First INDOOR Sprint Triathlon! SWIM

March 3, 2012
First Sprint Triathlon!  SWIM


I am now a triathlete!  Can you believe it!?  The event that I entered was an "indoor sprint triathlon" sponsored by the swim club at a nearby university. 

I'm not sure what made me think I could do this.  I added up my average times for the race course:  1/2 mile swim, 8 mile bike and 5K.  Then I looked at the race times for the previous year's participants.  My time would put me dead last but not so far behind the person who finished last the year before.

 Just like I did in my first 5K, I called the race coordinator and told her that I thought it would take me 1 1/2 to 2 hours to finish the course.  I explained that I was an almost 60-year-old, overweight woman and didn't want to inconvenience anyone, but if she thought it would be ok for me to finish in 1 1/2 to 2 hours, I'd think about registering.  She gave me a green light and I signed up - thinking that I could always be a no-show.

I decided to pretend that I was a real athlete and I did a carb load the day before.  I'm not sure you need to do a carb load for a 2 hour event, but it was fun to pretend that I was a real athlete!  The morning before the race, I was a nervous wreck.  The swim started in heats so I got there early to watch others swim.  Then it was time for me.

I had purchased a new swim suit for the big event that did not have a skirt!  I just put a towel around me until it was time to jump in the pool. 


An official wrote a big number on my arm and thigh (embarrassing) with a marker.  I felt so athletic!  I was nervous about not being able to get out of the pool after the swim.  Luckily, the lanes were not assigned so I picked the one closest to the ladder.  I asked the young lady who would be timing me if she had brought a book because it would take me so long to finish.  She laughed.  I was afraid that I would be the only one starting in the water, but everyone did.  Phew!  The starter said over the PA, "Swimmers ready!" and then BANG!  We were off.

I have to admit I got a little choked up as I swam the first 25 meters freestyle -- not from inhaling water but because I was holding back tears.  Who would have thought that I would be doing a triathlon.  I was so proud of myself.  So grateful for all the people who had encouraged me and helped me along the way.  But . . . crying and swimming don't mix so I got down to business.

Up and down the pool I went, alternating freestyle and breaststroke.  The girl timing me was terrific.  Since I was doing breaststroke on the return lap, I was always facing her and she had something encouraging to say every time I took a breath.  Finally, she was holding a red board in the water to let me know that there were only two laps to go.  And then it was over - and I didn't come in last!  I beat a very muscular young man who didn't know how to swim!

The girl timing me gave me my time card and off I went to bike.  I looked at the card and noticed that she had written, "is a superstar!" under my name.  I still get choked up thinking about her kindness and how much it meant to me.

Then it was off to the locker room to change cloths and head to the bike.  That's the one nice thing about an indoor triathlon.  You get to change your cloths and the time you spend in transition doesn't count.