My second attempt at a sprint triathlon was much smoother than the first. I never felt like I might drown during the pool swim, I kicked it up a notch during the bike ride and cruised right through the run. I honestly think I should get a minute handicap for each week of my pregnancy, which would nicely shave 15 minutes from my 1 hour 34 minute finish. I have found a new sport to love and improve upon.
Triathlons are intimidating simply because your age is written in permanent marker on your calf muscle. Your race number is written on your arm, but that one only indicates where you are self-seeded for the swim. For example, if you say you can swim 500 meters in 5 minutes, you would probably be seeded in the top 5. I'm around 11 minutes, so I'm usually about half way back in the pack.
Anyways, back to the age written on your leg. So, there you are, standing around waiting for everything to begin when you start taking stock of your competition. And you think, "That girl can only be 18. She's so skinny and look at that great rear." But, your gaze drops and sure enough, she's 30. Oh crap. And then you think you spot someone your age, and you're thinking, "Her arms are so much more toned than mine." But, thankfully, she's 50. Wait, you're not thankful for that. You're going to get your butt kicked by someone 19 years your senior. Needless to say, there's a lot of anxious sizing up going on.
When it's all said and done, it's really just a thrill to be a part of something so exhilarating. And it's helping me to come to terms with this stage of my life. No more partaking in cocktail happy hours. Browsing the internet for travel destinations has turned into browsing for cribs and strollers. I am going to be a mom. But, I will still be a race participant, just a little slower and wider than before.
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