The big race!

It's official.  I am a triathlete again.  I competed in my first triathlon in 1999 with a very basic training plan, a mountain bike and a desire to do something new.  Over the course of the last twelve years I have competed in two or three triathlons during some summers, and have taken long, long breaks while pregnant or nursing my three children (somehow the "milk shake" during the run was a huge deterrence for me. Go figure.). 
Last summer I decided not to 'tri' but to just focus on running.  I wasn't that motivated for triathlons, and Andy wanted to 'tri'.  We both thought it would be difficult for the two of us to train while caring for three little kids. 
This summer we decided to figure out the training; we were incredibly organized with our time and we even occasionally paid babysitters so we could train.  And train we did.  We also each did a sprint or two in anticipation of our Olympic distance triathlon at Myrtle Beach last weekend.  It worked.  Our schedule was crazy at times, but we both felt well prepared for our race, and it showed. 
Andy had a great showing in his first Olympic distance triathlon.  He felt good in the water, he rocked the bike and he held tough in the run (when the day was heating up).  He felt good, he looked great and he finished without walking at all! 
For me, the last Olympic distance triathlon was nine years and three babies ago.  That race was a longer swim, a shorter ride and in the mountains.  I finished in 3 hours and ten minutes.  The Myrtle Beach race was a shorter swim (unfortunate for me), a longer bike (also unfortunate for me) and a flat course with crazy head winds.  I wasn't sure what to expect for a finishing time, but I set a goal of finishing in 3 hours.  The swim was good.  The bike was hard.  The best part of the ride was the fact that I rode with Andy on and off for about ten miles before he left me in the dust.  It just took a lot out of me.  The run was decent.  I struggled with the first few miles, but about half way through I found my legs to finish strong.  I crossed the finish line at 2:58:26 and I was thrilled!!!