The Momentum Continues
Part II
Sprint Kay Belle Athletes
Seventy-two hours before the triathlon, my fever broke, and my
enthusiasm sparked! The thrill of the triathlon and all it’s
challenges were mine to experience. I appreciated so many
parts of the necessities coming together: my fever breaking, a dear
friend allowing me to borrow a wonderful bike, and having a
great support system.
The Saturday before the race, my new friends and I carpooled to get
our registration papers, bibs, and ankle chips to record each event's times. No
one could pick up the packets but the participant themselves. We had lunch on
the way to registration. I was getting to know everyone, having fun, and
beginning to feel the excitement for the next day creeping up! We all had
special matching, bright red, large sunglasses, provided by Kay, and our tattoo’s.
Pre-race pictures abounded. The glasses brought us humor, the tattoos a sense
of belonging, and strengthened a community of fun loving, supportive women. The
group radiated positive energy.
Also, we had our individual goals and reasons for entering into
this fun and courageous Sprint Tri event. I couldn't feel more grateful
to have these ladies in my life. It felt unbelievable, to be entering in
the triathlon with ease, support, and humor thanks to this group.
Following registration day was race day Sunday. At four-
fifteen in the morning, I arrived at PF Chang’s parking lot to
join my carpool.
Sprint Kay Belle Athletes
That night, I hadn’t slept well. I was nervous. I reviewed,
checked, and rechecked everything I needed on the packing list. The things were
done correctly and I was ready.
Becky had decided not to enter the race but had graciously
delivered my borrowed bike to my ride’s home the day before to ease my stress
on race day. My bike was already loaded on the back of the van ready for
the trek up to Cherry Creek Reservoir. We took pictures, got in our assigned
rides, giggled, and headed up to Cherry Creek Resevoir, in Denver,
Colorado.
We arrived at Cherry Creek before dawn. I began to tell
myself how absolutely blessed I was to have a healthy body. I reflected
with love how accepting and supportive everyone had been. I looked at the
beauty of the lake and all the spectators and marveled at the phenomenal
athletes that passed me by. The scenery was spectacular; and on
that day, I felt very much a part of it, as people
were glancing at me, reminding me that I was also a participant that day–and my
nervousness kept coming and going.
Cherry Creek Reservoir at sunrise before the race.... we arrived... we gathered, time for the race...
I found where to hang my bike and lay out the transition
items.
The first event was the swim. People were gathering at the
boat ramp entry, and I too walked over to the ramp and water. I was both numb
and extremely anxious for the race
to start. Many thoughts were racing through my mind. I looked
around. Many women had on wet suits or wet suit tops. At the pre-party, I
was asked if I wanted to borrow a wet suit, or a wet suit top. I declined.
I didn’t want to try something brand new for the race. The water was 75 degrees
and since I am not thin, I didn’t worry about maintaining body heat. I
began walking down the boat ramp until my feet were covered by water. As the
water rose up my leg, I knew I wasn’t going to cramp, and that I would
continue to warm up as I swam. I was relieved in knowing I was a
strong swimmer. Even if I was last to finish this open swim, in my heart I
knew I would complete it.
I was in wave nine; we were given red bathing caps,
imprinted with the Tri-race for the Cure logo. I was listening for the
announcement to start for my assigned wave, which followed the elite swimmers,
the Cancer survivors, and then I just lost track of the other waves or groups,
each of about seventy-five women, leaving every three
minutes. "Seven twenty in the morning" someone shouted
after I heard the whistle. I continued to walked in down to my waist
with confidence and began my swim.
My borrowed open water - goggles were leaking a bit, but since
there were so many people trying to swim towards the buoy, it clearly was too
crowded at the time to tighten them. I was breathing in water from the waves of
the women swimming ahead, around and next to me. Water was
going in my nose. That was a new and uncomfortable experience; I brought a nose plug to the race, but had never worn one
and hadn’t brought it down to the water. I didn’t know where to put it if I
didn’t use it. Anxiety, and beginner’s chaos, set in. Rather than stress with what wasn’t going
smoothly, I turned over to swim the race on my back. That was a good
choice. On my back I felt very comfortable with my breathing and my
stroking in the throng of so many women in the open water, all heading somewhat
toward the big orange buoy.
As I swam alongside the swarm of women participants, I had two
mantras, a loving cadence to keep me from pushing too hard, “This is
loving to me,” and the other, to “Just keep moving!” I was
smiling, talking to Sonny, and reassuring myself, that I had made an amazing
choice,that I could finish the triathlon. Chanting the mantras was working to
help me keep the momentum.
It was difficult to navigate the buoys, since I was swimming on
my back. Occasionally, when I veered off course, the man in the kayak paddled
over to make sure that I was okay.
“There’s not extra credit for going further, “ he said.
I didn’t stress. I got back on course each time and kept
smiling to myself. I was not going to over do on the first leg of the
triathlon. He visited me over a handful of times. Eventually, I saw the
boat dock at the end of the watercourse. I felt pretty good even after all that
extra time and distance! As I emerged from the water, my feet and legs
were working fine. Joy bubbled up inside me and I smiled.
Me coming up the boat ramp, swimming completed
I began transitioning to my bike. I didn’t hurry as I pulled my
bike shorts over my wet swimsuit bottom. I sat down on an upside down orange
Lowe’s bucket so I was able to dry my feet and put on my socks and running
shoes. Nervous energy had set in again as I was going to the start line.
I hadn’t ridden much of a distance on a bike in decades. I wasn’t
sure of the course. I didn’t expect any hills as I had imagined the course
around a flat reservoir. I was wrong. Yet, as I rode, I inspired
myself when I saw a couple of women getting off their bikes on the short
steep part of the bike course, and I didn’t get off. I down shifted and just
kept pumping my legs until I got to the top. Then I began noticing there were other
women that were struggling. My mission became to encourage them as well.
I experienced a personal moment of great satisfaction, when I did not get
off my bike at all during the cycling part of the race, not even on the sharp
turns. My inner strength continued to grow. Focusing on staying
present, being aware of my body and not pushing too hard, allowed me to
keep positive even when my own legs felt a little rubbery.
Chuckling to myself, as I believed my legs were
strong from all the swimming and walking I had done in the past, this leg
of the race, cycling, was going on forever. Getting help from
the positive bantering and all the support among the
participants and volunteers, continued. Thank goodness for that extra
motivation. I was truly relieved to see the bike part ending, and at the same
time I was satisfied with myself and my efforts. I had finished 2/3 of the
Sprint Triathlon.
(To be continued after
my adventure in Costa Rica)
