Iron Girl

Today was the Iron Girl Triathlon! I had a really good experience despite all my worrying beforehand. My friend picked me up at 5 a.m. and we got to the park where the race was in Columbia, MD. You had to leave your things by your bike (which you rack the day before at the site) and be out of the transition area by 6:50 because that is when the elite athletes start. Because I was on a relay team, our wave started last. Yikes. We had a lot of time on our hands. But, luckily with a group of women, time flies because we chat so much. At 8:40, my friend, April, started the swim. I was so proud of her. She did great! I waited for her back at my bike and she ran to me dripping with lake water. We exchanged the ankle timing bracelet and I ran my bike up the exit hill, hopped on and off I went for 17.5 miles. The course is brutally hilly, but I survived. I sang a lot of Pearl Jam and all in all felt really good. I was a little upset that my bike gears were slipping quite a bit because my bike had been out in the rain the night before at the park, but I was very impressed with all the course volunteers. They were plentiful and cheered for every single person that rode past.

An hour and a half later, I got back to the park, hopped off my bike, swapped my helmet for a hat and ran the 3.4 mile course around the park's lake. Again, brutal hills. Even at my snail running pace, I did manage to pass a number of people here because there were many walkers at this point so that helped boost my spirits. I finished strong and smiled for Peirce. I was a Iron Girl! Two thirds, but hey, that still counts, right?