not sorry I didn't train more for the run, I would rather be healthy enough to finish healing and race again than to kill it now and be unable to exercise at all this summer.

I was turning the last corner of the run which would lead me to through the finish line there was a guy standing there yelling at everyone, "don't leave anything on the table!"     While now done I wonder if I could have pushed it more in the run I specifically remember that as I passed him I said, "I have nothing left on the table." And I meant it.  I think of that moment when I begin to doubt my effort.  I did what I could do that day.  I gave it my all.

Run time: 37:57

It felt great to run across the finish line.  As I was going across I heard the announcer call my name (and pronounce the city I live in, Edina, wrong.).  I was official and everyone there heard my name called.  I had completed a triathlon and so many, many people were behind me.  Officially I was 38th out of 96 in my age group and 491 out of 856 total racers.

Total race time: 1:43:02

My low expectations paid off, I exceeded them greatly and felt like I really kicked it.  And with my knee injury hopefully resolved by next summer I will be able to shave even more time off.

When I ran across that finish line I have to say I wasn't thinking I would ever do this again.  Mainly because of the swim portion.  But the more I think about how small a portion the swim is and how quickly it went the less I dread doing it again.  So what if I have to back stroke and doggie paddle for 15 minutes, that doesn't mean I am not a triathlete.  I am a triathlete now and no one can ever take that away from me.