I am Triathlete

So, I had my first triathlon.
I finished(!!!)
I always feel the need to qualify the fact that it was a mini triathlon (shorter distances, even than a sprint), as if completing the smaller one makes it less of an accomplishment. Either way, I should be proud of myself for trying, and finishing, right? I could be in the same place as last summer.. the idea of competing, but sitting at home, not signing up. I know I am proud of myself on one level because I love to tell people I participated in a (mini) triathlon, showing them the photo I took with my phone, showing off my medal (that they give everyone [insert winking emoticon here]).
The day of the race I didn't get as much sleep as I wanted to; waking up at 3am and trying to go back to sleep only to wake up at 5a can do that. It didn't take me too long to get myself together, but I did not anticipate the pre-departure, bike mounting excitement. Apparently it's still dark at 5:30 in the morning. Most of you would say, "well, duh!" But I gotta tell you, I haven't seen 5am in a while. Anyway, I'm going to leave, taking all my gear and my bike, and I get to my car and realize I have to put together my bike rack on my car, and then mount it. It would have been easier if it were a newer rack with those handy dandy ratchet type fasteners, but no. Ties, ties, and more ties. In the dark. I mean, there were some parking lot lights, but it was not as well lit as I would have liked it to be. I think a part of my nervousness was just driving on the highway with my bike on the back of my car. I've driven around town with it, but never above 35mph. BUT I do have to say that driving on the highway at 5:30a on a Saturday is the PERFECT time to test it out.. as there was practically no traffic... so no worries that if the bike DID fall off, it would cause a crazy crash and damage other people's car.
But we made it, bike and all. We met up with my friend who did the race as well (her gazillionth tri). I finished in 1 hour 2 minutes and 58 seconds. Not too bad. I'll just have to beat that time next race.

Swim, cycle, repeat.. no, run!

Tomorrow I am competing in my first triathlon. The day is here. My hope is to at least finish and I have good feelings about it. It is a mini afterall. I'm glad I was able to go today and pick up my race packet. I just hope I don't oversleep (I did that once for a 5k)! The race starts at 7a, and my goal is to be there at 6:15a. It's been a few months since I've seen 6am, so hopefully we will greet each other with mutual respect :)

The heat index has been up again, so having the race early in the morning is a blessing.

Boy, does she get around

Cycling is definitely on the rise. I see more cyclists everywhere I go, and it's no wonder when there are more programs and incentives to get folks out from behind the [steering] wheel and onto the (spoke) wheel. The bike enthusiasts at my own work try to rally others to commute and complete their errands, in the name of team comradery, health, and, well, being kinder to Mother Earth. All of these things appeal to me, and while I signed up for a program, I hadn't really spent much time on my bike, especially not riding to work. I worry about getting to work, and that shower I took in the morning was for nothing. I worry about getting hit by a car, or just not having the stamina to bike fast enough to get me to work on time. Don't get me wrong, I have done it once or twice, and it turned out OK; I know I just need to do it. And more often than not.. it's simply laziness. Motivation is definitely a good thing to have, especially when you pay for it. Literally. You may recall from earlier posts that I entered myself into a mini-triathlon race, and it is right around the corner. Part of the race is a 7 mile bike, and it would be a horrible, HORRIBLE idea to wait until race day to hop on the bike.. I don't know if you've ever biked for a while.. stopped.. then go at it again.. it.. is.. painful. Ladies, you learn what makes the groin area throb (and not in a good way).
So, biking more often (especially over he next week) is a must for me. It helps that I got a new (to me) road bike. It's cute. It's older. It's the perfect starter road bike for me. I also have a biking buddy, and I can say without a doubt that it makes cycling more enjoyable. Granted, the only riding I've done on my own so far has been to work or around the neighborhood to run errands, and the road I must travel.. well.. sucks. Even driving in a car.. it's not great. The plus side to it, is that there are more cyclists on the road, and especially in my neighborhood, so I think the drivers around the area I live are getting more used to it. I hope.

permanency

I've always liked tattoos and I've seen many that are sexy. Some are unfortunate, and many should never have been done, but I've been thinking more and more about getting one myself. I seem to be drawn to sleeves; multiple tattoos that blend well into each other to create a work of art. I doubt I would ever get a sleeve myself (as I'm hesitant to get even one) but I do tend to like them. Especially half sleeves. I've always liked the idea of getting a phoenix, but have really yet to find any designs I love. I suppose I just need to go talk to an artist and work with them on an idea.
I have an instagram account where I've been following several tattoo artists that have great designs. Unfortunately, most of them live hundreds of miles away from me. I've come across an apprentice that has absolutely amazing artwork. If you have the chance, check out Kim-Ahn Nguyen's Art blog. Love it. She even has an etsy shop too. I'm thinking that I'll get a small one to start out to see if I even would want a larger one. It will a celebration of myself for finishing my mini-tri coming up next month. I'll post pics.