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!
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