Last Saturday, Derek and I participated in the Three Rivers Triathlon.  This race is actually the first triathlon I ever did back in 2010.   I was pretty happy to see that I improved my time by 8 minutes! (I think a lot of that had to do with using a nicer bike.)  I am not competitive by any means but I enjoy completing races just for the feeling of accomplishment.  Plus having a race on the calendar keeps me motivated to keep running, swimming, and biking.

I think some triathletes can be a little intimidating with super fancy bikes and aerodynamic helmets but there are always a variety of ages, sizes, and abilities.  The majority of the participants in this triathlon were older than us.  I usually do pretty well in the swim (I was a swimmer in high school) and then am passed a lot on the bike and run.  Everyone’s age was marked on their calf so I always check out the age of whoever is passing me.  I hope to be passing people in their 30s when I’m in my 50s and 60s!

I think one of the hardest parts of doing a triathlon is the prep.  So much stuff!!!   I always consult a list and run through it a couple of times.   It helps to separate it by each leg – swim, bike, and run.  I think I managed to remember everything this time.

Triathlon Packing List:

Pre Race

1. Water
2. Salty snacks (pretzels or nuts)

Post Race

1. Face wipes
2. Change of clothes
3. More snacks

Good luck to all those triathletes out there!