SATURDAY, 05.09.09 This is what I sought to do just 13 weeks ago. My first ever triathlon. What did I learn? NEVER forget your transition bag in the hotel!!! I awoke (or maybe I didn't) at 5 am - calm as a cat. Braided my own hair, put on my bright blue "first triathlon matching outfit", slobbed on sunblock, pumped my tires and headed for breakfast with the team. At 6 am I enjoyed some bananas, bagels with cream cheese, and a cup of coffee of course. Together we left for Spruce Run State Park. We parked and I grabbed what I thought was "my transition bag." Not until Tom pointed it out to me did I notice I left all my damn gear at the Hampton Inn 6 miles away! I immediately called the hotel and spoke to Mike who found my bag. They arranged for Chris (a random triathlete who was racing) to find me, Joy # 437 in blue. To think of it, I really should've taken his phone number. I missed the team warm up swim at 7:30 am and on my way to find the porter potty, I found Chris - my savior of the day! I gave him the only thing I had to give, which was a smile, a hug and a sincere thank you. After putting on my wetsuit and some of Carey's popular body glide, I met up with the group in the sandy beach. It was a gloomy day with expected rain, but by the time I got to the beach to warm up on my own, I noticed the sun peering through. "Why hello sun!" I remember thinking while I practiced my spin turns and backstrokes. My family and KC arrived just in time to watch and hear the exciting count downs of the different waves. When it was Coach Jenn's turn to start, our team counted to 3 and chanted to cheer her on! She was the only female racing in the elite division! She carries a lot of traits to be admired. Not only is she very focused, she knows what she loves and isn't afraid to go after it. Right before her jump into the water, she scooped up a struggling bat in the middle of the shore just so it can have a chance to survive.
There was a warm sense of togetherness being in this team - for most of us we were sharing a first time experience. Being with this team made it that much more comforting. It was our turn. I remember dancing to the music that was playing and then suddenly startled by the horn that prompted everyone to charge into the water. I took a few seconds to let the avid swimmers attack the water then I ran in and went after it myself. I needed to pace because I estimated 30 minutes to complete my half mile swim. At one point I started to doubt my estimated time because swimming with a large group of people and continous sighting was tougher than I thought. I went off track a few times because I didn't sight as often - lesson here is to consistently sight after 4 or 5 strokes! I went on my back twice for a few seconds during my swim, greeting the sun again to help calm me down. Throughout my swim, I breathed during every stroke, but as soon as the end was near, I pushed it to every 4 - 5 strokes. When I got up, a familiar face popped up right next to me! It was Marianela! There was a smile on her face. She looked happy the swim was over as did I. We laughed and clocked in at exactly the same swim time: 24:01 minutes. Nice job, 6 minutes faster than I calculated. Transition 1: Took me 4.41 minutes? That's almost 3 minutes more than I expected! What did I do wrong? I didn't run to transition, I carefully packed my wet suit away, I cleaned my feet. Don't do what I did. I rolled my bike out of transition and started my 19.5 mile bike ride. I better pay attention to the pointers and signs. I was afraid to lose focus and wander off to a different street. There were many cops and volunteers who guided the path and stopped traffic. The course was hilly (not quite what they had described). I encountered some major hills but was never once discouraged. I reminded myself many times to *grip the floor* - I must not be comfortably cruising in this race. People passed each other very politely. I averaged 14.9 mph on this ride and had a max speed of at least 35 mph going downhill feathering my brakes. I can't believe Emily sped through 45 mph! This girl is fearless! Though the ride was tougher than I had expected, finishing in an 1 hour and 18 minutes, I enjoyed it. It was challenging like it was supposed to be. I was glad I rolled safely back into transition - without a scratch. Transition 2 was much faster than Transition 1. I clocked in at 1.13 minutes though really...to change to my sneakers and grab my racebelt should really have only taken 45 seconds! Note to self - hurry the hell up next time! =) Now the run. I was surprised I didn't once mentally or physically complain like I usually do quietly during training. =) I just went for it - 3.1 miles. It was definitely my support team who came to cheer me that boosted my energy. I did not digest any GU as was suggested by Coach Laura. This certainly help me not get any stomach cramps - either that or the adrenaline rush. The water station aids really helped me hydrate since during the bike ride I hesitated to drink water. During the last mile I bumped into Lindsay, an athlete who I met that morning. She was nice enough to tell me that I ran too far passed the cone! Whew! Lost a couple of seconds there - but geez Joy! Why are you in La La Land? In the last couple of meters, I noticed a guy run passed me. With one swift breath he quickly said to me "Let's go!" So, I decided to push myself and follow his faster pace. Between trees and around the bend we went, until I saw that balloon that said "FINISH." I shook the sweat off myself and went for it. It took me 29 minutes at an average of 9.4 minute mile to finish 3.1 mles. When I crossed that finish line, I took a leap, I cried, I hugged my dad, my mom, and finally KC. I was so happy they were there to see me finish. It was an experience of a lifetime and I can officially call myself a triathlete!
I've been a chicken baby all my life and the day I signed up for Team Chapstick I had no idea what lay ahead. I started writing this daily blog, documenting the physical, the mental, and yes even the emotional experiences. This blog helped me remember and realize the person that I am. I've been a catalyst for change - inspiring others to learn to swim, to buy a bike and even to start training for a triathlon! Looking back, I have accomplished alot for myself but the journey certainly doesn't end. I have more races this year, and I'm here to only get better. After analyzing the race results, I noticed that every second of every minute counts towards that finish line. Same with life and the choices that one makes. That minute you decide to commit is the same minute your life changes. CHEERS TO THAT!
Congrats Team for your commitment and job well done!
And thank you Coaches for your sincere dedication and support!
