I did my first triathlon on Sunday: a try-a-tri in Orillia. About 220 people took part. (Or maybe I should say 217.) The weather was lovely: sun, some clouds, nice breeze, water fine. The swim was 375 metres, the bike ride 10 km, and the run 3 2.5 km.
I thought I’d have an easy time of the swim and plod through the rest of it at my usual commuter bike pace and Clydesdale amble. Instead, I was terrible at it. I felt mysteriously panicked during the swim because I couldn’t get enough air. I did the sidestroke most of the way so I could pant. Much of the time was spent worrying that the swim wouldn’t be timed because I hadn’t crossed over a timing mat before starting. It took about 24 minutes to do the 375 metres.
I probably took three or four minutes at transition because everything stuck to me when I tried to put it on. Then I was slow at biking but that’s not surprising as I have no endurance and there were hills. I did about what I expected on the bike, about 40 minutes for 10 km.
Then another three minutes in the transition zone. I drank the rest of my Gatorade(TM) from the bike bottle. I finally figured out during the run that my new running bra, worn under my bathing suit, wouldn’t let me breathe deeply. Consequently, I did even worse than my realistic expectations. Once I undid it I could breathe better and actually run a few steps. I finished it dead last or “DFL” as they say.
I was last out on the bike course and last back, but not, I think, slowest; then I was last out on the run but I did finish at about 1:38:41 total time – probably 33 minutes for the run. On the run, the Gatorade crew were packing up when I got close to the 1.5-km 1.25-km turnaround, but they left a glass out for me to have on the way back. The announcer was still announcing and the clock was still running when I got to the finish line. I know my timing chip beeped. Then they went straight to handing out prizes. I picked up a banana, some cookies, and some cranberry pitas from the food crew, who were also packing up.
I’m still considering whether to do another one. I think so. It wasn’t fun this time but only because I mysteriously could not catch my breath. It’s a fast-growing sport, according to the organizers.
I Will probably do the 5K associated with the Toronto marathon in a few weeks with Andie while Richard does the half.
Andie did fine in the kids’ tri but took a spill on her bike yesterday, crossing some train tracks on a bike path, and hurt her shoulder. We were at the hospital getting X-rays until 11:00 p.m. and then got supper at McDonald’s and I drove her back to Hamilton.

more funny cat pictures
In fact, she did wear her helmet and properly at that.