Wordless Wednesday: Salty Dog Triathlon 2013

Last Saturday I participated in my first triathlon. I loved it! This year my main goal was just to use it as a learning experience, especially since I was still nursing shin splints. I rested them and iced them most of the week instead of doing any training.

My sister and I pre-race. 

Both of us were so nervous, anxious and excited that neither of us slept well the night before. It was a beautiful morning! The mosquitoes only bothered us before and after the race when we were standing around. Of course we forgot bug spray. Lucky for us, someone dropped some in the parking lot. We used it and left it in the transition area for the next person.
I was disappointed with my swim time, but it's my own fault. I hadn't been in the pool for a workout since May. I remembered how much I dislike long course- 500 yds is so much easier for me than 400 m. I also had a little issue with my pants. I used the yoga pants from this post. I should have used new elastic and made the waist smaller. 

The next lesson I learned is that I need a road bike. My eleven year old mountain bike made me wish I still had the ten-speed bike with skinny tires I bought when I was 13! I also need to be faster transitioning between the swim and bike.
My run went much better than I had anticipated. Even though my legs felt like lead weights and I didn't get my fastest 5k time, my pace was faster than my average. I ran the 3.1 miles without walking. And since my legs were numb, I couldn't feel the shin splits. lol
I was a little disappointed because at the end of the race I didn't have enough to finish hard. A woman I had been playing leap frog* with throughout the run passed me at the end and I couldn't catch her. Michael mentioned that I need to work on my posture when I run. I hunch forward, which probably doesn't help my breathing any.
* (Leap frog is a term from my high school swimming days- she would pass me, then I'd pass her.)

My sister and I post-race. 

Taylor did AMAZING! I'm so proud of her!! I am so glad we did our first triathlon together. This was the first time we have "raced" since I was a senior and she was a freshman. On the course, a family friend tried to motivate me by telling me my little sister was beating me. My response was, "of course! She's awesome!" (Not to mention she trained much harder than I did.) She finished 6th (out of 22) in her age group and 73rd (out of 183) overall.
I finished 11th (out of 19) in my age group and 140th overall. Tay would have won my age group, so I have 2 years to step up my game! :) That should be easier now that the first one is over; I know what to expect and what I need to work on next year!