Getting up at 4am is never fun, and knowing that a near drowning experience awaits makes it a lot worse. Oh well, I had paid my $60 and done (some) trainin, so it was off to Kawana Waters for my very first baby triathlon.
When we arrived there were a lot of girls wondering around in race suits looking very fit and experienced. It didn't matter that I myself was wearing a race suit, these girls were clearly talented and I was about to embarrass myself. Then I saw the people in tutus and knew everything was going to be alright.
The pinkie tri started with a 300m swim in the Kawana swimming pool (I told you it was a baby triathlon). Although I can swim 300m now without much trouble, swimming continues to scare me. Unlike with running, I can't take 'walk breaks' as that would involve sinking. I'm just not a very good swimmer. Sorry mom, the 'swimmers shoulders' that you were always so excited by have not gotten me anywhere, except that I may have looked the part in the Chinese swimming team during the 90s. As it turned out the only thing I should have worried about in the swim was the congestion. There was just no where to move and some very slow swimmers who it was difficult to get around.
The first transition was a bit disastrous due to my blindness and lack of glasses. I spent a lot of time looking for my bike because the big numbers weren't at the end of the rows like they were at the other end. I have now been informed that I can get perscription goggles. Might need to look into this for next time.
Once I finally had my cycling shoes on, I ran my bike out to the street for the cycle leg. It was very nice to ride somewhere flat for a change and I managed to overtake a lot of people. I was very suprised to find I was actually half decent on the bike. After 3 laps it was back into transition. I almost entered in the wrong spot but figured it out soon enough and was racing in to pull my running shoes on. This time I found my spot quite easily.
I expected the run to be very easy. A bit of a joke really. I don't even run as little as 3km on my short runs. As it turned out though, my legs felt rubbish. The term I like to use is flat. Like when you run for the first time after an ultra and it is clearly too soon, or you drunk to many beers the night before a run. It was just so difficult to put one foot in front of the other and force myself to move. Somehow, from when I left transition to when I finished, my watch only showed 15 mins elapsing. It felt more like 20 minutes to be honest so I'm not sure how that worked. The official race time shows 18 minutes for the run split, but it doesn't have times for transition, so I think that run time also includes the transition time, or at least part of it. I'm fairly certain I only went over a timing pad when I entered from the bike leg, not when I left, so that would make sense.
My legs were singing by the time I could see the finish line. I am fairly sure that the only reason I pushed myself to keep running was so the 12 year old kid sitting on my heals wouldn't beat me. It's like getting lapped by oldies at the pool.
I wouldn't say I enjoyed the triathlon, not like I enjoy running, but I did feel very satisfied to finish, and I have definately enjoyed the cross training. I think I will try a longer distance next, then a half olympic distance, and then finally, Olympic distance. I would love to do a half ironman, but I know I won't get that good at swimming by the end of summer, so I have let that go for now. Even an olympic distance is a bit of a long shot.
