August 4, 2008
Sarah

It was around March 2008 when I started to play with the idea of a triathlon. Before, in my head, I had never fathomed I would ever attempt such a thing, but I was starting to get bored with my usual fitness routine and thought I needed a new challenge. My dad and sister have always been big cyclists but I decided I wanted to be different! I started researching triathlons in Denver and decided that a sprint would be a manageable distance to start with, not too overwhelming, and I had 5 months to train!

I got my cousin on board and we signed up for the Tri for the Cure to take place on August 3rd, 2008. I was a swimmer when I was younger and was always very comfortable in the water so I wasn’t worried about that. My dad being such a huge cyclist, had us riding bikes on the weekends since we were young, so wasn’t too worried about that either. The run….well that’s another story! I have NEVER been a runner. My best friend in middle school convinced me to do track for a season and I was the worst on the team! I had run one 4-mile race in my life and I think I averaged a 12:30 mile. So I started to run. I did interval and hill workouts on the treadmill and eventually started jogging the 3-mile loop around a nearby park. After a few months I was running consistent 10-minute miles and feeling good! In April I had a glitch in the training and got terrible shin splints that caused me to stop running for almost 2 months. I finally started running again about three weeks before the race, but still didn’t feel fully confident. My brick workouts leading up to the race were terrible and although running by itself I feel okay about, doing it after a bike is another story (your legs literally feel like ‘bricks’!)

So, to get to the title of this blog…. When I signed up for the TRI I told myself my goal was just to finish. I didn’t want to worry about split times or what place I finished at, I just wanted to cross the finish line! But then as the race got closer my competitive side (which I get from my dad) started irking its way into my thoughts. I started looking at last year’s results and thought how cool it would be if I could finish above 1000th place (3000 total women do the race). But I didn’t let it consume me, and I didn’t want to be disappointed if I didn’t. I still just wanted to finish my first triathlon and feel accomplished, not disappointed. But I kept it in the back of my head in the weeks leading up to the race, although I didn’t tell anyone.

The night before and morning of I was full of nerves. I was mostly worried about the run. I wanted to be able to run the whole thing without walking, but wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to. My brick workouts had been disappointing and made me question weather I was going to be able to do it.

I got to the race 6:30am, my wave didn’t start until 8:24, which gave me lots of time to get ready and try to calm my nerves. Set up my transition area, get my goggles and swim cap, and head down to the swim start area. My wave headed down to the water around 8:20, 8:23:50, 10-second countdown- start my heart rate monitor, 3-2-1….I’m off! The first 200 meters was difficult trying to find a place in the water to swim without constantly running into to people. Got knocked a few times, kicked a few times, and almost ran into one of the rescue canoes, but by 300 meters in I had found my rhythm! I started finally to think about technique (keep nose down, don’t forget to sight, twist your hips, slice water down to 4-o’clock) and felt good through the final turn back to the finish. The last 150 meters ended similar to the first. People started to cluster the closer we got to the finish line and it was hard to keep a good swim stroke when you keep running into people in front of you. But never-the less, I finished the swim with a PR of 17:13! Jogged to T1, checked BS (diabetes report at the end- that part didn’t go so well!), got cycling gear on and headed to bike start. The 12 miles went smoothly and that thought in the back of my head started to creep up to the front of my head…I wanted to finish, but wouldn’t it be cool if I could pass this girl in front of me? We rode together for most of the ride passing each other 8-9 times throughout, but it was good, because she helped me keep a good pace, and at the end of the bike we finished within seconds of each other (a little competition can be good motivation!) So here it was…the run! I went to T2, decided not to check because I had strip issues that were taking too long, put on my running shoes and cap, and I was off again! The first half-mile of the run was brutal. It was 98 degrees by then and all up-hill. My legs were burning and I was sure I was going to have to stop and walk. But then that thought in the back of my head floated back! I told myself ok Sarah, don’t try for a PR, but at least try not to stop. I made it up the hill, got a nice cool down by a hose and kept going. I made it to mile 1, flat from here. I made it to mile 2, flat then downhill from here. Made it to mile 3, .1 miles left ‘til the finish line!!! Saw my dad, and sprinted down the chute to the finish line!!!! I DID IT!!!! MY FIRST TRIATHLON!!!! AND I FEEL GREAT!!!

The diabetes part didn’t go so well and it’s something I need to tweak for future races. I have been waking up with high blood sugars because of some unknown reason. I am in the process of getting a CGM (appealing insurance) but until then it’s hard to figure out what’s really going on. I go to bed around 100 usually but wake up at 250-350. This worried me for race day but I knew that I was waking up early enough to bolus and give me time to come down.

Race BS Records:
9:15pm (night before race): BS: 45 20g CHO 5u levimir
5:00am (morning of race): BS 279 2u correction + 2.5u for 25g CHO
5:30am: 5u levimir
7:15am: 285
7:50am: 295 1.5u (didn’t want to drop too low before swim)
8:24am: Swim starts
8:50am: T1- BS 237 start bike
I didn’t check before my run because I was having problems with my strips, I brought gels with me in case of lows on the run and headed for the start line.
11:00am (after race): BS 376 (what the heck!) 5u correction

So all in all, my diabetes could have gone better, but I figure it’s a good learning experience for future races!
I finished the TRI in 1:40:06 and came in 734th overall. I had accomplished my main goal-(to finish), as well as my ‘back of my head’ goal-(to come in above 1000th)!
Sometimes I think it’s good to have one main goal for a race, but can also be helpful to have mini goals. Ones that won’t disappoint if you don’t meet them, but something to keep in the back of your head for a little extra motivation!