My Olympic Triathlon

Way back in January, before covid-19, I was swimming my modified breath stroke (no water in my ears-type modified) and had worked up to a mile. I was even doing it in about 30-32 minutes. My stud swimming brother tells me that's pretty fast, so that's cool. 😊 I had the thought then that I could do an olympic triathlon. The pool I swim at closed on March 13 and hasn't opened since. Fast forward to this summer and we went to Utah and I could swim in the pool my mom swims in. I also swam in some lakes over the summer, whenever we went. 

One of the times we went to the lake where the sprint triathlon usually is and I decided that I was going to mark how far a mile would be. Back and forth from one bouey to another 4 times was a mile, easy enough, and I felt really good swimming it, for not having swam much in the many months of covid. 

I decided that since I was already biking more and running more with my extra time (I ran a half marathon on my own as well), I might as well add some running to the end of my rides to see how I felt. It was great! 

Timing was the last issue for me. I had to figure out the best time to do it before it got too cold. We had some camping trips planned and it seems there was another conflict. The first Saturday after school started was the best. Victoria had plans with a friend, so if Jason and the kids were to come support, they would have had to leave early, which was fine. They wouldn't have seen me much anyhow.

That morning, I ate oatmeal and a banana, which I so enjoyed doing before my "race". It was early enough to digest, but not too early that I wasn't hungry. You can't do that with a real race.  I got to the lake at 9, another good reason for my own race, because it was warmer. However, the sun was blocked behind clouds and it had been colder that week, so the water was almost too cold. I started having doubts, but I knew I would warm up or just remain numb throughout the swim. I had a flouresent bouey trailing behind me so I could be seen, but there was only a fishing boat nearby, so I didn't have to worry about getting run over by a boat. I stayed just where the swim bouey line was, so it wasn't very deep. I could probably have touched the bottom.

When I finished the swim (it's hard to say how long it actually took me because of my few shockingly freezing moments, but it was about 35 minutes), I was very cold and had chattering teeth. I called Jason and told them not to come because our plan of them hanging out at the lake while I rode by and then ran by, was ruined with the freezing water. 

I ate a bar and then got on the bike. I enjoyed not having to rush in my transition, especially because I was frozen and moving a little slower. 

My ride of 25 miles wasn't my best. I hadn't ridden that route in two years when I last did the sprint tri, so I wasn't comfortable with all the turns anymore, but I did okay, completed it about 1 hour and 35 minutes, and I felt great!

The run was my best, averaging 8.5 minute mile for the 10k. I felt really good on the run and really good at the end. I wasn't even tired or sore afterwards or the next day. 

I really liked doing my own tri when it was convenient for me and I could go at a time that worked for my meals. I didn't have a stomach ache or a headache, like I do for pretty much all of my races, for those very reasons. I'm usually nervous at races too, which could also cause the stomach aches. I'm sure I'd be faster with people I can gauge my speed with, but I don't know if it's worth it. I would definitely do it again! I guess I might do an official one as well. 

Now I will try to get through life with no swimming at all. I have no idea when the pool will open, but I have an outstanding High Fit class to attend to change up my work outs. 

After I returned from my triathlon.