It was my first proper triathlon. Sprint distance.
It wasn’t so much the individual discipline’s distances that were daunting to me but the concept of attempting a triathlon. That’s what athletes in proper outfits and equipment do after years of training and enthused with experience and confidence. I am not that person.
Well, after much contemplation, encouragement and a bit of training behind me, I did attempt it. My aim was completing and enjoying it. The swim was easy, 750m in 12°C, relatively warm and neoprene wetsuit plus socks and gloves allowed; it suited me. Transition 1 took a perceived 15min -I need to practice not to fluff! The cycle was fun, 16km, albeit the road conditions challenging with a rough surface and significant traffic and it was chilly with a drizzle in the air. Transition 2 was smoother. The run was expectedly hard. It’s the discipline where I have least experience. It was only 5km but I was in ‘dying mode’ for the first few hundred meters with heavy legs and head, questioning why I would ever do this on a Sunday morning. But ‘survival mode’ sets in, you get on with it and finish it.
The finish, awesome feeling! I finished 4th of 13 in my category, 1st swimmer. The latter is particularly pleasing of course. The sense of accomplishment and pride is priceless. The post race food and the associated gigantic dessert are the best tasting meals ever. The atmosphere at these events is great. There are many inspiring people around you. Overall, it wasn’t easy, I didn’t expect it to be but it was so worth it! There is much to learn and naturally, the distances are only going to get longer. Next is a Standard length one in Arran in June.
Huge thanks to the team, Alistair, Joanna and Leszek who made the weekend a wonderful one.
Barbara
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