Rookies
Swim
Bike
Run
An amusing memory from my college friend Katherine, a seasoned triathlete: "I remember running with you once our senior year. It was a very short run, if I remember correctly, and there may have been some swearing involved.”
No, endurance sports have never been my bag. But thanks to great coaching and encouragement from my Team in Training (TNT) folks, I got to put three months of training to the test this past weekend. My friend Ana-Maria and I headed for the coast to hit a sprint triathlon in Corpus Christi to warm us up for the real deal at the end of this month. We checked into the hotel, carbed up on some pasta, woke up Sunday at the ungodly hour of 5am, chowed down some Power Bars (anyone else find these disgusting?) and headed to the race site like nervous little schoolgirls on their first day at school. It was a sea of spandex and swim caps. We assumed we'd be in good company as rookies competing in some small-time race in a po-dunk town, but we were wrong. In the crowd of 150, racers with Ironmans under their belts were aplenty, the rookies were few.
Not to be intimidated by these Goliaths, we donned our sexy wetsuits and orange swim caps, took a prelim dip in the ocean, and were off on a 1000 meter swim, 18 mile bike, and 3 mile run, a bit more than half of what we'll do at the end of this month. And are you ready for this? I placed 1st in my age group! A-hem...nevermind that I was the only one IN my age group (which I will remain vague about, except that it now proudly boasts a “3” as of earlier this month), that's neither here nor there.
Fundraising Update
As you know, I'm fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and would love your support! I've commited to raising 2,600 smackers and I just hit the $1,000 mark...only $1,600 to go! Please consider donating today, every bit counts! http://www.active.com/donate/tntctx/susiegaskins
No, endurance sports have never been my bag. But thanks to great coaching and encouragement from my Team in Training (TNT) folks, I got to put three months of training to the test this past weekend. My friend Ana-Maria and I headed for the coast to hit a sprint triathlon in Corpus Christi to warm us up for the real deal at the end of this month. We checked into the hotel, carbed up on some pasta, woke up Sunday at the ungodly hour of 5am, chowed down some Power Bars (anyone else find these disgusting?) and headed to the race site like nervous little schoolgirls on their first day at school. It was a sea of spandex and swim caps. We assumed we'd be in good company as rookies competing in some small-time race in a po-dunk town, but we were wrong. In the crowd of 150, racers with Ironmans under their belts were aplenty, the rookies were few.
Not to be intimidated by these Goliaths, we donned our sexy wetsuits and orange swim caps, took a prelim dip in the ocean, and were off on a 1000 meter swim, 18 mile bike, and 3 mile run, a bit more than half of what we'll do at the end of this month. And are you ready for this? I placed 1st in my age group! A-hem...nevermind that I was the only one IN my age group (which I will remain vague about, except that it now proudly boasts a “3” as of earlier this month), that's neither here nor there.
Fundraising Update
As you know, I'm fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and would love your support! I've commited to raising 2,600 smackers and I just hit the $1,000 mark...only $1,600 to go! Please consider donating today, every bit counts! http://www.active.com/donate/tntctx/susiegaskins
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