Like most new challenges, the best way to motivate yourself is to sign up and invest the registration fee. It worked when I ran my first half marathon and my first full marathon, so I figured it would work for my first triathlon. The question was which tri to sign up for? I decided that my inexperience in the water demanded a pool swim. The Goochland Sprint Triathlon seemed perfect. A 300m pool swim followed by a 12.5 mile bike ride and a 5K run. I debated, but finally signed up about a month in advance.
I began devoting more time to swimming laps at the Y pool, trying to get my comfort level up. Slowly, but surely, my confidence increased. As the race grew closer though, I worried about my performance. Would I flounder and have to be pulled out of the pool? Would I be so slow I would block other swimmers behind me? A couple times, I thought about quitting and getting a refund, but a voice inside convinced me to stick with it and simply try my best.
Finally, it was August 10. I picked up my packet the night before and sat in on the newbie Q&A. I woke this morning at 4:00am, dressed, made sure I had all of my gear and drove to the event site by 5:30am. I had watched a few videos on Youtube about setting up in the transition area. I made sure all of my gear was ready and made my way to the pool. The event was scheduled to start at 6:45am sharp. I had been conservative in estimating my 100m swim time, so I was near the back of the swim and had to wait almost 45 minutes to enter the water.
It was time. The official gave me a 5 second count. 5...4...3...2...1...GO! I was off. We went back and forth covering 12 links of the pool. The pace was slower than I had imagined and several swimmers waved me past. Before I knew it, I was at the end and it was up and out of the water. I scampered to the transition area relieved that the swim was done. I put on my cycling gear and exited transition and was on my bike. The bike phase was great and I averaged almost 19mph. Back in transition, I changed for the run and was off again.
I hadn't worried a bit about the run. After all, I was a runner. I had done half marathons, full marathons, relays. A little 5K would be nothing. WRONG! First, the temperature was over 80F and the humidity was terrible. Second, when you transition from bike to run, the muscles in your legs just don't want to work. I took over a mile before my legs came around and I still had to periodically walk. In the end, I finished the 5K in about 34 minutes, 9 minutes slower than my PR. The gains that I had made in the pool and on the bike fell victim to the part of the race I had worried least about. Go figure. Finally, I crossed the finish line. My first triathlon was done. Funny thing is, I'm sure it won't be my last.
