After a night filled with severe thunderstorms and my iPhone waking me up every 33 minutes to remind me that there was a "severe thunderstorm WARNING" in my area (I finally put my phone in iPhone "time-out" and placed it face down on my nightstand). Tom and I awakened at 3:30am to eat a quick breakfast and then jump in the car for the 1 1/2 hour drive to Topeka, KS. It rained most of the way to Topeka and I found myself thinking, "Darn, the triathlon is going to be cancelled and I won't be able to
A word to the wise: Never look at the swim course early in the day. Once I set my bike up in transition, Tom and I walked over to check out where I'd be swimming and I almost sprinted back to the car (and left)! The buoys were *so* far away! Yikes! Turned out that the storm the night before had completely scattered the buoys. Once they were in place the course looked much more "doable."
![IMG_0725.jpg](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2547/5850382544_ab0118cb47_z.jpg)
You can't tell from these photos, but I was so nervous at this point that I wanted to throw up! I kept asking myself, "Why, exactly, did I want to do this?" I needed to be reminded. But I smiled anyway~ as I looked at the photos I couldn't believe how confidant I looked! The photos certainly didn't reflect how I felt!
![IMG_4479.jpg](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/5849640069_8a7bdb056f_z.jpg)
Here I am surveying the swim course... only 400 yards~ but it looked like a long way to me~ and how cold was that water, anyway?
![IMG_4503.jpg](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/5849641287_2370bd8237_z.jpg)
The race is started in "waves"... I was in the womens 40 and up group~ you can see in the water some of the first swimmers are already finished!
![IMG_4497.jpg](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5849640743_770b498bb9_z.jpg)
Turns out the water *was* cold, but too cold and I did complete the swim~ no one had to rescue me! It wasn't a pretty sight though. I think I totally psyched myself out and couldn't put my face in the water to swim correctly for more than a few strokes at a time. I'm here to tell you: doggie-paddling *does* work~ the forward progress is quite a bit slower, but it does work! LOL!
Here I am running to T1 (the transition from swim to bike)....
![IMG_4520.jpg](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5316/5850194570_c22caa01c1_z.jpg)
grabbing my bike,
![IMG_4528.jpg](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2516/5849642639_47473c879e_z.jpg)
and heading out for a 13 mile ride!
![IMG_4532.jpg](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5849643127_6cfb8f22dd_z.jpg)
The bike is my favorite part of triathlon. I was *so* relieved to be out of the water and mounting my bike! Yay for solid ground and wheels! I had never ridden the course in Topeka before, so I didn't really go all out, but still turned in a pretty good time~ second best in my age group, I think. Anyway, the bike was done *way* too soon for my liking, and it was time to run.
My T2 transition (from bike to run) was a little faster than T1, (I still have *so* much to learn/improve on!).
![IMG_4535.jpg](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/5850196490_32d4ff65d2_z.jpg)
![IMG_4538.jpg](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/5850197042_6a9a1a1d96_z.jpg)
By the time I started running it was in the upper 80s and super-humid! The run was an out and back, with the only aid station at the 1 1/2mi point. I am spoiled by going on my daily runs with Tom who carries water on his fuel belt and freely shares with me. That first mile and a half to the water seemed *so* long! I did make it out there and back though,.... here I am almost at the end of the run. By this point I was just ready to *finish*!!
![IMG_4543.jpg](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2730/5849644901_985a5940a0_z.jpg)
I did it! I finished my first sprint triathlon~ and lived to tell about it! : )
I hope that this post doesn't seem too self-serving. I almost didn't post it, but thought that I would because I'd like to encourage other moms to pursue your fitness goals. There is very little possibility that I will ever be good enough to stand on a podium, but in my book, challenging myself, trying new things and being forced outside of my comfort zone are rewards in and of themselves. Plus, it just feels *so* good to be fit!
I'm already planning and excitedly working towards my next triathlon at the end of July~ trust me... I am just a mom of a dozen children with a very full homeschooling schedule~ if I can pursue this, I'm *sure* you can pursue your dreams too!
A HUGE thanks to my parents, two of our boys (Jake and Caleb), and to Tom who spent so much time early in the day (*very* early, in Tom's case!) to cheer for me! You guys are the *best*!!! Love you!
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