Tri time!

I just realized it's been almost two weeks since the big day (my triathlon) and I've yet to blog about it! In my post-race excitement, I've been too caught up in searching for future tri's to reflect on my inaugural race. Obviously, this means the triathlon went well, but this blog would be incomplete if I didn't at least touch on my first tri, the Stevens Point Lactic Edge Sprint Triathlon (how official sounding!).

Let me begin by saying that there's a lot more prep work for a triathlon than for a running event. The eve of the triathlon found me scrambling to get together all the equipment needed for this deceptively simple event. The swim required a cap and goggles. I needed a towel to dry off following the swim, and I needed shoes and socks following that. I had to make sure my bike was ready and that my helmet fit. And I couldn't forget my running visor or my stopwatch. And I am an amateur, which is to say that I don't use a wet suit for the swim, or special bike shoes which I would have to change in order to strap on my running shoes. All the prepping didn't help my nerves, but fortunately I had everything I needed come race time.

My dad and I drove the half hour to the park in Point where the event was taking place. I was immediately struck by how small the crowd was: there were maybe 250 or so people taking part and another handful volunteering or spectating. The other thing that jumped out at me was the lack of hybrid bikes people were unloading from their cars. Now I had expected to be one of the few with a non-road bike but I didn't see ANY hybrids, which caused me to panic. As this was my first triathlon and I didn't know what to expect, I had set the goal for myself to not stick out, meaning, don't do anything embarrassing! Finishing dead last because I had a bike that resembled the one on The Wizard of Oz was not going to help me keep my goal. Fortunately, I found myself next to an easy-going guy my age who walked me through the events. He had a road bike, albeit a very old one (think 1970s Schwinn) and was a first timer as well, which helped me relax.

After waiting an obscenely long time, during which I must have checked my gear and gone to the bathroom at least seven times, the race started with the 500 yard swim that took place in a dirty-looking river (I am not exaggerating when I say that I had a lot of green gook in my shirt post race). Entering the race I was pretty confident with my stroke, but when I actually got out in the open water with all the other frantic swimmers, my nerves--and the other swimmers' elbows, legs and feet--got the best of me and I panicked, causing me to loose my breath. I did make it, though, albeit slowly, and didn't have to be rescued by one of the folks on the long boards, which counts as not sticking out. Yay for meeting my goal in the first leg of the race!

Next it was on to the bike. The 17 miles took us through the back roads of Stevens Point, which are brown and boring. There was very little to see, but it was beautiful. Why? There were no red lights to wait for, no intersections to stop for, no cars to move over for, and no obnoxious drivers yelling out the window for me to get off the road. I could bike without fear. I was slow, but I loved the ride and felt great throughout it's duration. (And I did not come in last. A win.)

The last leg of the tri was a 3.1 mile run. This was really the only portion of the race in which I felt confident. Initially my legs rebelled at running after biking for an hour, but I've run for much longer distances before so they eventually gave in and shoved on.

And that was it! I finished! And didn't do anything too embarrassing. Overall, I loved the triathlon, but while participating a few thoughts came to mind that surprised me. First, I was shocked to feel so...isolated. Obviously you are not talking to anyone during the swim portion. The bike portion really separated individuals from each other, so that I occasionally forgot that I was in a competition. I found myself yearning for the type of conversation you hear during running events, about how crazy we all are for doing this, or how hard it is or where the next water station is. There's a connection between runners, albeit unspoken, in the body contact and even in the small talk you hear between people. This tri had none of that and it surprised me how much I missed it.

Secondly, and this is by far the bigger issue for me, raw talent and training can only get you so far in triathlons. If you do not have the proper gear (read: "bike") you will not be competitive. I haven't looked into the cost of a road bike, but I know the good ones are a few thousand dollars, an amount which I am not willing to dole out on a bike for myself quite yet. And so I pedal my mountain bike, going nowhere and getting passed by everyone. This was fine for my first race, acceptable even, but I know myself and I know that in future races I will not be quite so cavalier about it. It really made me appreciate running. All you need are a pair of shoes (not even that if you come from other countries) and you are as apt to perform well as anyone else.

Despite these pitfalls, I loved my first triathlon. [Oh, I should mention that my dad was not able to compete due to an injury that set him back (he is on pace to compete in the Waupaca tri come August), but he was my number one fan and I loved having him there to share in my excitement.] The excitement still lingers, and I definitely plan on doing one again, although there is some work to be done between now and then (for starters, I need to learn how to swim. A road bike would be nice, too). And I must now make the decision on whether to train for another tri or for the OBX marathon in November. Oh how I love choices like these!