TRIATHLON REPORT

I did it.

I completed my first triathlon on Saturday.

I can't believe it.

So here's the story: PJ has done several sprint distance triathlons in the past few years. He really loves it and has suggested that I train for one. I was not sure about this because I've never considered myself to be an athlete. I had done three 5K's since Avery was born three years ago, which helped me have the confidence to do this. PJ made me a training schedule that began in January and lasted 10 weeks. It basically consisted of doing two of the three components (run, swim, bike) three times a week. I really enjoyed having three different areas to train for because it kept my exercise routine interesting. I actually exercised more like 5 days a week, and not always doing two sports each time, but the schedule was a good guideline.

The triathlon was a "reverse sprint triathlon" which means it was rather short distances in the reverse order of a normal triathlon. It began with a 5K run, followed by a 15K bike, then a 150m swim. The event took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Basically we ran one loop around the Rose Bowl, then 3 bike loops, then ran to the Aquatics Center and swam three 50m lengths in a serpentine fashion. I was glad that I did a "brick" (meaning two components back to back) to practice the Saturday before at the Rose Bowl, because I felt really psychologically and physically prepared on race day.

My brother Ryan was in town, so he took a couple of photos when he and PJ and the kiddos showed up about half way through the race. Here's me on the bike, waving to the kids as I FLY BY:

Here's me doing the breast stroke (I was way too tired to crawl) in the swimming pool with my awesome pink goggles.

I had a goal of completing in under two hours, but I thought that I could probably do it in 1 hour 45 minutes. I was totally thrilled with my time: 1 hour 33 minutes!!! It was really, really fun too! I was nowhere near the competitive times of right around an hour, but who cares!?! I did it, and I wasn't last, and I didn't take any walking breaks or anything.

This just goes to show that if I, the athletically challenged and frustratingly overweight girl, can do this, anyone who wants to can do it too!