I have been running really since my middle school years. I have never been the fastest for sure. My effort has always been high, I am just not real fast. And as age has crept on me, that speed is even more reduced. August 2008, I decided to get in shape and I began watching my diet and running. I dropped some tonnage and got in better shape. Last spring and summer I did a few road races and really worked hard. My body began to break down and while I wanted to work out, it was just too painful to run 5 or 6 times a week.
A couple of guys at work and church, Scott Darnell and Steve Jones respectively, started talking to me about getting a road bike. I liked the idea, yet they are quite expensive. Well finally they talked me into it, and I then convinced my lovely bride that I would use it frequently, so we bought a bike.
If you have not ridden a bike recently, you really need to try it. The thrill of the wind in your hair and of dodging Bubbas in pick up trucks and dogs chasing you is amazing. Then I began swimming a tad. I was certainly not fast, and in fact, was quite slow. Yet something was in my head....
I don't quite know what possessed me, yet I decided to do a triathlon. After lots of research and some recommendations from an old high school friend of my wife, Scott Helms, I picked one in the town of Valdese, NC. This event is the shortest adult distance tri I have ever seen. Most sprint triathlons I can find have a swim at least 500 yards. This swim would be 250 yards. The bike was 9 miles and it finished with a 5k run. So I began training, and convinced my neighbor and training partner Greg Hughes and co-worker Scott Darnell to join the fun. In October, I really threw myself into training. I learned something: I can bike and run just fine, but my swimming was awful.
This swim occurs in an indoor pool. One swimmer starts every 15 seconds or so. You swim a length of the pool, then change lanes, and so on until you get to the last lane. At that point you jump out, move to the bike and off you go. When I first began swimming I could barely go a lap without stopping. This whole breathing thing was not going well. Then Scott D. came to my rescue. After he gave me some help, it clicked. I still was not fast, yet I could swim for a while non-stop and then actually started to improve.
After a few months of training, doing most of my running and riding inside because of the rough winter we had, taking swim lessons geared for triathletes, and purchasing some new gear, the day was upon us.
I really had no fear of not finishing. Unless I was in a bike wreck, suffered an injury or came down with some strange malady, there was no way I would not finish. The only question was how would I do?
In the early morning hours we met at my house. Scott, Greg and I traveled to Valdese together and began getting things together. Being a rookie, I was not sure how to set up my area. Each participant has a spot for their bike, and that is the same bit of Earth where you place your running gear and anything else you need. We "got inked" which means you get your race number written on you with a permanent marker at this event. Then it was time to hurry up and wait.
Time began to creep up on us and eventually it was start time. Each registrant submitted a swim time and that is how we were seeded. One swimmer every 15 seconds, a break every few minutes, which meant I did not start until 9:28:30. At about 9:20 I went to stand in line. Then the nerves really hit. At this point it was as if time was leaping forward. We could watch all the swimmers going and could see some good swimming strokes, some bad and some swimmers who had clearly given optimistic swim times. These folks were passed by the people behind them. That became my new goal-don't get passed!
The guy in front of me was a couple of inches shorter then me, with zero body fat. The guy behind me was about 6' 4" and also had no body fat. Everybody around me looked fit and trim. Again, I felt incredibly nervous. Again I told myself, don't get passed! The guy in front of me started, and then it was my turn. I remember thinking, "What have I gotten myself into? Oh well, I may as well do this thing." Lame I know, but in stressful times we think strange thoughts.
The race worker was counting, "5,4,3,2,1, go" and I was off. As I went I concentrated on my form, made sure to breathe, and wondered where the guy was behind me. After the first lane I turned, found my rhythm and things were good. My training was paying off. By the end of lane 2 I was catching the guy in front of me. He would not get out of my way. For 2 more lengths he was in my way. Then on lane 5 I made my move. I pushed harder and got past him, then just concentrated on getting back on my pace. Apparently at this point, as I was passing him, my lovely children were screaming loudly and cheering like they were at a football game. With my head in the water I could hear nothing! As I got to the end of lane 10 I noticed the ladder. Out we go. From there we had to go out the door, up a sidewalk, across the street and into the bike transition area. What I kept thinking was, "Nobody passed me!" That lasted about 10 seconds.
