The Giant Eagle Triathlon tragedy. Well, near tragedy.

Sunday, July 29th, 2013 started out like no other in my life. My first triathlon.

It was approximately 12 hours beforehand, time started picking up and I started getting anxious, nervous, worried I had forgot something. Typical prerace jitters. So I thought. But I did forget a few things. I decided I need to make a special trip to Transition 2 to drop them off before heading to Alum Creek State Park. I packed my gear, and went to promptly to bed where I would then spend more time on that life sucking invention called Facebook. (You thought I would say Candy Crush didn't you? Tsk tsk)

I didn't fall asleep till 11ish, and in the blink of an eye, my 330a alarm went off. So I went back to Facebook (Addicted, unfortunately) where I found fellow RunDMCer and triathlete Mel K. on as well. After a little bit of chatting, I offered her a ride from T2 to ACSP.

The car ride conversation with Mel helped calm me a little. As the morning went on, slowly, I did start to relax.

Later, I ran into Jeff H., who also gave me a bit of a pep talk, some guiding words about the swim and race overall.

I stood for a bit watching the elites go, getting an idea of swimming in a group down, and understanding the course. Around 7a, I decided I should go get changed, find out where the wife was and how long till she arrived, which she already had. I changed, took a couple practice swims, and took some deep breaths. 

The Swim

7:39a. It's go time. We rush out. Everyone starts dropping to the swim, early in my opinion, but I'm the last one still standing. So I swim. I'm blocked, three people in front of me, someone is right on me behind, I have nowhere to go, I'm 50m in. I stop to gather my bearings for a moment, make a plan, and go to stand on the ground, I started to sink. I tread up. I can't touch the ground.

I can't touch the ground.

Heart rate increases.

I can't touch the ground.

Heart rate increases.

Then it sets in. Panic. I can't touch the ground. I try swimming for a buoy to grab on to, but I can't catch my breath enough to get my head under to make a positive swim motion. I'm taking in water.

I'm losing my grip on the situation. Can't swim, can't touch, can't breath, now treading has left me and I'm starting to flail and the words "I can't do this" fall from my lips. Did that just happen? I thought. I try yelling for help, but the kayaks can't hear me. 

I haven't even made the first turn yet, I look back towards shore, and I don't know what to do. The panic is getting worse. 

I try to swim again. Still can't breath, and out of pure instinct via training, I flipped to my backstroke. AIR! Positive swim motion(barely)!

<This is the part when Scotty says "she cannae take much more of this, Captain", then Kirk finds a way>

After regaining some composure, I flip back to the breast stroke and start alternating, until my hand hits something. A kayaker made me, and tossed his buoy.

I was so thankful for this moment to just recapture some vague semblance of a plan. He paddled beside me as I swam and handed me off to the care of the next kayaker, as I bounced between breast and back strokes with more breaks than I intended for, which was a trend for about the next 400m+.

Giving myself a 30-35min window for this swim, I was utterly disgusted with myself, I just kind of strolled uncomfortably out of the water where my wife stood snapping pictures. 

I asked her what time it was, she told me I was at 28 minutes.

<Ahem> WAT???

I checked my phone, and sure enough, it's true.

I came apart. My mental armor was shredded by water. My conscious mind begged for mercy. My unconscious side, though, snuck in one quick right hook, and it changed the game. 

The Ride

After plodding along a long first transition, my confidence was rebuilding, it was time to give the Enterprise her first real test.

Yes, I named my bike the Enterprise, and there is a Kirk at the helm of this one as well.

Going into this event, I told myself, I was going to push, and push hard. Give it everything I have while I have it. So on the bike, I am going to pedal like I have never pedaled before. And I did.

Out of the gate, I am playing with the shifters, getting a better feel for the speed and climb abilities. Then I caught up to a biker, and passed them. And again. And again.

I catch up to one biker whom I pass, barely, but she keeps pace behind me. I then need a short break, so I succeed the spot back to her, and I keep pace with her. After a couple miles following her, we start catching up to groups of bikers, and she slowed to prepare to pass. I kicked it up a gear and as I passed her, I told her I was passing, but now sure how long it would last.

I kicked it up another gear and it lasted. Without any hope for her.

Somewhere on the northern stretch of Indianola, hunger started setting in, and I realized I hadn't packed anything to counter that. 

Comfortably, I can pedal at a 13-14mph pace. I don't ride very often, I really relied on my running to carry me through the bike. I miscalculated my distance when figuring out my window for finish. Thinking I had 15 miles, I gave myself a 55-65min window to finish. 68 min later, I finished 18.5 miles with a 15.9mph, topping 25mph in the final five miles (gotta use those downhills to your advantage). 

Entering Transition 2, I started to tear up. Considering where I was an hour and a half ago, and I'm now entering my strong suit. I'm feeling good. Dismount.

OH! JELLY LEGS!! Don't fall down, don't fall down!

The Easy Part, The Run

Water bottle? Check.

Visor? Check.

Armband? Check.

Kilt? Oh yeah. Check check.

Time to go. Not very far.

There's nothing like starting on a hill. I needed a walk before I reached the top. The legs were tired, and my inside lower quads were stiffening up bad and quick. The first mile and a half progressively became worse with my quads. I had to stop and stretch, others going by encourage me to keep going, and I can do it. When I got up, a woman scooped me up and started giving advice to loosen my upper body to loosen the lower. It helped, albeit briefly. I stopped and did a more intense stretch, and when I got up, another woman, Ali, was there to get me. We conversed, and I started to forget about my problem. We made a deal to push each other to the finish. It was then, RIGHT then, she started having my quad pains, so I helped her stretch through them, she offered a spare Gu, and while I'm not a huge fan of them, I couldn't accept it quick enough. Entering the last half mile, Ali is really struggling, and I start landmarking her to assure the finish is near. I ask when she wants to finish strong, she replied "when we can see the finish". I pointed down the street, where the finishing chute awaited, and with a quiet "oh", we were off. 

It was at this moment I realized that I forgot about my quads. I hadn't had a problem sonce she gave me the Gu. I exploded away from her, like I had a fresh pair of legs.

The moment I was waiting for had finally come.

The Union Station Archway. I wanted to make this race my first Tri for this moment.

I gave a 28-30 min window for my run, but I finished in 33. Considering the trouble I had, I don't think that is too bad for me.

Oh, then I finished, "first in the kilt division" as always, per Dave B., but this time, with "extra style points".

The Recap

All in all, I have my self a 1:53-2:10 window to finish. And since I forgot to include my nine plus minutes in transition, I'd say I... NAILED IT! 2:19:26! Actually I was :17s over but nonetheless, I finished and that's what matters!

I am truly happy I finished this race, I am. But what happened in the water worries me.

My mind overrode everything and wanted to quit from fear. I looked to the shore for an escape. I yelled to the kayaks for an escape. I didn't train well enough and then forgot my training altogether. Thankfully I spent a lot of time recently practicing my flip from breast to backstroke, and instinct took over. Between that and the kayakers offering a bouy, I would be in a much worse place right now.

I now know what needs work, where I need more training, fortifying, grace under fire.

My URL (from the ashes arose) and blog title(the Phoenix) take better meaning after this race. 

I found some flaws.

My armor had cracked.

I was temporarily disabled.

My next race begins now.