Casa Grande Triathlon

This was my third triathlon. I did train for this one three years ago, when we lived in UT. I wasn't able to make it. The day before the tri Ike recieved 2nd degree burns on 10% of his body and was in the burn center for 5 days. I was prepared for that triathlon. I trained 4-5 days a week, swim, bike and ran, did resistance training and stretching. I even got down to a 9 minute mile running, which is great for me. I was ready for that tri. I didn't make it and was ready to do one so I talked Jaynann into doing a women's tri in UT the following May. I loved that tri. It was very organized. And I loved that it was all women. They gave people numbers based on their swimming time, so it was and easy start. Then we did another tri in June. I was very sluggish on that second tri and even contemplated not finishing. A couple of months later I found out that I was pregnant with LT, that why I didn't have much energy for the second tri. That was summer of 2006.

I had LT early in 2007 and decided to train for The Provo half marathon. As soon as I recovered from my c-section I startd running. My 40 extra pounds that I lost before I got pregnant with LT, returned. I was training for the half marathon at a super slow pace a 14 or 15 minute mile. I can walk that fast. That half-marathon was last August (2007). I ran the first 10 miles, then walked and jogged the last 3. Needless to say, I have a half marathon on my to do list. I need to complete one running the whole way.

Here's my excuse about why I didn't exercise for the past year.
After the half marathon we put our house up for sale, I spent an entire two weeks cleaning and decorating my house. I barely ate or slept. Then I spent the next couple of months trying to keep it clean. We sold our house in November. I spent the next month packing. We moved back to AZ a couple of days before Christmas. Then between Jan and the end of May I searched almost daily for a house, while Troy and I were trying to start a business. I didn't take the time to exercise. Then it took me a couple of months to unpack and then we went to UT for two weeks in August.

I knew I wanted to do the Casa Grande Tri. And I knew that I would need to start training at the beginning of September. So I signed up for the tri knowing I would start training if I signed up. My training consisted of riding my bike once a week and running once a week. I just couldn't motivate myself to do anymore. I did do one training swim this week because I needed to know my time.
ANOTHER EXCUSE and an APOLOGY coming up.
On Wednesday I swam. I did the 400 meters ( the length of the race) three times. It took me 7 min 30-45 sec to swim it in a 25 meter pool. Today at the race the swim was in a pool a swimmer starting every ten seconds. The start was not organized at all. I didn't want to be stuck behind some swimming slower then me, because it happened before in another tri and it was frustrating. So I put myself close to the beginning of the 7-9 minute group. I finally got to swim. I was passed by at least 7 or 8 people. When I finally saw my time it was 10 min 30 sec?!? Sorry to all the people I held up. Not that anyone of those triathletes are going to read this, but I felt bad. I don't know how my swim was so bad. My bike time was just a little longer then I expected. My run time was actually decent for me considering my lack of sufficient training. I'll do better next.

I think doing the triathlon and giving birth are pretty similar. Both very much anticipated and lots of preparation. Then during the event I cant wait for it to be over and wonder why I am doing this. Then afterwards I've forgotten all the pain and I can't wait for next time.

Even though it wasn't my best performance I'm glad I did it to get me exercising after a year of inactivity. Thanks Reilly for getting me motivated to do the tri and training with me.