TRI-ING a TRI!
I am not known for being spontaneous! PLAN, PREPARE, AND TRAIN! So, on a Friday morning, when I got a text, from my good friend, Ginger, asking me to join her for a reverse, off-road sprint triathlon on Saturday, I did not respond for a while. Completing in a triathlon has been a bucket list item. Chattanooga has Tri-fever, and I want to be one the cool kids too :0. The race was no Ironman…5K trail run, 8 mile mountain bike ride and a 400 meter swim (in a “pool” with max depth of 4 feet)…tempting! No problem, a little run and swim training, and I will have my first tri done…oh wait, it is tomorrow…OH SNAP! I have adulting to do on Saturday...cannot make it! Did I mention, I had not run or swam in a year! The back pedaling had begun!!!! I have, I need, there is stuff to do, but my supportive husband, Craig, stepped up, he was going to cover responsibilities with our son. BUT, what about our girls…It would be boring for them to join me at the race. My girls have seen me race many times. They have seen strong determined women, like myself, conquer physical and mental obstacles. They have been with me on podiums and hugged in defeat. All great life lessons, but they would still be bored waiting. The race venue was in Huntsville at the Rocket and Space Center. I am the proud Granddaughter of a former NASA designer. My Grandfather was part of the great space race, designing tools that aided in the construction of the Saturn 5 Rocket and many others. Introducing my girls to a part of their past would be wonderful. Excuses were starting to run thin.
Ginger was bringing her family…fun times from the sidelines. Jon, her husband, would watch the girls while we raced, with plans to head to Space Center afterwards. No backing out now, everyone was excited…me, I was scared to death. Water and I are not on speaking terms. My stomach had more butterflies than the monarch migration. One more attempt to duck out…we don’t have hotel room…yeah, that will be it, no place to sleep. As luck would have it, Ginger was still in Chattanooga, planning to leave early in the morning. Out of excuses, excited and scared, I was throwing caution to the wind. I had support, I had my girls, I had a partner who was just as crazy as me…I had no swim goggles…
Craig and I already had a Friday night date planned. With about an hour to spare, a quick equipment check was needed. Bike, check! Helmut, check! Tri suit, check (oh take the tags off)! Socks, check! Tennis shoes, check! (note I said tennis shoes, not fancy trail running shoes). Um, swim cap, nope. Goggles, nope. A few text messages later and I had secured both…Chattanooga Tri-fever was paying off. A great friend and neighbor (who just so happens to be training for the Ironman World Championships in Kona!), hooked me up. Thank you, John!. Ok, so I had my gear. Nutrition, sure just a few electrolyte blocks, pickle juice, hydration powder for water...All set! Date night consisted of talking about the tri, talking about the tri, a few promises not to drown and talking about the tri.
The next morning came EARLY! Moving to the suburbs sounded great…driving down to Ginger’s house before the sun came up...not so good, but it was race day...those that race know the adrenaline rush of just waking up on race day! Sleepy eyed girls, Ginger and I included, loaded our stuff and headed out on our adventure. I was driving, nervous, and no idea where I was going, with one missed turn, we made in time to register! Enough time to set up our transition zone and slip in a warm up run in with the help of our future racers. I still had no clue what I had gotten myself into! Luckily, Ginger’s husband is a triathlete. He shared a few tips of the trade…hold the bike by the saddle in the transition, don’t drowned during the swim…that kind of stuff. Recall this was a reverse triathlon. We started with the run...Just a 5K right…I can crawl 5K, if needed. We started in a mass start. BOOM…Ginger was gone! Me, on the other hand, jogging…conserving energy, or at least that was what I am telling myself. I found myself forcing a smile…stay positive!!!!. I talked to other competitors making fun of my last minute decision…they kinda hated me, I think. I just decided to do this last night, they trained. After 2 miles, I notice my 5 year old running shoes were starting to cause blisters on the bottom of my feet…I don’t run! I struggle through the last mile knowing I would have fun on the bike…stay positive!
TRANSITION ZONE! Started changing my shoes, I heard John in the background hurrying me along. I finally got my bike down. Started to exit the transition area. Being completely a triathlon virgin, I mounted my bike. Immediately, 20 different people were yelling at me…okay, okay, okay, I know I am awesome and all. Thank you for the cheers! Oh wait, I am breaking a rule, but I am still awesome...the bike must be completely over the line before the ride portion begins! As I get on my bike after, fully out of the transition zone, I noted my back tire was low. NOPE, it was flat! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Ran back to the bike support center…HELP! YES...they had a pump! Quick inspection, no holes, 30 PSI and a prayer. Hoped it held!
At the racers meeting there was warning about a HILL, beware the HILL! The area around the race event appeared flat, but hills are known for hiding..sneaky little things. With air pressure in the tire, I started to pedal across the flat windy singletrack, I was in my element. First rider, dropped, than two, three, four, on your right, your left...I stopped counting. I was at home on my Trek Top Fuel 9.8.5, some of my fellow competitors not so much. Upon reaching the bamboo forest which the racer director mentioned would indicate the start of the climb, I dropped a gear in preparation. HA! Well that was a pleasant surprise. No more than small 5 pedal stroke roller. Where was the hill? It must still be hiding! Quick check of the tire, it held pressure, off on the second lap. Now that was fun! Dirt, turns, roots, whoopty dos. AND, somehow, I was kinda in front...well not completely in front….Ginger was stumping me. Sorta in front, I am going to go with that...sorta leading.
I completed the second lap and returned to the transition zone, being certain to not break any rules. TIME TO SWIM/NOT DROWN!! Aaggghhhh. I saw Ginger had already finished and was cheering me on..YEP, she is a BAD ASS...Oh, did I mention this was her first tri too. Yep, pretty much the same story. Her strength and commitment to better herself, helps drive me. GIRL POWER! She won the overall women's category. Now back to the drowning, I sat down in the transition zone, tried to get on my swim cap...Screw it! Aerodynamics...it was a 400 meter swim, forget it. First off, I was expecting a pool...someone said a POOL...THAT WAS NO POOL! Okay, it was Alabama, so maybe it was a pool...I prefer to call it a swallow man-made pond, but tomato, tomato! Just one lap around that murky pond, I had that. I ran into the water and started to swim. My swimming was not pretty, but I was not drowning, yet. I used the breast stroke, side stroke, back stroke, doggy paddle, upside down stroke, backwards stroke, splashing at the water stroke...even walked! I HATE swimming. Just as I thought, I wanted to be done, I was! FINISHED and made my goal of sub 1:30!! To top that off I won my age category! How about that for a girl that trains, thinks and plans out all races months in advance. First triathlon, and a podium spot. Pretty damn proud of myself! If it wasn’t for Ginger, the support of my family and from GRIT, I would have never even tried. Thank you for the guys at Scott’s Bicycle Shop for keeping my bike rolling.
If you are in the market for a road TRI Bike, check out Trek Bicycle's models. Doug and the gang at Scott’s will be more than happy to guide you through the process. Chattanooga has TRI-fever, and I might have caught a mild case of it. Onto the next adventure in pearls!
MOUNTAIN BIKING MOM
