OK, let me start at the beginning.  Sine the end of last March I’ve been struggling to get back in shape.  Eileen decided I needed a carrot and a sprint triathlon would be just the thing…

When we found the Race On The Base – Triathlon we signed up. It was a reverse triathlon: 5K, (3.1 miles) run, 12 mile bike, and a 200 meter swim. You heard me correctly-  just a 200 meter swim and the race was done in the above order, run, bike, and then swim (reverse of a normal triathlon).

We have been running some, and biking some, and we have even gone to the pool a number of times to train.

About 10 years ago I did a few triathlons. None were very long, all were in the sprint distance: 1/2 miles swim, 15 miles on the bike, and 5K run and in that order.  But a lot has happened in 10 years (none particulary good – spinal surgery, cancer, age, life).

Today was the big day. Dallas Raines (of course with a name like that he is our local weather guy) last night said a big rain was going to hit southern California about 7am and continue all day. Of course this just increased my anxiety about the race. I heard the winds hit about 5am along with the rain. It was early enough that I was hoping it might just peter out and all would be good.

We got to the base about 8:30am and it was a cool 57 degrees  and cloudy with rain threatening (by the way, the we I’m talking about are Eileen and our friend and uber athlete Bev).

The race stated at 10:30am sharp (with a name like Race on the Base you can figure it was run by the military – and I have to give them credit: it was well organized and everything ran on time) and at 10:29am  the rain hit. So we ran the 5K in the pouring rain and during the last bit we had to run through a small lake about ankle deep. Couldn’t believe people stopped to decide what to do! Through the puddle I ran with a smile on my face. How much fun can a 62 year old (soon to be 63) have? By the time I got to the bike the rain had subsided but the wind had picked up.  Mounted the bike and off to the course.  Going into the wind I was lucky to go 12 mph. On the other side of the runway going with the wind I could hammer out a steady 23. So all in all I was okay with the pace.

After the 12 mile bike we had to dismount and run to the pool (about 200 yards) through mud and gravel. Thank God for Tevas.

The pool was my highlight, I passed many people , a lot of whom were doing backstroke, breaststroke, and dog paddle.

I finshed with an over all time of  1:27 and some seconds, 7th in my age group. And it turns out I had a great time. Did I mention, after we finished and getting our stuff together to leave the rain hit with a vengeance?

Oh, Eileen did very well, 4th in her age group, and Bev won her age group (the same group as Eileen). But this post was all about ME.

We have another race tomorrow ;-(