Race Day

I woke up at 6:15 Sunday morning to this:



I went back to bed. The End.






Just kidding.

We got to Albany at about 7:30am. Still snowing pretty hard. Got my race bag (tshirt and a few fliers) and then went out and put up my bike. Because of the weather the transition area was inside so I set up my bag with all my bike clothes and shoes, etc.


My heat started at 9am so I had a little while to hang around. I was a little too nervous to do anything but stand and watch the other swimmers. A few minutes before 9 I got into the pool and met the other ladies in my lane. I learned that I would be starting first (they had 3-4 people per lane with each person starting about 5 seconds apart). The buzzer sounded and off I went.


I am a pretty slow swimmer, and I have never been so aware of that fact until faced with so many other faster swimmers. The lady behind me passed me right away, but the other lady in my lane was even slower than me so I ended up passing her a few times. Swim time for 750 meters: 19:38. Pathetically slow--out of 120 or so racers total it was the 8th slowest time.

At the end of the 30 lengths I heaved myself out of the pool (literally, since the middle bulkhead was higher than my head and it made a lovely scene, I am sure, when I tried to get out of the pool--my husband snapped a picture of me that will NEVER see the light of day) and trotted to my transition area to put on my bike clothes. Originally I had planned to slip on my bike shorts, light shirt, and socks and shoes, but even though the snow stopped, it was cold out! So I put on my long pants, shirt, jacket, gloves, hat, socks and shoes before I hurried out to my bike. I threw on my helmet and took off.



I was so excited at this point--I was having so much fun! I never thought it would be so fun. I thought I would be cursing the day I decided to do a triathlon.

The bike route was 12.5 miles of country roads. Only a few minor hills and lots of long, lonely flat roads. I was passed by 2 men and that is all. Bike time: 57:09 (this included transition from swim to bike); not bad, not good.

Once I made it back to the race area on my bike, all I had to do was ditch the bike and helmet and take off running. In theory, anyway. In reality, I couldn't feel my legs (numb from riding) or my feet (numb from cold). So I kind of shuffled/stumbled/trotted my way down the road.



I think I "ran" at pretty much the same pace the entire 3.1 miles. I tried SO HARD to go faster but my legs completely ignored me. I was passed by one man and passed a lady that was running even slower than me. Couldn't get much slower without walking, but she was doing it. The route went out through a residential area and back to finish with a half lap or so on the high school track. Final run time: 33:55 (this includes the transition from bike to run).

Total time: 1:50:42. Out of 6 ladies in the 35-39 age group this was good for 5th place--4th place was only 5 seconds away. Not a stellar performance but this was my first time and I finished the race still glad I had started! Lots of room for improvement in all areas but especially SWIMMING.

I have come to the conclusion that wanting to be a triathlete was not some crazy notion but something that I am really, really glad I chose to do. I can't wait to do it again...