Hannah’s First Triathlon

I am on strict orders from the doctor not to ride or race trails until October 1st, so I thought…Why not try a triathlon?

My friend Sam Keesler had the same desire in his mind. We decided to race in the Watauga Lake triathlon, it would be our firsts. Sam’s dad also showed up to race for some father-son competition. The triathlon was a hair shorter than the olympic distance. It consisted of a 1000 meter swim, 25 mile bike, and a 5 mile run.

I have been in the pool for more than two weeks before the day of September 13, 2008; the day of the Wataga Lake triathlon. I wanted this experience to be somewhat enjoyable, and I knew that if I didn’t get in the pool there would be a good chance that I may drown–that I knew, would not be a very fun experience.

I am usually good at most things I try and am, for the most part, a quick learner. However, I suck at swimming. I am not only bad at it, I am exceptionally bad. So low is my level of skill in the water that, if evolution was proven to be true, it is unlikely I evolved from a fish. Despite my two weeks of aquafied determination, I had serious doubts about the 1000 meter swim the next morning. Hitting the wall in Wataga Lake could possibly lead to imminent death. I had not forgotten my promise to Sam nor my obligation to the challenge. So I got my gear ready, ate my pasta, and went to sleep with a worried mind and bold, stubborn determination.

I got last on the swim…but I didn’t drown!!!!

I was so slow on the swim that I probably got last by atleast 10 minutes if I was lucky. The man in the canoe even rowed up next to me and asked me if I was okay. I may have been moving at tortoise speed, but I was good. Breath stroke got me through the swim and I ran out with fuel left in the tank.

I would make up considerable time on the bike and swim catching more than fifteen of my competitors, finishing in the top half of the field.

Sam finished 4th overall with a fast time safely under 2 hours.

Overall I succeeded in surviving the swim. It was a fun event and a good race to get me back into racing mode. I’ll be doing more of them in the future, I just have a few more hours to spend in the pool.