Day Zero #13 - Run in an official race/event

Kokopelli.

That's a fun word to say. It happened Saturday down in St George. Friday we (me, Ryan, Ryans' brother and sister and brother's brother-in-law and his parents) packed up and went down to St. George. After checking in and getting our numbers written all over us in Sharpie (NOT my favorite part of running in a triathlon!) we went out to eat, all ordered too much food (apparently because we were about to run a race we all thought we could eat more? go figure) and then went to bed.

We all woke up bright and early (correction: I was already awake, having had nightmares about oversleeping and missing the entire thing and losing my shoes - who knows where that came from) and we headed down to the state park. There were like half a bazillion people there, it was crazy. We set everything up and got all ready.

The swim was first, and I was the first of our group to start, since I was doing the sprint distance instead of the regular Olympic length. I was super nervous... but when I jumped in the water, I got really excited, especially since my wetsuit was practically keeping me afloat, and keeping all the water out. The wetsuit practically pushed me the whole time, and sand hollow reservoir is PERFECT for swimming in! I loved it. I finished the swim in the middle of my group - 24 minutes. Not great, but it's a personal best.

Getting out of the water after the swim

The bike and run were after that... nothing too exciting, the bike course was insane, there was this GIANT hill that wanted to kill everyone, curse whoever decided the race course should be over that hill... but I made it, and then the run wasn't too hard. However, at the end you had to run up this hill. Then at the top, people start cheering for you, just because they're nice like that. So me, being excited and all, decide to sprint to the finish. But unfortunately, I started my sprint WAY too soon... and had to take it back a few notches before I actually crossed the line.

Yeah. This is how I felt by the time I was almost to the end.

And then I noticed the photographer right there taking pictures of me. So I smiled, that seemed like the appropriate thing to do. And then it clicked that I had just FINISHED a triathlon and then my smile was for real. Awesome.

Crossing the finish line

It was definitely an experience to remember, and maybe to repeat... We'll see!

Ryan and I after finishing. I'm marrying a triathlete :)