Margaret’s First Sprint Triathlon!

I’m so excited to be able to say I’ve completed my first sprint triathlon!  I’ve always wanted to do one but the swimming portion has always really intimidated me.  I’ve been cycling and running for years so I wasn’t too nervous about either of those events.

My friend Megan is who approached me about doing it together…the problem was it was only one month out on the day that I actually signed up for it.  But I figured now was as good of time as any.  The events were .25mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and 2 mile run.  I’ve been working out consistently for months, so all I would just have to do is get focused on the swimming and practicing the transitions from swimming to cycling and cycling to running.  Which is exactly what I did ….2 weeks before the event….ooops!

The morning of the triathlon I was so amped up!  4:30am did not seem early at all.  I was wide awake, excited to get my bike and gear together and enjoy a hot cup of coffee.  I was just so excited that I had commited to doing this and not all too concerned with achieving any sort of record breaking times.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect.  A bit overcast, warm and calm winds.  The event took place at Alum Creek.  Once we were there and had registered and gotten our numbers I started to get nervous.  But it was a good nervous, I just wanted to get going already!

Finally it was 7:36am and it was time for the 30-39 age group t get in the water for the start line.  I should mention this was an all women’s tri and everyone was excited and cheering each other on.  The whisthle, blew and we were off.  It is really exciting and scary to be with so many other bodies in the water all swimming as fast as they can.  I remember distinctly thinking to myself as I go going and looked around, “What the hell am I doing!”  But that thought soon vanished and it was go time!!

I knew my swim would be my weakest point because I had only started practicing laps one week before the event and I have never swam laps in my life.  My strategy was to do the best I could at the swim and make up time on the ride and run.  Which is exactly what I did.  Everyone had killed themselves so much on the swim that they were just walking out of the water to their bike transition, I used that opportunity and sprinted out of the water and to my bike.

I killed it on the bike passing most everyone.  When I transitioned to the run that was definatley challening because my hamstrings were SO tight.  However, after the first mile I loosened up and picked up my pace.  I simply ran as fast as my legs would go because I knew the end was near.

Beat red in the face and breathing like my lungs were going to explode I made it to the finish.  I was so excited not to be last.  Well, later on that day, after my friend Megan and I had already left and driven home we found out that each of us won 2nd place in each of our age groups AND I won 5th place OVERALL!  I couldn’t believe it.  I was not expecting to place that well at all. My total time ended up being 1:07:41

So what’s next? Another triathlon of course!  I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.