The weekend after Labor day was a very busy and trying weekend in our household. I had just started back for the first week of school, and was taking my only personal day the first Friday. We headed up to Alpena right after school and arrived late Thursday evening. We got up early on Friday to start working on the barn once again. Andy shingled while I worked on building the back walls. I sadly tried to stand one up without Andy's help since he hates when I bother him while he's on the roof. With all my brute strength, I got the nine foot tall wall up, but it was rubbing on the floor joyce above, so I went to one end to try and tilt the bottom to slide it under the floor joyce. Not my smartest move. The wall went down and I used my right shoulder and hip to try and catch it. Thankfully it didn't come crashing too hard because I did break it's fall, but my shoulder hurt for the next few days. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, but I was attempting my first ever triathlon the next morning. We finished up at the property late afternoon and headed down to Rosa's for dinner on our way to East Tawas. Aunt Joan and Scott were kind enough to let us use their cottage to stay in. I checked in for the race and tried to get some much needed sleep. Sleep did not come easy that night, with storms, barking neighbor dogs, and anxiety building. 6:00 A.M. came all too early when I had to get up. It was a chilly morning and when I arrived at the lake where the start was, I started dreading my decision to not rent a wetsuit, especially since it appeared that everyone else had one. I just had Andy and the girls drop me off since it was early and my heat started one hour after everyone elses. They ran for breakfast at Big Boy. It was a welcome sight to see a friend and former coworker from my days at the Doyle Center participating as well. Matt Olsen was doing the 1/2 ironman. I have no desire to ever attempt that far of a distance, but am amazed at all who did. As my time grew nearer and my family was not around, I found myself wishing they were there to cheer me on, which surprised me because I usually don't feel I need support around to motivate me. It was a very welcome sight when my I saw a shaved headed man pushing a stroller and two girls in hot pink sweatshirts appear. (I forgot to pack their sweatshirts so Andy took them to Wal-Mart that morning after breakfast to buy them each a sweatshirt.) Once they arrived I got my good luck hugs and kisses and stripped down to my bright red swimsuit and put on my swim cap. That was my first time ever wearing a swim cap too. As I headed to the beach I was relieved to see about half a dozen other girls just in swimsuits as well.
Look, I actually survived the triathlon and even crossed the finish line!
Andy forgot the camera in the truck, so this is the only photo we actually have from the race. It's on his phone so it's blurry, but you can make out my red suit in the middle. I was kind of glad he forgot the camera because no one would have been having flashbacks to Pamela Anderson running the beaches on Baywatch when they saw me running in my suit. A blurry photo from afar in a mass of others is good enough. Once we started I was so grateful to feel how warm the water temperature was 71-72 degrees while the air was a frigid 54. It was perfect for swimming and the waves weren't too rough. I headed out into the water fairly quick, and surprised myself that I was ahead of some since I had mentally prepared myself to be dead last. Once we rounded the first buoy I was passed by many, but kept at it. They had lifeguards on boards at various places throughout so you could stop and rest if you needed to. I was pleased to see some girls resting as I passed each one determined to not stop. I was definitely near the rear, but glad to see some other girls hanging in the same spot with me. Swimming in open water was definitely a change. I knew it would be harder, but it was a challenge. Towards the end I started to feel disoriented and when I finally was able to stand to try and run out of the water I was light headed and dizzy. I suddenly heard a familiar shrill voice screaming, "Go Mommy!" and knew immediately it was my Olivia cheering me on. I needed that at the point and it gave me the strength to pull my my tired out of shape body out of Lake Huron and run through the sand to the sidewalk ahead. Once I hit the sidewalk some walking was indeed in order. I know realized skipping breakfast was a stupid mistake and found myself wondering if I would be able to finish. At least the bike was up next which should be the most relaxing and what I thought would be my best event. Once I found my bike the novice in me became apparent. I struggled putting my clothes on over my wet suit, then couldn't believe the bike helmet (it's Andy's) wouldn't fit my now feeling fat head. After fumbling with it for a few minutes I hear Andy screaming that Olivia wore it last. I am not joking when I say I spent a good five minutes trying to adjust to a point where I could finally clasp it, but it was uncomfortably tight. I was then off, finding some relief and a new rush of energy as I headed off on my 10K bike ride. I knew it was a down and turn around and come back, so I kept waiting to see people heading back and was surprised to not see anyone. After all, I was one of the last out of the water from my heat and there were other heats ahead of mine that I thought would be heading back by now. As I approached the 5K mark I finally saw some heading back, and quickly realized why it had taken them so long. The 5K mark, which I thought would be the turn around point was in fact not the turn around point. The 10K mark was the turn around point. I now mentally had to prepare for a 20K bike ride. A man passed me and said, "Isn't this a bitch?" To which I answered, "Yeah, I guess I should have trained for my first triathlon." He laughed, and responded, "Me too, guess I shouldn't have been at the bar all night too." Everyone on the course seemed genuinely nice. It was a lot of gradual uphill all the way out until the hill from hell. It was steep and long. I almost didn't think I could make it up. I thought about turning around early or walking my bike up, but I was too embarrassed to walk my bike with a guy riding behind me. Thankfully he was struggling badly too. After a long grueling battle I made it up the hill and not too much farther ahead I saw my turnaround point. The ride back was much nicer being mainly a gradual downhill, but I was spent at this point so I didn't go as fast as I should have. I took in the beautiful countryside that I had never seen in East Tawas. It was a gorgeous area and road through Huron National Forest. As I approached the town again and my last transition area, I feared my upcoming event, the 5K run. I knew at this point, actually I was pretty certain before starting the race, that I would be walking a portion of the run. Olivia was there screaming for me again so I started with a run on my legs that felt like bricks. I alternated back and forth between my slow run and a fast walk. From experience, I've learned that the two are about the same pace, but my run tires me out much more. There were others walking which pushed down my nerves. The spectators along the entire triathlon were nothing but encouraging. They'd cheer you on and tell you you could do it, and it gave me the extra push to run a little further than I mentally had planned. I even had my buddy that I met on the bike course pass me and holler, "There's my no training girl!" as he gave me a high five. When the home stretch was within sight I picked a point that I would start running so I could try and sprint the final stretch through the ending shoot. Of course, I heard "Run Mommy, go Mommy!" before I reached that point, and I couldn't let my girls down so I had to run sooner than planned. It was a long gruelling stretch to the finish, but I crossed. I didn't set out to beat anyone, only to prove to myself that I could do it. I already want to do it again next year, and this time, I plan on training for it.
As soon as I finished I had to figure out how to get my bike out and head out to meet my family. We loaded the bike up and headed back to Joan's cottage where I took a much deserved shower. Then we ate a little left overs from Rosa's and had a short, but nice visit with Judy and Jim and Mike and Ruth before heading back up to Alpena. Once back in Alpena I continued on walls and Andy on the roof. We got the exterior walls all subsided on the lower level and Andy completed almost 1/2 of the roof with shingles. We got up Sunday and finished what we could before loading up and heading home again. We got home just after bedtime and were up before the sun the next morning to start my first full week back to school.
It was definitely a busy and trying weekend, but I loved the challenges it brought and the time with my family.
