I'm nearly a week past the event that brought about this blog and the challenge to myself to be "faster by forty" -- which indeed I am!
Here are some highlights (and low lights) of the triathlon:
Writing "40" on the race application was a bit . . . startling. I've never had to reveal THAT age in writing before. I've never BEEN that age! What's the number "40" supposed to mean, anyway? . . . I wrote it. Solidly. Purposefully. Expectantly.
Race day weather was unlike any training day. It was COLD. And WINDY! With a high of 59 and strong winds, I was totally confused about what to wear. I went with my leggings, and kept on only one of two jackets that I arrived to the race with.
My nephew was the bomb at the swim! This was his first race, and he came out of the water in second place for the mixed relay. Tough act to follow. I didn't follow. But I still gave it my best.
I hopped on the bike and pedaled those 18 miles for all I was worth. With the wind, on some open downhill stretches I noticed I was having to really pedal hard against the wind. (I thought the downhills was where you catch your breath slightly. Not so for us on the bike!) I passed one person. Lots of people passed me.
Some people sound like they're dying when they bike. There were a few who passed me that I thought I might be doing CPR on at some point. Is it helpful to grunt and groan with every breath you take? I didn't think so. It was not fun to listen to. Ha!
I was greatly inspired by several participants. Two different teams took two different people through the race. They pulled them in a raft through the water, pulled them in a cart behind a bike, pushed them in a cart through the run. The participants never would have done something like this on their own as they were nearly paralyzed. I couldn't help but tear up as I watched the heroics of their teammates, and watched them receive a medal for distinction at the end of the race. One of the participants was absolutely beaming. I'm quite sure that one of the teammates was someone who has won this race year after year. Maybe the thrill of taking First Place was finally over. That is inspiring as well.
Another participant I watched was an amputee. As I stood in line at the porta potties before the race, I watched him take off the rubber covering for his stump, lube it up, and prepare it for the race. That is something that no one else has to contend with. Everyone else worries about chaffing in other areas of their body, but not a stump leg! Then I watched him use crutches to get down to the water. He left the crutches on the bank where they would be quickly retrieved as he exited the lake. I don't recall seeing him again after this, but he definitely left me with quite an impression on not giving up.
I felt mostly good throughout the race, although I never felt I could have gone faster. I gave it my all. I wasn't scared, which I had anticipated being. I just kept steadily going. I talked myself up a few hills (in my head, not out loud, thank you), gave and received encouragement from other bikers, and in general just had a fabulous time.
Upon dismounting from the bike at transition, I wasn't sure if my legs would hold me up. Really! I felt like the biggest klutz, running on steely legs. I felt like I looked like a spectacle. ;) Laura took the chip off my ankle (because I didn't want to bend over at this point), and she was quickly lost in the hoopla as I walked off my wildly unpredictable muscles in my legs.
My time was as good as I'd hoped for: 1:17:09. I'd anticipated finishing between 1:10 and 1:30. I was content with my time. The mph average was 14 something. Slow, but faster than I'd started out at.
Laura, too, did better than she'd expected. We were all surprised to see her coming in when she did. I think she would even say she enjoyed the experience as well. :)
My calendar already has next year's date written in. Hopefully "faster by forty" will continue on.
Here are some highlights (and low lights) of the triathlon:
Writing "40" on the race application was a bit . . . startling. I've never had to reveal THAT age in writing before. I've never BEEN that age! What's the number "40" supposed to mean, anyway? . . . I wrote it. Solidly. Purposefully. Expectantly.
Race day weather was unlike any training day. It was COLD. And WINDY! With a high of 59 and strong winds, I was totally confused about what to wear. I went with my leggings, and kept on only one of two jackets that I arrived to the race with.
My nephew was the bomb at the swim! This was his first race, and he came out of the water in second place for the mixed relay. Tough act to follow. I didn't follow. But I still gave it my best.
I hopped on the bike and pedaled those 18 miles for all I was worth. With the wind, on some open downhill stretches I noticed I was having to really pedal hard against the wind. (I thought the downhills was where you catch your breath slightly. Not so for us on the bike!) I passed one person. Lots of people passed me.
Some people sound like they're dying when they bike. There were a few who passed me that I thought I might be doing CPR on at some point. Is it helpful to grunt and groan with every breath you take? I didn't think so. It was not fun to listen to. Ha!
I was greatly inspired by several participants. Two different teams took two different people through the race. They pulled them in a raft through the water, pulled them in a cart behind a bike, pushed them in a cart through the run. The participants never would have done something like this on their own as they were nearly paralyzed. I couldn't help but tear up as I watched the heroics of their teammates, and watched them receive a medal for distinction at the end of the race. One of the participants was absolutely beaming. I'm quite sure that one of the teammates was someone who has won this race year after year. Maybe the thrill of taking First Place was finally over. That is inspiring as well.
Another participant I watched was an amputee. As I stood in line at the porta potties before the race, I watched him take off the rubber covering for his stump, lube it up, and prepare it for the race. That is something that no one else has to contend with. Everyone else worries about chaffing in other areas of their body, but not a stump leg! Then I watched him use crutches to get down to the water. He left the crutches on the bank where they would be quickly retrieved as he exited the lake. I don't recall seeing him again after this, but he definitely left me with quite an impression on not giving up.
I felt mostly good throughout the race, although I never felt I could have gone faster. I gave it my all. I wasn't scared, which I had anticipated being. I just kept steadily going. I talked myself up a few hills (in my head, not out loud, thank you), gave and received encouragement from other bikers, and in general just had a fabulous time.
Upon dismounting from the bike at transition, I wasn't sure if my legs would hold me up. Really! I felt like the biggest klutz, running on steely legs. I felt like I looked like a spectacle. ;) Laura took the chip off my ankle (because I didn't want to bend over at this point), and she was quickly lost in the hoopla as I walked off my wildly unpredictable muscles in my legs.
My time was as good as I'd hoped for: 1:17:09. I'd anticipated finishing between 1:10 and 1:30. I was content with my time. The mph average was 14 something. Slow, but faster than I'd started out at.
Laura, too, did better than she'd expected. We were all surprised to see her coming in when she did. I think she would even say she enjoyed the experience as well. :)
My calendar already has next year's date written in. Hopefully "faster by forty" will continue on.
