I did it! My first Triathlon race. I swam 200 meters, bike for 10 and ran 2km. All at 49 minutes!! Not bad for a novice!
Here's how my day went.
Woke up at 6AM. Got my gears inside the car by 6:40. Me and my wife then drove to the venue. Excitement turned to disappointment when we found he car park is full. So I dropped my limping wife, parked my car 200 meters away, then rode my bike to the venue.
The atmosphere was festive. With hardly any trace of Pinoys in the crowd of participants, I first proceeded to get my body marking. It was an odd feeling. Believe me morbid thoughts ran my mind. Is this all I am? Just a random number in the eyes of the organizer?
There is a sense of humility as you imagine yourself as just another joe trying to conquer himself.
Body marking completed in no time. I scanned the bike rack. Hmm, where's my number? I asked around. One kind soul pointed me to the racking area. Went to hung my bike, put my helmet on top of the bike. Then unpacked all my racekit and neatly organize them out on top of a white towel - GU power bar, BIB number, T-shirt for running.
It dawned on me that I need more than just hairpin to hang the Race number on my body. Then I went out to ask for a strap. Organizers said its not available. Forget it I said, I just proceeded to use hairpin. Not bad.
But in the ensuing confusion, I gave my wife my googles and swim cap and told her to wait for me near the jog route. Fatal decision! After hanging my race number to the my shirt, I went to rendezvous with my wife. Ten mins passed, not a sign of her. I panicked. So I went and jumped over to the beach shore, near the starting line, to look for her. She's not there! My God, she has my swim cap and googles!
I realized later she's still at the original meeting point! I waved and told her to come near the beach shore. I'm about to start in 10 minutes! She grudgingly and limpingly obliged (loved her to death:))
Put my swim cap on, took a dip in the water to get a feeling, then proceeded to queue. Its true, what other triathletes observe - that your mind just goes off blank as you queue for the swim.
Starting gun fires, and off we go! My strategy is simple, stay as close to the bouy line so when I feel out of breath, I can readily hang on to it for dear life.
Swam breastroke for the 1st 25 meters. Then all of a sudden I scanned two guys waving at the marshalls, asking for help. Too tired I thought. I continued with my breastroke. Turned right and saw the longer distance. I mixed freesyle with breastroke to catch up.
Midway thru the water I saw weak swimmers already hanging on to the bouy line. For a while its tempting. I persevered. As we make the final turn to shore, the weak swimmers are finally slowing down one at a time. I realized I was being sandwiched by 2 weak swimmers on my right and left. Then I decided to swim under them and did freestyle to the next 10 meters near the shore.
Success! But my shoulders ache!
Jogged to the shore, took a light shower spray, and dipped my feet on fresh water walkway along the transition path. My chest is heavy from the swim. I decided to take a slow walk to the bike transition.
I struggled to put my shirt on without damaging my race number. After a while, success! But I realized I dropped one race number on the grassy field. Forget it I said, I can live with one. Went out of the T1 bike to start my bike leg.
It was a smooth ride. Passed slow riders one at a time. Midway thru, I began to feel tired. I decided to sing praise worship songs to divert my attention. Asked my Lord to let me get thru this. It worked! I feel refreshed after doing the song routine. I completed the bike ride in under 30 min! Not bad. Proceeded to the T2 area and placed back my gear onto the bike rack.
Now for the last leg!
I put on my visor, donned my glasses and off to a 2km run. Plenty of time I thought. I paced myself with the run with jog-walk-jog cadence. Gulping for water and hydration drink in between ( thank God there is plenty of drinking station along the way - my hats off to the organizers!).
So on my last 10 meters to the finish line, I remember reading the race manual to raise my hand for the race photo memorablia. I endured..
Finally!
After 2 months of preparation, 100 + kms bike, swim and run, I was now a fulfilled novice triathlete! All the work paid off. I checked my time - 48 min, 54 seconds, not bad I said!
Its time to raise the bar - higher!!
What next? Training for the next race - 350 meter swim, 20km bike, 5km run - the sprint category!
Wish me luck!
