Iron Girl Triathlon Report - pictures posted in profile

The short version. . . . I finished my first sprint triathlon in 1:51:13, well within my unspoken goal of 2 hours, as my dear husband cheered me on from the sidelines.

Swim (800 meters) – 16:38

T1 – 3:44

Bike (30K) – 59:40 (18.7 mph)

T2 – 1:16

Run (5K) – 29:55 (9:38 pace)

Division – 27 of 82

Overall – 182 of 459

Now for the details. . . One day while surfing the web, I came across the Central New York Triathlon Club, which was advertising a women’s group in preparation for the inaugural Syracuse Iron Girl Triathlon.  The sprint distance 800 meter swim, 30k bike and 5k run sounded reasonable . . .if I could learn how to swim . . . while training for a marathon.

Reading all of the race reports on the Exercise and Fitness boards gave me the courage and the inspiration to dive in and “tri."  I took a couple of swim lessons, read “Total Immersion," watched a few YouTube clips and logged as many laps in the pool as my schedule would allow.  After the first couple of open water swims, I was starting to doubt my ability to get out of the water within the 30 minute cut-off time.   Weeds, waves or simple panic just got the best of me.  During my last open water swim before the race, something finally clicked and I found myself gliding through the water.

This morning when the alarm went off at 3:30 a.m., I hit snooze twice before my husband dragged me out of bed.  Gotta love the guy for getting up early, carrying all my gear, taking pictures and waiting around while I had all the fun.

I took my time setting up the transition area and then waited on the beach with my cousin for the start of my wave.  When the first group of women started swimming, the tangle of arms and legs were so unsynchronized that it looked like every one of them was in trouble.  Then, they spread out and seemed to settle into a rhythm as they headed for the first buoy.  I watched this wild dance for three more waves and then it was my turn.

I high stepped it into the water and looked for a clear channel. Swimming with 81 other 40-44 year olds was a little disconcerting.  As I tried to avoid kicking someone or being kicked, it felt like folks behind me were grabbing at my ankles.  But, I just kept swimming and before I knew it, the Iron Girl banners were ahead beckoning me towards the beach.  I checked my watch and it was just over 16 minutes – 4 minutes faster than my best open water swim!  The adrenaline surged and carried me through the rest of the race.

I took my time in T1 (3:44) to make sure I had everything I needed before I headed out on the bike.  Helmet, glasses, running skirt, socks, running shoes, sports beans, and I was set to go. Once on the road, I was pleased to see that riders were spread out so I didn’t have to worry about drafting penalties or causing an accident.  My goal for this leg of the journey was to finish under an hour.  With a flat course, I figured my spin classes had prepared me well to sustain 18 mph.  Mile after mile, I passed the strong swimmers and couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of satisfaction when I started catching up to the 20 and 30 year olds who went out in earlier waves.  Only one woman passed me along the bike route.

My calves threatened to cramp a few times, but downshifting and focusing on my pedaling technique prevented a full-blown knot each time.  Railroad tracks and a steel deck bridge also caused some trepidation, but I crossed them without incident.  I pulled back into transition at 59:40 with an average speed of 18.7 mph.

Knowing I only had a 5K to go, I sped through transition in 1:16, just enough time to rack my bike and grab a bottle of water and my running singlet.  While running, I felt like I was just plodding along. The legs were getting a little heavy.  Temperatures were heating up.   Yet, I still maintained an average 9:38 pace, even with two quick water stops.  Finishing the 5K in 29:55 brought my total time for the event to 1:51:13.

There’s always the personal satisfaction of training and finishing a race.  But, my sons’ hugs are the best rewards when I get home after an event.  I can feel their pride in their sincere expressions of congratulations.