My First Triathlon

After waiting for over a year and a half from when I signed up, race weekend was finally here!  Friday night was the athletes’ meeting and packet pickup. I left later than planned and just barely made it in time for the meeting.  After the meeting, I picked up my race packet with my numbers and timing chip.  I was happy the volunteers also added our required markings to our arms as I had no clue what I was doing.   At this point with markered numbers on my arms, it started to feel real, I was really doing this. 

I caught up with some of my fellow running club members and we walked over to the transition area that was set up to find our transition spots.  I took pictures and looked for landmarks that would help me find my spot faster the next day, a recommendation from a triathlete Facebook group I follow.  I then took a walk over the dunes to check out where the swim buoys were located.  Reflecting now, I am not sure if this was a good or bad idea. The buoys were set up pretty far from shore, further out than I had ever swum in the ocean. In the athlete’s meeting, they told us it would be high tide in the morning and we would be running in soft sand, panic started setting in as I started to worry if I was really prepared.  Since this triathlon is in my backyard I planned to run and bike the race routes and squeeze in an ocean swim before the actual event.  You know what they say about the best-laid plans.  I headed home and started figuring out how I would stage my gear in the transition area.  I had hoped to have space the size of a bath towel but it was half that.  Once I was home I placed a folded towel on the floor and tried to figure out how to arrange everything and then triple-checked that I had all the gear I needed. 

Then I tried to get some sleep before my 4 am wake-up.  When the alarm went off at 4 am, I quickly rose and started to prepare for the day.  I drank some coffee, read my Bible app, and ate some oatmeal.  I braided my hair and dressed before heading out to check my bike one last time.  Almost every race I have completed my husband has been there. After twenty years of being together, he knows how to keep me calm when my nerves get the best of me.  Because I needed to arrive so early to check-in before the race he would come over later and I did not get to see him before the race began.  I am very thankful for my running friends that were there, while I was still a bundle of nerves, I was not alone.  As we waited for the race to start, I felt sick to my stomach.  I wanted to just walk away and go home but I know myself and if I had that would haunt me forever that I did not try.  As the race began I and a fellow runner let many of the other participants go before us for the quarter-mile ocean swim but then it was our turn, no turning back.  The buzzer went off and I slowly ran towards the ocean, it was cold as I expected but I could not take time to get acclimated as I would if I was there for a beach day and pushed myself out further.  I was so wrapped up in the excitement that I barely noticed I was in the ocean without anything on my feet, this is something I never do.  The water was saltier than I remembered and people were bumping into me as I swam.  With the cold, I was struggling to keep breathing regularly and decided to keep my head out of the water to swim.  I alternated between strokes and at times flipped on my back to defog my goggles.  After rounding the first buoy the swimming was easier with the current, at this point I remembered the advice from the triathlete group on Facebook to enjoy the race.  I took time to pause and take in my surroundings, after all, I was not competing for a win but seeing if I could complete the event.  I rounded the second buoy and began the swim back to shore, as I came out of the water and ran back towards transition, I saw family. 

It was such a comfort just seeing them.  Over the dune to my bike, I rinsed off my feet, put on my shoes, and helmet.  I found my way out to the transition area and started the ten-mile bike portion of the event.  I felt could have pushed the speed a bit but again, I was trying to soak in the moment.  The ride off the island took us alongside the back bay, I saw the beautiful water, and nesting ospreys feeding their young. With the bike portion over it was on to the 5K run. The tide was not as high as expected when I arrived back at the beach and I was able to run mostly on the harder packed sand. I was tired at this point and walked as I needed, the turnaround point led us through the soft sand and then up to the boardwalk.  I saw my first race photographer and gave him a thumbs up. 

As the run ended we went back onto the beach for a soft sand finish.  My family was waiting for me at the finish.  After grabbing some food from the athlete’s tent I met up with my fellow runners.  The support and encouragement I receive from the running community have been the best part of my running journey, the triathlete community is just as awesome. While I am still unsure if I love my newfound sport, I would like to give it another shot next year.  Thank you to all of the athletes who have crossed my path.  Is there an area in your life where you have been surprised by the support and encouragement of strangers? Please tell me about it in the comment section.