Jetton Triathlon 2013 - The longest re-cap EVER

I had some pretty good goals going into race day and I'm happy to report that I met each one!  Except for the mimosas and pancakes which I subbed beer and a turkey sandwich.

I rode to the race site with a most dynamic husband and wife duo, Lori and Ashley.  You may remember them from Marine Corps Marathon in October.  Lori and I had many a-training run getting ready for that beast and Ashley was nice to help Jyl keep me in line!  Well, all three were there for me again, helping this bundle of nerves get to the start line (I am such a lucky girl to have such good, kind and talented friends!).

The adventure began setting up my transition area.  I drew the lucky straw because I had a little corner all to myself right near the exit for the run portion.  This may or may not be ideal, I have no idea, but because I was so worried about getting in people's way, it was wonderful for me! Set up went fine and I was happy to see my good friend, Marc, had his area right across from mine!  Once everything was in order, it was time to face the dragon.  It was time to take that long walk (metaphorically speaking) to Loch Norman; the place where monsters were ready to eat me. 

How NOT to put a
wetsuit on

Getting the wetsuit on proved to be a challenge.  I was so nervous I couldn't get the darn thing up past my waist.  Next thing I knew, Jyl pretended I was a pillow going into a pillow case, grabbed my wetsuit and lifted me up off the ground and VIOLA!  Worked like a charm, except it also scrunched up my tri shorts and  I may or may not have made people wonder what I was doing trying to get them back where they needed to be.  Next it was time to step in the lake.  Remember, I haven't done

Marc and Me

anything like this before and Coach Sarah told me to take a few minutes and get used to the feeling of the lake and the suit, stick my face in the cold water and swim around a little bit.  It actually felt okay and at that time I actually believed I could do it!  Go me!  A quick photo with Marc and then it was time for my wave.

The first minute was great!  And then it all went right to hell.  One friend equated that swim to being in a washing machine and I have to say that was a spot-on description.  Every time I came up to breathe...SMACK.  Wave in the face.  SMACK.  Wave in the face.  I can't swim, I forgot how!  Freestyle without your head in the water.  No.  That is exhausting.  I can't do this.  There is a boat, maybe they will pick me up.  SMACK.  Breast stroke.  Wait.  I don't really know how to do that.  Doggie paddle. SMACK.  This is insane.  Why is that boat so far away?  Try to swim.  Stroke, stroke, breathe.  Stroke, stroke....why am I sinking?  What the.....HEY!  that guy just swam right over my back!  HEY!  Chivalry is DEAD.  I'm going to die.  I can't do this.  Where the hell is that buoy to make the turn???  Wait...is that the next wave behind me?  Crap.  PEOPLE ARE COMING!!!!!!  Act like you know what you're doing....stroke, stroke, breathe.  Stroke, stroke, breathe.  Stroke, stroke, SMACK.  For heaven's sake.  YAY!!!! THE FINAL TURN BUOY!!!  I can DO this.  I WILL finish this foresaken swim.  Stroke, stroke, breathe, stroke stroke sight....where the hell is everyone?  Spotters just gave me the thumbs up.  They think I'm okay.  HAHAHAHAHAHA what do they know.  Stroke, stroke, breathe, stroke stroke...I need a break.  stroke stroke breathe.  I'm almost there!!!!  Spotters: "keep moving keep moving, you're almost there!!!"  Me:  "You mean I'm not going anywhere?"  Spotters: "NO!"......well...crap.  Stroke, stroke, breathe.  Stroke, stroke.....................BEACH.  Thank. God.  

Since I was completely exhausted, I decided I was going to walk.  All the way to the first transition (T1).  I was going to take my time darn it!  Or else I would have puked.  Kinda like the guy behind my area in T1 leaning over the fence.  I don't blame him.  I'm just SO happy I didn't hear him, or he would have had company.  The wetsuit came off without a black eye or any incident.  Know how I just said I was going to take my time?  Boy did I!  I'm embarrassed proud to say that I had the longest T1 time out of EVERYONE.  Not a feat easily accomplished.  But I did.  It takes skill.  Jyl did her best to yell at me to get me going, but let's face it, we were both laughing too hard!

I finally got my shoes on, watch on, helmet on, grabbed Thelma and....wait.  What is clanging on my helmet.  I reach up.  Oh no.  You have GOT to be kidding.  Seriously?

It takes skill to run into parked vehicles...

"JYL!"

"What???"

"I left the price tag on my helmet!!!"

"Oh GEEZ"

"Quick!  Get it off!!!!"

