A Much Less Impressive Olympic Trial

I survived the swim!

After completing my first sprint triathlon on June fourth, my youngest son declared, "You're a Triathlete now!", but I embraced the label with some trepidation. Although the bike and run portions had gone well, I had clearly panicked during the 500 meter swim.  How would I ever complete a triathlon with a longer swim?

I'm still alive!!!

I practiced at Clearwater Lake.  It was all I could do to put my face in the water and swim freestyle for a few strokes.  My heart pounded in my chest.  I felt I couldn't breathe.  It was embarrassing to panic in what was clearly a safe environment for swimming-- no sharks, no jellyfish.  What was my problem?

I practiced at Hard Labor Creek Lake near our home.  Many times.  It got better.  It helped when my son swam with me the first time.  It helped when I swam with my triathlete friend, Amy.  I didn't get faster, but I stopped panicking . . . as much.

John's assignment was to keep an eye
on women's legs!  

The date of my first Olympic distance triathlon began at 4am with horrible nerves and the inability to eat.  By the time we arrived at the lake in Elberton, I had only 30 minutes before the start.  I insisted that John and I take a picture together.  The panicky voice inside me commented that it might be our last picture together.

Wading into the lake, I found a quiet spot off to the side.  Two laps around these buoys?  Surely I had misread!  It looked like at least a mile swim.  The announcer reminded us that we swim twice around the buoys.  Oh, gosh!  Okay, Okay, I thought.  I know my body can do it as long as I stay calm . . . as long as I stay calm . . . 

The gun went off and we were in.  For the first 60 seconds, I was swimming happily and thinking, "This is going just fine!", but then suddenly I couldn't breathe, my heart was racing, and I wanted to stop!  I swam with my head up and thought, "I can't do it.  I can't possibly do two laps around these buoys."  At that moment, the next gun went off for the next wave of swimmers.  I realized that I had only been in the water for THREE MINUTES.  Good Grief!

I told my brain to shut up, and I just started trying to swim.  No thinking.  Just swimming-- face out of the water mostly. I passed a few people.  I began to feel a little better.  By a half mile in, I was relaxed and thought maybe I could do it.  I worried about watching the buoys and keeping my strokes and breathing smooth and easy.  Speed wasn't a priority.  I began to swim as if I was in the pool.

Finally, after 1.14 miles, my hands touched sand and I stood and ran toward John and the bike.  I survived!

My husband's assignment had been to watch women's legs and let me know how many women in my age group are in front of me.  He shouted out the number as I trotted by, but I no longer cared.  I had done it.  I had overcome the panic and survived the swim.  I knew I could and would do it again.  I would (will) eventually become an Ironman.

Happy Cruising with Spooky

The rest of the race was a joy.  Spooky and I loved the 22 miles of rolling hills.  My legs transitioned smoothly to the run and I passed a lot of people during the 10K.  The finish was a downhill pleasure with John waiting at the end.

All of that, and second in my age group, too?! A great day.  Can't wait for the next one.

Running it in for second place in my age group.