Trying the Tri

Today was glorious, not too hot, not too cold, a bit breezy, blue skies, a few puffy clouds. One of those days that just BEGS you to go outside. For me, outside was already on the agenda. Today was the last of my 14 weeks of triathlon training class. Nothing like bonding with people over sweat and pain.

This morning we did a mini-tri, 15 minutes in the pool, then drive to the park (which was freaking gorgeous today) ride 17.5 miles and then run 3.4. Piece of cake, oh no, that is what I feel like I earned today, not what it actually was. Remember that little breeze I was talking about? It would occasionally gust so hard as a cross wind that you could feel it moving your bike, a little scary with traffic and hundreds of cyclists on the road. I managed to grind my way through my ride. Very early on my back started bothering me, all I wanted to do was get off the bike, stretch my back and adjust my shorts (gee, I feel like such a GUY!). I let myself get off for just a minute at our turn around in the school parking lot. As soon as I got off the bike-relief! The hardest hill is in the first third of the ride, really by the time I got off the bike I'd done the hardest part, then some. Word of warning, when a street is named Mt. anything, be afraid, VERY afraid. I think I finished last on the bike, there were a couple of people behind me but I never saw them again, I am guessing mechanical issues. The bikers are for the most part really friendly, letting you know they are passing, shouting words of encouragement, saying "hi" as the race by. I even got a glimpse of Es as she headed past me in the other direction.

Made it back to the park and was SO happy to get ready to run (a very foreign feeling for me). I stood around longer than I should have shooting the breeze with one of the coaches and some of the other tri folks. I downed a Double Espresso Clif Shot, it wasn't that bad and it gave me a little caffeine and carb pick me up to get me through the first part of the run. I never, in a millions years, believed I would be doing any sport that required me to EAT while doing it! I didn't do the whole 3.4 miles, I did about 3, not taking the extra out and back hill in the middle of the course--my back was feeling the run by that point and no sense hurting myself.

When I was done I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. I've done all but a little bit of the run for my big race. I've done ALL of the bike course. The only thing left to do is swim in open water and that can wait until the open water is quite a bit warmer! I am not fast but I did grind it out. Wa hoo! 6 weeks until the first of the real thing.