Background - So Mom signed both of us up for the Danskin triathlon this spring. I had never done one before and while I'd considered it, it wasn't something that I was bouncing off the walls to do. But she was nervous and didn't want to do it by herself, so I said ok - hey, it got her to start running!!! I got a bike for $5 at a garage sale and eventually got it fixed up enough so it's super comfy (for pretty cheap, too). Mom and I went to a bunch of training practices with Team Survivor (a group of women cancer survivors that do triathlons/etc - Mom's friend from school is one and she invited us), which were really fun and really helpful. I discovered that I am pretty good at swimming and I actually love swimming in lakes - I think I spent most of the summer in Lake Washington.
The Race - We woke up at 4:30 in the morning and headed down to Genessee Park (where we'd already racked our bikes on Saturday). It was a beautiful morning, sunny but not hot. We hung out for a little bit and watched the first waves go, and eventually put on all of our swim stuff. Along with Mom's friend Beth, who is on Team Survivor, her coworker Joy was doing it, as well as Beth's daughter Emily. Beth and Emily went at their own pace, but I had promised to stick with Mom and Joy, so that's what I did.
Swim - I thought I was going to have to push Mom off the dock into the lake, because she was freaking out a little bit, but once she got in the water she was ok. There were about a hundred people in our "wave", and the swim never really got less crowded the whole way. I'm surprised I don't have bruises from getting kicked and run into! Seems like Danskin would be a hard swim to PR on just because it's so crowded. I took my goggles off halfway through and just did breaststroke so I could keep track of Mom and Joy (and scope out the cute lifeguards that were on paddleboards all along the course!). About halfway through, there were some big rolling waves coming in, which I love! We finished the swim without incident - the water was warm enough that I actually wanted to stay in instead of getting out and going on to the bike, haha.
Bike - I think the bike part was the most frustrating - when I bike, I like to go fast! So I'd keep going and getting ahead and having to either hit the brakes or get off my bike and wait. It was a pretty course, though, along Lake Washington Boulevard and over I-90. I've always thought biking was my weakest part (just because I haven't done it since like junior high, although I did a lot of it when I was little), but I didn't have a problem with the course at all, not even the hills.
Run - I decided to make myself earn the medal once we started the run portion, because I felt like I'd barely pushed myself all morning. I'd run a little ways, then turn around and run back to Mom and Joy, then run ahead again. Uncle Dan was there riding his bike along the sidewalk and keeping Mom and Joy company, so that was nice. There's only one short but steep hill on the course, and I ran it twice just for fun (didn't see anyone else run up the whole thing). Crossing the finish line was fun, and we met up with everyone in the finisher's area and went to go sign up for next year!
Times - SWIM = 30ish min, BIKE = 60ish min, RUN = 47ish min, total time 2:30:17
Reflections - I want to race one! I guess I underestimated how competitive I can be! The swim was ok because it was so crowded that it would have been difficult to go too far ahead anyways, but the bike and the run I just wanted to go go go! I'm glad I did it with Mom, and I'm super proud of her, but I'm also going to sign up for a super sprint in September and then hopefully some longer ones in the spring, to actually race. Apparently my swim times are really good and I'm sure I can improve biking and running!
Next up - Super Jock N Jill 1/2 Marathon, September 7
Cottage Lake Super Sprint Tri, September 19
Portland Marathon, October 4
Seattle Marathon, November 29
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