First Tri - GJCC

This is a couple of weeks late, but better late than never.

I had planned on my first Triathlon to be the Mach Tenn. A goal i set back for myself around Nov, Dec when i realized i could run a few miles and didn't hate it. I haven't really been in great shape since well high school and after that college was kinda on and off. After college, it was pretty much off. Anyway, for a long time, I've kinda thought a triathlon would be a fun thing to try. I really had no motivation or desire to peruse that thought though. I've never been able to run and most of all didn't want to put myself through the pain and agony that is running.

I started getting in to shape, started to like running. My friend, Lisa, that i used to work with at the theater in high school challenged me to sign up for the CMM half. After i did the math in my head about pace to finish etc... i was out of excuses. I signed up. And in the next few months i got comfortable with the skill i thought I'd never had.

So after that things started to fall in line... I was going to spin class and trying to swim in the pool for cross training. Then probably the best motivator was the onset of a master's swim program at the rec center in Manchester. After this, i really had no excuse... Mach Tenn here i come.

In talking to Don Rogers he actually mentioned the GJCC as a great beginners tri to make my first one. I took his advice, and signed up for it.

So on to the race:

I was lucky enough that my brothers girlfriend lives about a mile from the bike course. So when i had planned on driving up that morning, i was able to stay over there and get a little more rest. I went up the night before for the beginners briefings. Some helpful information was said. A lot of stuff was just review, as I've spent a good bit of time researching how to take this on.

It was a great day for it in the morning, overcast looking like it was going to rain really and not really hot either. The swim was technically wet suit legal. That morning i warmed up with a 200 meter swim in the pool nice and slow and smooth. Its been my experience that my first 200 or so is always rough in swim class.

I got to the front of the line, GO... the race was on. I hopped in the pool (i was expecting to be able to start in a swimming start fashion, however, 5 min before race time i was informed that would get me DQ'ed.) So i jumped in and started swimming. The swim felt smooth and at the 100m turn i had passed the guy in front of me. I got out and was kinda happy with the swim especially with the unexpected things that came about on race day... ie, not being able to dive in, and having to swim across 3 lanes and a swim well to exit the swim. Swim time 3:38 (200m).

T1 went pretty smooth: 1:52.

On to the bike. Not knowing what to expect and wondering how easy/hard it is to get a drafting/passing violation, i kinda started off a bit timid. After i saw what other people were doing on the bike, i picked it up. I passed quite a few people and pushed it hard. Hard up the hills. The downhills weren't as friendly as I'd had wished pretty much any downhill we had, there was a turn in it with people yelling to slow down. Going into the last turn, the girl in front of me, lost control of her bike and hit the gate and rolled. It didn't look pretty. I finished the bike strong. 28:51 (8.5 mi + T2).

The run was the first mile of the bike course, out and back. I took off, trying to run my own race. Didn't want to pace anyone and wear myself out. I know I'm slow, I've got a lot of work to do on the run. around the turn around the girl that wiped out on the fence came trotting past me. Glad she was OK, however a tad depressing that she could take a spill like that and still catch me. I might have had a little left at the end of the run, but i was definitely ready to be finished. I ran at an 8:22 pace which is respectable for me. 16:43 (2 miles). Total 51:03.

I recovered, and got some snacks and stuck around for the results to be posted. I was very surprised to find out that I took first in the beginner class age group. So i can't complain about much there. Team-Magic did a great job organizing the race. It was a great experience and a confidence builder for the Mach Tenn coming up in a couple of weeks.