(lots of laughing)

"NOW GO!"

And then Thelma and I were off!

....and almost into the back of a truck.

The bike portion went pretty much without incident after I stopped to turn on my Garmin.  Yes, I had to stop.  I can't quite multitask in motion yet.  The ride was actually enjoyable.  I think I may have even passed someone!  I can't WAIT until I can remember which way to click the little thingys on my handle bars to get the right gears.  It takes me a couple tries!  :)

I made it all the way to the dismount line without hurting myself.  Hopped...well, there was no hopping.  I gingerly got off my bike and Thelma and I walked to T2, yes walked, all the way to my area .  Grabbed my hat and my number, goofed up my watch, and then it was time to run.  

I think I was running?  My legs were moving, but more in a Gumby sort of way.  The run portion did not go as well as I thought it would.  I had to walk a few times, which I should be fine with but if I am to be honest, it was infuriating!  The one piece I knew I could do, and I couldn't.  And the sun started beating down.  Which was poopy.  And I thought the course would never end.  As I was making my way to the finish line, it was so deflating to see people LEAVING.  They were done.  All done, and I'm still running.  Spectators were leaving too.  But everyone would yell..."GO 36! (that would be me)  Almost done!  Looking good, looking strong!"  I'm sure they were lying, but that's okay!   I was saved that day by a little girl with little blond curls in the cutest dress.  She looked me straight in the eye and said

"Keep go-wing!  Yoo awr awemost dayore"

(In little girl speak: Keep going!  You are almost there!)

And I did.  I kept going and then I heard it.  I heard the music and the commotion that is the Finish Line.  And then I somehow found another gear.  I sped up.  Faster, faster.....and then I crossed.  

I don't know how I did it.  But I finished.  I don't know how I even made it out of the water.  But I did.  And I don't know what I was thinking, but we get to do it all again in a few weeks at Tri Latta.

Dammit.

I have to get back in that lake.

Definitely a fun day!!!

Words for Wednesday

I was reminded of this very thing this morning.  So proud of all my friends on what they have done and what they are training to do. Simply awe inspiring!

Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too.

- Richard O'Brien

A Strategy for a Successful Triathlon

So, you may or may not remember my introduction to triathlon last year with a mini sprint-distanced event.  And you may or may not remember the day I welcomed Thelma into my family.

Well, tomorrow is the big day where Thelma and I will make our debut.  Tomorrow we will do our first full sprint distance triathlon....where I will attempt my first open water swim.  In a lake.  That is cold.  And has fish and other nasties of the deep.

Like any seasoned, respectable athlete, I have come up with a solid race strategy.

Swim
- put wetsuit on in less than 20 minutes
- don't panic when my feet squish off the beach
- swim, using every stroke known to (and not currently known to) man to get the hell away from nasties
- don't drown

T1
- breathe
- get wetsuit off in less than 20 minutes
- do not give self black eye when taking off wetsuit

Bike
- don't crash

T2
- breathe

Run

- survive

Post race

- drink mimosas and eat pancakes

A solid plan...

Tomorrow, I swim with the fishes.

Words for Wednesday - The Thursday Late Edition

Holy Hell.

What have I gotten myself into.

- Me

It's Official

I've just turned in the crappiest written paper of my entire college career (that's like 6 years for people keeping track).............and I couldn't be happier!

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

THE SEMESTER IS OVER!  THE SEMESTER IS OVER!

So, the blog front has been a bit on the quiet side, my apologies friends.  These past few months, well, I've had lots going on and it's proved to be a bit of trying, scatterbrained jumble of hours, days and weeks.  So.  Here is a quick update:

• THE SEMESTER IS OVER!
• I now have some valid free time to do stuff without the homework cloud threatening to suck all the fun out of life.
• My knee and cutie nerve are well on their way to recovery.  I have a sexy new knee brace that keeps my knee cap in the middle where it should be and I just bought some calf sleeves, so I look pretty hard-core.  Key word in that sentence is 'look.'
• Okay folks, I will be swimming in the lake for my first ever open water swim. (the cool kids say OWS for short)
• Okay folks, Thelma and I are making our debut this Saturday in our first sprint triathlon, as long as I don't drown in the lake or pass out from hypothermia (please see above bullet)
• Okay folks, yes, my very first OWS will be in my 'first' sprint distance triathlon.  I will be doing a 750 meter doggie paddle, 20k bike ride (12 miles for the metric challenged like me) and a 5k run (3.1 miles).
• and did I tell you that THE SEMESTER IS OVER!!!!