CDA Triathalon

On Aug. 8th I did my first Olympic triathalon. It was a blast. I couldn't have asked for better weather and support. It was pretty cloudy, but all in all, cool for the run and the bike and the lake was pretty calm.

t started out well, the swim was pretty crowded and you get a little trampled, but it clears out after a while and you get into your own rhythm.

The bike was the most challenging part for me. I expected the ride to be hard, but little did I know what was in store. I got out of the water, ran to my bike and started cruising down the bike course. The flats felt fine. When I got to my first hill, I lowered my gears and started pumping hard and my chain fell off. I jumped off my bike, put the chain on, and started pedaling again. After about two rotations, my chain fell off again. This happened about four times. A little frustrated and depressed for losing so much time, I tried again, changed gears and eventually made it up the first hill. I cruised all the way down, knowing I needed to try and make up for lost time(and that the biggest hill was to come) and got ready to start climbing again. Right when I turned onto the largest hill of the race, I geared down and my chain fell off again. FRUSTRATION!!! I put it on, pedaled, and if fell off again. This went on for about ten minutes. After hearing about five people ask me if I was okay, I broke down...my chain derailer was caught in my spokes and I thought I was out of the race. I sat and cried for about a minute and weighed out my options. I could keep trying to unhook my chain, or I could give up and walk down the hill to the officials and be done with the race. I decided to try one more time. That's when a lightbulb went off. I realized that for some reason my lower gears were messed up and that I just couldn't go into my two low gears. I changed gears, put my chain on and powered out the rest of the bike course.

By then, I had decided that my time was toast anyway, and that I was just grateful to be doing the race in the first place, when I saw Mikin pass me on the bike. I knew that she was a faster biker and I a faster runner, so I decided that if I went as fast as I could on the rest of the bike course, I could probably catch up to her on the run(I found out later that she was having chain problems too). So when I got to the run section, I ran faster than normal to catch up to her, so we could finish the race together. At about mile marker two and a half, we met up and were able to run together the rest of the way.

All in all, it was a test physically and emotionally for me, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I had a blast, and can't wait until next year to do it again. Hopefully without the bike problems, but I guess that is all part of the experience!!! And thanks Mikin for the Grand Finale!