Mini-tri at Chatfield

Today is the day we finally got to put it all together: a 500 yard open water swim, then a transition to the bike (15 miles), and finally a transition to the run (2 miles).  The real race in September will be longer, except the bike will be a little shorter.  I feel really good about how I did.  I dove into the water and aggressively fought for a good position, then flailed around a bit doing some side stroke and backstroke.

 I was so surprised when I got to the fence and saw a lot of bikes still lined up.

 I realized that I must have been one of the first ones out of the water.  Yay!  I thought, gotta hurry up because they're all going to catch me on the bike, let's just try to delay the inevitable.  

So I really pounded up and down the hills on the bike trying to prolong the time it took for the rest of the field to catch me.  I was so surprised, again, that many people really didn't catch me.  A few did, of course, and I caught up to one on the run at the end.  

It took my friend Denice until the very end of the race to catch and pass me.  

(This is Denice on her way to the finish line)

That was a huge ego trip for me, I thought surely she would have caught me on the bike.  I loved the comraderie all of us had for each other throughout the whole race.  Every time I saw someone they were cheering me and I was cheering for them.  My friends were all waiting for me at the finish line, cheering and giving high-fives when I came in.  It was a very uplifting day.  After putting bikes and gear away we had a picnic with one of our team heroes, Ian.  He's only 5 years old and has cancer.  I had a great time chatting with him about kindergarten and his day at the beach.  What a brave little guy.

 Thank you to all of you for supporting me in this triathlon.  I'm having a great time training and making friends,

but I'm also learning about helping my community and giving back. If you'd like to help me make my goal of $2,400 by Sep. 8th, please click this link or send a check to me written to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Soc.  I only have $200 more to go! Thanks!