Every year, Tricia and I try to plan a trip to North Dakota to see her family in early summer. This trip would be different. We'd meet them in South Dakota instead and spend time in the Mt. Rushmore area.
Just so happens there's a swim only event there that weekend that my sister-in-law has found. Of course, my first thought is that this is a great idea. Sure, I'm in. "A Dam Good Swim" is the name of the race. It's in the lake behind Pactola Dam. Calm water, very controlled setting, right up my alley. So I thought.....
In the days leading up to the race, we're informed that things are changing due to flooding. WHAT? I don't need all this. Make this simple on me. There would be no parking near the start line because the parking lot is completely flooded. Race check-in would happen near the dam and we'd be shuttled down to the start line. Tricia and I arrive early at the direction of the race director. Lot's of standing around.......walked across the dam to get to a restroom. Not at all an ideal setting. Finally, I get a shuttle down to the start line.
The gun goes off and I let everyone take out ahead of me. I get my face in the water and freak out. I swim 2-3 strokes and lose my breath. I raise my head up out of the water and start flailing. I'm panicking and don't know how to do this. Another 5-6- strokes in this cold water and another freak out. Breath taken, Heart racing. Doggy paddle, cold, heavy breathing, heart racing, 3 more strokes of real swimming, head up, breath taken, heart racing, more doggy paddle. I'm 75 yards off the start line and I stop. I try to regain my breath and slow my heart rate. I take 15-20 seconds as I see everyone in my race pulling away farther toward the first buoy. 5-6 more strokes and attempting to breath every stroke. My breath is taken again. I freak out and decide today's not my day. I pull up, float for a second, and backstroke my way back to the start line. Done. Finished. What the hell was I thinking when I signed up to do this??? I'm NOT a SWIMMER.
The Eddie Ferrell, Music City Triathlon is a staple in the city and brings out all of the local triathletes. I decide it's important to eliminate as much of the race morning anxiety as I can by picking up my packet and dropping off my bike the day before. I get there and realize I'm completely out of place here. I know some of these people through running, but I'm lost. It's a lot like the first time I ran a big race. Not knowing where to go or what order things get done and so on. Fortunately, Tricia is with me and I gotta at least act like I know what I'm doing! haha!
I see some familiar faces and chat for a minute or two, then I see Season! What a welcome sight! Runner, Triathlete, Race Organizer, good friend. I haven't seen her in probably a year at this point, maybe more. I introduce her to Tricia and we catch up for a minute. She knows that I've taken on this challenge of doing an Ironman and is extremely supportive and curious. As a friend, she wants to make sure I'm doing everything I can to get ready for the big day and knows that this is a 'training race' for me. Me, I kept saying that, but my anxiety was growing with every minute. Tricia and I walk down to the river......yeah, the Cumberland River, where I'll be jumping off a perfectly good dock the next morning to swim 300 yards or so. This is stupid!!! Will this turn into another 'Dam Good Swim' spectacle? Or can I really do this?
Race day arrives and I'm nervous. I'm up extremely early to make sure that I have everything packed that I need. Wetsuit - CHECK, Cycling Shoes - CHECK, Helmet - CHECK, Running Shoes - CHECK, WETSUIT- CHECK!! I arrive at the race plenty early. I get everything laid out around my bike. The 'jerk' next to me not-so-politely tells me to move my things as I'm in 'his space'. Clearly he doesn't know this is my first race and that I have no clue what I'm doing, or that I've only made it this far from youtube videos. I see Brad and Emily and they want to get in a little run to warm-up. Wait, I thought the swim was the warm-up! haha! I agree to go and grab my running shoes. We run a couple of miles and given it's July......I work up a nice sweat. Just in time to put on a wetsuit. Not the easiest thing I've ever tried. Everyone begins to head toward the river and line up for jumping in. The people doing the Olympic distance race board the General Jackson and they head up stream. Everyone standing on shore applaud and cheer them on, all while my anxiety grows.
It's a slow go as people one by one jump in to start the race. Standing on the dock, I get to see lots of athletes swim by. Some swimming as if they've done this their entire life, as if they have gills. Others, not so much. I have hope that I can do this. I also have serious anxiety as I see those people who are struggling. I'm standing behind a lady that I've talked to on a couple of occasions at the pool where I train. She's doing this race without a wetsuit, her first without one. The Olympic distance swimmers start to come into view and I slowly get to the start line. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.......Here we go! JUMP!!! DAMN That's cold!!!! Face down, cold water, panic! I tell myself to slow down. I can manage this. Face back in the water. Panic. Doggy Paddle. I get my head turned and paddle as best I can. I rollover to backstroke and slow my heart rate. I try to roll back over to swim and freak out. I hear one of the kayakers ask if I'm OK. I nod that I'm fine. Really Stephen, are you fine?!?!? Doggy paddle, doggy paddle......I'm killing this doggy paddle! Oh, there's Tricia, she's taking a picture of me doggy paddling. That won't be my favorite triathlon photo of all time. Let's try to swim. Ok, there's 5 strokes. Doggy paddle. 5-7 more strokes. Hey, there's the finish line. I got this..........
I come out of the water feeling exhausted, but I made it. I completed the swim portion of this race! That's worth celebrating. I take my time getting up the hill from the river and try to slow my heart rate. Once I reach my bike, I'm ready to roll. I had come out of the water 25th of 26 in my Age Group. Now, let's get after it! I get out of transition on the bike and know that I have to pace myself. While this is only a 14'ish mile bike ride, I've got to run following this. Not something I've really practiced doing a lot. I'm patient to start and take my time settling in. By the time I get to Ellington Parkway, I'm ready to do some racing. I'm consistently passing people, lot's of people. As I make the turn to come back, I know that the worst of the climbing on the course is behind me. Let's get after it. I push hard all the way back into downtown. As I get close to the stadium, I ease up a bit knowing I need to shake out my legs so that I can run. I've just put down the 7th best bike time in my age group and while I didn't know this at the time, I'm moving up quickly. I get my bike racked and running shoes on.
Tricia has my hat and now we're gonna have a little fun. I ease into this run, but I'm passing people right and left. I know a lot of people got into the water before me, but this many??? The first mile I click off at 7:43. I blow by a kid that everyone who passes cheers on and tells him how great he's doing. I ask if he's ok. He says yes, then I tell him to push harder! haha! Never let up, young man! 2nd mile at 7:29 and we're heading back toward the finish. 3rd mile at 7:10 and I feel really good all the way to the finish. I've just put down the 4th fastest run in my age group. Add all that together with my very slow transition times and I finish 7th in my age group. While that swim was frustrating and I know I have lot's of work to do, I know now that if I make it out of the water that I can be competitive at this.
To be continued............
No comments:
Post a Comment