Feature Friday: GUEST Post & Happy International Women's Day!
Happy FRIYAY! I’ve got my long run this morning (18 miles) and then 10 miles Saturday before a FULL rest day on Sunday! This week has been really busy, but I’m happy to see the finish line. I always feel as though March goes by way too fast and then it’s Spring before we know it. I’m not really sure what we’ve got going on this weekend, but hoping to make it out skiing one of the two days. I’d also really like to work on my crocheting a bit this weekend, but reading has taken over my free time (because my book is SO good).
I know I’ve already done a blog post to celebrate International Women’s Day (find it here), but thought it would be fun to share my mom’s experience with her first Triathlon (why is that word so difficult to spell)?!? She’s turned into a total bada** triathlete and I can’t wait to see her crush some more of her goals this summer!
Guest Post from my mom on her Triathlete!
After a couple of people raved about a local Tri-for-a-Cure Triathlon (women-only) that raises money for the Maine Cancer Foundation, I thought I would put my name in the raffle and if I got drawn…I would have to figure it out. Well, guess what? My name came up and the triathlon training/education began. I read everything I found on triathlon trying to figure out what to wear, what the transition area situation was all about and how far was 1/3 of a mile in open water anyway?
Can’t see the fear on my face here but I was terrified!!!
Fast forward to my first event. I signed up for a couple of practice sprint triathlons in my area so I could figure things out and be prepared for the upcoming main event of the summer. Well, my first open water swim was scary! First time in a new wetsuit, never really practiced in one before. If there hadn’t been some friends that just happened to be there watching, I might have backed out. I got into the water fine and swam with the group about 20 feet and started having a mini-panic attack. I was able to side-stroke/back stroke/freestyle my way through the 1/3 swim! Onto the transition area, where I miscalculated what to wear for the bike ride and had to put my bike shorts on over my swimsuit (very hard to do since you’re still soaking wet). Onto 15 mile bike ride, I opted for the trusty road bike and running shoe combo since I was still afraid to clip-in on the bike. Oh so slow! Wow, the hills almost did me in I thought I was going to tip over I was going so slow. Finished up the event and went away feeling like I learned so much.
The big day came for my Tri-For-a-Cure event, it was going to be raining and I was so worried about biking in the rain. Before the event started, they gathered everyone together by the water to recognize the cancer survivors in the group. It was pretty emotional, I remember the tears coming partly because I was terrified and partly because I had wanted to be a part of this event so badly and here I was doing it! The waves of swimmers started shortly after that and being one of the older competitors I was near the final waves to go, just enough time to get more nervous. It was an ocean swim, so wetsuits needed, luckily they had “Wetsuit Strippers” when you came out of the water. They basically peel off your wetsuit for you so you can move on to your transition area. It was pouring buckets on the bike course and I know I was going to much slower than I was capable of going but I was worried about sliding on those skinny bike tires and wiping out. Finished back into the transition area and headed out for the 5k portion, my feet were so wet they were squishing on every step and the puddles took up the whole trail. But, the view made me forget all of the discomfort. We were running alongside the ocean and a beautiful park, I remember thinking that I was so proud of myself for completing the event that the tears started before I even got to the finish line. This was the hardest thing I had ever done! I was scared and I conquered my fear by taking one step at a time and moving onto the next step, not thinking of the whole event.
What I learned over that summer was that I was stronger than I thought I was and I was capable of doing so much more than I gave myself credit for! Everything is now based on surviving that first open water swim. I often tell myself, if I can do that, I can do anything! I am a triathlete!
I have a few triathlon events for the upcoming summer and I was drawn to compete in the Tri-for-a-Cure again this year. Redemption time, I hope to beat last years’ time in every event. I will be clipping into a bike for the first time this year! Stay tuned, hopefully there won’t be any injury updates to report.
Happy Swim, Bike, Run---Enjoy!
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Swimming in open water completely TERRIFIES ME so I don’t think I’ll be catching the Tri-bug anytime soon, but such a fun perspective don’t you think?
Have a GREAT weekend!
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Tell me about someone STRONG in your life that’s altered your journey?!?
Three things you’re doing this weekend? —> finishing my book, baking some homemade bread, trying to convince Alex that we need to go to the movies & see the newest Avengers!