Learning to Tri: What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

OR

Could The Semi Abnormal Gal be Any Less Prepared for the Sixth Annual Orlando Women's Triathlon?

So, what crazy signs up for the first triathlon of her life the same week as Homecoming at the school of her employment, the end of the marking period at same said school, oh and volunteers to judge 2 Hi-Q matches that week and photograph the night time pep rally? A week that has left her exhausted, with a stuffy nose/sore throat and chugging Emergen-C like her life depends on it?

Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!

So, yeah....I'm shaking with nerves in my makeshift trisuit, to say the least (and considering the first real cold front of the fall season just hit Florida this week, I'm going to be shaking from cold as well, come Saturday morning!)

But regardless of the fact that I feel under-trained, sick and this cool snap arrived in Florida about 48 hours too soon for my taste I do have I plan, and here it is!

The Swim

The Distance: 400 meters

The Semi-Abnormal Game Plan:

               a- be the last one in the water, seriously. I do NOT want to get kicked. I'm still a little nervous about my swimming skills; I just finally mastered how to breathe over my left shoulder (I'm a righty) a week ago and it's not always that pretty, so I don't need a bonk on the head in addition to my awkward form. 

              b- Finish in ~ 10 minutes? I can swim one length of my gym pool (or 25m) in 35 seconds, so that is what I'm using for my time calculations. We'll see!

The Bike

The Distance: 20km 

The Semi-Abnormal Game Plan:

              a- Cycle my heart out. I know I'm totally new to the "roadie" world, as I just got my bike Eleanor in August, but I adore riding on her. I know I will get passed, but I'm ok with that.

              b- Finish in ~60 minutes. I just finally got a working speedometer back last week, and I was pleased to discover that my "comfortable" speed is faster than I though, since I also had been under calculating the distance I was covering. I know what my "push it" speed is and how long I can maintain it, so I'm excited about my performance on wheels.

The Run

The Distance: 5km

The Semi-Abnormal Game Plan:

               a- Ugh. I really truly hate running. I can't fool myself about this and therefore my only "training" run was last week. It was more of a hobble.

              b- Finish in ~45 minutes? I honestly plan on power walking most of it. I do want to "run the finish" line though, because I've never actually done that before. My last race (which was also my first race) was a relay and I was the first leg.

The Transitions

The Distance(s): Not sure

The Semi-Abnormal Game Plan:

              a- I don't have a plan for this. I haven't practiced transitions, but I'm ok with that.

              b- I am concerned about running from the lake to T1 and then running with my bike. See "The Run" above. (Doesn't like to run, got it).

Well, there you have it. The not so planned out plan, which put me finishing somewhere around the 2 hour mark.  That seems like not long enough, so I'm not sure what I haven't accounted for? Regardless, my bike is racked on my car, my gear is packed and the check list is checked! 

I'm off to Tri!

Love to all,

~the "I can't believe this triathlon is finally here!" gal, Jess