Triathlon!

And now, finally, the posts you've all been waiting for! My first triathlon, a Super Sprint distance! This race is a first-timer-friendly practice race for my big (and scary!) event coming up on July 21st. I decided I needed to do this race after the big lake freakout.

A mini-educational note here:
Yes, it's a "real" triathlon! I am not sure why people think the only real distance of triathlon is an Ironman. Just like there is an entire sport of running from the 100 yard dash to ultramarathons, there are different distance triathlons ranging from all kinds of "Super Sprints" all the way to "Ironman" (and double Irons and beyond but we aren't even going to talk about that) but they are all very "real", I assure you! So, knock it off with that question, ok people?

This race was 1/4 mile swim, 9 miles on the bike, and a 1.6 mile run. Super sprint! Go all out in each discipline for a total of more than an hour of racing! It's so real!

This picture shows my transition area. You have a small little space, set up amidst hundreds of virtually identical spaces of your competitors, where you bike is racked and all the items you might need are waiting for you. You come in from the swim, strip out of wetsuit, put on socks and bike shoes, bike helmet, and you grab your bike off the rack and run out with it. When you return on the bike you change bike shoes for running shoes and run off again. This is the hub for your entire race.

Jason did an EXCELLENT job manning my camera for the entire race so you'll get to go along with me on my adventure (and you didn't have to get up at 5:30 in the morning!)