Adjusted Reality

“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” – Mark Twain

I am an (Olympic Distance) Triathlete: The Short Version

Totally busy/hectic/crazy/fun week up in this piece, so you get the short version for now….

Swim:

It was 1500m (just short of 1 mile) completed it in about 43 minutes.  Considering 6 weeks ago me going all out for 1/3 the distance was 19 minutes, I’m stoked.  I did the whole thing (minus a few times when I had to stop to catch my breath cuz I swallowed water or something) freestyle and I felt really, really good about it.

Bike:

Let’s just label this section: Purgatory.  This course was FUCKING brutal.  The first 10 miles was a gradual to steep ascent with very little respite.  The next 5 miles or so was pretty nice – fairly flat, with a few rolling hills.  Next came purgatory – after turning off this road, it was such a steep downhill I rode the breaks the entire time and I’m pretty sure I was pushing 30 mph.  One dude hit 40 going down and apparently just kept it up the entire way in (crazy cool).  I had to get off and walk the bike twice on the uphills – so did everyone around me.  When you’re riding uphill slower than walking, it’s a sign just to give in and get off.  I don’t remember much about the last 6 miles, other than just wanting to be done and back in my comfort zone (running) with just about all my being.  I took about 2 hours and 7 minutes for 26.2 miles.  At the last minute, they decided not to close the bike course, which is great, because I *never* would have made it.  I was about 30 mins off.

Run:

I started this ready to die, but I made sure I hobbled along and once I got started running, I was ok.  Sure, I was sore and tired and just desperately wanted to be not upright, but I can work with that better running than biking up crazy hills.  It was a 2 loop course and by the second loop, I was up to normal (10 min mile-ish) speeds but there was no way I was going to make up for going slooooow at first so I ended with 1:07 for the 10k run.

Total time, 4:04 and change.  It’s long than I hoped but seriously?  Don’t care.  I finished.  They didn’t close the course on me.  And since only 3 Athenas registered as such?  I got a SWEET third place medal!  I didn’t DNF or DFL (did not finish or came in dead fucking last), and considering the course difficulty (this was not playskool’s first olympic tri, people…the majority of the age group awards were between 2:45 and 3:20 and that is pretty slooooooow)

I’m going to take most of this week off serious business training to rest (I am BEAT), but starting next week it’s all out half marathon training time baby!  I’ll probably post something a little bit more introspective and thorough later, but the readers digest version – I loved the training, I loved the challenge of the distance, I will definitely do another one of these again.  I am totally and completely satisfied with this being the omg crazy big goal instead of a marathon.  I’ve now really hit the top of the distances I want to do right now.  No marathons or ironmans in my near future – I want to work on getting FASTER.

This week a video game developer convention is in town and I’m at that most of the week while trying to wrangle deadlines back here in the office (HORRIBLE TIMING!!!), so sleep and relax time will be at a major premium this week.  If I do not die from exhaustion, we’ll chat soon, lovelies!

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8 Comments

  1. YAHOO!!!! That is AH-MAY-ZING! Great job lady. I am mucho impressed.

  2. So I have to confess: my first thought was “That is a ridiculously cute top!!!”

    But on to your considerable athletic accomplishment: WOOT WOOT!! You rocked that race:)

  3. Congratulations, triathlete!
    Great, great job! and love the pics.

  4. Damn, you’re flucking awesome. Now you’ve got me thinking I (maybe) might be able to do something like this. Or is my mind going overboarded??

  5. Man. You are a MACHINE. And I love your smile in these pics!

  6. Rock on!! That length of swim SCARES me!!! You are a machine out there – and that award is so earned!!

  7. You are amazing!!

    I really enjoyed reading this, since I’m starting my own triathlon training now. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂

  8. That is amazing!! You are such an inspiration to me too!

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