A snowy day in april

Saturday morning. 6:00am. the alarm goes off. As I turn off the alarm, I take a deep breath...today is the 3sports duathlon. My first multi-sport race. I get up and open the blinds...it's snowing! I crawl back in bed. Surely I really did not just see snow falling from the sky. It's April. It's race day! I make a few calls to my mom and fellow TG Aimee. Am I really going to do this? Yes. I am. I have been training for this day. I can take the snow. It's just snow, right?

I get dressed and a bite to eat and load my bike on the back on my car and I'm off. As I am driving to the race site I am thinking about the people passing me on the road...yes I am about to go ride my bike in the snow. they must think I'm crazy. Heck I am about to race in the snow so I must be crazy after all, right?!

I arrive at West Creek and park my car. I look around. I all of a sudden feel very small. All these athletes. I call my brother to see if he can get his butt there pronto and be with me while I get ready and wait for time to start. He prefers to stay in bed. So I watch others that have done this before and see what they are doing to prepare. Finally I get out of the car, pump up my tires, and trek off to the transition area to get set up. As soon as I am walking in I see TG's Mary and Annnnn. I breathe a sigh of relief - someone I know! They are off to aid station #2 and I continue to the bike area. Right away fellow TG Kathleen is there and helps me set my bike up. As I am pulling my shoes out and setting it up, TG Steph is there. And alas - she has cycling gloves!! so she kindly lets me borrow those instead of my ski gloves! I wonder around talking with friends and my family shows up. Then...time to line up. Gulp.

I line up with the other participants who also are braving the conditions. By now the snow has stopped falling, but darn it's cold out here. The whistle goes and we're off. I pass water station #2...pink feather boas and tiaras!!! I get a boost of support and push on. I reach mile marker number 1 and look at my watch 8:00 even. Really?! My fastest mile ever! I slow down just a bit...it must be the excitement, I don't want to lose my energy in the first leg of the race. I come back by my pink water station - that burst of oomph!

yikes...time for my very first transition station. shoes? check. helmet? check. well. sounds good. i'm off. I run to the mount line...JRo and Adam....clipping in wasn't so smooth, but I was off. I pedal on through lap one. legs are feeling a little...sticky. I think about my brick training sessions and know I can get through this. As I finish lap one I actually am passing someone!!! (who later gets on my nerves and I finally lose him...please remember to bike on the right. pass on the left. and when I am passing you do not stand up and try to go faster because I will stand up and still pass you, buddy.) Lap one done and I realize I haven't looked at my watch since mile marker 1 on the run. Boo. I look down for what time I am starting lap 2. Lap 2 goes smoothly. Legs are getting i the groove. And I pass my family and hear them yelling "332"...our cheers from friday nights silliness. I pass the running water station and can hear the girls yelling over to me. Such a good feeling. I wave. Lap 3, however...let's discuss headwind while going up ginormous hill in the cold. Not fun. I think to myself - that was stinky, but it's done and only one lap to go. Same big hill awaits. I begin my ascent. Headwind? really? I thought it was going to bring me to a stop. At least I am done with the bike. Back into transition station. Dismount...once again not so smooth.

I change back into my sneaks and go to exit for my run. I hear my brother yelling "helmet! helmet!" oh right...helmet off, visor on. Check. Man, now my legs really are feeling like bricks. I take my time and begin the last leg of the race. Run #2. I jog down the hill and off on the course. I pass my ladies again. Loving them! hills. ugh. hills. Finally - the turnaround point. then that darn wind again...whoosh there goes the visor. *expletive* a few steps back to pick it up. the last part of the race. I can totally do this. Thinking of Grandison telling me negative split. I am trying to convince my legs that they are almost done and just give me a little push then they can rest. I pass my room mate!!! yay!!! for the final run part she drives in the lane next to me telling me stories as I push on to run. making me smile.


I see it. there, over the last hill. the finish line. I can't help but smile. YAY!!!!!! My mom gives me a huge hug and I finished my first multi-sport race. The journey has really begun now.


Run 1- 25:57
T1- 1:21
Bike- 1:19:38
T2- 1:30
Run 2- 30:26
Total- 2:18:51

Blowing a kiss as I finish the race

Thank you to everyone for training with me and pushing me on through.