I am told this is me swimmingTransition areas are where serious participants make up time. Some of these folks came sprinting into the area and got their bike stuff and moved on quickly. I took my time, making sure I forgot nothing, and then got on my bike. The guy I passed swimming got on his bike, passed me in the first 50 yards, and then I never really saw him again. A couple of other guys went by me in the first half mile. Fortunately, I was never passed again and even passed a few riders. The course was tough and hilly. As if the hills were not enough of a challenge, the wind was blowing fairly hard. I saw several people with some sort of equipment issue on their bike. If I knew anything about fixing bikes, other than taking them to the shop, I may have offered to help. Maybe my ignorance actually helped me a little in this area. The last mile of the bike section was mostly down hill back to the start/transition area. I did not really pedal hard and tried to recover a bit. I was slowly catching a woman in front of me and a guy was gaining on me quickly. As we got to the transition area, off the bike I went, and I attempted to get my bike on the rack. My family was just outside the fencing and my lovely daughter asked, "Daddy are you tired yet?" Well I was a little, yet we still had the run to finish. So, off I went.
Answering my daughter, "Not too tired yet."
The transition area was located in a parking lot with a pretty good slope. I had to move up the hill toward the run route, which was located on streets of the town. I noticed the woman I nearly caught on the bike was way ahead of me, and the guy who was catching me on the bike was now in front of me. "Well, just run your race and relax" I thought. And away I went. Within 50 yards I caught the guy in front of me. I was certainly not running quickly, and he seemed to be laboring. I briefly looked at him, gave a slight head nod, and kept on going. The run route was an out and back, meaning you run the same route both ways. I could see several folks as they traveled back to the finish line. Some of these participants looked fresh and strong, some looked so tired I thought they were going to fall down. Then a few were walking. I made a decision that I would not walk! And then I wondered how I looked. Did I look as rough as some of these folks did?
About a half mile into the run, I moved out of the way of a lady that was running towards me. To fully get out of her way, I moved up onto the sidewalk. As we passed, my foot caught a raised part of the sidewalk, and I fell. When I say fell, I mean I fell completely to the ground. Of course, this was right in front of a race volunteer, who was talking to a guy in a big pick up truck. They showed tons of concern by laughing at me. I laughed as well-what else could I do?
After my fall, I quickly caught back up to my pace. I seemed to be gaining on some other runners. The route was not very difficult, and in fact seemed to be fairly easy. The reason for the easy feel of the course was that it was mostly down hill. At some point I recognized that as easy as this course was, I would have to run uphill back to the finish line. After the turn around, things got tougher. We started going uphill, and I tried to maintain my pace. I passed a few folks and felt strong. I could see the woman that I nearly caught on the bike. She seemed to be slowing down, and I was gaining. After crossing the intersection we had about a quarter mile to go. I caught this woman and then saw my family. They were cheering for me and holding signs and running along beside me. While I wanted to run with my kids, I also did not want this woman to beat me that I had spend so much time trying to catch! So I kept churning away and finished before her.
Cruising in toward the finish
And that was it. I finished. I beat my goal time and really enjoyed myself. After recovering for a few minutes, I went out and saw Greg finish. Our race times are pretty similar, yet I started the swim about 15 minutes before him. Talk about looking fresh, he looked great! He looked like he had only done a 5k, not the whole tri. I wonder if he pulled a Rosie Ruiz? (http://www.answers.com/topic/rosie-ruiz) Unfortunately, I had to leave before Scott finished. Yet he did great and finished strong as well.
Greg looks way too relaxed and energetic. Did he do the whole event?
This was a blast. I am now registered for 2 more triathlons, and 1 is a lake swim. That should be a challenge. I like the challenge of adding the new events. While running is fun, and my best event, I really enjoy the variety of the different events.
My kids have decided they want to do a triathlon as well. We have found a kids' event and they are training. This could be a family affair. Well, except for my lovely bride. She really does not want to run. Yet maybe I could get her to do a relay event with some friends! That would be pretty great.
If you like to exercise, come on out and do a triathlon. To quote my friend Matt Hammons, "It's fun and real active."
My support crew after the race.
