My first EVER triathlon report!!!
I am very proud to finally be able to do a triathlon report!! It was a sprint, 400M swim, 15 mile bike ride, 5K run...
First it was Sun morning in Greenville SC and according to the weather website only a 10% chance of rain....well the 10% took and it rained/lightening/thundered all the way to the start of the triathlon. My bike, clothes, gloves, etc...soaked. NOT a good start. Anyways-on with the report
I did my first triathlon!! I signed up for the "Open" category because I thought OPEN meant novice/amateur/virgin to triathlons......NOPE. Open is another word for "Elite". Out of 12 different categories, and 675 people entered, I signed up the Elite group which only had 21 people in it because there were only 20 people of such high caliber and me-an idiot who did not know what open meant. So-I am 19th to start in the swim out of 675...which meant that while the 20 ELITE triathletes and one idiot were in the water swimming--654 people were WATCHING us swim...no pressure, swimming without a shirt on and major body issues...no pressure at all!! So, 5 people in the Open did not show up--WOOHOO I just moved up 5 spots in my category, I can rationalize that into a HUGE VICTORY in the swim. Its a 400 meter swim, 8 laps....and I do not swim. So, after 1 lap I am tired, 2 laps I am exhausted, 3rd lap I walk alittle, 4th I am walking and thinking 654 people are now feeling REALLY sorry for me or laughing saying "I bet he did not know the open was for the elite"....5th lap I stopped caring and started worrying about drowning in a 5 ft pool, 6th lap I just plain ol walked and people from another category which started behind the elite group started passing me, by the 8th lap I just walked the whole way to the ladder. I get out, shirtless, in front of 654 very sympathetic souls but the kind of sympathy where nobody wants to look you in the eye sympathy!! But-I finished and that part was done...
I run into the transition area, flab blubbering away as I run down, FLASH the official photographer takes my picture.....PROBABLY NOT going to buy that one I thought as my stomach flaps up and hits me in the face....
I get to my wet bike and gear and put on a shirt (thank goodness), socks, helmet, gloves and bike shoes and head off. I am maybe 1/2 mile before I realize my gloves feel weird (I put them on the wrong hands) but its too late now. I head out in the rain and feel pretty good-especially with the swim behind me. About 4 miles out I see a triathlete on the side of the road with a blown tire. I give him my spare hoping good karma will now come my way, and finish the bike ride. 15 miles, I averaged 16 miles/hour..good time. Easy ride, no problems. I head back to transition to start the run
I switch sneakers but continue to wear my wet socks because I didn't think to bring 2 pairs. I head out on my run and it is difficult. My leg muscles are still in biking mode and I am in running mode...so I waddle for about 1/2 mile and find my groove and breathing. Life is getting better., I see an end to this. The rain has stopped, I am feeling good until this 12 yr old kid runs past me. He was 112th to start and now he is passing me....so I think "How much trouble would I actually get in if I pushed the little sh** into the woods next to us.....GOTTA THINK GOOD KARMA.....so be it. I rationalize it away. Its then I realize rationalization is a HUGE powerful tool in getting thru life sometimes, and I do it WELL. The run gets better, I start to speed up, finding my step, and 3.2 miles later...FINISH LINE!! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH I am now a "triathlete" and I can get one of those really cool bumper stickers for my car (seriously-my first thought as I crossed the line).
I saw people of every age, every fitness level, every body shape there today. The 400Meter swim was hard, the 15 mile bike ride is not bad with the right bike, and the run (I saw alot of people walking)....definitely worth the experience, definitely do-able for really anyone who wants to try.
Thank you for letting me share my first triathlon report with y'all.
