Triathlete
n. a person who doesn't understand that one sport is enough.
Play hard
DREAM BIG
smile often
and NEVER
give up
Before I tell you about my newest Adventure I'd like to Thank Michelle for always being by my side. Thank you for your support in everything I do. Also Thank you to Keith for being part of my Adventure and for taking all these amazing photos. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction when I needed it most. And at last Thanks to everyone else who believed in me.
Ok here we go. Well first of all let me tell you - I did not plan on becoming a triathlete. Well at least not when I started swimming. I started end of February 2016 and did only a handful of swims between Feb and April. In May I decided I wanted more and started going just for fun 3times a week. I liked it. I even became a morning person, lol :) Everything changed on June 10th when I received a message from my friend about the Chaparral tri which would be Aug 7th ... I talked to my boss and baaam ... June 20th we were signed up. Now I had to train ... and try to do some open water swims.
Michelle and I did 3 open water practice swims. 1st at McKenzie Lake were we did about 500m ... It was my first time in a Lake (not counting Quarry Lake a year ago) and it freaked me out a bit. I can swim 1500m in the pool at Talisman but Lake swimming is very different. 2nd Lake Chaparral 1hour 1.0K. We did one long loop with breaks here and there. That's when I decided that 1500m would be to much for my first triathlon. I switched from the Olympic 1500m to the Sprint 750m the following day. 3rd Lake Chaparral - I spent only about 15min in the water and did 350m. I didn't feel so well that day. That's all we could do because two days after our 3rd Lake swim was our Tritahlon.
Ok now - keep on reading or you won't know the stories to all the amazing photos. (photo credit: Keith Cartmell)
RACE MORNING
Getting up early doesn't bother me anymore. Michelle wanted to be at Chaparral at 6am and we were there at 6:04 :) We had lots of time for bike check, body marking, set up and a quick look and walk around the transition area. We also had time for a few photos of course ;) I love that I am able to share my adventures with one of my clostest friends. She has been there for my first 10K, first half mararthon and first marathon. She was also part of the IronMan relay team and saw me finish my 90K bike ride. And now it was time to become a triathlete :) So here we go ... Let's start with part Nr 1.
SWIM
750m in 21:05
Michelle started an hour before I did because she did the Olympic distance. When it was my time - I got in the water to get comfortable with the 16degrees cold water. Then everyone had to get out and wait on the beach for the start signal. And off we went. I found it cold but as soon as I started swimming I felt fine. I swam with the front crawl for a bit but decided to see how I would do with breaststroke. I like front crawl but breaststroke lets me see where I am going.
I was in the back with 2 men and a woman. I was very happy when I passed the turnaround and only had to swim back to shore. In the end I pushed myself a little and passed two more men. I'd tell you that felt pretty awesome. I was very happy when I was able to leave the water. All I thought was - Woohoo - I did it. I did the first part of my triathlon. Wow. I headed to transition and got changed for part two.
Bike
22.8K in 57.06
Transition was quick and off I went. Biking was great. I knew I would make some good time. I didn't worry much about the biking part after my resent 90K bike ride just two weeks before my triathlon. I am glad my friend Michelle told me that I had to do 3 loops though. I thought I only had to do 2. I felt great and was happy that I was done with the hill after doing it 3times.
There were a lot of other bikers around me but there wasn't really anyone to follow. Everyone had their own pace. So I made sure to count each volunteer that I saw 3 times. Having to bike only one hill in each round made the count pretty easy too. When I finished my ride I headed in to transition for part 3.
Run
5.5K in 41.38
All I had to do in transition was hang up my bike and take off my helmet. And off I went for my final part of my first triathlon. My run was slow. Actually all I wanted to do was take a nap :) I haven't been running at all for a while and did a run/walk. I didn't really care about my running time - all I wanted was to finish. I know my run could have been a bit better but I am happy with my first triathlon.
Before the race I thought - Lake swimming is not for me and I thought I would be happy when it was over. And YES I was happy when I was done BUT I was also a bit sad. All I can say now is - I would totally do it again. Maybe the same race next year. :)
When I started swimming I was glad when I made it to the other side of the pool. I remember I had to take breaks after each 25m I did. AND now ... I actually did and open water race. I am amazed. Can't wait for a new Adventure.
