Give me a marathon any day, I say. Hey, give me back-to-back marathons everyday for the rest of my life and then let me come home and clean dog poop off my sofa. Let me do all those things and then rip off my arms and beat me with them, because that would be better than any form of swimming. Any. And all. Amen.
So I did my first triathlon and I didn’t die and I didn’t drown. It certainly wasn’t pretty and I’ll let the pictures tell the story, but I will insert this bit: I used every single ounce of energy I had in the swim and I had nothing left to give the rest of the race. There were only two people in the pool after me when I finished and I was practically crawling from the pool to my bike. Totally. Exhausted. And when did swimming become a contact sport? Please, don’t touch my fat! One would assume that since I am built like a buoy that I’d have a natural advantage in the pool. So. Not. True.
I’m thinking my fish friend, Michelle, might force me to take a swim lesson or two before my next tri. Wait, did I just say next one? What I meant to say was my back-to-back thousands of marathons with my legs tied together through a desert full of snakes with no water stations. Actually, I think that place is in Australia somewhere for real.
Total Time: 1:40:31
500-yard Swim: 19:09 T1: 2:05 13-mile Bike: 44:53 T:2 1:47 5K Run: 32:34
Of course, we had a fabulous time and fabulous hospitality from our super cool friends, Michelle and Phillip, in Oklahoma, and that made the trip almost worth swimming for! That, and a little wine.
**EDIT: I totally forgot, due to the angst of the swim, to mention that Michelle totally ROCKED the course and got 7th in her age group! And the husbands followed us around the course the entire day on their bikes and took pictures and had chilled wine waiting for us at the end (which was nice of them, even if it wasn’t demanded)! It doesn’t get much better.
Hell yeah…I love that you said “next tri” > 🙂
Great job, sooz.
Way to go Suz!
wow, triathlons bring out the tiger in michael! Of course wine but cookies??!? WITH YOUR NAME ON THEM??? I NEVER GOT WINE OR COOKIES at my tris!!! I want a refund.
i feel the same way about swimming. Take 3 lessons and call me in the morning. You will learn how to totally conserve energy in the pool. you might still be last but at least you’ll be last and RESTED.
great, great job!!!
Dude, you got cookies! That more than makes up for it!! Congrats on the first, and based on your bike and run times, I think you’ll be just fine, even if you decide not to take some lessons ;). Hooray for finishing!
Jeanne – LMAO – I think it’s cool you are doing tri’s – I thought about it briefly but then remembered the swimming part and the wetsuit thing – LOVE your helmet
You said “next tri.” We all hear you say it and you know it has GOT to be better. I’d put in an order for oatmeal raisin or [dark] chocolate chip cookies for the next one. In fact, if I got that sort of treatment, I might take up tri’s again. Why don’t you come to California for the next one? Hint-hint!
See, you didn’t drown. But if you did then you wouldn’t have to do another one.
I would totally start doing Triathlons if someone brought me wine and cookies at the end. Where do you sign up for that?
P.S. Congratulations – great job!
What a well organized transition zone! Very nice. I don’t remember specifying a pony but that’s a nice touch!
And you got cookies and wine. What a lucky girl.
I’m sorry but a woman who does 16+ MPH on the bike doesn’t get to claim ‘nothing left in the tank’ out of the pool. You did great! Like Jeanne said, take 3 swimming lessons and you’ll feel so much better about the swim.
Mostly what I saw is ‘next tri’ and that’s perfect. Welcome to the crack house.
Walter bought me a beer after the last AFC 1/2 marathon…but WINE and COOKIES?!?!…that is just THE. BEST.
I’m still flummoxed by the whole tri-wardrobe thing. Glad that part of it worked out.
I don’t know….I look at your times and they’d be close to PRs for me if I were doing just one of those events!
as much as I’d love to give credit to the husbands for the cookies, they were given to us by Michelle’s friend and they are the best cookies I’ve ever had. And I’m also pretty sure Michelle bought the wine, but it was awfully nice that the husbands remembered the cooler and glasses.
Great job on the Lighthouse Tri! A few swim lessons and you’ll cut 8 minutes off your swim time with half the effort! Now if you could just teach me to run! Oh, and before I forget, the Hillapalooza Tri is coming up August 16th! 🙂
Way to go Susan! Even if the swim was tough, you’re a triathlete…be careful, it’s addicting. The cookies and wine were awesome. I’ll have to show my hubby…maybe he can take a hint and bring both to my next tri! 🙂
great job. i love the shot of both your legs. i took a simillar looking one with my good buddy Psi the other day. i think my legs are shinnier though. 🙂
You sure know how to do a tri the right way!! Glad you had a blast
I’ll quote you on that one – “before my next tri”. You did well Susan – I’m impressed.
By the way, Aussie deserts aren’t full of snakes. I’ve been outback and didn’t see one! In fact I’ve seen less than a dozen snakes in the wild in my whole life.
Your numbers of 229 and 230 remind me of a joke my Dad use to tell, are you ready? Why do bags of beans never have more then 239 beans in them. Because if there was one more they would be two-fortie, get it twofartie?
Sorry, that was what came to my mind.
Congrats on the tri!!
You’re my she-ro. I’m still learning how to take a breath in the pool.
I like your idea about the marathons. Now you’re talkin my language! Nice job on your first tri.
great job on your first tri. If I could swim might try one. No I won’t. Running that’s where it is at. I’d fall off the bike as well.
Well aren’t you all raising the bar-like?
I am impressed. I am just not so crazy to even think about the swimmy thing. There’s nothing quite like the smell of wet asphalt in the morning. Grind out those marathon training miles.
Good job!!!! That is so cool they had the chilled drink waiting.
If you are doing another one, suggestion, leave you clip on shoes clipped to the pedals. It’s helps and have you feet out of the shoes before you dismount. Practice.
Congrats!!!!
OMG! i can’t believe you did a tri. Runner Susan. what the hell’s next? me opening a graphic design business??
well, i’m not. but, i’m mighty proud of you!!!
I feel the EXACT SAME WAY. I’m hooked on tri’s, but why does there have to be swimming involved? Great job, though. Being last out of the water (like I was) leaves you lots of people to pass on the bike leg. 🙂