1 Triathlon Down, 2 To Go

Yesterday was my first triathlon of the season. It was a sprint distance which consisted of a 750 meter swim in a lake, an 18 mile bike, and a 5k run (about 3.1 miles). This race took place at Lake Anna State Park in Virginia which is about 90 miles away from our house. Adam and I woke up at 4 am to be on the road by 5 am. We arrived at the race site around 7 am. Along the way we hit patched of rain which really messed with our heads. Once we arrived at the park though it wasn't raining, there were patches of blue sky and we even saw a rainbow. I started to think things were going to be okay. Boy, was I wrong.

We checked in for the race and walked near the water and the transition area to familiarize ourselves with the area. It was about 60 degrees - not too cold but it could be warmer. Around 8:00 it started raining. We stayed in our car for the majority of the time just waiting and praying that the weather would pass. Finally, at 8:45 we needed to go put all of our stuff in the transition area (bike, shoes, and any other clothing we would need for the bike and the run). It was really raining at this point so I just put all of my stuff in a plastic bag and dropped it by my bike and returned back to the car. Normally, I would lay everything out it an organized manner but not today. The goal was to try to keep things dry.

We returned back to the car to put on our wetsuits. We made our way down to the water around 9:45 am (the race started at 10 am). The rain had stopped and I really thought the rain storms were done for the day. I now realize this was just a dirty little trick to get us into the water. I was worried that the water was going to be cold but it didn't feel too bad. They said it was 65 degrees.

When it was time for my wave to go I waded into the water and tried to get into some kind of rhythm. The start of the swim portion is always a little difficult. There are limbs flailing and water splashing. I have heard some people describe IronMan swim starts as what it would be like to swim right after the Titanic sank or swimming in a washing machine. This races was not that bad at all but it is still a contact sport. I have always felt my years playing basketball has helped me in this area. My wetsuit is sleeveless so my arms were a bit cold at first. But with each stroke I just repeated in my head, "I'm warm, I'm warm". I think it helped because I soon forgot about the water temperature. The water in Lake Anna was really clear and didn't taste bad. That is not always the case with triathlons.

Once I was out of the water it was on to the bike. I ran to the transition area, took off my wetsuit and tried to get my socks on (always difficult when the feet are wet). At this point it started raining again. It took me a little longer than normal because I didn't know what I wanted to wear now that it started raining. I opted for a long sleeve shirt (which was instantly saturated).

I had told myself to be conservative on the bike. Road bike tires have zero tread and I knew there were be a lot of standing water on the road. My main goal was to keep my bike upright and not wreck. Within the first 3 minutes on the bike I was absolutely drenched. The rain had really picked up and spray from bike tires was everywhere. But I surprised myself and really tried to push it. I completed the bike in less than an hour which is really good for me. I even hit 30 mph on one downhill.

After the bike it was back to the transition area to get ready for the run. By this time the transition area was one big mud pit. Mud was everywhere. This transition was a bit faster than the first one. While I was on the bike I never got cold and I usually stay very warm on the run so I decided to just wear my bike shorts, a tank top and running cap. The run starts up a hill which is always nice when you have just gotten off the bike. I felt like I was running so slow but once I got to the top I found a better pace. The run wasn't too bad except my shoes felt like they weighed 10 pounds each. At one point the rain really increased and I just lifted my face to the sky to feel it hit my face. I don't think I have ever done that before.

I finished the race and was pleased with my time and performance. Before the race I was really scared because I didn't know what to expect but it really wasn't that bad. I feel better prepared if I have to race in the rain again. I just hope I don't have to!

Once I was done with the race (Adam finished before I did) we grabbed one of those metallic blankets and made our way to the transition area to pick up our stuff. Everything was soaked. We put everything in our plastic bags, grabbed our bikes and walked back to the car. By this time I could tell the high of my race was wearing off and I was getting cold. I was walking so slow that Adam had to come back to help me. As Adam loaded the car I just stood there shivering and repeated, "I want to get a picture. I want to get a picture." He just looked at me like, "You know, you could help." Instead, he just said, "You are such a freakshow sometimes." But I got my picture (click to enlarge)!