Friday, September 7, 2012

Challenging Race: Success

August's goal was to register for a challenging race.

After spending too much time with my overachieving brother who just did the Seattle to Portland bike ride I was confident I could train for a rock a Sprint Triathlon. So I waited for August and registered for my local Labor Day Tri.

Nailed it!

For some reason I said all I had to do was register for the race in August, and since the race was technically in September that was good. I definitely DEFINITELY registered for a challenging race.

And then I even trained for it. Sortof. Except that for the 2 weeks leading up to the event I did not swim, bike or run even once. I was woefully unprepared, but determined to finish.

I had no time goals, in fact because I felt so (unnecessarily) rushed in my novice tri back in May (no need to rush when you aren't going to win anything anyway....right?) I was more determined to go slow and feel good than I was to hurry through any of it.

I walked through transitions, took my time getting a drink drying off and double knotting my shoes. I rode my bike at a very leisurely pace while listening to mormon messages and "la dee da ing" through the whole thing. I begged my mom to come run the run part with me knowing very well that I'd need extra motivation to survive. We walked the majority of the "run" and anytime my legs felt even a little sore we stopped to walk.

My adoring fans


But when I rounded the corner to the finish line there were my friends (and their spouses!) cheering me on and I got a medal. I was very close to dead last, I still didn't feel great (did I mention that I'd been sick for the weeks leading up to the race? and moving? and terribly undertrained?), but I was thrilled to have finished. And maybe someday I'll be all hardcore and train for and do better at one. But not this year.
Just 2 of the 5 other people in my neighborhood participating. Party at the tri!!!

Because this year I'm just stoked to have completed what is very much a real tri.


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