I've never really learned the front crawl. I just had to teach myself and I am very happy with my progress over the past few month.
May 4th 2016 1.0K in 01:07:00
May 29th 2016 1.10K in 00:34:00
June 17th 2016 1.70K in 00:52:00
July 18th 2016 1.50K in 00:52:30
Aug 1st 2016 1.0K in 00:30:00
Aug 12th 2016 2.0K in 00:56:00 longest swim yet
Ok here we go. Well first of all let me tell you - I did not plan on becoming a triathlete. Well at least not when I started swimming. I started end of February 2016 and did only a handful of swims between Feb and April. In May I decided I wanted more and started going just for fun 3times a week. I liked it. I even became a morning person, lol :) Everything changed on June 10th when I received a message from my friend about the Chaparral tri which would be Aug 7th ... I talked to my boss and baaam ... June 20th we were signed up. Now I had to train ... and try to do some open water swims.
Michelle and I did 3 open water practice swims. 1st at McKenzie Lake were we did about 500m ... It was my first time in a Lake (not counting Quarry Lake a year ago) and it freaked me out a bit. I can swim 1500m in the pool at Talisman but Lake swimming is very different. 2nd Lake Chaparral 1hour 1.0K. We did one long loop with breaks here and there. That's when I decided that 1500m would be to much for my first triathlon. I switched from the Olympic 1500m to the Sprint 750m the following day. 3rd Lake Chaparral - I spent only about 15min in the water and did 350m. I didn't feel so well that day. That's all we could do because two days after our 3rd Lake swim was our Tritahlon.
Ok now - keep on reading or you won't know the stories to all the amazing photos. (photo credit: Keith Cartmell)
RACE MORNING
 |
| It was a bit cold at 6am but we were excited to be there :) |
SWIM
750m in 21:05
 |
| Trying to get comfortable in the 16degrees cold water before the start. |
 |
| Very happy I made it through my swim! |
I was in the back with 2 men and a woman. I was very happy when I passed the turnaround and only had to swim back to shore. In the end I pushed myself a little and passed two more men. I'd tell you that felt pretty awesome. I was very happy when I was able to leave the water. All I thought was - Woohoo - I did it. I did the first part of my triathlon. Wow. I headed to transition and got changed for part two.
Bike
22.8K in 57.06
 |
| Transition Swim to Bike |
 |
| One more loop to go! |
There were a lot of other bikers around me but there wasn't really anyone to follow. Everyone had their own pace. So I made sure to count each volunteer that I saw 3 times. Having to bike only one hill in each round made the count pretty easy too. When I finished my ride I headed in to transition for part 3.
Run
5.5K in 41.38
 |
| Transition Bike to Run |
 |
| Almost done! Swim-Bike-Run |
All I had to do in transition was hang up my bike and take off my helmet. And off I went for my final part of my first triathlon. My run was slow. Actually all I wanted to do was take a nap :) I haven't been running at all for a while and did a run/walk. I didn't really care about my running time - all I wanted was to finish. I know my run could have been a bit better but I am happy with my first triathlon.
Before the race I thought - Lake swimming is not for me and I thought I would be happy when it was over. And YES I was happy when I was done BUT I was also a bit sad. All I can say now is - I would totally do it again. Maybe the same race next year. :)
Finished in 1:59:48
 |
| Happy!! |
That's Just The Beginning :)
When I started swimming I was glad when I made it to the other side of the pool. I remember I had to take breaks after each 25m I did. AND now ... I actually did and open water race. I am amazed. Can't wait for a new Adventure.
I've never really learned the front crawl. I just had to teach myself and I am very happy with my progress over the past few month.
May 4th 2016 1.0K in 01:07:00
May 29th 2016 1.10K in 00:34:00
June 17th 2016 1.70K in 00:52:00
July 18th 2016 1.50K in 00:52:30
Aug 1st 2016 1.0K in 00:30:00
Aug 12th 2016 2.0K in 00:56:00 longest swim yet
