Ripping off the Triathlon Band aid ~ Sister Lakes 2012

For those of you that are new to my blog, or infrequent readers, I have a bit of a running obsession.  Okay, I'm IN LOVE with running.  I would definitely call myself a runner with an occasional inkling for a triathlon challenge here and there.  I'm not a triathlete.  A few years ago (2009) I was training for the Steelhead Half Ironman 70.3.  A friend of mine and I were going to do it together.  It was going to be a huge check mark off my athletic list of to-do's in life.  I was pumped.  I was in some of the best shape of my life, having just run my personal best at the Columbus Marathon, and I was training like a madwoman.  I also only had Tyler to take care of, a great baby seat on my bike, and an awesome baby jogger.  It was doable.  I was doing it.  Until...the bomb hit.  I had done a sprint tri for training, which went well, and two weeks before the big 70.3 I did an Olympic distance.  This wasn't as successful...to say the least.

For those of you that aren't versed in tri distances...here's a quick and dirty cheat-sheet:
Sprint ~ 500m swim, 12 mi bike, 5K run
Olympic ~ 1000m swim, 25 mi bike, 10K run
70.3 Half Ironman ~ 1500m swim, 50 mi bike, 13.1 mile run

There I was on the open water lake swim of my Olympic tri, and I couldn't catch my breath...at all.  I thought I was having a panic attack (as I am claustrophobic and open water swims are very hard for me), so I took down my wetsuit and swam with it half-on, but I was still one of the last athletes out of the water.  It was unlike me.  A paramedic stopped me to tell me I was blue and I needed to stop.  I didn't listen.  I continued, and finished, the tri...IN LAST PLACE.  I fricking WALKED the 6mile run.  For a marathon runner who was pretty much done with 70.3 training, that was PATHETIC!  When I finished the tri (in a pathetic 3:47) the paramedics checked me again and said I had water in my lungs and they recommended I go to the hospital immediately.  Fast forward a bit and I found myself transported via ambulance from an urgent care to the local hospital for a 3 day stay with double pneumonia!  Awesome.  We weren't even in our home city, and we had a 2 year old.  Did I mention it was 2 weeks before my big half ironman I'd been training for FOREVER.  Great.  I couldn't even go up stairs without being out of breath.  It took me months to recover!  The 70.3 didn't happen (bye bye training and registration fee), and that last place finish on the tri scarred me for life. 

Fast forward 3 years and 1 baby, and here I was at the start of another tri.  I was petrified.  I was definitely feeling the panic from the last tri experience.  I knew I had to push through this, or I would not be able to do open water swims again.  I needed to rip off the band aid...and I did...in 1st place in my age group, 7th overall girl and 32nd overall of almost 300 participants in the sprint distance. I was pretty pumped.  My time was 1:22:47.  I swam in 12:43, biked in 39:30 and ran in 25:48.  I ran across that finish line pumping my fist in the air.  I had done it.  I had pushed through my fears.  It felt amazing!  Hubs also completed the triathlon in 1:35:22.  I was so proud of him and really happy we did it together.  Next challenge...Chicago Marathon.  I think next year I might try that pesky Olympic distance triathlon. 

Hubs on the bike. 

 Me finishing the run

 At the finish line

 Me and my first ever 1st place medal.  It was only for my age group, but I was pretty darn proud anyway.

 Me and my #1 fan!

 
So anyone want to join hubs and I next year?!?  We'll provide the lodging :)