So I did it. In July of 1999 I competed in a 'women only' sprint distance triathlon (that's .75K Swim - 20K Bike - 5K Run). My goal was to finish without walking, although some small part of me wanted to finish in a reasonable amount of time. I don't remember what my goal time was that day, but I know that I beat it. The thing that is forever with me is the pride - the feeling of achievement - that consumed me as I crossed the finish line. Triathlon is an addictive sport, and I'm hooked.
I can't say what compels me to train or makes me "tri", but I know that one of my proudest moments was when my mom, sister and sister-in-law joined me by competing as a relay in a race in Chicago. The whole family was there to cheer us on.
In the summer of 2002 I decided to get pretty serious about training (as much as a mid-packer could...), and I competed in many races that summer, including my longest triathlon yet. It was an Olympic distance race in the Berkshire mountains of western Mass. The race was a 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike (with an elevation change of 900 feet) and a 6.2 mile run through the woods. I finished the race about seven minutes faster that I thought I would, but it was hard!
About a month after the Berkshire Olympic race in 2002 I got pregnant with Devin, so I took some time off. I had hoped to make a come back in 2004, but my priorities were shifted by our move to the new house in June and then by my getting pregnant a month later. Then Henry was born in April 2005, so I'm planning my triathlon comeback for this summer. I recognize that I will not have the time to dedicate to training that I had previously, but I look forward to getting back into racing. Let the training begin!
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