Completed my first triathlon!

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This last weekend, I completed the TriAmador Olympic Triathlon in Ione, CA. .93 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run. It was awful! I can't wait to do another one! I know; that sounds like a total non-sequitur. But that's the truth.

Swim went easy; water was warm, but I used the wetsuit anyways for extra buoyancy. Fighting the suit sleeves slowed me down a little, but only by about 5 minutes.

Bike was... ok. My bike needs a tune-up; I'm not currently happy with how it's running. Felt slow, and I couldn't get into my top gear. Funny, because I had a shop tweak the rear derailleur on my way out of town. Gained about 1700 ft in 24 miles. Would have been a great ride if my bike had been feeling right.

Run... run sucked. Slowest 10k of my life! I was not expecting a trail run, but that's what I got. On tired legs, in my road shoes. 700 ft of gain over the 10k. Not fun! Hated every minute of the run!

But, I finished. Another life goal complete. And I'm already looking forward to doing another one. Just need to train a little harder and a little smarter for my next one. More brick and triple days. Training for longer distances than I'll need at my next tri. I hope to keep improving! It was so much fun!
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Replies

  • amelialoveshersnacks
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    Congratulations! and good on you for wanting to do it all again :)
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    cookma423 wrote: »
    It was awful! I can't wait to do another one!

    Spoken like a true triathlete!

    Congrats on surviving your first one, sounds like there were a couple of surprises!

  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    cookma423 wrote: »
    It was awful! I can't wait to do another one!

    Spoken like a true triathlete!

    Congrats on surviving your first one, sounds like there were a couple of surprises!

    Ha, I start cussing at myself for signing up at some point during the triathlon, wondering why I pay to that to myself...then I cross the finish line, and say, yes, I will do that again!
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Congratulations!
  • cookma423
    cookma423 Posts: 62 Member
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    Thank you all! It was a lot of fun. Hope to step my game up next season, go a little further and a little faster! :D
  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
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    Well done
  • melodysf10
    melodysf10 Posts: 35 Member
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    Congratulations!
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    Alidecker wrote: »
    cookma423 wrote: »
    It was awful! I can't wait to do another one!

    Spoken like a true triathlete!

    Congrats on surviving your first one, sounds like there were a couple of surprises!

    Ha, I start cussing at myself for signing up at some point during the triathlon, wondering why I pay to that to myself...then I cross the finish line, and say, yes, I will do that again!

    Ha that is so me! Except I usually start cussing at myself the night before!

    @cookma423 Congratulations! Sounds like there will be many more in your future!
  • cookma423
    cookma423 Posts: 62 Member
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    ka97 wrote: »
    Alidecker wrote: »
    cookma423 wrote: »
    It was awful! I can't wait to do another one!

    Spoken like a true triathlete!

    Congrats on surviving your first one, sounds like there were a couple of surprises!

    Ha, I start cussing at myself for signing up at some point during the triathlon, wondering why I pay to that to myself...then I cross the finish line, and say, yes, I will do that again!

    Ha that is so me! Except I usually start cussing at myself the night before!

    That was definitely me for this one! I was camping out and couldn't sleep hardly at all until around 2am. Up 4 hours later and going. All worth it though. There will definitely be more in the future!
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
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    That is so awesome! I would love to do one, I fear I am a bit old to be doing it especially since I need to train for the swimming!
  • cookma423
    cookma423 Posts: 62 Member
    edited October 2016
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    @Joanna2012B I disagree; there were people of all ages at this one. If you want to do it, find a local pool and swim some laps. A sprint tri has a .5 mile swim; that's 18 laps in a pool. If you already bike and run, you can get that down pretty quick. I'd say if it's something you want to do, give it a try (pun not really but kinda-sorta intended). If you find it's something that you can't stand, you never have to do another
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    That is so awesome! I would love to do one, I fear I am a bit old to be doing it especially since I need to train for the swimming!

    I ran my first race at 52, and my first duathlon at 53. This year at the National Capital event there was a 74 year old competing in the Sprint Duathlon.

    I turned 60 this year & decided to get off my butt & into the pool and have signed up for an Olympic Distance Triathon next year. If you're this side of the sod you're not too old......
  • cookma423
    cookma423 Posts: 62 Member
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    I hope to keep my entire racing career (running, cycling, and tri) going until I'm that age and beyond! I've met so many good people through running and cycling that it has really turned into a passion; I get withdrawals if I go too long without a ride or run
  • sevenofnine01
    sevenofnine01 Posts: 54 Member
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    Oh that's awesome! Great job for powering through, especially the run that you hated!!!! When's your next race?
  • cookma423
    cookma423 Posts: 62 Member
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    Thank you! Really. I'm not sure yet; there aren't really any more tri's around my area this year, so I'm probably SOL on that until next spring. There's a 5k in November that I'll probably do, but nothing too major. I think I'm kinda done with the racing for the season.

    Kudos on the ST: Voyager reference, by the way
  • snichor
    snichor Posts: 3 Member
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    Great work! I am doing my first Tri at the end of this month. Turned 50 this year, so seemed a good time to start!
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
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    How did you find transition? That's the bit that puts me off signing up for a tri, I'm worried I'm going to be dancing around in my wetsuit for 10 minutes looking like a plonker
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    How did you find transition? That's the bit that puts me off signing up for a tri, I'm worried I'm going to be dancing around in my wetsuit for 10 minutes looking like a plonker

    Some races offer the luxury of wetsuit strippers to help you peel it off. The good thing is that triathlon wetsuits are nowhere near as stiff & bulky as scuba ones (new divers doing the neoprene dance can be hilarious - and it's only funny because we've all been there...). Practice makes perfect!

    Or.......go somewhere warm where you don't need one!

  • rugratz2015
    rugratz2015 Posts: 593 Member
    edited October 2016
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    That is so awesome! I would love to do one, I fear I am a bit old to be doing it especially since I need to train for the swimming!

    I'm in my (late) middle 40's and in July I did a sprint triathalon on the Saturday, after winning the place on a Monday, so very little training. My swimming was poor, I was the last one out of the water, and I walked the 'run' as I can't run do to physical problems, I came 3rd from last, BUT I DID IT, and I am SOOOO proud of myself, and I plan to train to compete in an ironman the year I hit 50 - if you really want to do it you will ...
  • huntersvonnegut
    huntersvonnegut Posts: 1,176 Member
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    7zlnefxxzngk.jpg Great job. Cheers to you!