"beautiful veins and bloodshot eyes"...
Current mood: 
rejuvenated
This may be a bit scatter brained though so I apologize..
I had driven to Ocean City teh night before to stay with my Aunt Jeanne. I woke up the morning of and I wasn't too nervous but my aunt was nervous enough for both of us. The actual race site was about an hour away so I had to get in the car and get there pretty early. Once I arrived there, there was a plethora of cars lined up and spilling out with people decked in race gear. This was the moment I started to get a little nervous. I thought maybe I was the only amateur embarking on this little trip. I set up my race stuff and I was clearly a tri newbie because I didn't have the towel and the whole little set up that most triathletes did.
Skip the whole per race jitters and the moving around trying to figure out exactly what the hell I am supposed to do. I tested out the waters and it was a bit frigid. but I was ready to get in those waters. It was an in water start and shocker everyone else could stand and I could NOT. I was already treading water minutes before I needed to. So the horn sounded and we were off... try learning to swim with 200 of your closest friends in a freaking cold pond... thats pretty much what it was like. It was very disorienting and I had a pretty bad cold a few days before so my ability to breathe was very diminished. That didn't help. Anyway it felt like I was in that water for hours.. I got out and started running towards the transition spot. I felt like I was going to throw up and told my aunt that. I in fact didnt have to but I had obviously been swallowing air and all of it had to escape somehow so it felt the same as feeling like I had to throw up. I took my sweet time getting my clothes on and wiping my feet from the disgusting pond silt and sand before I put my socks and shoes on. I got on my bike.. took a swig of water and I was off. Bike time. This was the best part just like I had thought it would be. I was fine. I wasn't ona road bike like 98% of the other racers there and I hope to get one before my next tri in August.
So we were biking INTO the wind the entire time.. it was pretty intense winds at some points.. which I have never done so that was a whole new experience for me. As people were riding they were cheering people on and it was pretty cool... at the 5 mile mark I had felt like it was 12 miles but I could keep going. I pushed harder after this point my muscles had warmed up and were doing just fine. After the 10 mile mark I still felt good but I was a little bit bored. I would love to do another race with a friend. Towards the end a woman came biking up and said " two and a half more miles! " and that triggered a bit of my competitive side and I hit the highest gear and started pedaling as if my life depended on it. It felt amazing the last few miles I just soared to the second transition spot. I got off the bike and took a lot less time than I had in the first transition. I started to run and I felt as if someone had tied 300 pound weights to my legs but i kept going. Aroudn this time I saw my roommate Erin. She had surprised me and shown up with a poster for me. I was super excited because three very important people were there for me and cheering me on. I like to say I could have done it by myself and I wasn't doing any of this for anyone else but these three people were the perfect mix of cheerleaders. My best friend Morgan, My Aunt Jeanne and my roommate Erin. Love them! And I cannot thank them enough for being a great support team.
So back to the race... I met my aunt somewhere down the race path and she ran with me, which was great. I had to slow down and she was there with me to chat a little bit. I made it down and back and ran to the finish line. It felt good. I definitely thought there was going to be a little more emotional for me to cross that line since this was a very important goal for me. I put a lot more than just a race on the line when I decided to do this a few months back. I am basing a lot of my own future abilities on whether I could successfully train and complete this race. I like to give up on things when they get hard. I don't tend to do something if I am not good at it. This was definitely something I would not know if I was good at until I crossed that line and honestly I was not very good. Luckily the fact that I crossed the finish line was enough for me the first time around. I do plan on getting better and better. This time I crossed the finish line at 2:08:19.. and it isn't blowing anyone away with that time but it wasn;t that bad either! I am very weird about numbers but I know I had to finish at this time because my race number was 128 and I was very excited about that. I needed a 2 in there because thats my lucky number and I wanted an 8 because that is my older brothers number and he is one of the most talented persons I know. So when I got 128 that felt good to me.. because the 1 was there because I was going to be number 1 !!!
When I finished 2:08.. there were the 2 and the 8 that I had wanted and then 19 was my older brothers other number during college. So maybe if I get some crazy numbers our of my head I will be able to finish well under that time the next time around.
I can't believe the weeks leading up to my race and again I think the world has a way to right your wrongs. So originally I had set out to just finish and I would be satisfied... then somewhere along the way I felt amazing and I thought I could kick some serious ass...then i got shin splints and a stress fracture in my left leg, my granddather passed away, and I had to go to New York for the week leading up to the race. So the universe made sure that I got off my horse and I could settle back down to crossing the finish line with a smile on my face. That is what I did and I am very glad that that was my goal. Now, is a different story. I know what I am in for and I know what to prepare for. And now I want to kick some serious ass! Whoever else wants to join me is more than welcome to become a triathlete! I love being able to say that and I realize the novelty of that has pretty much worn off so I will stop saying it but just know that on the inside I am dancing around singing " I am a triathlete, I am a triathlete! " Hahahaha
Other than the race, the rest of my life has still yet to settle down, I think it should get back to normal about this time next week. I got rid of the latest boy, hahaha he didn't last long as usual. And I am back to having fun and being me. We celebrated Morgan's 23rd birthday in Dewey this last weekend and I had a blast I absolutely love that place. I do. It felt good to be home there. I got a nice little tan and got the sand in my toes and took a dip in the lovely waves and just enjoyed the summer time. Gosh I love my life. I know I say that a lot but I feel very very lucky to be able to do the things I do surround by the people I have. So thank you to everyone who is amazing in my life! Now what the hell am I going to do since I am not training my life away?!? I guess I will have to come up with some new crazy goal to accomplish!
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