I AM IRON GIRL!

Wow.

So yesterday was my first sprint triathlon.
I have been working toward this since I started swimming in October.

I don't think I could have picked a better first race. Thank you Iron Girl - Syracuse!

Friday:
My parents came up to support me and watch me race on Friday...so in order to get in the required carbs we had Polish food. Awesome. Perogies are carb loading right? I say YES! Eva you make some awesome perogies!

Saturday was the expo and bike racking.

Saturday:
My dad went with me. Let me say Saturday was seriously 98 degrees and 70 something percent humidity. All of the hydrating I had done the week prior...well I sweated it out in about the first 15 minutes while waiting in line to check in. OMG it was ridiculously hot. I felt for all the volunteers...they all looked like sweaty messes and I was there within the first two hours of check in. And best of all my first check in person was the amazing woman that I bought my bike from. She gave Lola good luck kisses and we were off.

I was glad I had watched a race or two and had taken advantage of some lectures and such put on at the Y, this way I had some idea of what to expect. I put my number on my bike and took Lola to her overnight camping spot. She looked so cute all wrapped up in her plastic and pink tiger duct tape.

Did I mention how hot it was? I swear I was melting. So dad and I left and were so excited to get into a car with a/c, of course my dads hands got fried on the steering wheel, but hey who needs finger prints anyway?
So now we were off for lunch at Dinosaur BBQ. Yum! I had a lovely smoked portobello sandwich and mom & dad got to try some awesome brisket, ribs and pulled pork, oh and my had some house made lemoncello and I think she was in love. Thank goodness she only had one - if she had more she might have thought she would do the tri with me!
Now home to get my transition goodies together, I decorate my transition bucket and check my list once...twice...three...maybe more times. I didn't want to forget anything.

Now it is time to chill and get some sleep. Lucky for me (never thought I would say these words) I have to get up at 4am to work during the week so getting up about 3:45am was not too big a shock. I slept well and was up and at 'em Sunday morning.

Sunday:
Up before the sun...again. Had my pre-race oatmeal with peanut butter and some coffee (coffee is a must no matter what day it is) and waited for everyone else not accustomed to getting up stupid early to rise and shine. We loaded up and were off by 5am. We were on site by 5:10. Now to set up my transition area and get ready for go time.

My awesome family had shirts made for the event...which was such a fun surprise. They said -
Go
Mo
Go
Loved them and love them!

I was in wave 6 start time 7:25.
And we're off...
The swim was good. No freak outs. People did get in my way and I had to swim around a bunch of them, but oh yeah I got to swim around them...yep I passed people. Made it all 600 meters with no issues.
Swim time: 16:54
It was a really long was from the water to the bikes...plus I was enjoying the transition. And I was chatting with my neighbors - wishing them luck - and asking how it was going so far...you know chit chat.
Transition 1: 6:55
Now I am off on my date with Lola. She is so good to me.
It was a very windy ride and it seemed no matter which direction I was going I was always going into the wind. It must be that I am riding just that fast - right? In all seriousness it really was windy. Oh and I got stopped by a train. WHAT??? A train??? Really?? So that was interesting, but hey at least I didn't get hit by the train. Off we go again. I had a good bike even with the train and was as fast or faster than my personal best training ride. So yeah!!!!
Bike: 1:12:16
Transition number 2 was more chatting with previously mentioned neighbor...which also means slow time plus I do clip in for m rides so I needed to change to my running shoes.
Transition 2: 3:57
Lastly the 5k run. I am 2/3 done. My legs are rubbery. And it takes a few minutes for my body to figure out how to move forward. I am slow, but what else is new. I have never been a fast runner and running after an 18 mile bike ride and a 600 meter swim is even more challenging. I wave and smile and look at all of these awesome people out cheering us on and especially those who know me! Yeah us! The run is sunny in spots and yes a did walk here and there, but I was surprised to see I had a 13:17 pace.
Coming up the road you can see the finish and start to hear the cheers and you just keep running. How amazing it was to see all those smiling faces and hear the people...unbelievable. And then I crossed the finish line and was given my Iron Girl finisher medal...oh yes I got hardware.
Run: 41:08

Total time: 2:19:10
Now I have a PR and a goal to beat next year!

And I can call myself a Triathlete.

And to celebrate...we went to Bavarian Fest and had Spaten Dark and a broccoli & cheese strudel. Yum!

-Thank you to all of you that have supported me: Mark & family, My family, Gina, Paul, AJ & Emily, my work friends, my training buddies, my coaches, and everyone else. Without you I am not sure how I could have done this.

-Thank you to all of the volunteers! You all rock and without you, none of us would have been able to do this.

Next up half mary land...