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One year ago, I tried and won my first triathlon.  This is not a big event, it is hosted by our local swim club, but it did get me into tris and I have now completed 3 and look forward to more in the coming years, which is still a surprise to me, since I swore up and down I would never even attempt one, cause I can't swim.  Duathlons were good enough for me...

Here is how it went on Saturday.   I rolled out of the driveway on my bike with all my gear stowed in my backpack for a leisurely ride to the club.  I arrived to a packed parking lot and a lot of looks from the other racers.  Since I was the reigning "champ"  I got the first transition spot out of the pool, and the number 1, which was pretty cool I have to admit.  Having already warmed up on the ride over, I got in the pool for a few laps and was ready to go.

The women were to go first and when the last left the pool, we got in and ready for the start.  There were 3 per lane and I had been talking to my lane mates about circle swimming, to lots of nods and OKs, so I thought we were in agreement,  This was not the case.  The gun goes off and I sprint the first 25, flip and am pushing off the wall when I realize I am heading right into 2 guys coming at me side by side.  I swim under them and surface out of breath.  I get my rhythm back in time for the next turn and the same thing happens.  Now I am pissed and completely out of synch.  These 2 are going to swim the entire leg in their own part of the lane with no concern for anyone else.  Not only that, but they are switching strokes from crawl to breast, which makes it even harder to pass.  I stop doing flip turns and instead surface and push off, so I can get around them.  I manage to get a full length lead on them, so I switch back to normal turns, but on the last 25, I was trapped halfway down the pool by 2 large bodies both doing breast stroke and coming at me.  I swam with my head out of the water and just powered between them and took my lumps.  I got to the end and ran out of the pool, happy to be done with my least favorite leg.  

My wife informed me I was 4^th out of the water and that first had come out 2 minutes ahead of me, so I had some work to do.  I had a fast transition, and I even put on my cool Sock Guy socks during.  Onto the bike and flying from the start.  The course is 10 miles, 5 of it up hill, 2 down and 3 flat.  I passed the 3^rd fastest swimmer in transition, caught 2^nd in 2 miles and was in the lead by mile 3.  Last year I buried myself on the bike, not knowing any better, this year I maintained a hard pace until the last mile, where I eased back a bit and spun up the last climb to prep the legs for the run.

Into T2 in the lead and another speedy transition, thanks to the Socks from T1, and out I went.  The run starts with a long climb.  I felt great at the top and just opened up the legs on the flats.   I picked up the pace between mile 1 and 2, just to be sure and then into the final uphill mile.  This part hurt, but I was almost done, so I pushed thru and won!

I got another cool trophy and then spent the day eating everything that wasn’t tied down and drinking frothy beverages while rehashing the race at the end of season picnic.  Making all the suffering totally worth while.