nations tri - race report (rain and all)

i woke up at 3:30 am with a sore throat and rain pounding on the streets below.  i laid there until 5:00 wondering if i was going to be able to complete the swim portion.  i hate the swim, if we are being honest.  i know as a triathlete i'm supposed to enjoy all three events equally but i don't.  the swim makes me that much more thankful that its finally time for the bike and run.  i look forward to it.

we arrived at 6:30 am complete with a slight mishap with the shuttle, we had to get off and walk across the mall to the transition area due to some closed roads and an uninformed bus driver.  it wasn't seeming to start out so well.  we made it to transition and i was happy to just be there.  i tried to remember everything, shoes here, helmet on the bike, gu in the pocket, running shoes and another pair of dry socks.  did i remember it all?  body glide for my neck and wetsuit on. check. check. and check.  i grabbed janine and we were off. 

two hours later i was in the water wondering what the hell i was doing here, AGAIN.  the swim was hard.  i got kicked, punched, and pushed more than i would have liked.  i had my mantra in my head "everythings gonna be alright" and swam away.  the buoys seemed to be multiplying by the second.  out of the water and onto the bike.  i felt good, not awesome. i still had a way to go. 

i was excited to try out the new ride and finally be the one to yell "on your left' instead of getting yelled AT.   i prayed for no flats, since again, if we are being honest i haven't a clue on how to work C02 or change a flat.  i'll learn soon, promise. that or God's going to make the next race quite a "learning experience"  for me.  the ride was rainy, beautiful, and flat.

I got off the bike, loved every second.  and then it was onto the run.  my favorite part.  a beautiful course (even in the pouring rain)  FYI announcer guy the rain actually did not stop after 7 am.   The run is my strength don't know how it was or how it became my strength but it is and i embrace every moment of it.  i think it because i like cheering others on and having others cheer me on as we run by.  we are all in this together.  big, small, white, black, poor, rich.  we all trained (some more than others) we all want to make it to the finish (some faster than others) and we all get to feel like rockstars at the finish line because at the end we are all "triathletes".  janine and i slapped high fives at the halfway point and it kept me going for the final run.  hot showers and good food was awaiting us at the finish.

2:51 and i was done. 

i couldn't end this race report without thanking some who although they think they don't matter much they make all the difference.  they stand in the rain with us, they keep us going when we want to quit, they support us through early morning wake ups, training runs, rides, and swims,  they understand (or say they do) when we get pissy after a bad run, ride, or swim.  and they still come out.  and they still love us. 

thank you spectators, thank you for helping us to continue to reach our dreams.