When the swim to the 2019 Heart O' Dixie Triathlon started, I was ready to go. Not bursting with confidence, mind you, but ready to swim and ready to see later what my legs held for the day.
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| Lake Tiak O Khata in the early hours of July 27, 2019. The red buoys mark the swim course. |
The staggered start of the HOD swim is the best thing since sliced bread. OK, that one is worn out. It's the best thing since coon dogs, the best thing since coffee, the best thing since Reese's. I remember back in the day when the swim start was a challenge just to live. Really, no exaggeration. Now with the staggered start (a swimmer begins every six seconds), not only is safety enhanced, but one can swim to his or her potential. I love it.
Once I was given the send off, I began passing swimmers which always gives me a charge. Surprisingly, I only passed three by the time we made it to the first big blue buoy. But I got another one going around it and one right after it. By the time I climbed out, I had counted fifteen. My transitions, however, suck, and I think they all passed my back before I ever mounted my bicycle.
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| Coming out of the water |
On the bicycle, I pedaled with a little caution. Forrest and I only rode five times, maybe six. In the past, I learned the hard way that you can be in good running shape (and I am not), but without a decent cycling base, the bike will kill your run. I had that in mind the whole time I rode. I also had in mind gratitude to God for how cool the weather was. I cycled steadily with joy while a river of other riders went around me over and over and over like I was a rock in the stream. I paid little mind to being bested by other, but just trying to take it all in. I was happy to be here after missing the last two because my arm fell off on 2017.
We were fourteen miles into the bike leg before I ever noticed that I was sweating. The strap on my Garmin watch had broken when I tried to put it on after the swim. I tucked it under the leg of my trisuit, so I rode the whole thing without ever knowing what pace I was riding. The cool temperature, the riding blind, along with the fact that I had not placed myself under a time goal, no doubt contributed to me having a much more relaxed attitude than usual and, consequently, I enjoyed the ride a lot. I did push, but I pushed with some restraint, and I rode into T2 with a sense of adventure. The run was about to begin. How would the legs do?
I began the run at a good-for-me-at-this-time pace. I even remarked in my mind that the air still held a touch of cool. The cool was not to last, however, and neither was my pace. The only goals I placed on myself for the tri were to swim well and run the whole running leg without walking. I did walk about 50 feet through each aid station, but that was not what I meant by not walking. I pulled it off. After three miles, I said to myself, I can do this, not fast, but I can do it.
Slowly, the miles ticked off one after the other until I was turning onto the fairgrounds. That always gives me a boost, leaving the highway and running through the cabins. When you get a bit into the cabins, you can hear the loudspeaker at the grandstand where the triathletes are finishing. Those things, leaving the highway, the cabins, and the sound from the finish line make the final mile a lot easier. I hit the red clay/sand track and made the long circle and finished my 19th Heart O' Dixie Triathlon. This one was the most enjoyable one I have done. I think the two year hiatus may have affected that. The lack of a time goal had in impact also. I didn't suffer but I did work hard. It was a nice day.
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| That is me making my slow shuffle around the track. |
My finishing time was 3:30:09, not good, but that is my time and I am proud of it. Yes, I am already planning my training for next year. I hope, by the grace of God, to be back and to perform much better. Thank you, Jesus for a good day.
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