Full length practice tri and running

We did the full length (1/2 mile swim, 21 mile bike, 3 mile run) practice triathlon yesterday! (1/2 mile swim, 21 mile bike, 3 mile run) It was easier than I had anticipated. I swam the distance without any panic though I almost did a few times. I asked Mike to not say the word. After everyone went I swam slowly. Intentionally VERY slowly. I got to the point where I panicked last time and felt my breath shorten. I talked to myself and got through it. In all honesty I was really anxious BEFORE I got into the water. We did two times around some buoys in a triangle to swim the total 1/2 mile. I was anxious again when I was finishing the first lap and wondered where the group was. I knew I was last which meant they must be coming behind me finishing their last lap. Oh dear! What if they swim right over me? That was a scary thought. I popped my head up and looked for them and never really saw anyone except the safety boat. Ironically (not really) the guy on the safety boat was next to me the entire time. Oh der, what did Mike tell him? Something like, "You better stay close to that one, she's a real handful. She panics." I felt silly. the safety boat guy was cheering me on and reminding me to sight when I swam off course which was nice but distracting. Maybe he was buffering so that I would not get swam over. Where was the crowd? Later Byron said I was not that far behind so they never passed me. So I swam, I kept swimming. I got into my rhythm. On my final swim to the end I sped up. Mike was at the shore with the safety boat guy. Both were cheering me on.

I walked to the transition point relieved that I did not panic. Grabbed some water, gatorade and shoved a chunk of Clif bar in my mouth. I was surprised there were a few people left at the transition. I thought I'd be alone as my swim was sooooo slow and I was last. Byron was there and took off on his bike before me. I took off and enjoyed some of the ride. I got to the beginning hill. This is the biggest hill on the course. Shit! My gears are not working properly. I have a 21 speed and could only get 3 speeds and they were not the easier speeds. this is not how I want to start my ride. I make it up the hill really tired. Again thinking how much I hate my bike. I just tightened everything last night and pumped up the tires. I saw someone in red off in the distance ahead of me. I passed Patty on the side of the road, who is a serious triathlete. Her tire was flat. She had help and was getting the new tire ready. I forgot to get a tire patch kit. I have tools but no tire patch. I wonder how soon Patty will pass me.

I spent the first half of the ride trying to catch up to the person with the red shirt. I never got close enough to pass. My legs were so tired. They burned and I could not even stand to pedal up small hills. I remembered how I have always been this tired on the first half and then warm up and feel better on the last half when I speed up. I still longed for an leisurely bike ride. I got closer to the half way point/turnaround. I passed 2 cyclists I had not seen in the distance. Cool. Most of the team passed me in the other direction. Byron was stopped at the turnaround drinking water. We took off together. I stayed with him the whole time and we eventually passed the person in the red shirt and their biking partner. So I passed 4 people. Not bad for an incredibly slow swim. Patty passes all of us on the way back. She is impressive.

Mike is cheering us on back at the transition. He has a table set up with water. I get off my bike and take my time (oh did I ever take my time!!!) stretching, hydrating, snacking and socializing. I even went to the bathroom as our bikes are parked there. I wasn't racing and my priority was to finish the run nonstop. I needed that. I saw a friend and her little one. She was walking on the path we ran. We ran the dam at the lake. For the actual tri we will be running at the college. Mike told us the equivalent distance on the dam would be two times to the end and back. *gulp* I had only run the full dam once successfully. I could not imagine running the thing twice! Well, I will just do it. I have to. It's flatter than the college course so I should have no problem.

I down more water, get my headphones on and blast Rage Against the Machine's People of the Sun. Off I go. Wow. I can run. My footwork is good and my legs don't feel so bad. They hurt, they definitely hurt but not at all like the first time I tried a brick and failed miserably. I did want to stop more than ever though. I told myself to re-evaluate after the second song. that works well for me because by the time I get there I can keep going. The second song ended and I was still unhappy. Okay let's re-evaluate after the next song. Teammates are passing me in the other direction. We cheer each other on. I pass Byron. He is doing great but looks beat. he is going in the other direction too.

It's easier. I can do this. I am almost 1/4 way through. I turn around to head back. I realize I am going to do this. I REALLY will do this. I get a little weepy. Shit! I really am going to go the full distance today. Byron will too! James did not come because he was sick. I wish he could see us. I keep running. I reach the starting point. One more time. I turn around and off I go. It's so much easier now. It's not even hot out. I thank Mother Nature for the nice weather. I thought it was going to be 100+ degrees. It was sunny, warm but not hot with a few breezes. I see a few people opposite me getting ready to finish. yay! They did it! I reach the 3/4 point and turn around running the final part. I saw Byron in front of me running. he walked the 3rd lap of 4 and then ran the last part hard. I am so proud of him. I see him finish in the distance. I get weepy again. My boy did it! I get close and think about how far we have all come. I want to thank Mike so much for everything he has done for us. He is at the finish cheering me on. "I did it! I did the whole thing!" I say as I slap his hand. I head straight to Byron who is sitting down by his bike exhausted drinking gatorade. We hug. We smile. We did it! We can do this. We will do fine in 2 weeks. We socialize with other teammates. We get our times. Byron beat me by 2 minutes. I wasn't last despite my slow swimming time. I was happy. Later James looked up the finishing times for last year's tri. If I keep this time in the tri I won't be last. I won't even come close! I could shave off several minutes in the actual tri in my transition. I took at least 5 min in the bike run transition. 2 more weeks. here I go......


So I didn't blog about last week. I feel like I turned a corner with running. I trust the process now. I know I can run what I decide. I am even starting to like it. I just might stick with it. Last Sunday I wanted to run the length and back of the Golden Gate Bridge. Both ways totals 3 miles. It was too crowded so we settled for a beautiful path in Tiburon, CA along the bay. I just kept running and only turned around because it was time to go. It was easy. Then I ran the tri running coarse at the college twice. It was hard the first time but I completed it and I ran at the same pace as when I run the flats. there are nice rolling hills. We run the cross country course that winds around up and down the ravine through the frisbee golf course. We end up on pavement for the last mile and finish doing 1 lap around the track. I ran this course again alone. I stopped twice. the first time I didn't realize I stopped. I forgot my mental tools. So I started back up and ran a lot more. I walked again but very briefly. I checked my time and my pace was faster by a minute per mile! what??? I walked . I felt it though but I figured it was the hills. Either way I was happy. now I want to keep running after the tri and increase my speed. I want to do a 10K. I did 5 miles last week I can add another mile. I can run. I like running!