My brief career as a triathlete

One phrase I say frequently enough is, "Reason # [Insert any 3 digit number here] why I'm not a triathlete...".  But this does not mean I haven't competed in any triathlons before.  In fact, before I learned how to ride a bike I was known to go running...for fun!  I would run as a way to cross train with swimming.  I would even say, "Wow, if I knew how to ride a bike, I could do a triathlon!".  Well, once I learned how to ride a bike, that turned into "I could do a triathlon".

Me, Steve, my gold medals, and that
fabulous and fast bike.

Marla (who is a triathlete, and a cyclist, and a runner, and a wonderful person) was the one who got excited about this and somehow it was decided that we would compete in two tris in July of 2009, both sprint distances.  We had a wonderful summer going on bike rides together and ending at the free pool, and Marla even got me to go running with her sometimes (because once I learned how to ride a bike, my running career was over.  I mean, seriously, running is bullshit.  Why run when you can ride?  This attitude is reason #349 why I'm not a triathlete).  I was going to ride the Sedona in the races, because it was a solid comfortable bicycle.  Less than a week before the first race, I went swimming with my friend and water polo co-ed teammate Steve, and he offered me use of his sweet light-and-fast-as-shit road bike.  Holy Hell!  That first day taking it out on the levee in all its speed and twitchiness, was the first time I ever rode on a truly sweet bike.  And in tri #1, at LSU, while I was so intimidated by all these girls in tri-kits and serious facial expressions, I just blew by everyone on this sweet ride.  It was a staggered start and I was modest about my swimming ability (I had the #2 swim time - the girl with the #1 time was an LSU swimmer with the school record in 200 fly), but that payed off because then I had people to blow by on that bike.  I ended up coming in 4th place overall and first in my age group.  A week later I also won my age group, landing me with 2 gold medals.  (Less than a year riding a bicycle!!)

Rip Van Winkle 2009: This might be the only time you
ever see me running.  (New Iberia, LA)

After this, Marla moved to Houston, water polo practice started back up again, and I settled in to finish my PhD.  In fact, while I was still riding my bike around everywhere and playing polo, I wasn't doing any of this nearly as much as I was doing math.  So by the time I moved to Pittsburgh at the end of the summer of 2010, I was out of swimming shape.  So much so that I was self-conscious about it when I started at Pitt masters, where I met Kamden.  I was so intimidated by her; she was telling me stories about her bike team that practiced at the oval and riding around the DC area n'at.  But the following spring, she hooked me up with a couple of short triathlons to try.

Then my friend Jill (who will get her own blog entry, so I'll just say she can kick your ass on a bike) came through for me and hooked me up with a sweet ass road bike.  Consequently, I kicked ass.  I got some medals, the most noteworthy being at Morgantown in June of 2011.  Kamden hooked me up with Tony, who was driving to the race solo, so I semi-spontaneously signed up for a race, got a ride, and great ass kicking company.   The main reason Morgantown was so awesome was because the bike course was amazing.  It was an out and back: except out was about a 600 foot climb, and back was about a 600 foot descent.  I had endorphins singing in my ears when I started running, and they didn't stop until about mile 2 when I remembered I hated running again.  Well, at this point I was lead female, so holla!

I'll also mention that I did do the Pittsburgh Olympic distance triathlon and learned a couple of things from that.  Firstly, that race costs too much for what you get and isn't worth it in value,  Secondly, 10K is just too far a distance for me to run and be happy.  This racing thing is supposed to a fun hobby, and running is not fun.  I'd rather ride my bike and schmooze at the pool with my masters buddies.  And then ride my bike some more.

Mountaineer Tri, 2011.  First place female, sprint distance.
Check out that sweet bicycle!  (Morgantown, WV)

Since I came to the realization that triathlon is not for me, I keep coming up with reason and reason on so many levels why I am not a triathlete.  But I support anyone out to push themselves and kick ass, the fitness lifestyle, and any insane person who goes running for fun.  Even those who do super crazy things like run marathons and 40 mile trail races.