Chris
First it was Sun morning in Greenville SC and according to the weather website only a 10% chance of rain....well the 10% took and it rained/lightening/thundered all the way to the start of the triathlon. My bike, clothes, gloves, etc...soaked. NOT a good start. Anyways-on with the report
I did my first triathlon!! I signed up for the "Open" category because I thought OPEN meant novice/amateur/virgin to triathlons......NOPE. Open is another word for "Elite". Out of 12 different categories, and 675 people entered, I signed up the Elite group which only had 21 people in it because there were only 20 people of such high caliber and me-an idiot who did not know what open meant. So-I am 19th to start in the swim out of 675...which meant that while the 20 ELITE triathletes and one idiot were in the water swimming--654 people were WATCHING us swim...no pressure, swimming without a shirt on and major body issues...no pressure at all!! So, 5 people in the Open did not show up--WOOHOO I just moved up 5 spots in my category, I can rationalize that into a HUGE VICTORY in the swim. Its a 400 meter swim, 8 laps....and I do not swim. So, after 1 lap I am tired, 2 laps I am exhausted, 3rd lap I walk alittle, 4th I am walking and thinking 654 people are now feeling REALLY sorry for me or laughing saying "I bet he did not know the open was for the elite"....5th lap I stopped caring and started worrying about drowning in a 5 ft pool, 6th lap I just plain ol walked and people from another category which started behind the elite group started passing me, by the 8th lap I just walked the whole way to the ladder. I get out, shirtless, in front of 654 very sympathetic souls but the kind of sympathy where nobody wants to look you in the eye sympathy!! But-I finished and that part was done...
I run into the transition area, flab blubbering away as I run down, FLASH the official photographer takes my picture.....PROBABLY NOT going to buy that one I thought as my stomach flaps up and hits me in the face....
I get to my wet bike and gear and put on a shirt (thank goodness), socks, helmet, gloves and bike shoes and head off. I am maybe 1/2 mile before I realize my gloves feel weird (I put them on the wrong hands) but its too late now. I head out in the rain and feel pretty good-especially with the swim behind me. About 4 miles out I see a triathlete on the side of the road with a blown tire. I give him my spare hoping good karma will now come my way, and finish the bike ride. 15 miles, I averaged 16 miles/hour..good time. Easy ride, no problems. I head back to transition to start the run
I switch sneakers but continue to wear my wet socks because I didn't think to bring 2 pairs. I head out on my run and it is difficult. My leg muscles are still in biking mode and I am in running mode...so I waddle for about 1/2 mile and find my groove and breathing. Life is getting better., I see an end to this. The rain has stopped, I am feeling good until this 12 yr old kid runs past me. He was 112th to start and now he is passing me....so I think "How much trouble would I actually get in if I pushed the little sh** into the woods next to us.....GOTTA THINK GOOD KARMA.....so be it. I rationalize it away. Its then I realize rationalization is a HUGE powerful tool in getting thru life sometimes, and I do it WELL. The run gets better, I start to speed up, finding my step, and 3.2 miles later...FINISH LINE!! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH I am now a "triathlete" and I can get one of those really cool bumper stickers for my car (seriously-my first thought as I crossed the line).
I saw people of every age, every fitness level, every body shape there today. The 400Meter swim was hard, the 15 mile bike ride is not bad with the right bike, and the run (I saw alot of people walking)....definitely worth the experience, definitely do-able for really anyone who wants to try.
Thank you for letting me share my first triathlon report with y'all.
Chris
The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.....John Bingham aka The Penguin
Swimming is what holds me back from thinking about a tri - it does sound tempting. I'm thinking about taking swimming lessons after the NYC Marathon this year and see where that takes me. Again, great job! Good for you.
5'6" - 302/155-158
Check my success story on my surgeon's website: my story
Check my blog: LosingForLife.com
Ran NYC Marathon 11/4/07 5:27:06
Congrats TRIATHLETE!!!! What an amazing journey you've taken these past few years!!!
A few words of advice:
1. Private swim lessons are expensive (perhaps $65-70 an hour), but the private attention will help you soooooooo much! Ask the other triathletes in greenville who they go to. Thank me next year when you're the one passing people!
2. Wear your compression shirt/tri top during the swim. It's waaaaaaay hard to get a top on when you are wet.
3. Bike gloves are a huge waste of time in transition. Leave 'em home...unless you think you'll crash...then they'd be worth it.
4. You switched sneakers...I'm confused...did you wear bike shoes or sneakers on the bike? Do you have bike pedals/shoes?
A few words of advice:
1. Private swim lessons are expensive (perhaps $65-70 an hour), but the private attention will help you soooooooo much! Ask the other triathletes in greenville who they go to. Thank me next year when you're the one passing people!
2. Wear your compression shirt/tri top during the swim. It's waaaaaaay hard to get a top on when you are wet.
3. Bike gloves are a huge waste of time in transition. Leave 'em home...unless you think you'll crash...then they'd be worth it.
4. You switched sneakers...I'm confused...did you wear bike shoes or sneakers on the bike? Do you have bike pedals/shoes?
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