I DID IT!

Drumroll please....

I finished the race! The Salem Triathlon was yesterday. Now that it is behind me, I can say it was fun. When I was in the thick of it, I thought, "What am I doing!?"

The swim was my least favorite part. The mountain altitude made breathing difficult and the open, murky water in the lake threw me off... oh, and the hundred other participants starting in my wave kicking and hitting the whole way made it a little more challenging. I finished the half mile swim in 19:29.

My first transition was slow. My foot got stuck in my wetsuit and I got a charlie horse in my calf as I tried to pull my foot out. 4:14.

The bike I was on was a borrowed mountain bike. It was a very nice bike, but I haven't done much bike riding and it took me a little while to get comfortable with turns and gear-shifting and getting my water bottle in and out. I did 12 miles in 46:25.

The transition from biking to running was much quicker, and less painful. 1:11.

The run started slowly. My legs were a bit tired and my leg cramp was still sore. Spectators along the way put out sprinklers which were very refreshing. The run was only 3.1 miles, and my legs woke up after half a mile or so. I finished strong (still running) in 25:33.

The entire race took 1:36:54. I did it.

(Pictures coming soon... or eventually)