What goes thru my head during my 2nd triathlon

I competed in my second triathlon last weekend. I actually signed up for it about 2 weeks before I even competed in my first triathlon. I was having a moment of panic thinking “what in the heck am I doing?/who do I think I am kidding?/surely I will die on this swim” and saw it as an opportunity to sucker-punch my fears. Several of my friends were signing up for this Olathe Medical Center triathlon….so I did too.

 

We took a few pictures before the tri and I am thinking we are insane for doing this in 52 degree weather.

I see a woman in her tri outfit and UGG boots and I think she is a genius for wearing Uggs to keep her feet warm before competing.

I use the restroom for the 5th time and hope that is it!

We had a ten minute fog delay in which I was thinking….wweet….maybe they will delay it longer. Maybe they will cancel it all together and I will get out of this competition!

Then thinking…..quit delaying the inevitable and let’s get the pain on the road!

I saw many dads with their young children there early in the morning. One child as young as just a few months old. I marvelled at how supportive those husbands were and how courageous those women competing were!

 

I think, if we end up adopting a baby….my “season” for competing may be over for awhile. And that will just have to be ok.

One of my bffs showed up BEFORE 7:00….an hour from our homes….with her 2 sleepy eyed kiddos…just to cheer us on. I am thinking….that’s friendship.

I laid out a tank, a short sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt in my transition area for the bike. A woman needs options. I wonder what I will wear????

Then I needed to think about the swim.

This tri started according to age which, in my opinion, is a crap way to organize the women. So, being fab at 40…..I was with other fab women aged 40 -44….but some of which had swam all of their life.

The lifeguard who started every heat of swimmers told us there were “plenty of lifeguards on the swim route”. Ug…….not true. Her definition of “plenty” and mine were totally different. I saw 4 lifeguards in the 500+ yards I swam…..not enough, especially in the dense fog and freezing water. It became quickly obvious to me that if I got into trouble on the swim (via hyperventilating or cramps) that I would need to flail LOUDLY AND VIOLENTLY to be seen.

That same precious lifeguard tried to also encourage us swimmers at the start line by saying “Olathe’s Search and Rescue underwater divers are on hand in this swim”. So what I heard was……”if you drown, we will eventually find you”. NOT ENCOURAGING. I know she meant well. Bless her heart.

72 degree lake water is FRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGIIIIIIIDDDD to swim in.

 

But it actually was ok after the first 75 yards or so, I promise.

A new age group of women started to swim every 5 minutes. Women from the 2 heats behind me eventually caught up with me and passed me. I was thinking…..cusswords.

The lake was full of seaweed. I would touch it and think….just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

During my swim, I passed ONE woman. And she was back floating. That totally made up for me getting passed by a back floater on my last triathlon. Yet, part of me wanted to stop and swim with that woman. She needed the moral support and i sooooooo get that.

As I got out of the water, I was thinking YES….I DIDN’T DROWN!!!!!!!

And also thinking, I don’t ever have to do that again if I don’t want to.

And I saw my fellow triathlete Jackie on the sidelines taking pictures. She got benched from the tri the day before with a back issue . I looked at her and thought “suck it up….I am healthy…..get to my bike”.

 

 

 

I also remembered there was a woman competing in the tri who was in a wheelchair and I had nothing to complain about it. If she can do it, I can quit whining and keep pedaling.